If You Were the Director of SEB: 2016 Edition

[WNight]

Good golly, the people who are asking for labels to be dropped - and what's even worse is that almost all are aiming towards what is currently my favorite label, Sunfire. Yes, there exists people who not just like, but love them. I am all for people having their own opinion on the song styles they prefer, but dropping labels are a no go. As much as I really dislike Saifam at this point of time (I usually just skip their tracks altogether nowadays), I wouldn't want them dropped, I know some people who love their tracks. With the way SEB is nowadays, we just can't afford to lose any contributors to the series. Not even one. NO to dropping labels.

Talking about international release is like beating a dead horse, besides, I personally have no issues with this aspect so I'll leave this part out. As for what I would change,

1. Return to monthly release or revamp the release schedule. I don't know what is going on with Avex's business side neither do I really care. From a consumer's standpoint, there are way more than enough songs floating around to warrant a monthly release for at least a year or two. To add insult to injury, every now and then we get the non-stops, which basically drags a new SEB by 4 damn months, which while is the norm these days, is highly unacceptable and utterly ridiculous. Now don't get me wrong, I am not against having non-stops even though I am of the opinion that they are really pointless at this stage of SEB's lifespan, as long as someone out there likes it, give it to them. A return to 1 SEB per month might be impossible at this stage, but a 2 month normal release and 1 month release after a non-stop is what I wish to see happening in the near future.

2. Make proper extends or put more songs on the compilation. Now I've already said this umpteen times and while I hate to sound like a broken record, this is something that bugs me all the time even though it's been this long and I will continue to flak this trend for as long as it exists without feeling a single tinge of guilt. An album with 1/2 - 3/4 of the songs running at sub 4 mins is NOT "Everlasting Dance Trax Super Eurobeat Extended Version". If the labels want to make edits, that's their call but a proper way to compensate for this would be a semi-return to the pre-187 days. Of course, there are labels like SS/Hi-NRG/Delta who are doing proper extends and while I may not be a disc expert, an extra song or two on the CD is probably not going to hurt the space available. Make it happen, Avex.

[Shinraikan]

Sponsor independent eurobeat artists by putting us on a compilation album ala Euromach.

[Anthony McBazooka]

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[M2-EB]

Besides If I ran the SEB series; I wouldn't just sit on my ass and count money. I'd get up and scout for new talent; introduce the different singers to the labels and according to which one best fits their style; start em off on a Eurobeat career. Backround and race doesn't matter as long as they put their heart into the vocals.

With the way SEB is nowadays, we just can't afford to lose any contributors to the series. Not even one. NO to dropping labels.

YES YES YES
my thoughts exactly

(…) many newer Eurobeat songs totally lack that typical Eurobeat feel.

because the "typical" eurobeat feel doesn't sells as good as it did in the past, plus you can probably notice that current eurobeat tries more and more to bring some pop music elements, it make things a little more attractive to a larger share of the audience, I guess?

[Anthony McBazooka]

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[para_rigby]

(…) many newer Eurobeat songs totally lack that typical Eurobeat feel.

because the "typical" eurobeat feel doesn't sells as good as it did in the past, plus you can probably notice that current eurobeat tries more and more to bring some pop music elements, it make things a little more attractive to a larger share of the audience, I guess?

I guess that's what they think, yes, but it's completely wrong, because the modern stuff doesn't sell any better. If you want to sell disco music, call it disco music, if you want to sell trance, call it trance. Why should any trance or disco fan buy something called Eurobeat?
Of course it's fine to advance and try new things out but you shouldn't forget your roots on that way. Okay, to be fait, not all new songs are that far away from “original” Eurobeat but some are, like all the newer 3B stuff for example.

There sure are some tracks from SEB that make you wonder why it was put on:

"Because of You" by Renoir [totally trance]
"Going Crazy" and "Inside Your Heart" by Queen 26 [very pop/disco]

However, even those tracks that are influenced by trance, pop/disco, and hyper techno still retain basic elements of eurobeat. I remember back when "Dancing Alone" by Pamsy was released, some people lost their f'ing minds that there was trance sounds in a eurobeat song, but people have now come to expect this sort of sound from Pamsy tracks.

