Thursday, July 23, 2009
National Skyline Paramore or Less: Hayley Williams and the Charismatic Frontperson Problem
Posted by Steve Haruch on Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Jennifer's Body is a new movie that's got all kinds of stuff I can really get enough of: Megan Fox, vampires, high school. It's also got a hot-shit soundtrack full of hot-shit music that people over the age of, say, 17, might find irritating: Panic! at the Disco, Cobra Starship, etc. It's all so very 2009-sounding (except maybe Screeching Weasel and Hole), and there's even that Black Kids song.
So what does Williams' foray into first-name-last-name solo recordings for soundtracks to vampire movies say about the rising of her star vs. the star of her band? Maybe nothing. But it's hard not to see the parallels with Paramore's current tour partners, No Doubt. Remember when they were all like, "We're a band--you can't just take pictures of Gwen for our photo shoot!" And remember the strain of two exes being in the same band together? It all sounds pretty familiar. And we all know who broke off and became a megastar (with mute Japanese dancing girls!) on her own.
Call it the Charismatic Frontperson Problem (CFP). The average fan tends to identify more with whoever the lead vocalist is, and the more charming that person is, the more likely they are to be singled out and courted as a solo artist. I don't have any data to back this up, but something tells me that it's more of a problem with bands comprised of all dudes plus a female singer.
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Comments (34)
Showing 1-34 of 34
Hayley addressed this on the paramoremusic LiveJournal community. She said...
'hey... i saw you guys asking for me to come in the thread.
i wrote a song a long time ago by myself and the people from the movie asked me if they could use it.
it's not going to be sold as a single and it won't be promoted other than just being on the tracklisting.
don't worry, this isn't the beginning of the hayley williams project hahaha. i just write a lot and this randomly got picked up cause janick had it. our priority is the new album and that's what is the complete focus of all of us. with that said, "teenagers" means a lot to me and i hope you guys enjoy it!'
Link to her comment-http://community.livejournal.com/paramoremusic/8164282.html?thread=191146682#t191146682
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mr. raccoon... thanks for posting this. i was just gonna post that on here. it's so annoying that people don't do their research. it's articles like this that just add to the speculation.
It's things like this that ruined Michael Jackson... obviously this isn't as extreme, but it's the same.
I think this Steve guy needs a knock on the head, then maybe he'll see sense and stop creating pointless rumours, but alas, the media will never change.
What a bunch of lying, hypocritical, backstabbing retards.
Dude, she alredy talked bout this on.. LIVEJOURNAL! you obviously haven't got a proper story to write... y'know with FACT!
And anyways, how many times has Hayley Williams said the band are a BAND not just her and that they're not splitting up. and as a fan i will believe what hayley says untill there is proof otherwise (i.e. drunken youtube video :D)
X
PS. Petr North... GET A LIFE,
I think you guys are overlooking the fact that this guy is NOT slamming Paramore.
All he's saying is that he see's a similarity in the pattern. Nowhere in there do I see a direct accusation that Haley is going solo.
Unless we see Haley licking Moby's head or riding on the back of a motorcycle with Eve, I dont think we've got anything to worry about.
Hahaha. What a lode of bullshit.. Proof how much the media blows things out of preportion and creates ridiculous lies.. Hayley herself on livejournal proved this shit to be a lie. Like, can she not do one single song without being accused of doing something bad? Its so stupid..
She talked about it on the LJ COMMUNITY, and stop talking shitt about it
BUY A LIFE ON E-BAY :)
Ha whoever wrote this is getting owned by the paramore fans. I love paramore. And although she's not going to, if hayley released a solo album I'd still love paramore but I'd love her too. Sheeesht stop making her sound silly, she is awesome =]
. Paramore Rocks ;EVERY SINGLE MEMBER of this band Does . i love them all .
The article said : "The average fan tends to identify more with whoever the lead vocalist is. "
They're just not real fan .. For me They all rocks !
