Where are all the talented rock bands at? 1992? ------------------ "banging Shaq is a whole different expirience"-Pete Babcock Behold the power of quotation
Austin... ------------------ "And we have mechanical means of representing objects in nature, such as the camera and the photograph. The modern artist is expressing an inner world, expressing the energy, the motion, and other inner forces. The modern artist is working with space and time, and expressing his feelings rather than illustrating." -Jackson Pollock
Austin if you want real singer/songwriter's Dallas if you want corporate Limp Korn Stains ------------------ I stole your money and I did your daughter at Texas A&M University
What music scene??? Actually, there are a TON of great musicians in Houston. Most of them, however, don't play live very much because it is almost impossible to have legitimate gigs in the current atmosphere. I know so many great musicians here who toil away in their home studios and work as session musicians. Also, it makes a big difference what type of music you like. There is a thriving community of jazz, rap/hip hop and country artists in and around Houston. But, when people think of music scenes, they think of white, college alternative bands, who always manage to complain about how horrible the scene is but never really want to do anything about it. I've always maintained that the ONLY way to have a successful music scene is to not focus on rock or alternative music, but to be as inclusive as possible. Include all the different styles of music from rap to country to ska. Include the cover bands. Hey, they're musicians too! Include the recording studios. Most importantly, include the music that already is well-established from ZZ Top and Destiny's Child to the Houston Symphony Orchestra and Da Camera. Only then will you begin to see a change for the better with music in Houston. Sadly, most people would be happier complaining than making this a better place for music live or otherwise. A number of years ago, a small group of filmmakers put together a Houston Film group that had the idea of attracting movie studios to Houston to make films. Everyone thought they were nuts saying no one would ever leave LA or NYC to come to Houston. Today, there is a movie filming in Houston nearly every week. There was a HUGE write-up on it in the Chronicle two weeks ago. Today, independants like VH1 film here often as do huge companies from Disney to Warner Brothers. If only musicians would take the cue of filmmakers. Sigh! By the way, if you want more info on music in Houston from a music perspective, check out the usenet at houston.music . Good stuff there. Also, read this great article on the Houston music scene from a recent Houston Press. http://www.houstonpress.com/issues/2001-06-07/racket.html ------------------ How the hell should I know why God would allow the Holocaust. I don't even know how the electric can opener works. - from Hannah and Her Sisters
and great artists... ------------------ "And we have mechanical means of representing objects in nature, such as the camera and the photograph. The modern artist is expressing an inner world, expressing the energy, the motion, and other inner forces. The modern artist is working with space and time, and expressing his feelings rather than illustrating." -Jackson Pollock
Well, I am no longer in Houston, but when I was, it was all cover bands. No place to play original music. A good freind of mine (an excellent musician) recently moved back to Houston and informed me the scene hasn't changed at all. Houston needs to open up to original artists. Too many good ones have left the city because of the lack of support. ------------------ "For there is nothing either good or bad, thinking makes it so." - William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Hamlet
Jeff Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but you almost seem a little bitter there. Is there some personal history, there? I admit I probably think of a music scene that way. Add jazz and blues to "college alternative rock" and that's my idea of a music scene. Don't really care about country because I don't like it, and hip hop... well, I enjoy it, but I've had comments made to me when attending predominantly black shows, so I stay away unless it's a major artist now. I'd wager that most people think of a "music scene's" worth based on what they like. I don't think that's strange or bad. ------------------ Clutchcity.net... source for all your Rockets, Astros, political, music, humor, and Gordita news.
Houston has a GREAT music scene... ...if you play blues or country. Otherwise, you'd better pack your bags and move to Austin. Good thing I play the blues. ------------------ "Blues is a Healer" --John Lee Hooker
It is open to orignial artists but the problem is that there is no organization at all. The only way to be successful in the music biz is to create a buzz and bands can't do that if they spend all their time competing and no time organizing to get their voices heard to club owners and fans. Houston also suffers from no zoning. Without it, clubs are spread out all over the place, which makes for a tough commute between them. There is a reason why places like 6th Street and the Sunset Strip have a lot of clubs on them. The clubs feed off of each others' success. ------------------ How the hell should I know why God would allow the Holocaust. I don't even know how the electric can opener works. - from Hannah and Her Sisters
First off, I'm not bitter in the slightest. I love my career as it is and never cared much either way about the scene. In fact, I've mostly argued the exact opposite. So many people complain about how the music scene sucks and proceed to do nothing about it. I've not done much to remedy it but I never complained. I've always done just fine as it is and I've never had trouble getting gigs. But, that is a significant problem. That isn't the way it is in New York, the mother of all music scenes. Atlatnta has a thriving music community with jazz, r&b, hip hop, rock, etc. LA has just about everything you could want. My point is that rather than complaining that Destiny's Child is the only band out of Houston to have any real success since, well, ZZ Top, why not try to find out why they were successful? Sitting around and complaining how bad things suck doesn't really solve anything. I don't care for country or hip hop, but I recognize the value they bring to a musical community. I don't go to the symphony, but they've managed to find