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When did Aaron Lewis go country?

Posted on 1/3/17 at 9:32 pm
Posted by CaptainBrannigan
Good Ole Rocky Top Tennessee
Member since Jan 2010
21644 posts
Posted on 1/3/17 at 9:32 pm
Just saw a commercial for his concert in Montgomery, AL. Arrin on had gone full country baw now. I guess his old fanbase of emotional teenagers like me grew up and left him behind. Didn't see him taking the Kid Rock path to stay relevant. Kind of sad to see.
Posted by Brosef Stalin
Member since Dec 2011
42310 posts
Posted on 1/3/17 at 9:35 pm to
5 or 6 years ago
Posted by DocHoliday11
South Georgia
Member since Jun 2013
4316 posts
Posted on 1/3/17 at 9:35 pm to
2012

Actually love this song

Edit: He opened up for Brantley Gilbert in Southaven, MS about 3 years ago..He walked straight up to the microphone and said "let's get this shite started off right" and did the Pledge of Allegiance
This post was edited on 1/3/17 at 9:37 pm
Posted by CaptainBrannigan
Good Ole Rocky Top Tennessee
Member since Jan 2010
21644 posts
Posted on 1/3/17 at 9:42 pm to
That was awful. But he hit many of the keys for a hot country song. Dirt road, alcohol, calling oneself a county boy; I only made it to the chorus.
This post was edited on 1/3/17 at 10:59 pm
Posted by DocHoliday11
South Georgia
Member since Jun 2013
4316 posts
Posted on 1/3/17 at 9:47 pm to
different strokes for different folks

I would rather listen to this than Florida Georgia Line sing about flat bill hats
Posted by monsterballads
Gulf of America
Member since Jun 2013
31515 posts
Posted on 1/3/17 at 11:51 pm to
The lead singer for a 90's nu metal band was just a good ole country boy (from new hampshire) the whole time?

Well hot dog!

But seriously if anyone hasn't figured it out, aaron lewis' "country" career path is simply someone who realized that angst driven nu metal was a music fad and that playing that kind of music doesn't sell when you're in you're 40's and so he turned to the "country boy" schtick as a last ditch effort to stay relevant in the music business.

It's pandering 101 and a lot of people lap it up. He sings about being from the country, his dog, how he listens to Merle haggard and Hank Williams Jr, and even had some respected classic country legends to sing on his records to add "authenticity" to his pandering music package that is designed nice and neat ready to market and sell.

It's not Florida Georgia line pop Nashville garbage but I'm not certain it's one or two notches above FGL and their ilk because of how insultingly dumbed down it is. He reeks of someone who is just trying to make a buck and will change his image, sound, persona and literally his entire musical genre and style if it means he can crank out some mad lib cOuNtRY songs for rednecks and white trash confederate pride lowest common denominator types.
This post was edited on 1/4/17 at 12:39 pm
Posted by GoldenSombrero
Member since Sep 2010
2900 posts
Posted on 1/4/17 at 10:20 am to
I haven't really gotten into his country stuff...but the acoustic shows he was doing in 09-11? ish were pretty awesome. Basically just him, a guitar, and a bunch of cover songs.
Posted by finchmeister08
Member since Mar 2011
40194 posts
Posted on 1/4/17 at 10:31 am to
quote:

It's pandering 101

don't hate the player, hate the game
Posted by kingbob
Sorrento, LA
Member since Nov 2010
70586 posts
Posted on 1/4/17 at 10:34 am to
around the same time Staind did, about 5-6 years ago when rock radio went "poof" and every baw under the age of 40 with a guitar suddenly found themselves without a distribution platform
Posted by Brosef Stalin
Member since Dec 2011
42310 posts
Posted on 1/4/17 at 11:29 am to
He would be making a lot more money with Staind right now than he is with his country project. He is not doing this because he thinks its more popular. Staind's biggest hits were all their slower songs so the transition to country wasn't too difficult. I think he's doing this out of a sincere love for country music. Not saying he's good at it, but he's at least genuine.
Posted by monsterballads
Gulf of America
Member since Jun 2013
31515 posts
Posted on 1/4/17 at 1:12 pm to
quote:

but he's at least genuine.


He comes off as glaringly inauthentic.

The problem is this is all a formula for Lewis who is signed to big machine out of nashville (florida geogia line's label, owned by nashville antichrist scott borchetta)

And what’s the formula if you want to go country?

1) Say you’ve always been country, listened to country, and are from the country.

2) Enlist a legacy act to add country legitimacy to your project.

3) Write a song with a laundry list of things that make you country. And these days if you can throw in a weed reference, that is especially good for marketing.

His “Country Boy” song follows this formula to a T, so much so I feel embarrassed for him and people who do not understand that he is pandering to a specific demographic.

The problem with his country singing is the same problem as his rock singing – the constant crying. I totally get it and feel the same way. I don’t like Staind and I don’t like this. I think that he is a carpet bagger like other washed up rockers trying to go country. It feels and sounds insincere and altogether just not a sound I care for.
Posted by kingbob
Sorrento, LA
Member since Nov 2010
70586 posts
Posted on 1/4/17 at 10:02 pm to
All of this. Radio and pop culture abandoned rock and roll, and this is the result: rockers and pop stars using country's infrastructure to cling to relevance.
Posted by Brosef Stalin
Member since Dec 2011
42310 posts
Posted on 1/4/17 at 11:49 pm to
He's not doing this to cling to relevance though. Staind would still draw way more to shows and sell more records. Most of his country fans are old Staind fans. He really isn't that popular with the country crowd from what I can tell.
Posted by Sevendust912
Member since Jun 2013
11500 posts
Posted on 1/5/17 at 7:09 am to
Never listened to his country stuff and have no plans to. Staind had a couple good songs but you had to take them in small doses because as another poster said, he comes off as whiney.
Posted by Nativebullet
Plano, TX
Member since Feb 2011
5171 posts
Posted on 1/5/17 at 7:37 am to
i think he is outstanding as a country singer, yet i was never a fan of his during the pop years.
Posted by kingbob
Sorrento, LA
Member since Nov 2010
70586 posts
Posted on 1/5/17 at 11:52 am to
His old Staind music isn't getting the plays it used to because the number of radio stations to play it has plummeted. If he released new Staind music, it wouldn't sell a fraction of what the old albums did, no matter how good it is, because there is zero infrastructure to promote it.

Trust me, country was a business decision for him and many others like him who saw that the ladder has been pulled up for rock n roll. Unless you were big prior to 2008, or really 1996, the chances of one becoming relevant, without being the child or nephew of some major player in the industry, is slim to none.
Posted by The Torch
DFW The Dub
Member since Aug 2014
29726 posts
Posted on 1/5/17 at 6:23 pm to
He's more country than Luke Bryan

I like Aaron's music including Staind

Have a little variety in your like
Posted by DownSouthDave
Member since Jan 2013
7523 posts
Posted on 1/5/17 at 6:34 pm to
quote:

I like Aaron's music including Staind


Pretty much this. I think its gimmicky, but I can only listen to Southeastern so many times. Variety is the spice of life and the dude has a great voice. There is much worse music out there.
Posted by brgfather129
Los Angeles, CA
Member since Jul 2009
17360 posts
Posted on 1/5/17 at 6:39 pm to
More fake: Aaron Lewis or Bret Michaels when he pretended to have a country accent and was a judge on "Nashville Star"?
Posted by monsterballads
Gulf of America
Member since Jun 2013
31515 posts
Posted on 1/5/17 at 6:47 pm to
quote:

He's more country than Luke Bryan



Man, some really high standards you have there
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