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[Jo Just Go Nameless]

I have been perusing the 'I hate Amanda' thread and thought that it might be a good idea to post this new topic to continue some of the points or feelings coveyed over there, without the personal squabbles or attack of the original posters motives.

Personally, I get the feeling that a lot of the older generation of Dresden Dolls have lost interest in what Amanda is currently doing and are maybe a bit frustrated that she has spent her time on EPs, 'novelty' releases and side projects and are for hoping that the next full release will revive the Amanda of old.

I can remember becoming a fan a bit later in the Dresden Dolls game (the release week of Yes, Virginia) and even then there were fans who were losing interest in the band who had followed them from the beginning, because they had signed to a major label, because of the tour with Panic!, or whatever reason. Now I see the boxers that were very active around that time have disappeared, or are lurking (including myself) and they all seem to have become a little apathetic to the new stuff. Is this just another wave in the cycle of a performer, fans growing and changing and moving on, or is it that Amanda's current choices have just been turning a lot of people off? Are the new wave of fans enough to keep Amanda going as an artist if a lot of the older wave cool off? Is the growing apathy towards creating the Brigade at the shows in a lot of fans leading some of the active members to lose interest and heart?

Just a few questions to hopefully open some discussion between old fans and new about the art and the music that the other thread started amid the derailment. (if people are happy enough keeping it to the other thread I'll lock this or just let it drop off the radar)

[The Angel Raliel]

I actually really like the new stuff and it is refreshing to experience new ideas and styles entering into what AfP does...it is a LOT less angst filled than it used to be but still very theatrical and from the heart.....the NEW stuff with the new band might distance some fans even more as it is very much more synthy and pop led.....the Brigade is a seperate issue and i think has more to do with  the size of the gigs now and thus the amount of time available for As staff and herself to devote to making that sort of thing occur has evporated....certainly I think there is plenty of room for people to organise brigade type stuff themselves ( I normally do so) this year was more to do with personal crisis and lack of funds than anything to do with the gigs....and hopefully i will bounce back next year with a properly sorted brigade type idea.....the shiny/glittery crowdsourcing of costume is very old school brigade stuff..it has simply shifted slightly...... Basically do we really want another WKAP or Yes Virginia...or do we want to hear what the artist is finding interesting now.....

[imaginary friend]

in general: people's interests change. no big deal.

personally: I didn't like anything between WKAP and 8 in 8.  after reading Raliel's decription, I'm very curious about the new songs (going heavily electronic was something I always thought the DDs should do) so that's a good sign.

#@!

[SpookyTwigg]

I've been a fan for a long time now and i suppose i can understand how the change in styles could distance done people. I myself love that there is a constant shift in styles and would be very bored if we were just hearing the  same thing over and over again. Like Raliel said I don't need another yes Virginia or WKAP cause we already them.

[Rob]

While I am looking forward to the show in San Diego because I know it will be new and different, I have to say that I am nowhere near as excited as I would have been if this was a show by the Amanda Palmer I learned to love years ago. 

I joined this forum just before the first Dolls show I ever went to At Soma in San Diego.  They were opening for PATD. I couldn't wait to see them.  I went to their very next show at the same venue when they came back as headliners a few months later.  I couldn't get enough.  Every time they came close to me, I was there.  I even went to see Amanda and Henry Rollins at the Hammer Conversation thing they did.  I took my mom.

I bought Yes Virginia, No Virginia and WKAP as soon as physically possible and spun them on continuous loops for days on end.

Hell...I even cried enough that Amanda came and stayed at my house so that I'd shut up.  After that, I saw her solo show a couple of times and still loved everything about it.

Somewhere after the last Dolls tour Which I caught again in San Diego, I began to lose enthusiasm.  I own the EE disc, but I only bought that after seeing the show live.  I must admit that the show was better, but the disc is good to hear on occasion. 

I like a couple of the Radiohead covers, but couldn't bring myself to purchase an entire album of them. 

There were also a couple of good tunes on the Down Under album, but again, not enough to get me totally on board.

So...I guess what I'm saying is that I want to be won over again. I hope to be won over again.  I have not given up on the New Amanda Palmer yet. 

And if it never happens for me again, That's ok too.  There are others out there who are getting it and loving it and I will always have 5 wonderful albums.

[lentower]

the d.dolls music and concerts are timeless to me. 
i will enjoy the songs forever. and could go to d.dolls concerts indefinitely

i enjoy the new music too, particularly wkap. 

the 'novelty' EPs are fun, and their concerts are worth seeing,
but not the same kind of depth and time-less-ness.
so far, it looks like the new songs and their album have a lot of depth,
not sure if they will be as timeless as the d.dolls albums and wkap

and Amanda (and Brian) still surprise.  each show is different

and they both still want to connect with their fans,
and make the effort to do so

[yosmark]

I heard about this great new band called The Dresden Dolls back in 2005, then someone told me "Dude they are touring with NIN we should go see them". So I went, I loved the 5 songs they played, got instantly hooked. I bought every album they released and became a very active forum member (joining the forum was due to breaking up with someone but oh well, I have met great people here). I followed everything they would do.

I liked WKAP and to this day I have probably listened to that album more than 1000 times (ask for pics). Plus this album was double special beacause of the AMAZING detail Ronan achieved.

After this I had a hard time following what A was doing. I am not a fan of Radiohead so the covers didn't go well with me. I haven't listened to the Down Under album BECAUSE FUCKING JSR KNOWS HOW TO FUCK THINGS. And I have only listened to Tesla in the 8in8 album, liked it but too sad the recording quality is not as good as it could be.

I can't really say anything about the recent music but hey I am still a fan, and probably going to be a big fan for a long time. I definitely like TDD self titled & YV over anything out there.

[Cirque]

I think with a lot of artists the work that appeals to you most is what exists when you first start following them.
The releases that come after that are different, because understandably the artist is trying different things, and don't appeal to you as much.
My greatest example of this is my less than ecstatic for Regina Spektor's 'Far'. I love all of Regina's earlier work, but this album I said "Meh, it's okay".
But this is surely not a concrete rule, artists are constantly releasing new albums that I'm a huge fan of.
I think it might happen mostly with those you consider your 'favourite artist'.

As for Amanda's uke work, I'm not a fan of much of it. I think 'in my mind' and 'Dear Old House' are beautiful. I actually like AFP Goes Down under quite a bit as a live album.

[Musings]

short answer: yes, there is a predictable cycle for any artist/fan relationship

long answer: I haven't been thrilled with anything since WKAP.  The Bed Song and Trout Heart Replica, among unreleased songs, are exciting, but very little else has stuck with me. 

I was ecstatic to hear about the DD reunion tour, went, and definitely enjoyed it (especially Brian's drumming, damn, how I'd missed him on Half Jack), but was falling asleep towards the end.  Not because it was boring or bad, but because I now wake up at 5:30 and work until 7 or 8.  To put it differently, I'm no longer the college student who used to study and write papers at all hours of the night and listen to The DD self-titled on repeat and post here at 4 A.M..  I've grown up.  And so has Amanda.  In different directions. 

I still think she puts on a very memorable and personal show, and I'm still always interested to see what she'll put out next, or write in her blog, but we're in different places for the moment.  Maybe we'll meet again, maybe not.