The Masked Musicians

Some artists like to be fully exposed extroverts but others want their music to be the focus so they become virtually anonymous, hiding behind a mask of some kind. Here's a few examples.

Daft Punk - wear helmets [img]https://cdn.britannica.com/89/181289-050-427762A2/Thomas-Bangalter-Guy-Manuel-de-Homem-Christo-Daft-Punk-2013.jpg[/img]
Sia - hid behind her hair [img]https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/01/sia-furler-performs-onstage-2016-554133237.jpg[/img]
Buckethead - self explanatory [img]https://i.redd.it/zyidcghy7jk41.jpg[/img]
Magic Sword - Cloaks, hoods and masks [img]https://www.vrtxmag.com/site/assets/files/64512/13_magicsword_02.jpg[/img]
Deadmau5 - wears a mouse head and performs in a sound booth [img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Deadmau5_d_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Deadmau5_d_%28cropped%29.jpg[/img]
Gwar - wear scary costumes for a full disguise [img]https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/140324193915-01-gwar-restricted.jpg?q=w_3000,h_1932,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447[/img]

The show called The Masked Singer manages to persuade some unlikely famous celebs to sing on stage while dressed as unusual things - I think the disguise gives them more confidence. [img]https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/09/masked-singer.jpg?quality=75&strip=all[/img]

What would you do to make yourself anonymous or unrecognizable : and does anonymity make us braver ?

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I am already invisible in my band, so I have to do nothing :D

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It is possible to 'become invisible' if you are part of a larger group of performers - how many bands do you remember every name (or face) of every member

I think the extrovert/introvert divide starts in childhood. You get the kid who wants everyone's attention and will sing and dance in front of everyone, they get lots of praise even if they're terrible :( Then you get the little kid who has to squat behind the sofa in order to do their 'party piece' after much persuading and you find out that they have a real hidden talent <3
Would artists like David Bowie or Elton John have been so successful without their 'props' ?
Where would the Eurovision Song Contest be without novelty performances, crazy costumes and gimmicks ?
Is it enough just to be a great performer, there are so many around, you need to have something memorable or shocking in your act.

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Some popular hidden faces
[img]https://media2.giphy.com/media/l3lz4XOYVolaypGvL9/giphy.gif?cid=2154d3d79b1e1652ae33bdb1ca72f5d3d2ec174b6afd0526&ep=v1_channels_id_gifs&rid=giphy.gif&ct=s[/img]

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Does the way you look stereotype the music you produce

What genre of music would you expect if you saw these bands

[img]https://www.creativefabrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/08/The-Worlds-Ugliest-Rock-Band-40724949-1.png[/img]
[img]https://www.creativefabrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/08/The-Worlds-Ugliest-Rock-Band-40724491-1.png[/img]
Of course these are digital graphics but I thought they were great examples of a) why some bands may enjoy being 'ugly' and why some prefer to keep their identity under wraps !

And one artist who has multiple identities - [img]https://cdn.apollo.audio/one/media/6006/c530/d300/4961/d515/af0c/wes-borland-outfits-makeup.jpg[/img]
Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland

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Not certain about the intro/extrovert thing but anytime I wore my Trouble Pants, I got in trouble[img]https://wloops2.r.worldssl.net/galleries/53923/files/d7fa66419e0b99220877ee19a1136a24.jpeg[/img]

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[quote]LittleWing wrote:
Not certain about the intro/extrovert thing but anytime I wore my Trouble Pants, I got in trouble

:D:o:P I wish I'd been there, I'm always looking for trouble :)

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I definitely tried to 'look the part ' in my playing days. or at least enjoyed the 'image' you could put forth. I'm usually outgoing but this was an opportunity to maybe look a certain way, dress a certain way...who knows, maybe just be an extension of yourself...I really don't know:D

sometimes I'd watch myself and critique myself
[img]https://rookiegrower.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/screenshot_20240428_110732_facebook202747810736527526.jpg[/img]

or look like a hairband rocker

[img]https://rookiegrower.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/screenshot_20240428_110811_facebook2377947688732324851.jpg[/img]

or be a blues brother with my brother

[img]https://rookiegrower.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/screenshot_20240428_110954_facebook5678935026944920619.jpg[/img]

or just lick a bass :)

[img]https://rookiegrower.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/screenshot_20240428_111125_facebook1827852388500553462-scaled.jpg[/img]

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It's hard to know which is the real you as your purple wikipic gives nothing away. Love the Kurt Kobain hair ... and that Stars and stripes guitar :) Not sure about the licking however
:(

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How else do you lubricate the strings?

Its not something generally known but
just like dogs mark their territory , bassists will mark their side of the stage, to establish territory.

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I was alwayd inspired by Alice Cooper and the crossover between Theatre and rock!

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@ LittleWing, sorry I never got to watch your masked videos properly but what I read makes me wonder how on earth you could "forget" about that, what an experience :D

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Thanks LittleWing - I'll believe you :) but that could be anyone (j/k)

I've done very little live stuff - I used to perform on Second Life (as an avatar) and I don't like web cams, but I get round the disguise problem with special effects.... and during the COVID lockdown masking up was an advantage :)

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A masked musician who shows himself to his audience is a follower of the paradoxical injunction "I want to be anonymously famous". On a smaller scale, there are millions of Internet users who use nicknames and smileys in this sense, therefore potentially mild schizophrenics.
Should music have a face?
How does a blind child who hears his mother's voice without seeing her face develop?

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Performers over the centuries have needed to distance themselves from an audience. The proscenium is a social construct to divide the stage and the audience. Artists usually say that they don't see who they're performing to. Public speakers are more comfortable addressing large crowds than small groups.
I think this division is evident still, having the option to re-do a performance is an advantage of virtual work, you can always escape, deny, lie about who you are and what you did...... even more so if AI is becoming a plausible excuse.
"potential mild schizophrenics" is a little harsh Didier :) but I'm sure there are many mental and psychological traits that are needed to be an artist.
The only performers who enjoy audience contact and personal exposure are the comedians...... but thinking about it, clowns rely on disguise more than most others :)
[img]https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e000688771b673aaebce51593cec6239ba54c5b7/0_214_5007_3005/master/5007.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none[/img]

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