Non-motoring > Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: L'escargot Replies: 44

 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - L'escargot
When did pop groups start to get called bands? I've always understood that bands played musical instruments.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> When did pop groups start to get called bands? I've always understood that bands played
>> musical instruments.

Presumably then you're referring to pop groups/bands which don't play instruments? There are plenty which do. Or don't you class those new fangled electric guitars as 'musical'? :)
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Fenlander
I really don't like the word band being used for vocal groups.... OK within the definition of the word but just not what I've grown up to understand.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
I think it just flows off the tongue a bit more easily - "they're a good band" sounds more natural than "they're a good pop group" (you wouldn't say "pop band").
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Zero
Either is correct and acceptable

band
–noun
1.a company of persons or, sometimes, animals or things, joined, acting, or functioning together; aggregation; party; troop: a band of protesters.

group   
–noun
1.any collection or assemblage of persons or things; cluster; aggregation: a group of protesters; a remarkable group of paintings.
2.a number of persons or things ranged or considered together as being related in some way.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Fenlander
>>>you wouldn't say "pop band"

McFly???
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Crankcase
In our house they're still popular beat combos.

 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> >>>you wouldn't say "pop band"
>>
>> McFly???

I mean, you don't say "McFly are a great pop band", you say "McFly are a great band, daddy-o" or something.

EDIT: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eENz6A5cjw
Last edited by: Focus on Thu 11 Mar 10 at 08:25
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Dog
Its an age thing surely? They are groups to me though = Pink Floyd being the greatest (IMO)
Same thing with the Hello that I use, everyone else says Hi.
When I escaped from S.E. London in 1987 to E.Sussex, I asked a dude where the local picture house was :{
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Badwolf
>> Its an age thing surely?

I'm not sure it is, Dog. I'm 'only' 36 yet I get annoyed when I hear the likes of Westzone and Boylife being described as 'bands'. To me, a band should play their own instruments not just sit there and sing. Or, when there's a key change stand up and sing. But you get my drift. I see it as an insult to the proper bands that have proper musical skill that these glorified karaoke artists are classed in the same category.

I take what the earlier poster said about definitions of the word 'band' but in this context, I think purely vocal acts should be called groups.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Pat
AC/DC are a group, Westlife are a band, easy peasy!

Pat
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Badwolf
Couldn't have put it better myself, Pat! Though I did try, and failed... :-)
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Fenlander
No no no...

AC/DC are a rock group and a band... Westlife are a vocal group and not a band.

X-Factor started calling vocal groups bands... it has a lot to answer for.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> Couldn't have put it better myself Pat! Though I did try and failed... :-)

Now I'm confused - I thought Westlife shouldn't be called a band due to the lack of instruments?

Can't say it bothers me, although as already stated I don't think in general including the 'pop' prefix sounds good. It might be required sometimes eg. to distinguish between a 'pop' group/band and a 'rock' group/band.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> I don't think in general including the 'pop' prefix sounds good.

Actually 'pop group' isn't too bad, but 'pop band' doesn't sound right at all.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Dog
Musically speaking, I must admit that (to me) band goes with brass.
Here's a legendary Plymouth band though: www.maddogmcrea.co.uk/
Also, there's the Tom Robinson 'Band' and I except that they are (were) a Band, so its all horses for courses really.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> Also there's the Tom Robinson 'Band' and I except that they are (were) a Band

Not forgetting of course that famous band called, er, 'The Band' :)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Band
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Badwolf
>> >> Couldn't have put it better myself Pat! Though I did try and failed... :-)
>>
>> Now I'm confused - I thought Westlife shouldn't be called a band due to the
>> lack of instruments?
>>
D'oh! My bad, as the hip young things say...
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> My bad

Now that really is something I don't 'get'...
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - ....
>> band
>> –noun
>> 1.a company of persons or sometimes animals or things joined acting or functioning together; aggregation;
>> party; troop: a band of protesters.
>>
Or, if you're in a band:
band
–noun
1. a collection of musicians and a drummer. :)
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Fenlander
>>>a collection of musicians and a drummer. :)

Ha that's a bit nearer gmac. My best band joke...


Guy walks into a shop and says to the guy behind the counter *I'm looking to buy a guitar*

*You're a drummer aren't you* says the shop owner.

*How did you know?*

*This is a fish shop* the owner replies.

Having said all that decent drummers round here can have their pick of bands.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - RattleandSmoke
To me a band is usualy a bit more edgy, not manufactured and often not as commercial.

I have seen lots of bands but I have never seen a pop group.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Fenlander
I think there is something in that Rattle. My era was *rock groups* like Deep Purple, Stones, Uriah Heep, Led Zep, Sabbath etc...

But I always reserved *band* for local groups like my cousin's vocal/lead/bass/keyboards/drums outfit.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> I think there is something in that Rattle. My era was *rock groups* like Deep
>> Purple Stones Uriah Heep Led Zep Sabbath etc...

I was having this discussion with my 13 year old son the other day, who is into rock/metal. He's been listening to old ZZ Top and said they were a rock band. But I said that with the release of the 'gimme all your lovin', 'sharp dressed man' and 'legs' videos they became a pop group.

What about ELO? Pop, rock, or both?
Last edited by: Focus on Thu 11 Mar 10 at 13:07
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Fenlander
ELO..... pop-rock/crossover??