Now, I do really think the genre is not selling well for 2 reasons:
1. Japanese tastes in music has been changing. It's moving further away from eurobeat as a popular genre there and embracing EDM, pop, rock, etc.

2. If the sales are down in Japan, Avex is not embracing of the international fans nor do they do much in the way of advertising the genre globally. We've heard the phrase "Made in Italy for Japan", but that phrase is quite weak now. I think the only way for the genre to survive is to breathe new blood into it, bring in new fans, and have those goddamn digitial releases to the global market, not just Japan. Avex is clinging to an ancient model of sales.

[KiraTM]

Sorry for interrupting you but I'd like to give you my list.

If I were the SEB director, I'd...
1) ...change the amount of songs per album to 18 again.
Most "extendeds" nowadays are about 4 minutes long, leaving about 8 to 10 free minutes per CD. That's enough space for three more songs (if the real extendeds get SEB-edited).
Even if I prefer extendeds, this would provide a higher variety. The SEB series could be used as promotion for the labels. The labels should release extendeds on their own then.
Let's say, you like six songs that much that you'd love to hear longer versions. You could go to your preferred provider and buy the extendeds. (In best case one who provides lossless music!)

2) ...change release rythm back again to 10 SEBs/year.
I loved it during the 200's and 210's, that the middle number (x0x, x1x) matched to the last number of release their year (201-0, 201-1). This maybe is a pseudo OCD of mine, but I really liked it.
Also, the "Best of" albums would contain the xx1 to xx9 CDs which is oddly satisfying.

3) ...release two-disc Best ofs again.
With this amount of songs, there's enough stuff for two Best of discs again. It often happened in the past that I only liked one CD of a Best of, or at least I liked one disc more than the other. Since Best of 2013, the tracklists were mostly bad for my taste.
If I'd keep the current release rhythm, I'd merge the Anniversaries and Best ofs. Means: "Disc 1 - Anniversary Hits / Disc 2: Best of last year"

4) ...ban specific songs from Anniversaries.
I think we all hate it: the repeating and repeating tracklists of each xx0 SEB. I'd restrict the DJ's choice for the tracklist by a little factor: Songs which were megamixed >5 times in the past are prohibited. I'd only allow those songs on century SEBs like 200, 300, 400...

5) ...try to release internationally.
There are fans around the world, but only a few of them have the money to import SEBs. It'd only be profitable to release SEBs worldwide on digital music platforms like iTunes or preferredly platforms that provide lossless music. I'd also give digital booklets.

6) ...print the booklets in English OR give a few translation sheets inside it.
Speaking of booklets and worldwide releases, we NEED English translations of the descriptions, interviews and History of SEB texts.
About a year ago, I wanted to start a project to translate booklets into English and provide them as PDF files for fans. But nobody wanted to work with and the main job was missing: I haven't found a Japanese speaker.

7) ...interact with the fans actively.
Keeping in touch with fans is important, even if it's only a post every two weeks on facebook, tumblr, instagram, twitter, ... Social media is important.
Making a poll about "Which song should appear on the next Best of?" was a great way to do so. I'd do this each year.

８) ...bring back bonus songs or discs.
I loved the two bonus songs during the 200's. I'd put them again on SEB.

9) ...balance the labels.
Dropping specific labels is the wrong way. You'll lose fans who (only?) buy SEB for their favorite label's artists. But what definitely is not okay is the current un-balanced amount of songs by each label. While SCP gets three songs regularly, others only get one. With 18 songs per CD and eight current labels, I'd give each label two songs per disc. The other two songs should be bonus songs (J-Euro) or remixes of current songs. In this case, I'd try to balance it, so SCP doesn't get three songs on four SEBs in a row, for example.

