Falling to Pieces is a metal band from Livermore, California that have been in the scene since 2004. Recently, our very own Amanda hung out with guitarist Scott Danough to ask him his thoughts on the California metal scene.
And the answers were not pretty…
Point blank: What do you think is wrong with the California music scene?
There’s actually a lot wrong with the California music scene. There are tons of respective scenes spread out over the entire state and they seem to differ from each other. As for what I’ve seen lately, bands aren’t offering much in terms of diversity, and they’re over-saturating the markets to the point where many kids don’t care to see the same band at the same venue a couple times a month.
As for fans, it just seems like many would rather just sit behind their computers than support any local bands. There’s also a lack of all-ages venues and affordable door prices, as well.
Still, my biggest beef these days is with promoters. Many of the people who are booking shows are a huge part of the problem. They’re lumping everything so genre-specific that it is sucking out any hope of diversity. When diversity goes, you end up with a very significant decrease in attendance!
Also, quit making bands sell tickets to play; it hurts bands and the scene! If you got into promoting for the sole purpose of making it your cash cow, then you’ve simply got it wrong. As a promoter, you have to accept that you’re going to take a few hits — and when you’re new at this game, you should be happy to break even!
Why aren’t fans coming to shows or supporting local music as much?
Bands need to push the envelope to keep things fresh, but not at the expense of taking all the fun out of playing. Also, people are getting too content with living online rather than getting involved.
Why do you think people are so stuck on certain genres, and aren’t open-minded to something new?
I never understood people being close-minded toward so many genres. Some pin the blame on young kids trying to prove themselves and how loyal or die-hard (“tr00”) they are for their music, but I outgrew that when I was 14 and too young to find rides to shows. So, that’s no excuse.
Lately, every sub-scene has become increasingly more closed off to new ideas and new sub-genres. God, I hope they snap out of it soon.
What would you like to see change in the California metal scene?
I’d really like to see the Internet become less important to kids, and for community to start becoming priority.
I remember when community was a huge part of heavy music, and things were so much better back then. People actually went to shows and did stuff together outside of the shows. When there was no place to have an event, we made shit happen. When there were no local bands, we started our own bands. When there was no scene, we built it.
It’s time for people to prioritize and fix this sad excuse of a scene. It wont fix itself!