I've been a huge fan of Coheed and Cambria for almost three years, a while after their first album dropped. I went to go see them at Stubbs on Monday, expecting about the same amount of people at the show as last year, but to my surprise the place is PACKED, at least four times more people than a year ago. Not to mention I went to a free show they put on about 2 years ago and there was 200 people there tops. I guess we can refer to this as the MTV effect, you put out one "pop" song that gets continuous air play and all of the sudden girls are throwing bras at you, singing every one of your songs at the top of their lungs, and a there's a damn mosh pit. Seriously, what kind of douche bag moshes at a Coheed show? I don't want this to turn into bands that "sold out" and now I hate them, because I still enjoy the music they make, and I must admit I'm happy that they are raking in the dough. I just thought we could make a list of bands that you followed when they were small and then out of nowhere rose to superstardom.
Only two bands in my life did I follow when they were small and watched them get huge.... Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Dave Matthews Band. One week I saw them in a tiny club in Norfolk not far from Old Dominion University (Friar Tuck or what we used to call it, Friar Jerks) and the next they were all over the radio.
All of those early "Alternative/punk" bands come to mind to me. It was different in the late '80s because nothing that wasn't kind of poppy became famous until Lolapalooza & Grunge broke. And now we have pop punk, yay. I can tell you this: In 1986 I never thought I would hear Red Hot Chili Peppers playing in Kroger or McDonald's. But lately the White Stripes explosion took me by surprise.
I have a strong feeling that SOUND team will be this way for me. All the right things are happening for those guys.
LOL. Ironically I was having that exact conversation with my friend a couple of months ago. He just said I was greedy.
I did too. Are you that friend? The band would have to start answering to the stockholders so it wouldn't work.
Or dumb . I'm sure there are lots of bands looking for financial backing..... But the lotto's probably a better investment...
I bought Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory on a whim when it was $5 at Best Buy because they were an "Emerging Artist." A month and a half later after I'd worn out the cd, the radio stations wouldn't stop playing them. It was kind of weird.
I wouldn't say that I followed them, but I went to a few Bowling for Soup shows in Abilene back in '98 and '99...
I was a big fan of The Tragically Hip way before they struck it big. Now they're huge (but their new stuff blows, unfortunately).
I told everyone 50 Cent's debut album would go at least triple plat about 4 months before it was released. Lately I've been telling everyone about Avenged Sevenfold, and everyone keeps coming back to me saying "Holy **** these guys rule" Because it's true. Hell i've got old farts like r2k jamming their stuff.
Two terrific choices. Really, this thread should have been, "Who did you see in clubs that became famous?" On that basis, I could come up with a pretty good list. I'll think about it. (yes, I still haven't posted a decent list in the "concerts you went to" thread, but I haven't forgotten about it. Still trying to unscramble my brains, lol! I'll get to it.)
Yep, I agree. Those were the two acts I saw in clubs before they became famous. I also saw the Stray Cats at Club Foot in Austin in 1979, right before they were on MTV every other minute.
