Band loyalty vs. diminishing returns

[Crystal Plumage]

If I don't play an album anymore, I try to sell it. So why would I buy an album in the first place, when I know for sure I'm not going to listen to it? Doesn't make sense to me.
In my pre-internet days it was different. You would buy an album solely based on the reputation of the band and its output. I bought some real turds in the past. Sold most of them The last one I sold was Open Your Eyes. Sold it last week. I was prepared to give it away for free, but I'm Dutch... So I got $3 for it

[Piskie]

I'm afraid that this has been the pattern with every single band or artist that I have grown to love. I cannot think of an exception.

[Tangram]

Was guilty and had a lot of groups on Autobuy. Some panned out others just occupy space on the shelf for the most part. They also have to be within reason. PF is an autobuy but I don't need everything from the $700 Early Years box set. So I picked up 4 boxes and I'm very happy. Same with the Later Years. I love Magnification and Symphonic Live but after Anderson left again, I was done. Genesis was an autobuy but I won't need the CD/DVD of this tour unless Gabriel, Hackett, Phillips or Thompson (or some combination) show up for an encore. While I would probably get them, solo Genesis is a try before I buy anymore. Kitaro and Tangerine Dream are no longer on autobuy because they got to repeating themselves. Can't afford TD anymore with all of the releases anyway but I do pick up an occasional disk or two after I listen to it. The Moodies I bought all up to December, but most I never play. The box set and a Greatest Hits would have been enough.

Back to the original question, I guess the answer is that I was guilty but not anymore.

[Lopez]

I'm that way with the Strawbs, Spirit, the Sir Douglas Quintet, and the Byrds. I've been burned by all except for Sir Doug, but I keep at it. Fortunately, there's precious little being currently released by all but the Strawbs.

[Progbear]

I'm afraid that this has been the pattern with every single band or artist that I have grown to love. I cannot think of an exception.

Pekka Pohjola. He has never released a truly bad album.

[mnprogger]

I'm afraid that this has been the pattern with every single band or artist that I have grown to love. I cannot think of an exception.

I would say that with most bands/artists, except when they break up or I check them out and they have small discography (1-3 albums).

[IMWeasel]

I'm afraid that this has been the pattern with every single band or artist that I have grown to love. I cannot think of an exception.

its almost as though they are human beings who change over time or something, weird!

[Zeuhlmate]

Never did, never will.

Why buy an album you will never listen to?

[Paulrus]

I'm a Yes fanboy and have kept up with every studio and archival release, no matter what. The live albums, however... But I consider my loyalty as a way of repaying Steve Howe (and Alan, I guess) for listening enjoyment going back to when I was 14 years old. I guess I'm guilty of helping to fund their retirements, but to this day I can put on "The Ancient" and find something new that gobsmacks me.

For other groups it's been spotty. I'm an IQ completist, just because they never vary from the formula and it reliably scratches an itch. I'm also a completist for PorkyTree, but Steven Wilson lost me with TFB. I used to pick up every new Ozric Tentacles release, but that itch doesn't need scratching as much so I got off that bandwagon a while back.

[Trane]

Basically, I have zero loyalty. I evaluate each release on its merits, and if an artist who I've given up on does something worthwhile, I'll consider it. The new Tull album might fall into that category. I need to hear more samples to say for sure, but I haven't liked anything they've done since Crest of a Knave, so liking one of their new releases would surprise me. But I'm open to being surprised.

For me, zero loyalty would mean not even paying attention if the band's got a new album. Giving their new album some attention (as in investigating it) is at least giving some kind of respect. Of course, it doesn't count for bands you won't be able to escape the overexposure (Genesis in the 80's for ex)
Getting rid of stuff I had no use for came very quick in my record buying career. I think I sold roughly 50% of what I bought.

This^
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

I guess I would probably be more lenient if I was buying downloads (*** shruggs in horror***), as I wouldn't have as much problems since it occupies no physical space.

The only band I can honestly "accuse" myself of with this is The Who. The two albums since the death of John Entwistle have been, shall we say, disappointing. Both of them have moments, but I really shouldn't have bought WHO...and if they release another I will doubtless buy it too.

I actually like their latest, though I will admit that it's been a few months since I last spinned it. I had jumped off the train after WAY and Loon's death, though. Never bought the previous one.

If I don't play an album anymore, I try to sell it. So why would I buy an album in the first place, when I know for sure I'm not going to listen to it? Doesn't make sense to me.
In my pre-internet days it was different. You would buy an album solely based on the reputation of the band and its output. I bought some real turds in the past. Sold most of them The last one I sold was Open Your Eyes. Sold it last week. I was prepared to give it away for free, but I'm Dutch... So I got $3 for it

that's actually a fairly good price for such a turd. How'dya managed?

