Her 'band' is so manufactured its painful

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The band members were not the same since the beginning.

The story is: Taylor was signed as a solo artist to Interscope records because she was on Gossip Girl. Leighton Meester from Gossip Girl was as well. Taylor had a different group of guys in her band in 2009 which can be seen in old footage, who she originally called "The Reckless". After that they left and her record label gave her new band members. So they are in every way a manufactured band. She did not meet these guys organically, nor did she start off in a band. She was signed as a solo artist (and said this in an interview herself) and the band was handed to her by her record label to back her up.

As for songwriting, she writes her songs with Ben her guitar player and a producer they work with. Most people do this so I don't see how that makes them any less manufactured. Manufactured = put together by a group of executives rather than naturally forming a band with some friends or people you know. That IS what happened. She was given a band by her label rather than starting a band on her own.

Lead singers do tend to get most of the spotlight but in a REAL band they do not get all of it. She is the focus of everything because the only reason she got signed is because of her prior success. That's why the band members are irrelevant and never talked about or even open their mouths. They are hardly in any of the music videos I have seen, it's just her. There was a live acoustic performance where she would get interviewed and then they'd play. Ben sat not even a foot from her side and he was never asked any question and Taylor never turned to him to even try to get him involved in the conversation or to say he helped her write the songs or anything.

The fact that you didn't even know that the band members have not been the same the entire time is more than enough proof that YOU need to do your research and it's fine to be a fan but don't be an ignorant one.

Incorrect. Do your research.

She knew Ben before because he was co writing her songs along with her producer Kato for her. They were not in a band then. He was a paid co writer given to her by her label. She did not "audition" them either. They were introduced to her by her label. That is how she and Ben met in the first place. He was a co writer on her song "Zombie" which was written BEFORE he was even in the band (hence you can see her performing the song in 2009 with her other members).

No more manufactured than other bands? Other real rock bands aren't built around a teen actress from a hit tv show who was signed to a record contract as a solo artist. (signing as a solo artists means she did not think she was going to be in a band, but thought she was going to be a solo artist) Her band was handed to her just like her record deal was. The label brought her her band members to give her the image of a "real rock band".

If they were an actual authentic band, they would have been together BEFORE she signed to a deal. Instead she was signed as a solo artist, then the label quickly decided she'd be better off as a band leader and went out giving her bandmembers to play with. Taylor had already signed her solo artist record contract with Interscope years before Ben and the other no name back up members were even in the picture. Her band's formation is as authentic as a boybands; totally put together by record executives rather than by natural circumstances.

I don't see how she could have gotten into rock any other way than through auditioning/choosing bandmates.

She was in the acting industry after all, and that world tends not to be very conducive for finding friends who are into starting rock bands.

As long as she has creative input and or actually works on the music (which she does) I don't see how the necessary steps taken in the band's origins are relevant.

Are you kidding? lol You don't see how she could have gotten into music without auditioning bandmates? You have no clue how the entertainment industry works. She got her record deal with Interscope because she was a famous actress on a hit show. Her co star got the same deal she did. Look at all the actress turned singers out there. They get record deals because they already have a fanbase from tv. That is why Taylor got hers, and it is the only reason why. It does not matter what genre she went into. It is all owned by the record industry and she signed to the most popular record label on earth who produces everything from rock bands to pop acts and rappers.

Remember as I have said, she signed the deal as a solo singer. She never intended to be in a rock band and wasn't in one when she got signed. That is not an opinion, it is a fact. It wasn't until after recording many failed demos on her own that the label decided she go into the "rock" category and got her band members who fit the part.

Real non manufactured rock bands form organically, play shows and if they work hard enough and pay their dues they get their break. Taylor was a rich actress who was GIVEN a record deal, GIVEN a fake manufactured band and image, and is a complete puppet. If you can't see anything wrong with it then that makes me even more sad for todays generation.

I agree. It's not like she never had any friends because of her acting career- just look at her nights out on the town for proof. She claims that music has been apart of her since before she acted and she claims that rock and roll has always been her heart yet she has never met anyone with the same musical interests as her? Doubt that. It's probably more likely that she was just so focused on herself that she never thought to share her limelight or success by inviting people to be apart of her band because she knew that would mean they would be signed to a contract and APART of a band, out of her control. On the contrary, she signed as a solo artist and these band members were assigned to her which means that SHE is the only one in the limelight and SHE is the one in control. They don't like a song she writes or an idea she has? Too bad. THEY'RE replaceable.

She is in control and the "band" is all about her. She is a solo artist but refuses to admit it because she wants to seem like she is truly rock n roll. A band is like family and hers seems like anything but.