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The news that members/former members of Wishbone Ash were in dispute over copyright issues got me thinking about other bands/musicians from Torbay who had made it big in the past-or currently. Unfortunately there seems to be very few-despite Muse(Teignmouth),Ben Howard(Totnes),and Joseph Mount/Metronomy(Totnes),doing so well in recent times.There's a fair few who've had a good go at being successful-but none ever seem to quite make the big-time.The Nightporters for instance,are very successful abroad,but not so popular in this country(though they have a solid following),but are now splitting anyway, going the way it seems of a lot of other local bands who can't make a real break through after showing the potential to do so.
Best prospects at the moment seem to be Those Reigning Days,who I've seen a couple of times and seem to me to have what it takes to make it.
There's a few others as well and a half decent local music scene at present with a few venues offering the chance for local bands to make a name for themselves and build a following. To many venues though mainly put on so-called "tribute bands";few of whom are very good, and who of course rely completely on old material, rehashed -rather than original song-writing.
Hopefully Torbay will one day find a Muse or Coldplay though-it would be great for the area and long overdue!

You don't have to be famous to make superb music though. Just look at today's charts, full of famous people who all can't sing or play instruments so i'm sure there are many many bands in the Torbay area making great music and who are quite happy that they won't become the next big thing.

AustrianAndyGull wrote:Just look at today's charts, full of famous people who all can't sing or play instruments

I quite agree

http://www.officialcharts.com/rock-and- ... ums-chart/

Ooh Scott, most of those bands are popular! Where is the other chart of bands that aren't popular? :rules:

I mean Biffy Clyro are on that list man!

I don't mind them as it happens but they are hardly the cutting edge of new alternative / metal. :na:

What Pink Floyd,Mike Oldfield & Muse can't play their instruments! :no:

They can of course BTG but Floyd and Oldfield aside who are from a different era, Muse are like many 'indie' bands who often make a cracking debut album and then when they gain more notoriety in the 'mainstream' then they modify their music to fit the expectations of the demographic. Thus they become a softer more bland version of what hey could have been. Take Coldplay for example, anyone who bought their debut CD Parachutes will know that there was some come stuff on there that could have been developed as the band progressed but subsequent albums fell into the usual blandness of too many ballads, stadium type ballads and just plain rubbish basically. I've had this argument before about Biffy Clyro with Bengull. Anyone who bought their debut CD 'Blackened Sky' will have been excited by it's rawness and heaviness in parts and I loved it. The band decided to go 'the other way' and produce album after album each more media friendly than the last. They are ok albums but they had such a raw sound when they first began and they could have been something special instead of just another poppy style indie band. Oasis were another. Definately Maybe kicked ass and then I couldn't listen to them again after that. Some awful stuff was churned out and these guys were supposed to be 'rock rebels'. They have never even been close.

I suppose it all depends on personal preference

They can of course BTG but Floyd and Oldfield aside who are from a different era, Muse are like many 'indie' bands who often make a cracking debut album and then when they gain more notoriety in the 'mainstream' then they modify their music to fit the expectations of the demographic. Thus they become a softer more bland version of what they could have been. Take Coldplay for example, anyone who bought their debut CD Parachutes will know that there was some good stuff on there that could have been developed as the band progressed but subsequent albums fell into the usual blandness of too many ballads, stadium type ballads and just plain rubbish basically. I've had this argument before about Biffy Clyro with Bengull. Anyone who bought their debut CD 'Blackened Sky' will have been excited by it's rawness and heaviness in parts and I loved it. The band decided to go 'the other way' and produce album after album each more media friendly than the last. They are ok albums but they had such a raw sound when they first began and they could have been something special instead of just another poppy style indie band. Oasis were another. Definately Maybe kicked ass and then I couldn't listen to them again after that. Some awful stuff was churned out and these guys were supposed to be 'rock rebels'. They have never even been close.

I suppose it all depends on personal preference

Anyway I digress, yes I would like to see good music and if it's from Torbay then so much the better!