a way to get the city to give them millions every year for concerts, payroll and venues. Unfortunately, alternative musicians haven't found out how to capitalize on the success of others because they spend to much time being critical of that success. It isn't bad or strange, but it is incredibly counterproductive if you are one of the musicians in the scene. If you live in a city where the scene is predominantly a style of music you don't like, you have three choices: find a way to influence change, move to another city or stop complaining. Most of the bands I've been in are white rock bands. I've played Latin, jazz, funk. r&b, blues and just about everything else, but my main interest has been in the scene I'm talking about. Rather than whining about the state of music in your community which seems to be the most common thing for musicians in Houston to do, I submit that it would be more productive to try to make a change for what you consider to be the better. I just get tired of hearing complaints and seeing no action. ------------------ How the hell should I know why God would allow the Holocaust. I don't even know how the electric can opener works. - from Hannah and Her Sisters
Jeff, Could there be a SOMS* in the future? *-Save Our Music Scene ------------------ "For there is nothing either good or bad, thinking makes it so." - William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Hamlet
Not if my wife has anything to do with it! I've actually considered trying to organize something because I know enough people, but musicians are nearly impossible to organize. The egos and artistic differences nearly always create problems. Ultimately, it would have to be a group that was benevolent enough to really want to help but powerful and influential enough to convince everyone to get on board. I just don't see that happening anytime soon. I wish King's X was as popular as Destiny's Child or ZZ Top! It's funny because I got to know Doug Pinnick YEARS ago when they first got a deal and he is one of the sweetest guys on the planet. Interestingly enough, he is OLD. You should see all the vitamins he takes! Seriously. ------------------ How the hell should I know why God would allow the Holocaust. I don't even know how the electric can opener works. - from Hannah and Her Sisters
Seems like the scene in Houston is the same as mainstream huh? It just seems like all the good rock bands are gone and now we have these hip hop rock bands or really pop sounding ones. I wish I could do something about it but, maybe I will. It will go on the list of things to do. ------------------ "banging Shaq is a whole different expirience"-Pete Babcock Behold the power of quotation
How far up the big time ladder did Lyle get? Mango ------------------ Get it right or just don't do it! Resistance is futile....you will be assimilated. Start more Webber threads!
you could always listen to the high school rock bands hehe ------------------ Shane "Save Our Rockets" "Life without basketball in Houston........without an arena that is what it will be"
Houston and Austin are so different. My band plays mostly covers, but we have about 20 songs worth of original material. We throw in our originals throughout the night or when they are heavily requested. The difference between Houston and Austin, is that bands actually get paid in Houston. The scene in Austin is so watered down that it's hard to find a very good band in Austin. There are so many bands willing to work for almost free because people are excited to see live music and they don't care that the band they are listening to sucks. I'm not saying that all bands in Austin suck, but there are a bunch that do. There are some sucky bands in Houston, but most clubs go with bands that can maintain a following. In general, these are cover bands. I admit that doing covers is kind of selling out, but I don't mind as long as I get to slip some of my music in also. Another good thing about Houston is its size. 90.1 KPFT plays some of our music at the worst time of the night, but even the smallest percentage of millions of people hear our music. It's worked out decently for us. We haven't really tried to push our music in Austin, because there's way too many bands that do the same thing as us. We've probably had equal success between Houston and Austin, but Houston just pays more. I live in Brenham which is halfway between Houston and Austin and for any musicians out there, the country is a great place to play your music. I'm not talking about any specific type of music either. We are not a country band and we've done pretty well playing out in the country. Of course it depends on your standards, but for simple band trying to make a living, it's worth it to drive a ways out in the country and spread your music. ------------------
Eric Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaugh, Timbuk 2 (one-hit wonder), Charlie Sexton, Doyle Brammel Jr. (great new record), Fastball, Shawn Colvin and Sarah Hickman. Those would be the main one's. Houston has had ZZ Top, Quarterflash (remember them?), Kings X, Galactic Cowboys, Destiny's Child, Tripping Daisy and Caedmon's Call (VERY popular Christian band). Those are the main signed pop bands. If you wanted to list country, blues and jazz from both cities, we'd be here a while. Austin and Houston are VERY different because Austin tends to emphasize rootsier music - blues, folk, etc. Houston tends to emphasize more urban styles of music - jazz, r&b and pop. The deal is that Austin is a town centered around a college. That always makes for a better music scene because you have a lot of kids with disposable income and plenty of free time. Houston does too but they are MUCH MUCH more spread out, whereas they are centrally located in Austin. I've been in both scenes and played both places numerous times. I prefer Houston because the styles of music are more representative of who I am. I remember living there and hearing great singer/songwriter, folk and blues but I was dying to hear a REALLY loud guitar when I got back to Houston. Personally, I like the musicians in both places and still work with people from Austin on occassion. Neither is better, just different, although Austin has a lot more notoriety than Houston. In all honesty, Dallas may have the most balanced music scene of all three and I HATE to say anything nice about Dallas. ------------------ How the hell should I know why God would allow the Holocaust. I don't even know how the electric can opener works. - from Hannah and Her Sisters
