First, this is what it looks like when indie artists put on a gig, either on their own dime or with limited record label support.
Skinny Puppy formed in 1982, self-producing tapes until they signed with Nettwerk, then American Recordings. By the end of the 90s, they had sold some two million records and two releases were certified gold. For more, check Wiki.
Then, a “record label” could be a guy with a landline phone who had the time to mail out tapes. Marketing relied on radio play and music journalism, there was no social media. No money for stages, outfits, photoshoots; budget went into printing tapes/LPs/CDs and sleeves.
Gigs brought in money and new fans; festivals were good for outreach but not income. Merch was a headache. Yet they somehow survived, sometimes by working part-time.
So when I hear stans demand their preferred entertainers also produce music, this is what I think of.
The way digital music is produced now is miles away from how these guys did it but studio time still costs money. The contrast between the agency/company/ trainee/audition model and the DIY route is stark: bands like SP had to basically re-invent the wheel and innovate, with no training and no support beyond what they already had or could afford to pay for. Vocal/dance lessons? Management? Tech support? Nope.
Why would you wish this on any performer? I don’t think companies should be beyond reproach, but it’s not like they do nothing.
Second, aesthetics and talent. Look, SP are not ugly people – here’s their vocalist, OhGr. Although he uses distorted and ugly vocals, the guy can act and sing: he was in Repo! The Genetic Opera and a few other films.
If SP show up on stage looking like this, it’s an aesthetic choice in line with what they’re trying to communicate with their music and performance. It’s intended to horrify, cf. my post about “noise music”, which industrial is an offshoot of.
To me, a group like VIXX is the other side of the same coin: they’re more into beauty with horror, while SP point to the ugliness of the world with occasional flashes of beauty.
I mean this purely aesthetically, not musically.
Musically, you cannot compare punk cut-up media collage techniques, early synthesisers, and sampling horror films with trained singers and performers armed with pop songs. They’re different skills with different purposes.
Where industrial music intends to communicate a specific perception of the world and express horror/angst/fear/rage, pop music is made for entertainment and evoking joy/desire/admiration. There can be overlap, I don’t mean these as absolutes. Desire comes in dark flavours.
Technology has come a long way, yes. But compare these photos and the difference in production quality is obvious. The way performers can now interact with fans, the way they can reach new fans so easily, was unimaginable in 1982.
Skinny Puppy 
A.C.E
There is also no way that even @official_ACE7 or @RealVIXX would produce music as dark, gritty, or horrific as Skinny Puppy, put on stages ft. blood or be arrested for their shows.
I can’t say I prefer one over the other – while Skinny Puppy were formative for me as a person and aesthetically, I also LOVE the sheer craft that K-pop groups bring to their performances. My god, are they hard workers, it’s the vibe I need right now.
Thanks if you read this thread/essay. I hope I’ve shown a bit why SP are still one of my ults and where there is maybe a little overlap with the Korean groups I like.
SkorpionUK 