Alice Cooper wore makeup and took a girls name. He has concerts with stories in them. His shows were usually about murderers and that sort of thing. Every show he pretended to be killed. He would have his head chopped off or be hung, and the first few rows at his concerts always got fake blood on them. People loved that it wasn't just music it was a show.
Kiss painted their faces, wore crazy outfits, and they jumped around the stage in 7 inch platform boots. They had fireworks, smoke bombs, levitating drum sets, blood spitting, and fire breathing.
David Bowie called himself Ziggy stardust, wore glittery lightning bolts on his face and acted androgynous.
None of them would have been as famous as they were without their theatricality. I think for the most part people like to see a show, you don't just want to watch some guy stand still on stage dressed like he just got out of bed looking down at his shoes the whole time he sings. Even now people like lady gaga would not be as successful without theatricality. But a lot of people criticized those singers. When people start dressing up and wearing makeup especially in Rock people think they are just a spoof. It can be hard to take them seriously. Do you think people do better with theatrics or does it just make them look like a joke? .
Image is a really huge thing in all industries. If you look different than everybody else people will be more likely to remember you. It is also really good for selling merchandise. If you really liked a band you might buy their merchandise but unless you really like a band you don't want to wear a shirt with some guys that look like they could be anybody on it. If the people in a band are dressed up in makeup and cool outfits they can be made into super hero's, like KISS they have comic books about them. If they were just four normal looking guys the comics wouldn't have sold as many copies. They sell over 70,000 dollars of merchandise every show they have. Should their music be the only thing they are selling or is it ok if they are selling their image too? Do you think that bands like that would be famous without the theatricality?
