NEWS4U JANUARY 2022 | MUSIC
the
ROCK & METAL PROFS WITH MATT ALSCHBACH & DR. COURT LEWIS
Associate professors at Owensboro Community College and Pellissippi State Community College, respectively, Alschbach and Lewis host the popular podcast The Rock & Metal Profs: The History & Philosophy of Rock & Metal. Now they're bringing their keen insights to the pages of News 4U with a monthly deep dive into some of the best bands of the rock/metal genre and thoughts on music in general.
FILLER TIME
Sometimes producers used filler as a gimmick to bring in
We all know of albums that are great, except for one or two
only did the song feature the names of several cities - a good
“filler” songs. Two that instantly come to mind are Pearl Jam’s
tactic to generate sales in those towns - but there was a kissing
“Bugs” and Guns N' Roses’ “My World.” Such songs are not
contest in which fans could participate. “Kissing Time” wasn’t
only out of place, but they seem to serve no other purpose
on the original album. It was only added later when the record
than to fill empty space. But do bands really go through the
company had a “great” idea, which failed miserably. Another
trouble of writing and producing songs that have no merit
reason filler exists is because record companies paid bands
other than taking up space?
for the number of songs that appeared on each album. As
fans, as seen with “Kissing Time” on KISS’ first album. Not
a result, bands would often include filler to ensure they Though it might be counterintuitive, there are several reasons
received a full paycheck. This is also why bands like Rush and
why bands include filler. Prior to the 1970's, the music industry
the Grateful Dead, who sometimes wrote 30-minute songs,
was geared towards singles. Bands would produce a variety
would label their songs with different parts.
of singles in hopes of having a hit. If they were lucky enough to have one or two hits, they would then be asked to record
It is hard to imagine a reason for the existence of filler today.
a complete album. As a result, albums contained several hits,
Since today’s artists make a pittance selling albums, there is
along with a handful of other songs designed to fill up a full
minimal incentive for them to invest an inordinate amount of
LP (“long play”) record. By the end of the 1960’s, the music
time creating a masterpiece. Why would G N' R or Sebastian
industry had become album-based. The problem of filling a
Bach bother to write and record new songs (including filler)
full album still existed, but record producers also discovered
when fans only want to hear the classics live? Would an artist
they could boost sales by adding filler tracks. Most commonly,
consciously set out to write filler, phoning it in, so to speak?
these tracks were cover versions of older hits. Judas Priest is
Do you love an album that is “all killer and no filler”? Hit us
well-known for their early covers of “Diamonds and Rust”
up on The Rock & Metal Profs Facebook page and share it
and “The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown).”
with us!
The Rock & Metal Profs podcast is available on iTunes, Google and Spotify.
38 | JANUARY 2022
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