How important is sex appeal?

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buddhasmash

Member
Do young, male musicians have a significantly better chance of making it in the music industry if they're attractive, fit, and fashionable? I know this is a commonly sought after trait for lead vocalists, who are traditionally in the limelight, but does it matter for those of us in the rhythm section?
 
When it comes to music, it's not what you look like but how well you can play. If looking good was a prerequisite to be a musician there would absolutely no rock musicians anywhere in the history of music. Rather worry on how well you can jam instead of looking good and sounding like a plonker. Just my 2 cents worth.
 
buddhasmash said:
Do young, male musicians have a significantly better chance of making it in the music industry if they're attractive, fit, and fashionable? I know this is a commonly sought after trait for lead vocalists, who are traditionally in the limelight, but does it matter for those of us in the rhythm section?
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If it did, I'd never have had any career in music. I'm no oil painting! Good looks only really matter if you're pushing for a drumming slot in some manufactured boy/girl band.
 
seriously, how many really ugly yet giant type succsessful bands do you know of??

RUSH doesnt play in the dark and its never just about the music.

hope that helps. I think looks matter but are not critical.
if you can look better and it would help youd be silly not to try right?

I KNOW you can be not so handsome and still play your drums!
 
I would love to see an unattractive lead singer in a pop group who doesn't need to be 'sexy' to sell their 'music'.
 
Bernhard said:
A nice gentle look isn't bad - take Keith and Mick...

Bernhard
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Genius. My thoughts exactly.
And you have to be careful, because I know in my case looking too good can cause others to ignore your musical talents. 8+)
 
Easy...I just have a bigger, faster, fatter drumstick than anyone else. The chicks love it. Then I get my Vaters out and begin to play.....
 
Sex appeal can only help most anything you do. Perhaps nuns are an exception
 
gusty said:
I would love to see an unattractive lead singer in a pop group who doesn't need to be 'sexy' to sell their 'music'.
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Susan Boyle is pretty hot, (...right now).

Although she is just as much a product as Britney or the likes, she gives me hope that someday we'll revert back to the music as opposed to the image. Video did kill the radio star.
 
Only for vocalists, or people thats not very talented... Just kidding!

I saw a vid of Vinnie in the 80's. He looked like Weird Al Yancovic on acid. Then, Jojo Mayer, who looks like a witch from an old horror movie. It doesnt matter how you look, if you are talented enough, but pretty people may get stuff easier. Especially women.
 
In that case, it's not the music that sells, it's sex. Nowadays, it's the sex. Regardless of the music. Not that I know the whole story, but Millie Vanillie were chosen because they "fit" the image, not the studio musicians who actually sang the songs.

That's why I'm glad Susan Boyle is doing well. She's in her late 40's, overweight, never married, plain-looking, but her voice is what is hot right now, and that's the way it should be, musical talent, not sexy looks. But the world revolves around sex, sex, sex. Pity.
 
Remember grunge? Dirty, unkemptness was sexy.
How about 80s hair metal? Just look at KISS.

Sex appeal is what you make it. As long as you're fit and of average looks or better, you can make yourself into the sexiest thing alive. MJ was considered sexy by many women, despite looking like...
 
Maybe that's why joey jordinson wears a mask?
 
rogue_drummer said:
Easy...I just have a bigger, faster, fatter drumstick than anyone else. The chicks love it. Then I get my Vaters out and begin to play.....
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Haha ya and giant sticks won't hurt when it comes to sex apeal.
 
Yes, you MUST be sexy to succeed ... like Joe Cocker, Meatloaf, David Byrne, Nina Hagen, Joe Jackson, The Sex Pistols, and as Bernhard mentioned, the exquisite Keef. Then we have spunks like Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Ian Drury, Patti Smith ...

:)

It depends on whether you're a romantic lead or a character actor. The hard part is for extremely good looking people (like GruntersDad) to get audiences to look past all that beauteousness and see their depth of character.

It took Marianne Faithfull a long time to be taken seriously. On the other hand, Jeff Buckley was always taken seriously and he had heart throb looks. Guys can get away with a lot more appearance-wise than women. That's why I hide up the back behind a drum kit :)
 
rogue_drummer said:
In that case, it's not the music that sells, it's sex. Nowadays, it's the sex. Regardless of the music. Not that I know the whole story, but Millie Vanillie were chosen because they "fit" the image, not the studio musicians who actually sang the songs.

That's why I'm glad Susan Boyle is doing well. She's in her late 40's, overweight, never married, plain-looking, but her voice is what is hot right now, and that's the way it should be, musical talent, not sexy looks. But the world revolves around sex, sex, sex. Pity.
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Susan Boyle is a perfect example of a studio musician, Alot of artist hire session players to do the album and hire pretty poeple to go on tour. I saw alot of that in the 80s hair band era. Steve Smith played on some metal albums. Ansley Dunbar played on alot of hair band albums. Whitesnake and Ozzy( not a hair band). All of the studio cats have unbelivable talent but are not the best looking people. They look like the rest of us balding and out of shape lol.
 
larryace said:
Sex appeal can only help most anything you do. Perhaps nuns are an exception
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I'd agree.

It may not be super important to a drummer, but it helps.

I've heard stories about the audition process for touring behind certain artists, and sex appeal being one criteria of many that were taken into consideration.
 
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