Why Say Anything should play their old stuff in concert

[highschoolfable]

So as a far of Say Anything I constantly wonder why Max Bemis refuses to play any of his old stuff off the Junior Varsity, Baseball and Menorah/Majora albums!?

They are all full of what I consider angsty, adrenaline-fueling, high school hating brilliance! The songs need to be re done and Max Bemis needs to realize that his old stuff is the original brilliance that got me hooked. His music helps me get through high school beacuse with songs like Shamless and All My Friends whenever shit goes down I can always depends on this music to be there with me saying I've been through all of this and things get better.

So who agrees?

[chipdip18]

There are many common reasons why a band won't play out of the older portion of their discography:

- Labels may want them to play what the majority of fans are familiar with; that's why they're at the shows
- The artists think that they've matured from their older material, and find those songs dated
- They simply just aren't their favorite songs to play
- They forgot how to play them

[highschoolfable]

well I know those are some of the cases. But the songs aren't hard for guitar to learn. I learned some of them myself and Bemis and his drummer have been in the whole band since it started.
And fuck the labels!

[zonto]

well I know those are some of the cases. But the songs aren't hard for guitar to learn. I learned some of them myself and Bemis and his drummer have been in the whole band since it started.
And fuck the labels!

Sounds painful. Maybe Max and the band do what they feel like and they don't feel like playing them. That is all.

[Rock]

Why they shouldn't play stuff off of Junior Varsity, Baseball and Menorah/Majora:
While the lyrics may be angsty, adrenaline-fueling, and high school hating brilliance, the music is, on the other hand, not. It is unpolished and very mediocre (or worse). Not real enjoyable to listen to, and while it's interesting to see Max's development as a song writer and a musician, those albums fall far short of ...Is a Real Boy and even In Defense of the Genre in terms of production values, songwriting, musicianship and for me, the most important metric of all - enjoyment - pretty much any metric by which to measure an album.

[highschoolfable]

Sounds painful. Maybe Max and the band do what they feel like and they don't feel like playing them. That is all.

Lol painful. Oh please...Max still makes angsty ridden songs so I wouldn't understand why he wouldn't play some old ones like All Choked Up is pure brilliance and one of the best songs he's ever written and yet he's never played it!

[highschoolfable]

Why they shouldn't play stuff off of Junior Varsity, Baseball and Menorah/Majora:
While the lyrics may be angsty, adrenaline-fueling, and high school hating brilliance, the music is, on the other hand, not. It is unpolished and very mediocre (or worse). Not real enjoyable to listen to, and while it's interesting to see Max's development as a song writer and a musician, those albums fall far short of ...Is a Real Boy and even In Defense of the Genre in terms of production values, songwriting, musicianship and for me, the most important metric of all - enjoyment - pretty much any metric by which to measure an album.

Some people need to appreciate unpolished music. I disagree with the mediocrity. It is far from mediocre!
But I guess it's just an opinion of mine. Though I'm sure there are a number of die hard Say Anything fans out there that want to hear the old songs. Myself I like the old stuff as much as the new stuff not rly so much some of the stuff on In Defense of the Genre but ...Is A Real Boy is fantastic!

[Animalhill]

To be completely honest, when I'm playing a show, and someone yells for us to play an older song, my first instinct is to politley tell that person to shut his fucking mouth. As a musician, you want to play the songs you love, and enjoy playing- which in most cases are the ones that you've most recently written, and after pouring unbelievable amounts of time into creating them, are proud to showcase to people.

[highschoolfable]

To be completely honest, when I'm playing a show, and someone yells for us to play an older song, my first instinct is to politley tell that person to shut his fucking mouth. As a musician, you want to play the songs you love, and enjoy playing- which in most cases are the ones that you've most recently written, and after pouring unbelievable amounts of time into creating them, are proud to showcase to people.

That makes sense. But don't you even care about the fans? Also some of SA's older songs are really good IMO.

[SincerelyMe]

I hate the idea that labels can tell a band what to play at shows. I like Andrew McMahon's perspective on this: "Our manager always tells us that we shouldn't be singing Something Corporate songs at our Jack's Mannequin shows, but I'll sing whatever the fuck I want to."

Just because a band has new material and new fans doesn't mean that they should abandon their old ones. Why should a band have to abandon the people who helped get them to where they are?

