The AnswerBank Articles

Q I'd like to collect pop memorabillia, where do I start

A. What you collect depends entirely on why you collect, so let's establish a few basic ground rules: Collecting divides neatly into two distinct areas, fun and profit, some collections will give you00:00 Mon 09th Apr 2001

Q What does the term 'bootleg recording' mean

A. A bootleg is an illegal recording made without the artist's knowledge or consent, and of course, without any payment of copyright fees or profit sharing. The term 'bootleg' refers occasionally to00:00 Mon 09th Apr 2001

Q Why do pop stars become actors

A. An interesting question. There are few areas in life where being successful with one skill leads you to believe you have the wherewithal to perform as well in another. Heart surgeons are not known00:00 Mon 02nd Apr 2001

Q Why do pop stars act in films

A. An interesting question. There are few areas in life where being successful with one skill leads you to believe you have the wherewithal to perform as well in another. Heart surgeons are not00:00 Mon 02nd Apr 2001

Q Why are so many bands reforming these days

A. The quick answer is the most obvious one: they need the money. Q. There seem to be more bands reforming these days than ever, why A. One reason is because there are simply more bands out00:00 Mon 02nd Apr 2001

Q Why are the front men in bands always guitarists

A. The short answer is, they are not always guitarists. There are plenty of 'back line' musicians who sing, and in some cases they lead their bands as well. Q. What about a few of the more famous00:00 Mon 02nd Apr 2001

Q 'Where there's a hit, there's a writ.' What exactly does that mean

A. This is a clever reference to the fact that as soon as a pop star has made enough money, someone somewhere is going to try and relieve him or her, or them, of some of it, and a popular method is to00:00 Mon 26th Mar 2001

My dad says that album cover art is dead. Is he right

A. He's probably harking back to the days when buying an album meant carrying home 12" of vinyl, which meant an album sleeve, and that meant a nice large space to devote to some artwork. Most of the00:00 Mon 26th Mar 2001

Q Are pop fans getting younger

A. If you check the facts, the answer is no, they are not getting younger. The thrust of the marketing machine is aimed at younger music fans, because that is increasingly where the money, and00:00 Mon 26th Mar 2001

Questions roundup

The range and diversity of questions placed here on the Music Section at The Answerbank continues to grow week by week. Grandi Tenori posed a question about recorded works by Giuseppe Campora, the00:00 Mon 19th Mar 2001

Classical music - made easy

Q. I've just started a new job, and my boss is a big classical music fan. I told him I was as well, now I'm panicking in case I get caught out, can you help A. Of course, that's what the Answerbank00:00 Mon 19th Mar 2001

Q Manufactured pop bands: What's it all about

A. The simple answer It's about making money. Its not called the music 'business' for nothing - record companies have always tried to find 'the next big thing' and sign it to a long-term contract.00:00 Mon 19th Mar 2001

Q Why haven't Nirvana released an album since In Utero

asks emberta. A. Click here for a full answer - the simple reason is the death of guitarist and songwriter Kurt Cobain. Q. So rock and pop has its fair share of untimely deaths then A. It does,00:00 Mon 12th Mar 2001

Q How easy is it to get a good disco for a wedding or a party

A. Anyone can set up as a DJ and charge money for doing so, but it doesn't mean you're always going to get value for money. In the disco game, you don't necessarily get what you pay for. Q. Sounds00:00 Mon 12th Mar 2001

Q Are there many songs that don't have the title in the lyrics

A. Loads! In fact, when you investigate, you'll be surprised just how many there are. Q. What are the most obvious ones A. The ones everyone knows are songs such as Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and00:00 Mon 12th Mar 2001

Q What's the latest thing in music-playing technology

A. There is always a big noise made about 'new technology', but broadly speaking, the new formats fall into two categories - mini-discs, and MP3s. Q. So vinyl really is a thing of the past then A.00:00 Tue 06th Mar 2001

Questions of musical note

By Andy Hughes Another crop of curious questions to keep us on our toes here at The Answerbank, highlights include: emmalh7 who is a fan of Buffy The Vampire Slayer is curious to know where the00:00 Tue 06th Mar 2001

Q Where do pop groups and rock bands get their names

A. All kinds of places, from the simple to the obscure. Maybe something a band member saw just walking down the street. Perhaps it's something read in a book, or seen in a film, something someone00:00 Mon 05th Mar 2001

What can you tell me about music in TV commercials

By Andy Hughes Every time an advert comes on TV, there seems to be a pop song as a soundtrack, why is this Advertising is all about making people remember the product that's being advertised. If00:00 Mon 26th Feb 2001

Is heavy metal hip

By Andy Hughes Is there any truth to the rumour that Heavy Metal is back in fashion The term 'fashionable' might be stretching the definition somewhat, but if you said 'popular' you'd be right on00:00 Mon 26th Feb 2001