Seether frontman Shaun Morgan says rock bands are finding it more difficult to get their music played on radio in the US.
The South African vocalist says many rock stations have switched their focus to “alternative” acts, leaving many groups sidelined.
Morgan tells Sticks For Stones: “Here in the States, it’s becoming more difficult. Alternative radio stations just don’t want to play songs with guitarists. They play 90s alternative bands like Alice In Chains and Nirvana, but they don’t play new bands with guitar.
“They’re, like, ‘That’s not alternative anymore.’ That’s just how it is now. If we’re lucky enough to get played on radio, we’ll get played right after a Lorde song, which is fine. I like Lorde, but I don’t think she’s a goddamn rock artist. She’s not alternative. I think she’s more pop.”
He continues: “I think there’s a weird sort of grey area about what is rock music and what is alternative. It seems like alternative stations think they’re the cool kids of the radio world. They can make and break careers.
“There’s a lot of bullshit bands coming out and a lot of bands being ignored because they play guitar. We used to be one of the five or 10 bands they’d play all the time. If we put out a single, they’d play it because we’d done so much for them. But now they’ve switched and we don’t get played at all.”
Seether this week released an ‘interactive’ video for their single Nobody Praying For Me, which they describe as a look at “the perception of police brutality portrayed in the media.”
They add: “Our goal in creating this video is for people to educate themselves and make an informed decision on their own, rather than being told by any media outlet saying, ‘This is what you should be thinking, this is what is right.’
“This is just the start of a conversation but we hope this video encourages you to think more independently and come away with your own stance on controversy in the world today.”
Seether are on a world tour which wraps up in California on October 24.
SEETHER TOUR DATES 2015
Jul 01: Adelaide The Gov, Australia
Jul 02: Brisbane Eatons Hill Hotel, Australia
Jul 03: Sydney Metro Theatre, Australia
Jul 04: Melbourne Forum Theatre, Australia
Jul 07: Laredo Energy Center, TX
Jul 08: Dallas Bomb Factory, TX
Jul 10: Shawnee Firelake Arena, OK
Jul 11: Sioux City The Backyard At Hard Rock Casino, IA
Jul 14: Broomfield 1st Bank Center, CO
Jul 15: Kearney Viaero Event Center, NE
Jul 16: Tulsa Brady Theater, OK
Jul 18: Minot North Dakota State Fair, ND
Jul 19: New Orleans Bold Sphere Music, LA
Jul 21: Orlando Hard Rock Live, FL
Jul 22: Clearwater Ruth Eckerd Hall, FL
Jul 24: West Palm Beach Pompano Beach Amphitheater, FL
Jul 25: Seymour Outagamie County Fair, WI
Jul 26: Jackson Thalia Maria Hall, MS
Jul 28: Baltimore Pier Six Pavillion, MD
Jul 30: Uncasville Mohegan Sun, CT
Jul 31: Stroudsburg Sherman Theatre, PA
Aug 01: Bethel Woods Centre For The Arts, NY
Aug 07: Welchen Open Flair Festival, Germany
Aug 08: Bildein Picture On Festival, Austria
Aug 10: Munich Backstage Werk, Germany
Aug 11: Liepzig PArbuhne, Germany
Aug 12: Nuremberg Hirsch, Germany
Aug 14: Cologne Gloria, Germany
Aug 15: Bochum Zeche, Germany
Aug 17: Arhus Voxhal, Denmark
Aug 19: Eindhoven Effenaar, Netherlands
Aug 21: Gampel Open Air Festival, Switzerland
Aug 22: Panthalaz Veonge Festival, Switzerland
Aug 24: Edinburgh Liquid Room, UK
Aug 26: Brighton Concorde 2, UK
Aug 27: London Electric Ballroom, UK
Aug 28: Leeds Bramham Park, UK
Aug 29: Reading Festival, UK
Aug 30: Leeds Festival, UK
Oct 03: Louisville Louder Than Life Festival, KY
Oct 24: Sacramento Aftershock, CA