Never did, never will.

Why buy an album you will never listen to?

Yeah, but how do you know beforehand? As most of us, at one point, we all must've bought an album without having heard it prior to bringing it home.

[Tangram]

For me, zero loyalty would mean not even paying attention if the band's got a new album. Giving their new album some attention (as in investigating it) is at least giving some kind of respect. Of course, it doesn't count for bands you won't be able to escape the overexposure (Genesis in the 80's for ex)
Getting rid of stuff I had no use for came very quick in my record buying career. I think I sold roughly 50% of what I bought.




Yeah, but how do you know beforehand? As most of us, at one point, we all must've bought an album without having heard it prior to bringing it home.

I have even separated some of the disks that I never play but I was never able to actually sell them. It's on the list of things to do in the new year.

Yes, many of my albums were bought unheard. That ranges from the big Autobuy groups, (PF, TD, Genesis, Yes etc) but also to the solo albums from those groups. I was able to stop Yes and TD plus the solos from being autobuys. Now that Pink Floyd and Genesis are no more, my autobuy list is down to Elton John. But I'm not a fan of at least half of the The Lockdown Sessions, so I think I might finally be cured!

[Sputnik]

For me, zero loyalty would mean not even paying attention if the band's got a new album. Giving their new album some attention (as in investigating it) is at least giving some kind of respect.

The thing is, I sample all manner of stuff, even stuff by bands I've never bought an album by, just to see if they've changed, or if my tastes have changed, or just to keep some finger on the pulse of what's going on. Somebody posting a Youtube video of a new Yes or Tull is as simple to sample as any number of other things, but I'm not sampling it "because" it's Yes or Tull... at least not anymore. Those band don't get any more respect than a new band I'm trying, because they've been gone from my interest list for so long. I fully expected to hate the new Tull, and was surprised when I didn't and it held my interest.

I'd add that as of this moment, I haven't heard anything from the new Yes album. Much as I once loved them, I'm hard pressed to think of a band that interests me less today. Eventually, though, I'll probably hear something off the new one, but it would hardly be because I'm giving them any kind of respect.

Bill

[Lebofsky]

There are tons of musicians and bands who only improve as they age.

This aging-into-producing-out-of-touch-garbage phenomenon seems particularly localized to classic prog bands. Or maybe they're the most painful examples.

As I age, along with many of my peers still in the biz, I find there's an endless well of inspiration and trying to do new things in new ways. The only difference is you kinda don't want to lift heavy gear after a certain point. Which is fine - you can stick with lighter instruments, or find younger people to help out. Doesn't mean you have to stop being creative or weird or whatever. And if you do want to compose pop-ish music, that's great too as long as you're keeping up with the latest trends (which admittedly does gets harder as you get older, but not impossible).

- Matt

[interbellum]

I will buy the new Marillion just because of that even though I do not really care much about their latest few. Marillion was the first prog band I ever got into as a teen and I still feel I need to buy their studio output.

I bought all Marillion-stuff when they were published, all LP's, 12"'s, but that stopped when Fish left....

With Genesis a non-musical event stopped me collecting everything: the rise of the CD. I bought a player, but CD's were too expensive for my financial situation at the time, so I had to make choises and buying We Can't Dance and Calling All Stations just didn't feel right. Eventually I bought those when I was in a better financial state and could afford all the SACD/DVD-boxsets.

[boilk]

Yeah, but how do you know beforehand? As most of us, at one point, we all must've bought an album without having heard it prior to bringing it home.

Well, I would never do that anymore. Especially with bandcamp, youtube, etc. out there, there are plenty of options to try before you buy.

Neil

[Trane]

The thing is, I sample all manner of stuff, even stuff by bands I've never bought an album by, just to see if they've changed, or if my tastes have changed, or just to keep some finger on the pulse of what's going on. Somebody posting a Youtube video of a new Yes or Tull is as simple to sample as any number of other things, but I'm not sampling it "because" it's Yes or Tull... at least not anymore. Those band don't get any more respect than a new band I'm trying, because they've been gone from my interest list for so long. I fully expected to hate the new Tull, and was surprised when I didn't and it held my interest.

I'd add that as of this moment, I haven't heard anything from the new Yes album. Much as I once loved them, I'm hard pressed to think of a band that interests me less today. Eventually, though, I'll probably hear something off the new one, but it would hardly be because I'm giving them any kind of respect.

Bill

TBH, I couldn't care less or the new Yes... and, to a lesser extent, the latest Tull

I've got as much interest for the former's new thingie than I did for Invisible Touch or WCD.

[hFx]

Mr. LENNON: So a long time ago I said that I didn't want to be singing "She Loves You" when I'm 30. I said that when I was about 25 or something, which in a roundabout way meant that I wouldn't be doing whatever I was doing then, you know. Well, I was 30 last October, and that's about when my life changed, really.