And it's not always the lead vocalist that people indentify more with .. Just look at fall out boy & pete wentz .
this is a load of bull. you need to get a life and stop freaking out over stupid stuff like this. Hayley's not going anywhere, idiot. just 'cause she does ONE FREAKING SOLO PROJECT doesn't mean she's a freaking diva, like you are for writing this article. i bet YOU can't go up and sing and write music like Paramore. Hayley is a very nice person and Paramore is a very close band and YOU'RE obviously a jealous freak 'cause you can't have that. YOU'RE the drama QUEEN, MISTER. get a life and go write a Britney Spears article somewhere. you're juvenile-sounding enough to do one. what are you, twelve? eleven? thought so. as PARAMORE would say, "Nice to meet you, sir, I guess I'll go, I'll best be on my way." ^_^
Jesus Christ. What a bunch of psychotic, brainless devotees. What exactly did Steve write that so threatened you? That Hayley is charismatic and talented enough to have a solo career if she so chose? You're afraid that if your favorite band broke up, your monthly payments to the fan club would all be for not?
Way to be up to speed with a pop-punk band's LiveJournal entries. For God's sake, quit devoting your life to a band that will make you cringe in ten years and go pick up a record that's worth a damn. Think about the world outside of your tiny realm of understanding. Way to expose your ignorance.
I'll agree that she's a nubile young lady though. Bet she kisses like a champ.
THIS IS SHIT
Thanks for wasting my time
let us not forget that paramore knows there roots so well they appeared on the warped tour this year
this steve person needs to get facts before he starts writing .. in stead of his speculation shit. If you are a true fan of paramore you know and love every member Zac, Josh, jeremey, taylor and Hayley. its the same for any band your a true fan of. Hayley writes alot of songs and this was picked to be put on the movies tracklisting no big deal. If she were to put out a solo ablum 100% of there fans would def. buy it anyway. We are fans of their music as well as the people they are. as for you paramore-al kombat if you have a problem with what fans of a band are sayign and you arent one yourself why are you worried and or care what we say. go listen to your so called good bands .. they have probably all broken up and went on to solo careers. Paramore doesnt forget who they are and where they came from. Warped tour appearances and tons of fan interaction. they know how they gpt where they are now by us the people who support them and back them up when you ass holes go on attack. fuck this article its a piece of shit
this steve person needs to get facts before he starts writing .. in stead of his speculation shit. If you are a true fan of paramore you know and love every member Zac, Josh, jeremey, taylor and Hayley. its the same for any band your a true fan of. Hayley writes alot of songs and this was picked to be put on the movies tracklisting no big deal. If she were to put out a solo ablum 100% of there fans would def. buy it anyway. We are fans of their music as well as the people they are. as for you paramore-al kombat if you have a problem with what fans of a band are sayign and you arent one yourself why are you worried and or care what we say. go listen to your so called good bands .. they have probably all broken up and went on to solo careers. Paramore doesnt forget who they are and where they came from. Warped tour appearances and tons of fan interaction. they know how they gpt where they are now by us the people who support them and back them up when you ass holes go on attack. fuck this article its a piece of shit
http://www.paramore.net/blog/less-talk-more-rock/
Now you know that Hayley is not going anywhere. PARAMORE IS STILL A BAND!. :D
Dude seriously, grow up. Hayley isn't going anywhere without the band. Yeah, she's amazing, and one of my biggest role models, as i'm sure she is to thousands of other teenage girls who listen to Paramore. This is all just stuff to get people talking and ruffled.
