When Bands Attack - The "Going Progressive" Edition
From out-of-control drug habits and heated clashes of inflated egos to control freak girlfriends and pop culture irrelevance, change is something that is inevitable in the life of every band that hits hard without warning. But sometimes, artists try to beat change at its own game by confronting it and taming it by mixing up things and refreshing their tunes to be a progressive band rather than end up in Creed or Nickelback purgatory.
Unfortunately, more often than not, drastic fuckery with the band’s signature sound or lineup can often rustle the jimmies of loyal fans who prefer the original works of their now ex-favorite artist. Music snobbery is not atypical of the hipster generation, but sometimes it is better to look in the mirror and realize you’re no Radiohead or Incubus and stick to whatever the fuck got you famous in the first place.
METALLICA
There is a strict set of rules and regulations to which all metal bands must adhere, and falling afoul of those rules is tantamount to treason.
Metallica fell way out of line with those rules in 1996 when they released an album called Load.
It marked the beginning of the end for Metallica and their "core" fans, though. They also violated Headbanger Bro Code 101 by cutting their hair and wearing suits.
The thrash metal aesthetics that were already waning on their previous album were completely gone on Load. This was riff rock. Alternative music, maybe. It was bluesy, or some shit. Whatever it was, it wasn't metal Metallica released a sequel to Load, which was called Reload with more of the same shit.
You're still fine to hate them for killing Napster, having the most pretentious drummer in the history of music and the awful Some Kind of Monster documentary.
VAN HALEN
The Sammy Hagar-led version of Van Halen, or "Van Hagar," is probably the most hated version of a popular band ever known. if you're so inclined.
Replacing David Lee Roth, Hagar didn't just bring increased record sales to the Van Halen fold; he brought a completely different style.
Van Halen 2.0 progressed from being a rock band to a Coca Cola commercial rock band (codeword for a closet pop band).