[Animalhill]

That makes sense. But don't you even care about the fans? Also some of SA's older songs are really good IMO.
I absolutely care about the fans- its just human nature to want to show people what you are most proud of. We occasionally do play that old song or two if people like, chant the title or something- but its like if you were to show your mom a painting you had just done in AP art, and she was like, "Oh! Show me that one you did in first grade of the bird fighting a tonka truck that says 'i luve u mom" youd be fucking pissed , or at least annoyed right?

[zonto]

Yes ^

[highschoolfable]

but there is a sense of nostalgia that people feel!

[Animalhill]

but there is a sense of nostalgia that people feel!
True- but consider what ties that artist may have to that song, they aren't always happy. For instance, when I was 18 I was hooking up with this 23 year old Russion BEAUTY. She left for Spain to go to school and being the bitter little 18 year old I was, I wrote a song called, "Whore Espana". When this girl came back two years later and went to one of my shows and people started chanting "Whore Espana"... that SUCKED. This reference doesn't address the Say Anything deal in particular, but in general, consider the musician too.

[SincerelyMe]

True- but consider what ties that artist may have to that song, they aren't always happy...consider the musician too.


Sorry if this comes off as a bit strong but I'm a huge advocate for artists preforming older music. The music that got them where they are.

That said, a musician can (or at least should be able to) preform a song without going back to the place they were when they wrote it. That's a necessary part of being a performer. I'm not saying they should perform without emotion. What I'm saying is that an artist should have the ability to perform a song live, regardless of their ties to it.

Older songs are part of a musicians past, and they cannot simply be forgotten and thrown away simply because there are new ones.

[highschoolfable]

^ DUDE! that fucking sucks

[Animalhill]

Sorry if this comes off as a bit strong but I'm a huge advocate for artists preforming older music. The music that got them where they are.

That said, a musician can (or at least should be able to) preform a song without going back to the place they were when they wrote it. That's a necessary part of being a performer. I'm not saying they should perform without emotion. What I'm saying is that an artist should have the ability to perform a song live, regardless of their ties to it.

Older songs are part of a musicians past, and they cannot simply be forgotten and thrown away simply because there are new ones.
You and I are obviously going to disagree because I am a musician. The attachment to a song for a musician and for a fan are very, very different.

[Animalhill]

^ DUDE! that fucking sucks
Haha yeah- we laugh about it now- but when there's 150 kids yelling that... its like "fuuuuuuck"

[SincerelyMe]

You and I are obviously going to disagree because I am a musician. The attachment to a song for a musician and for a fan are very, very different.


I'm a musician as well. I don't perform for an audience, so in that sense you are correct. There is a difference and I recognize that. I just write and play in my bedroom.
Tell me if you disagree, but I find writing a song a thousand times more emotional than playing it after the hundredth time or so. Of course, in the beginning it's difficult sometimes, but over time, it becomes easier.

[Animalhill]

I'm a musician as well. I don't perform for an audience, so in that sense you are correct. There is a difference and I recognize that. I just write and play in my bedroom.
Tell me if you disagree, but I find writing a song a thousand times more emotional than playing it after the hundredth time or so. Of course, in the beginning it's difficult sometimes, but over time, it becomes easier.
I'm not saying I get too emotional to play songs. I may have worded my argument poorly. What I will say is that when you play in a band, and tour, and practice everyday, and record, you've played songs thousands and thousands of times. Eventually, you just get fucking sick of playing them, and write new ones. That's just the way it works for me/my band and I imagine many other touring bands.

[nlo13]

I absolutely care about the fans- its just human nature to want to show people what you are most proud of. We occasionally do play that old song or two if people like, chant the title or something- but its like if you were to show your mom a painting you had just done in AP art, and she was like, "Oh! Show me that one you did in first grade of the bird fighting a tonka truck that says 'i luve u mom" youd be fucking pissed , or at least annoyed right?

hahah I lol'd at this analogy.

[SincerelyMe]

I'm not saying I get too emotional to play songs. I may have worded my argument poorly. What I will say is that when you play in a band, and tour, and practice everyday, and record, you've played songs thousands and thousands of times. Eventually, you just get fucking sick of playing them, and write new ones. That's just the way it works for me/my band and I imagine many other touring bands.