[Sputnik]

Mr. LENNON: So a long time ago I said that I didn't want to be singing "She Loves You" when I'm 30. I said that when I was about 25 or something, which in a roundabout way meant that I wouldn't be doing whatever I was doing then, you know. Well, I was 30 last October, and that's about when my life changed, really.

I don't think anyone here would argue with the idea that artists are, and should be, free to do whatever they like. The question being asked here is, do fans loyally follow the artist on that journey, even if they don't personally enjoy the direction an artist takes? Some obviously do. They keep buying albums from artists/bands even as the "returns diminish," and they perceive the product is inferior to their earlier work, or at a minimum not to their taste. Many, however, don't, and I think that's a perfectly acceptable reaction when an artist changes direction or the quality of their work diminishes.

It works both ways, and if fans accept that their favorite artists may at any time move on from the style that drew them to their music in the first place, the artist will have to accept that a fair number of them will stop caring about them and their music.

Bill

[starless and bible black]

Randomly scrolling through facebook, I recently saw a post wherein the new Yes album was under discussion and somebody basically said that he was "guilty" of continuing to buy Yes albums, even though he knows they aren't that good, but he does it anyways. He just can't stop himself.

This got me to thinking about something. How many people stick with a band and continue to buy their output, even though their best stuff may be long behind them. Or perhaps they just made a radical change in direction, that is not to a listener's taste. Do you still support a band in this case and if so, for what reason? Love of the musicians that made so much great music you feel obliged to continue buying their albums? Maybe you loved the band's music so much, that even a release half as good as their 'classic period' say, is still enough? Maybe it just feels like a comfortable pair of shoes?

What's the verdict?

Neil

Good Question! I bought a couple of albums by Yes (including Union, Open Your Eyes & The Ladder) that should've stayed on the shelf due to "band loyalty" so I understand why fans continue to follow their favorite artists through 'thick & thin'. For the diehard fan, it's that hope that their favorite band will have a couple of tunes on their latest LP that might measure up to their very best work.

[gearHed289]

I've never been a completest with any band. I've got everything Zeppelin released while Bonham was alive, but that's just 8 studio albums and a live movie soundtrack. I skipped all 90s Rush, and until Fly From Here, I hadn't bought a Yes album since BG. I tend to REALLY like certain eras of different bands, but can be pretty unmoved by other eras of the same band.

[starless and bible black]

Now for the flip side of this. Once I started listening to King Crimson in the mid '70s, I bought all of their studio albums and found something to like on all of them (even my least favorite albums by them; Three Of A Perfect Pair & The ConstuKction of Light have their moments).

[soundsweird]

I take advantage of many of the tools that the internet offers: full-length versions of songs/albums if available, samples if not, and reviews. I didn't have these options in the 60's, 70's, 80's and even 90's; it was either radio or listening at the record store/record convention. I wasted incredible amounts of money back then taking chances on stuff that I hoped would be good. I was a completist when it came to some artists. Nowadays, I don't autobuy anything I haven't heard (unless it's really cheap).

[Dave (in MA)]

Now for the flip side of this. Once I started listening to King Crimson in the mid '70s, I bought all of their studio albums and found something to like on all of them (even my least favorite albums by them; Three Of A Perfect Pair & The ConstuKction of Light have their moments).

For 3oaPP, I usually listen to Nuages thru LTIA3 plus the Industrial Zone tracks.
Beat would be my least favorite or their albums, but Requiem is among my handful of favorite things that they ever did, and Sartori is pretty great.

[ca1ore]

Some bands are an auto buy for me regardless of where they are on their band lifecycle. Occasionally I am pleasantly surprised.

[JJ88]

Yes I long ago decided not to bother with 'new' albums by virtually any of the bigger names, really.

I've never owned anything Yes have put out after Fly From Here. I don't have a very favourable view of what's gone on over the years. I might have been interested in a ARW album but I don't think that was ever seriously on the cards, TBH.

Lost interest in Hackett's solo output, haven't heard his last few. The albums became too samey for me.

Haven't heard anything Ian Anderson has put out (be it Jethro Tull or otherwise) after the 90s!

Have King Crimson put out anything in recent years other than live albums? I haven't heard any of those.

I have heard Gilmour and Waters' last albums but I haven't played them much TBH. But they weren't bad- at least there was still something in the tank, I suppose. On the other hand, I thought The Endless River was New Age-y blandola (plus a song with terrible lyrics at the end). I wish The Division Bell had remained their last album instead.

Outside of the genre, I do like Paul McCartney's later albums a lot, listen to them fairly regularly. That last Who album had some good things (and not so good!).