When does having creative freedom becoming being obnoxious? This was the question I was asking myself for the past few weeks.
What made me really start asking this question was when the lead singer of Waterparks, Awsten Knight, came under fire for saying he only wanted bands that he found “cool” to open for him. It sparked a reaction from fans and non-fans alike, resulting both from each side to take a stance. Some people’s stance was that he was being obnoxious and forgetting his roots. Other’s stance was that he simply wanted creative freedom or even more simple: Be around people he liked while on tour.
Now, before I go on a small tangent of wanting change vs “forgetting your roots”, I’d like to point out that at the end of the day its nobody’s decision but the bands and/or their labels (heavy emphasis on the label). And that it actually took me a few days and a couple of impulsively thought out tweets to remember that.
Moving forward…
Wanting to tour with interesting artist isn’t obnoxious.
Nor is it forgetting where you came from. Let’s face it, until recently, a lot if not all bands in the pop-punk scene sound alike. They all sound like Neck Deep, Paramore, pre-hiatus Fall Out Boy, or that one band from ’06 you just can’t seem to remember. It’s not being mean by saying that for the most part, the scene overall can be a little dull. That being said, there are smaller bands out there that have unique sounds and do bring something new to the table, but even then, the music industry at the end of the day is just that: an industry. It’s a business, built to make money. This means that even is bigger bands wanted to tour with that one small band, from that one small town, they probably couldn’t. Or at least not until the band gets a bigger following or is picked up by a label. It sucks but it’s the nature of the beast.
On the contrary, though, musicians can be obnoxious with their creative freedom. You don’t want to tour with the five-hundredth version of that one band everyone liked, that’s fine. It doesn’t mean that is how it should be said exactly online. I mean you could, but why cause the hassle? Why say “I don’t like bands that all sound the same” when you can say “I’m looking for bands with a fresh sound”? What I’m saying in a roundabout way, is creative freedom or going against the grain isn’t obnoxious unless you’re rude about it. As for forgetting your roots musically wise, well Waterparks would be the last band I’d think of when it comes to that.
So why is it Awsten that’s catching all of the (dare I day) Fandom flack?
Fan entitlement.
Okay, I won’t stop there, but that’s the answer. Today, fans feel more entitled to the creative energy, process, results, and environment of artists. Whether that be musicians or an actor on television (we all know the horror of ship wars). The lack of privacy (encouraged by both the entertainment industry and fans alike) have created a lack of boundaries that before was common sense. Like not trespassing onto a tour bus or not kissing band members without consent (ya know, basic stuff).
Personally, I think “younger” bands are more victim to this entitlement as opposed to “veteran” bands. Part of this might be because of the age demographic difference (Iron Maiden’s fans, which tend to be older, are less likely to commit harassment to the point of forcing a band member out of his home). As the younger the fans the more emboldened they might feel due to the feeling of no immediate consequences.
Anyways, I don’t think there’s just one answer for the cultural shift of the relationship between fans and artists, but there is an answer to my original question.
When does having creative freedom becoming being obnoxious? Only when you’re actually obnoxious, unless your fans say otherwise…then well, I guess that’s just the rules of fandoms.