While I can understand that a band may get tired of playing the same song over and over and over, there are songs they do that for anyway. When I saw Paramore, they played Misery Business(weak example, I know). And obviously, they played that at every show on the tour, and rehearsed it relentlessly. But I doubt that there was a single date on that tour where they just decided they "were sick of playing it" and didn't.

In addition to that, I feel like bands need to play older music. Maybe this isn't true for everyone; maybe it's just me and my insanity, but I play songs I wrote when I was little. Less than ten years old when I wrote some of them. The lyrics are terrible and the music is even worse. But it helps me remember where I came from and where I've been and how I've gotten to where I am.

And what about the fans that listened to the bands when they were first getting started? Do they never get to hear/see their favorites performed live?

[Animalhill]

hahah I lol'd at this analogy.
Haha and that helps to proove my point! The music I wrote when I was 17 or 18 is now laughable to me.

[Animalhill]

While I can understand that a band may get tired of playing the same song over and over and over, there are songs they do that for anyway. When I saw Paramore, they played Misery Business(weak example, I know). And obviously, they played that at every show on the tour, and rehearsed it relentlessly. But I doubt that there was a single date on that tour where they just decided they "were sick of playing it" and didn't.

In addition to that, I feel like bands need to play older music. Maybe this isn't true for everyone; maybe it's just me and my insanity, but I play songs I wrote when I was little. Less than ten years old when I wrote some of them. The lyrics are terrible and the music is even worse. But it helps me remember where I came from and where I've been and how I've gotten to where I am.

And what about the fans that listened to the bands when they were first getting started? Do they never get to hear/see their favorites performed live?
You totally have a valid point. I'm not saying you don't, but the reason I don't like playing old songs live is because I'm not passionate about them anymore, and if there's anything I truly HATE its a musician who performs without passion. I refuse to pretend to be "into it" you know?

[Hajj5]

if it makes anyone feel better, he has stated publicly that he would start playing songs from baseball again.

[highschoolfable]

OMFG srsly? WHERE IS THIS!? MUST SEE THEM NOW

[SincerelyMe]

You totally have a valid point. I'm not saying you don't, but the reason I don't like playing old songs live is because I'm not passionate about them anymore, and if there's anything I truly HATE its a musician who performs without passion. I refuse to pretend to be "into it" you know?


You have a valid point as well. I hate when I go to a concert and I don't see the band putting their hearts into it. Like they just can't wait for the show to be over. Like they're just thinking of all the places they'd rather be. I hate that.

As for me, I just love playing. I can get myself into the mood to play almost any song. I never really lose my passion for the songs I write, because in a strange way, even if they're terrible, I love them. I love looking back and remembering, even if it's something not worthy of a memory. I don't have a single song I've written that's on the "never to be played again" list.

This could very well be the difference between someone who performs and someone who doesn't.

I love how this discussion went from strong emotional ties to a song to lack of emotional ties to a song.

[DejaNew]

OMFG srsly? WHERE IS THIS!? MUST SEE THEM NOW
OMFG SRSLY? lol.

[highschoolfable]

OMFG SRSLY? lol.

Don't be hatin

[Hajj5]

i have a recording of Max playing a live acoustic set, and at one point someone requests "Into The Night". He says he cant play it because he forgot how, but that he plans on playing songs from baseball in the near future, which i hope means when they tour in support of the new album

[Rekon]

The oldest song I've heard Max play in concert was A Walk Through Hell, and he did it solo. I think it would be great if they played an old song or two every show, I would love to see The Last Great Punk Rock Song live, I could just imagine it being awesome. Or something like All My Friends. But when it comes down to it, they're a different band now. Jake, Jeff, Alex, and Parker weren't around when a lot of those songs were written. And for them, who want's to play music you had no part in writing at a concert? The thing I don't like is that it's gotten to the point where they're leaving out great songs from ...Is A Real Boy.

edit: oh wait. Max writes nearly everything anyway... so I guess half of this post doesn't make sense.

[SophGod]

OP is seriously an idiot. Not to mention the older songs (not IARB) suck worse than the newer songs

[sibby]

Good point. I'm hoping greenday are gonna play their old stuff when i see them, their new stuff just isnt as good.