The sexiness of a ‘product’, pardon the expression, is often concocted by and for so called ‘male chauvenistic pigs’, to throw a small cliché thru yer window. But since clichés mostly have some truth (otherwise they wouldn’t become clichés, now would they), the average pubescent rock-luvin’ male is being enchanted by this or that sexy chick, shoved to the fore by money-hungry representatives who know that the hormones will take ove the wallet and make all the young dudes go jivin’ their skinny little arses to the nearest record-shop to spend their hard-earned drool on stuff they don’t even like…

And as far as the subject goes, I have my suspicions about yer own motivations to walk down a path that has been trodden so often it starts to resemble the Grand Canyon.. maybe you were in need of some attention yourself, who knows
Anyway, I myself had heard Nightwish, After Forever, Epica, Ebony Ark, Die So Fluid et all, before I got confronted with the way the singers look. And besides looking good, we defenitly can’t say these goils can’t sing, so, when the female frontmen (or sumtin like that) are looking more than cute, that’s an advantage, but only for my own eyes. We’re not dealing with top-40 material here, where looks are all that count and everyday all-american girls that aren’t even pretty (Britney Spears, anyone?) are being drowned in tons of make-up to be able to sell them as sofisticated and thoroughly airbrushed play-mates.

Metal doesn’t need that crap. Or at least, I’d like to think so. There’s a lot of girls out there that have voices that would even make La Callas look up, if she were still alive. That they also look great, is just good fortune on their part. OK, and for us, the fans, it’s also nicer to look at, but I don’t believe that there’s metal fans over the age of 20, who would go out and buy stuff they haven’t heard, just because the singer looks nice…

Good-looking or not, talent is talent, whatever the singer’s, or any other musician in a band, sex is. When there’s talent involved, you can get a monkey as a frontman/woman, you’ll still likeley make the grade.

Look at Patty Smith, K.D. Lang and the likes… Are they pretty? Well, maybe, but not at all in the same vein as Simone or Grog, but still they made it. Why? Because they have talent.

My apologies for the lengthy reply, by the way…

JJ

I saw Metallica here in Hellsinki in 2003. They were really good on stage. It’s great that you will now see this classic band.

Good point. I guess bands in which all members are men might have harder times with getting attention, but I guess the most important thing is to provide music that gets attention. Having a “sexy singer” is a good help, but if music doesn’t reach fans, then I guess there is not much hope. With strategic marketing and promoting bands can reach millions of people, but having people as fans requires music that really rocks, right?

As you know metal music is mostly “mens world”. If you watch Metal - Headbanger’s Journey, you can see that most of the people in metal scene are men. Because of this record companies use sexy women for marketing. Why? Because most of the target audience are men and sex in advertising for men works.

I do admire female singers such as Angela Gossow and Simone Simons. Not because of their look but because of their skills, voice and attitude. They are absolutely great singers, especially Simone.

So you’re in love with Marco Hietala Would you be jealous if I tell you that I see him and Emppu every now and then in our local supermarket. We live in the same little city.