he did the right thing then

Yeah sounds like their next album will be ass

This really sucks, I was hoping they could've made one more great album

Franzino's solo stuff is actually pretty good.

In all likeliness, this band will fade into obscurity without Kurt. There next album will no doubt be decent, but not as good as previous works. I could be wrong though. Also, Kurt, try to stay in a band please, you're talented as heck

"He tried to push the situation on me, told me that it’s too late to change anything and that our genre is on its way out and that’s why we aren’t successful."

What a load of shit. Success is relative, obviously these guys don't find being one of the front runners in their genre to be "successful."

Also, the genre's on it's way out? Really? Did someone notify the other participating groups and musicians of the genre?

Huh. This sounds like a bummer. Hopefully Kurt will find himself in another good musical place and make something better.

It always seems like bands fall flat on their face when they chase "success" outright like this by changing a lot about themselves.

Yeah because they end up changing so drastically that any semblance of what that band's identity was in the first place is wiped off the map. You'll never find success if you're continually making significant shifts in your art. People need steady transition to follow one's work, otherwise, you're losing old fans and gaining others based on your new sound.

Well, my hype for the new album has dropped dramatically. It's never a good thing when a band cares more about success than artistry. If they don't have their hearts fully into this shift, this album will fall flat on it's ass.

"He claims that the style change is for the best and that we will reach a more broad market and audience."

Boy, I know the term sellouts is being as overused as it gets, most of the times really even when it's not the case, like when bands just sign with a major label and not even change their sound or when bands further explore a sound they incoroprated in their music before, which just happens to be more accessible. But this. This is the definition of selling out. Changing your sound to cater to a "broader market". It makes me puke every time I hear musicians talk about "markets". And to have your screamer take singing lessons is really the cherry on top... This will be shit. Alone was shit for the most part as well. That Franzino dude needs to get his head out of the clouds. Just because 14 year olds backed your kickstarter for your solo album doesn't mean you are the best songwriter there ever was.

i fear for their new album. it seems one of the best bands in post-hardcore are on their way out.

This is the second band Kurt has been in that didn't realize how great they were until he left them.

Ehhh. This is officially a bummer. I was okay hearing that Cory was singing, but this does just sound like a new project altogether. Still too soon to tell. I guess we'll know this year... And if the album really tanks I can see them getting Kurt back lol. I don't know how they moved from Plan B to Conversation Piece but if Kurt was the reason for it, then he kinda led them to form of "success" and it's a shame that this won't continue

This is the second band Kurt has been in that didn't realize how great they were until he left them.[2]

I hope their new album blows and that Kurt eventually finds a new band or just puts out more solo material 'cause pretty much his entire discography is awesome.

I'm really curious to see how this plays out. Kurt was definitely what got me interested in this band from the beginning and all of the other musicians are seriously talented but I can't imagine how touring is going to end up for them if they're going the ALONE route. They'll have to change up the bands they tour with entirely and it's not like they really fit in with the bands they toured with in the first place. The new bassist is a super talented guy so if he has much to do with the writing process I'm sure it'll turn out great but I don't see how this change is going to bump up their fan base.

Michael Franzino sounds like a major asshole. It's not about being profitable or popular. I could understand if he said their hearts weren't in it, but he's all about the popularity from what it sounds like. A genre will die if you let it. You yourself have to take initiative in making something despite whether it's popular or not. A lot of people love ALLB's sound.

If he really said they want a more marketable sound then jeesh they're definitely selling out.

I did come here to bitch about this article perpetuating band drama but that bit irked me.

I mean when your making music at a professional level you have to be making money to be professional; so I can see his viewpoint. I wouldn't call him an asshole over that. I also wouldn't call it selling out. ALONE isn't particularly mainstream music, it is still inventive and creative as a whole and Franzino is a creative force and has been since the beginning. I just don't see the switching genre under the ALLB moniker and essentially alienating the fan base that doesn't care for the new direction will result in more fans. At this point we only have Kurt's word for it and the screaming isn't what makes or breaks the band. Really curious to see how this plays out.

hahahahah this is literally what i feared most

michael got his head too far up his ass because all the fanboys thought alone. was fucking unreal when it was a steaming pile of shit (3 decent songs on it i guess though)

cutting screaming from your music almost never works, enjoy the backlash allb

rip

That's a good point, making money is important to an extent, but as an artist, you shouldn't want to change something just for profit.

I am happy they are going in this direction. Alone was amazing!! Kurt's whiny voice is annoying anyway and he really brought the band down joining after plan b

Found Michael Franzino

edit: wrong pic

huh?

last.fm comment from 5 years ago?

Hahaha fuck. Franzino's response to all of this kind of made me chuckle.

I know we're only getting Kurt's side here but damn does that account make MF look like a motherfucker. I mean, it's one thing to want the change (even if for primarily monetary concerns, money matters) but at least be man enough to tell him before trying to complete most of it behind his back.

Yeah Franzino's response makes him look like a dick. Nothing says deflecting responsibility like chalking up a message full of "creative difference this" "we love him and wish him all the best" that cliches Sucks to hear that they're moving in this direction and they'll no doubt fade into obscurity with this change. I just really want to hear them put out a really heavy, really technical album that' has more Conversation Piece/Plan B riffs with the big No Place choruses on tracks like Connector. They really could've been on the cusp of something career-defining but I don't think that will be the case now.

Re-reading this after getting back into ALLB, and tbh, I think they should break up. This next album won't be made with a passion for music, it'll be because they want money. Cory is obviously as depressed about the change in direction as Kurt is, and it's quite surprising he hasn't walked too. I honestly think they should end the band now, after a superb 3rd album, rather than release this next no doubt piece of shit and go out with a pathetic fizzle. Cory and Kurt should start their own band, call it "Not Much Like Birds".

"Cory is obviously as depressed about the change in direction as Kurt is"
Cory has never expressed anything but excitement for the change in direction, as far as I'm aware. He even said in his reply to the shitstorm that if he was unhappy with the musical direction, he would have walked too like Kurt did.

"Re-reading this after getting back into ALLB, and tbh, I think they should break up. This next album won't be made with a passion for music, it'll be because they want money"

dumb assumption

"He even said in his reply to the shitstorm that if he was unhappy with the musical direction, he would have walked too like Kurt did."

they'd all been practicing and recording demos and shit behind Kurt's back by the time he said this though. forgot how shitty this situation was.