Music Banter - View Single Post

**Janszoon** · 08-22-2007, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by molarmite

You always hear about bands having a "sophmore slump" mostly because of them changing their sound. My question is why do most bands do this? I love their first CD and buy their second CD in hopes of having that same great sound, but they change it and disappoint. Is there reasoning behind this?

I don't know if sophomore slumps really have to do with the band changing their sound. I think a lot of the time this is what happens:

Band forms, writes music, plays shows, hones their songs, writes more music, plays more shows etc., sometimes for years before they get signed.
Band gets signed and records debut album. They pick the best of the best of the songs they have written and fine-tuned over the years to put on this album.
Album is successful. Label pressures band to create a follow-up before people lose interest.
Under pressure to release something new, band creates an album out of second choice songs that didn't make it onto the first album. Or is forced to quickly write new material without the benefit of being able to play it live a lot and fine-tune it. Or some combination of both options.
Presto. Sophomore slump complete.