There is some pretty decent music in the Torbay area - I saw some of it when I was there in July.
If you want to listen to some good local music, you should check out Oxjam's Torquay Takeover in october! They'll have at least 25 bands in 5 venues. and it's for a good cause! I think fiver gets you in to all venues, so that's pretty good.

https://www.facebook.com/OxjamTorquayTakeover

also my little sister is in charge.

Sounds good Happy!

Obviously I won't be able to make it but it is good to have a good local music scene with regular gigs and stuff.

AustrianAndyGull wrote:They can of course BTG but Floyd and Oldfield aside who are from a different era, Muse are like many 'indie' bands who often make a cracking debut album and then when they gain more notoriety in the 'mainstream' then they modify their music to fit the expectations of the demographic. Thus they become a softer more bland version of what hey could have been. Take Coldplay for example, anyone who bought their debut CD Parachutes will know that there was some come stuff on there that could have been developed as the band progressed but subsequent albums fell into the usual blandness of too many ballads, stadium type ballads and just plain rubbish basically. I've had this argument before about Biffy Clyro with Bengull. Anyone who bought their debut CD 'Blackened Sky' will have been excited by it's rawness and heaviness in parts and I loved it. The band decided to go 'the other way' and produce album after album each more media friendly than the last. They are ok albums but they had such a raw sound when they first began and they could have been something special instead of just another poppy style indie band. Oasis were another. Definately Maybe kicked ass and then I couldn't listen to them again after that. Some awful stuff was churned out and these guys were supposed to be 'rock rebels'. They have never even been close.

I suppose it all depends on personal preference

Anyway I digress, yes I would like to see good music and if it's from Torbay then so much the better!

I was very much like you when I was younger Andy- a bit of a "purist" when it came to music and as soon as an indie band I liked got too popular or commercial,my interest would end.In general you're right ,the originality and rawness goes from many bands once they taste commercial success. I guess as I've got older I've been more tolerant of this;my music tastes have mellowed and as I don't get to see much live music ,have forgotten how good an experience it is to see a new,young,and vibrant band unfettered by commercial considerations,doing their stuff in a dingey,sweaty club somewhere!

A band doesn't have to be famous. If I find their music enjoyable, then for me they are successful. There's a number of local bands in that category. I remember as a youngster a local group called The Barracudas (what happened to them?), reminiscent of The Shadows, then The Teign Valley Stompers, and the Brixham Seaman's Mission Boy's Home Band (not sure if that's quite the correct name) who were mainly drums and bugles and used to play half-times at Plainmoor. Apart from the guitar/pop groups from around the area which others will no doubt remember better than me, I remember the (amateur) Torbay Symphony Orchestra, and Paignton (or was it Totnes?) Town Band. And a number of smaller mainly anonymous choirs and folk groups, and even a string quartet from somewhere in South Devon. All good stuff. Long may it continue..

happytorq wrote:There is some pretty decent music in the Torbay area - I saw some of it when I was there in July.
If you want to listen to some good local music, you should check out Oxjam's Torquay Takeover in october! They'll have at least 25 bands in 5 venues. and it's for a good cause! I think fiver gets you in to all venues, so that's pretty good.

https://www.facebook.com/OxjamTorquayTakeover

also my little sister is in charge.

I thought my brother was organising it. Don't quite know how to distinguish in charge vs organising, but yeah, go along if you can!

FavGull wrote:I thought my brother was organising it. Don't quite know how to distinguish in charge vs organising, but yeah, go along if you can!

I believe my sister is kind of the 'head organiser' or whatever. She got involved last year because that's what she wanted to do for a career and it seemed to go well, so she's been doing it again now. I think she has about half a dozen people who taking care of things at particular venues, or whatever. Who's your brother? (i'll ask her )

Knowing what kind of stuff you like, Andy, why don't you try this on for size? Not really famous, but certainly well known on the underground metal circuit!

madgull wrote:Knowing what kind of stuff you like, Andy, why don't you try this on for size? Not really famous, but certainly well known on the underground metal circuit!

I remember seeing the original incarnation of Mad Hatter at The Parrot (before it became a block of flats!) back in the early '90s.