I don’t get it sometimes that people are following rules so much. Even harder when it is artists that claims to not following rules and follow them more then fanatic IS member.
Just because you play hard rock you don’t need to dress like Lemmy. And if you play Sleeze, you don’t have to look like Mike Monroe. If you do, well you just a weak copy. Nothing around you, just the same old bullshit.

And this applies to many styles. If you play jazz you dress in fifties clothes and want a smoky room with a big microphone. If you play folk music you need to have a beard. And so on. You just limited yourself into something. You just do what you are told.

The funny part of this is that these are the ones that claim to different the most. And usually it’s just some stupid gimmick that actually would be the change.  Sure I understand it has to do with indentity for the audience, still it’s much better to surprise.  The worst though, is has no style like the damn shoe gazers.

Instead of working so hard to fit into the box. Develop a thing for yourself, be different. I don’t know how many times we see artist doing stupid stuff just to be part of “something”, like we have to give out a vinyl since we play indie pop. Or we need to play ion CBGB’s since we are a punk band (last week I had to tell a poor band that CBGB’s is now a cloth store).

Bands with masks is usually just a trick to hide that they really too old and ugly to shown (Hello Ghost). Or that you can send anyone out to paly while you are home with your family (Hello Teddybears). And you can change members without anyone notice (Hello Kiss).

My favorite example of development right now is The Magnettes. They are a punk band but don’t dress like that. Have more attitudes then an old punk band, I guess Henry Rollins would be afraid to be near them. At the same time they adopt new pop music into their punk and go their own way. And that makes them different but also the same. A part you recognize another part is new.