10) ...make themed SEBs.
But not in the way of 190's. I'd make themes to current events, like World Championships. In case, not every label can create two themed songs, I'd say "Let's make the five last songs themed ones."

11) ...care about mastering, more specific: distortions!
As a non-musician, I don't want to talk about things I don't unterstand 100%. But what I understand is that some songs get heavily brickwalled (Passport To Dance, anyone?) - that shouldn't happen.


These are my spontanous ideas. Maybe i'll have some more, I'll post them then.

[Bonkers]

All dance music steals from each other, it doesn't mean it's less than what it originally was if it still adheres to the formula. Look at Happy Hardcore music, back in 1999, the whole genre pretty much came to a standstill because artists incorporated trance elements into the genre and people flipped their lids. Now, that's what UK Hardcore is.

We can't fall into 'this ONE aspect is eurobeat" and never have any flow of new ideas. Trance-sounding synths work just as well as those beautiful loud, clangy, sharp synths.

I think Eurobeat needs to return to it's image of hyper synths, and have more varied melodies/synth sounds. All the synths sound the same from a particular label (SCP is the worst about this).

[para_rigby]

All the synths sound the same from a particular label (SCP is the worst about this).

I think that Delta is the absolute worst about reusing the same sounds over and over again...anyone else agree on this one?

[KiraTM]

I think that Delta is the absolute worst about reusing the same sounds over and over again...anyone else agree on this one?

I agree! But I must also admit that I love that style...

[M2-EB]

so????
it's their characteristic, isn't it? Not all labels have that Hi-Nrg Attack crazy creativity to innovate - not saying it's good or bad, it's just how they work.
I like Delta so very much, I liked in the past and I also like the one of the present. SCP gonna be SCP, there's not a lot to discuss, sometimes they'll come up with some merry-go-round sounds or those amazing hybrid eurobeat (such as the one from volume 237). Talking about sounding the same… Sinclaire Style takes the trophy for me, their songs were wonderful in the 220's, now I just don't know why I keep on skipping them

[Bonkers]

I agree, it is a characteristic, but go back and listen to Maharaja Night Hi-NRG Revolution albums, or the Eurobeat Flash albums, there were so many different synth sounds. To me, the layout of the synthesizers is more of a label characteristic like...

I know this is a Time track because they always use an antique pace

...SCP track because of the clean pop layout

... SS track because of his unique melodies

....AbeatC because of the funky disco grooves

.... Delta because of the cheese

..... Hi-Nrg Attk because of the chaotic vocals/riffs and happy hardcore feels.

[Lebon14]

All the synths sound the same from a particular label (SCP is the worst about this).

I think that Delta is the absolute worst about reusing the same sounds over and over again...anyone else agree on this one?

I agree and it's blend...

[WNight]

7) ...interact with the fans actively.
Keeping in touch with fans is important, even if it's only a post every two weeks on facebook, tumblr, instagram, twitter, ... Social media is important.
Making a poll about "Which song should appear on the next Best of?" was a great way to do so. I'd do this each year.

^This too is really important, but then I'd argue that only a small minority truly take eurobeat seriously enough to "want more" out of it. The producers could interact with us but that would be like what, 10-20 regular people at best? What's there to talk about then?

I think that Delta is the absolute worst about reusing the same sounds over and over again...anyone else agree on this one?

Of course I'd agree on this one, but really, it's just the signature sound of the label. Despite the reused sounds, Delta has been excellent since idk, SEB 226(?) and are only getting better and better somehow, so yeah, not really having an issue with that.

[drnrg]

All the synths sound the same from a particular label (SCP is the worst about this).

I think that Delta is the absolute worst about reusing the same sounds over and over again...anyone else agree on this one?

you don't fix what's not broken. Delta works for me on every compilation. I can't think of one Delta song that I havn't liked in the past years. maybe that Renoir track you guys mentioned that's not even 1 once of Eurobeat....and that's a ways back.