WHEN A SINGER DIES - Empire Music Promotions

I awakened to music on a truly deep level during the 90’s Seattle-Esque grunge scene. Bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam and Hole were my daily go-to albums to help me get through my angsty youth. I fucking loved those bands so much that even today I still play them on a regular basis, even though I am always stressed to find the next new undiscovered album because I don’t want to die without hearing every single great song on the planet. I know, impossible, but I am still going to try my very best to complete this mission to its fullest degree.
When I say that I awakened to music then, I mean that the music I listened to would become the soundtrack to my life and that the singers in those bands became my idols; they were proof that gods did exist in the flesh, even if they were substance abusing self-hating god’s.
You knew, without a doubt, that these incredibly dynamic souls would live on forever, well at least until twenty-seven anyway; but that doesn’t change the fact that you believe in only an endless amount of future new albums to be released.
And then it happens…
The news hits you like a bullet aimed for your heart, bringing with it a flood of sadness that threatens to change and somewhat damage you for life.
The news grows to an undeniable pitch, and it is then when you finally accept what has happened; a god has died.

I remember thinking how I can’t believe that I will never hear that voice again, that I will never get the chance to say, ‘Thank you’ for all the color that they had brought into my life.’ I just wanted a chance to say that they saved me from my own demons by sharing theirs, that they gave me the strength to the pick up the guitar and sing, that they were my own version of going to church, and that I would miss them dearly; these enigmatic people that I had never met before…and isn’t that a strange concept to miss someone that you have never met?

Some time passes and you come to accept this new void in your life, and then you hear something terrible, something almost-perverse in its nature, something that forces you to feel true anger; someone is trying to play the role of your dead god now, it’s true, but say it ain’t so…
the band just got a new singer.

Fast forward to right this moment in time, as I write this article, in fact, why I am writing this article; because one of my childhood bands who lost their singer so tragically just released a new album today, that’s right, someone is at this very moment trying to play the role of one of my dead god’s, and the worst part is, they are doing a good job of it.

If they are doing a good job of it, why complain?
Well, when I sign up to take the journey with a band I sign up with my very soul. For those musicians that have a profound effect on me, I am loyal to a fault.
I proudly carry their flag into battle with me against those who would dare insult their music and artistic visions, and even close friendships have ended in outright war as we tried to prove both of our points, and that is the power of music right there, what’s not to love?
So, when I sign up to follow a musician it is more than just a song to me, more than just music, it is so much more than that, and you cannot replace that fucking singer at all, ever!
My heart, simply put, won’t allow for it.
To me, when the lead singer of a band dies, that band is no longer that band at all; it is something else entirely now, and the remaining members are more than welcome to start a new project but do not use the same name, and for the love of whatever there may be out there, do not replace your dead singer with another artist that tries to sound just like them; it’s a fucking mockery passed off as a showing of respect.
It feels like a cheap attempt to salvage a career over respecting the dead and the efforts that they placed within the music; but hey, that’s how I feel about it, and I will fight you on that one because I am still carrying that banner into battle!

I will extend an olive branch here. Yes, get a temporary singer like Nirvana did to put on a tribute style show, but after that, do not make plans to create an album or go on tour, that’s just messed up.

You cannot replace Chester Bennington, Chris Cornell, Layne Staley, Kurt Cobain, Scott Weiland or anyone else, because it is not the voice alone that we fall in love with, it is the spirit of that person, it is their very being that we connect with, and yet, time and time again I see all of these dead poet god’s stepped on by the refusal of their bandmates to let the ship go down with the captain, as it should.
Instead, they place a new singer at the helm and see if that singer can emulate close enough to confuse the audience into acceptance; and I am not having it.

I walked away from any new Alice In Chains without Layne, from new Stone Temple Pilots (even with Chester on the mic) and from every other band that ever tried to replace their deceased lead singer with an impressive stand-in.
All anyone ever needs to do is drop the band name to fix this constant irritation.
Keep the band, change the name.
Keep the band, change the name.
I am talking to you, Linkin Park. Please, Keep the band but change the band name.
Chester Bennington is Linkin Park and without him, LP can never be LP once again; it’s not an insult, it’s just what feels right.
A band name must stand for something, it must mean something to the members, and whenever a band chooses to replace their dead lead singer and just keep moving on, instead of just making a name change out of respect, I feel that same pang of disappointment in my heart every single time.

We retire the jersey numbers in sports when we lose a great, why can we not retire a band name as well?

EMPIRE MUSIC PROMOTIONS is a leading Music PR and Music Marketing firm specializing in brand strengthening through powerful artist services. GET NOTICED!