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oh shit! sorry, I thought this was another caption contest
I'm a huge Paramore fan, and to be honest, I was kinda bummed about Hayley's solo act. Yes, I have read the livejournal entries. but this guy's point is terrifying. He's just saying that Hayley is taking a sorta similar path as say Gwen. And the notion that Paramore had internal problems and now this, makes me think about the guys and what they think. They're probably okay with it, but isn't this gonna spur more attention towards Hayley? which was one of the many reasons the band had problems in the first place. But even so, not to come off as ignorant or just morbidly psychotic, my concerns are for Paramore as a band. and although Hayley may articulate that there's nothing to be worried about, as a fan, i can help not to.
all that that it's written in this page hayley has written it all in other words in her liveyournal in the ofcial paramore page ,so please don't write things that you don't really know cause paramore it's just a great band and i don't think that hayley just deside to make her solo thing xD paramore is a band a the ppl love them how they are :D
despite all your pathetic cries, this guy is actually on to something. he is right. Hayley is a hypocrite. and don't get all defensive saying she isn't, because she did after all promote "paramore is a band" to convey to the general public that she isn't alone. And while she affirms that the song isn't a big deal, it sorta is, cause after all guess whose gonna get more attention?! whatever, I'm pretty sure this is probably the first step to a hayley williams project... just wait maybe another 5 years. hah HYPOCRITE!
hahaha this article is crap oh and "sam" your full of shit and dont know what youre talking about
I'm a Paramore fan, but please, you guys are taking this all too seriously, I mean come on. The writer merely suggested something that all too often happens in bands, especially in bands that feature very young band members and especially in bands that feature a female lead singer. Paramore has both of these things in tow, and that means twice the personal challenges that a band usually has. I can name you a ton of bands that have imploded because of the onslaught of sudden fame and success and because of the most talked about band member allowing all the attention to get to his/her head. Look at Evanescence, for example. Who is the member that gets the most attention? Amy Lee. Who is the one that appears on the album/magazine covers all by herself or with the rest of the band as backdrop? Amy Lee. Who is the sole original member of Evanescence right now, because all the former members have either quit or been fired? Amy Lee. And who has talked about plans to make a solo album, years after she swore that she would never do that? AMY FREAKIN' LEE. Now I'm not saying that Hayley is going to wind up like Amy, in fact it's also worth noting that Gwen Stefani is currently on tour with No Doubt and will be recording a new album with them due out next year. But one should never rule out the possibility of Paramore ending sooner than we'd all like and Hayley forging a successful career as a solo artist. At the same time, one can hope that the guys of Paramore can put aside their egos and make peace with the fact that Hayley will always be the most popular member, no matter what. They should have known that having a red-haired, attractive, vocally gifted and charismatic frontWOMAN would pretty much mean that the rest of the band would fade into the background. If you want attention, step up your game please. So far, I've noticed nothing special about the guys that makes them worthy of standing out like Hayley. No guitar heroes, no master drummers, no kick-ass bassists. Hayley pretty much makes the band.
^KOHL:
Not sure where you got the info in where Amy stated that she's preparing for a solo album. She hasn't mentioned any (except for fans speculating) other than the fact that she has written songs that doesn't sound like Evanescence or may not be for Evanescence. It doesn't mean she's making a solo album. If she was going solo, I do believe she's going to pursue her dream of scoring for films. As for the members, their were only 3 original members of Evanescence (Amy, David and Ben). David LEFT after finishing Fallen and before it was released. Ben LEFT during their world tour. John, Rocky and Will Boyd were hired after the released on Fallen but became recognize as part of the band. Will LEFT since he didn't want to go on a world tour anymore and just want to stay close with his family. John was fired due to the fact that he is using Evanescence as a means of getting success for his other band, Rocky QUIT after that.
Oh yeah, Evanescence is coming up with new music next year (2010). Amy has stated that she's writing with their guitarist, Terry and has done some recording with Will. She has also co-written a new song they performed for the Legends & Lyrics with their bassist, Tim. They are also going to appear in a festival in Brazil this November 2009.
I am curious as to whether anyone knows when the Hayley Williams Playboy spread is coming out and whether she will be promoting her new "Hayley Williams: Live, Alone and Lip-Syncing" album coming out in the spring. Also, any word on her collab with Ashley Simpson? I can't wait!
Get back at me 'bout that, yo.
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