ZZ Top... hats/beards/shades... and still grinding away...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmQlOmxICrk
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> ZZ Top... ..beards..

...except for - the drummer, Frank Beard! Oh the irony :)
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Pat
I remember when there wasn't any groups/bands and we all listend to Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent ( my first proper concert at Peterborough Corn Exchange!) and then that Bill Haley came along and spoiled it all:)

Pat
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
Anyway the new word is 'act' - "they're a great pop/rock act".
Last edited by: Focus on Thu 11 Mar 10 at 14:31
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Fenlander
Yes I've been to see some "acts" with my early teen daughters... they can rarely sing and always have to thank the *band* at the end of the show.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> they can rarely sing and always have to thank the *band* at the end of the show.

I'm sure that's true of some, but actually it's a pity you don't get to hear some of the newer acts singing 'properly'.

That is, you see a group of fresh-faced young lads in the early stages of X-factor singing acapella really well, then a few months later they release a single that's all overdubs and studio production tricks.

Not that all good pop/rock requires someone who can 'sing' in the traditional sense.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Zero
you dont go to see an act, you go to see a gig.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> you dont go to see an act you go to see a gig.

you might see a couple of acts at a gig
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Zero
Ok - this is popular, but is it a group, a pop group, or a band.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o8vszqVL2U&feature=related
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o8vszqVL2U&feature=related

Euro-pop :)
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Zero
Heathen!
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> Yes I've been to see some "acts" with my early teen daughters...

Was this one of them www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqDXEY5BTYA
? :)

That's stepson's band - Pat, I can get you tickets for their next gig if you like...?
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Pat
It was Gene Vincent actually and it was before Eddie Cochran died:( ( just!)
It's my birthday on April Fools Day but there's life in the old dog yet, you know!

Yes please Focus, that's my kind of music but thinking back I really don't know how I progressed from the above to heavy metal.
I think it was because I was te only parent who would take a car load of 11 year olds to the NEC and De Montford hall to see Saxon & Motorhead!
I was considered to be the obligatory 'responsible adult' then.

Pat

 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> Yes please Focus that's my kind of music

Really?? That'll teach me to go making assumptions :)

Let me know if they're coming to a venue near you and I'll see what I can do - to be honest I don't know how many free tickets they get. I think you've got my email address.

Dates: www.myspace.com/sylosis
(page contains rude words if you scroll down far enough)
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Focusless
>> It was Gene Vincent actually and it was before Eddie Cochran died:( ( just!)
>> It's my birthday on April Fools Day but there's life in the old dog yet
>> you know!

Pat - listening to Sounds of the 60s this morning on Radio 2, Brian was talking about the tour, now recognised as the first rock and roll tour apparently. There's going to be some programmes to mark the 50th anniversary of the 60s, including an Eddie Cochran special on 17th April (the date he died), and he was asking for memories from people who saw him on the tour.

Sounds of the 60s: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wqlv
'Listen now' - Eddie Cochran bit starts just after 52 mins.
 Pop "groups", or pop "bands"? - Pat
Thanks for that link Focus, I think it was Easter weekend too if my memory serves me well?

Pat
 Pop "groups", or "bands"? - L'escargot
Crikey pda, you must be older than I thought if you went to an Eddie Cochran concert. He died on 17th April 1960. tinyurl.com/yeqj9ew
 Pop "groups", or "bands"? - Fenlander
That mobile phone will need to be more than bomproof Focus!!

Good point about what you hear the new chart type acts doing. I had to take the girls to see The Saturdays last year (age thing at the venue.. needed an adult). Great even for the kids but the singing was 90% poor... but I've heard those girls in a relaxed acoustic situation where they sound fine.

Blimey just seen Sylosis are playing the Met Lounge 10 mins from me this Sunday!
Last edited by: Fenlander on Thu 11 Mar 10 at 15:25
 Pop "groups", or "bands"? - Focusless
>> That mobile phone will need to be more than bomproof Focus!!

Quite so - like I said in the other thread, he's did pretty well to keep the previous one as long as he did.

Re. The Saturdays - some 'pop' bands do go out of their way to sing live whenever possible, and. I liked McFly partly for that reason. Whenever you saw them on TV, on programmes where you would expect them to be miming, they weren't - and probably putting off some of their younger fans in the process who would rather hear the studio version. The Sugababes were the same in previous incarnations - not sure about the current lineup though.

>> Blimey just seen Sylosis are playing the Met Lounge 10 mins from me this Sunday!

...and it's the last night of their current tour... good luck! Then it's off to a rock festival in New Delhi - they go down well over there. No, I wouldn't have guessed that either.
 Pop "groups", or "bands"? - Dave_
>> had to take the girls to see The Saturdays last year (age thing at the venue.. needed an adult)

I'm waiting with baited breath 'til two days before Christmas this year, when I shall be subjected to an evening of JLS with my 12- and 10- year olds (among 12,000 others!)...
 Pop "groups", or "bands"? - Iffy
...(age thing at the venue.. needed an adult...

Not when I were a lad.

Went to see The Who and others at an all-dayer at Charlton football ground in south east London in, I think, 1973.

Me and my mate couldn't have been more than 13-years-old.

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