[mb-users] ArtistType

[Chad Wilson]

Per Øyvind Øygard wrote:
> On Sat, 03 May 2008 02:05:41 +0200, Johannes Dewender <brainz at jonnyjd.net>  
> wrote:
>
>   
>> Am Samstag, 3. Mai 2008 schrieb Per Øyvind Øygard:
>>     
>>> Using person also means we
>>> won't have to create lots of useless ARs which will have to be
>>> removed later on when we inevitably get something better to use.
>>>       
>> I don't quite understand. What ARs do you have to create when it is a
>> group and not when it is a person?
>>
>>     
> I was thinking of 'Member of' ARs, but that's of course completely  
> optional.
>
> Anyway, after thinking some more about it I think I agree with you. If the  
> name can be attributed to a single person, like MF DOOM and King Geedorah  
> which are stage names Daniel Dumile use for releases, then it should be  
> Person. If however it's an act that it makes no sense to attach to a  
> single person, like Neverending White Lights, then it should be group.
>
> An imperfect solution for an imperfect world. :|
>
> --
> Per (Wizzcat)
>   
Yeah, I tend to make a difference choice depending on genre. If it's 
electronic or hip hop, I'd almost always categorise it as "Person"; with 
other supporting instrument players, DJs, rappers with ARs to 
tracks/releases where appropriate. If it's more on the rock side; I get 
as confused as you.

Nine Inch Nails, which has only one /permanent/ member of Trent Reznor, 
and could be categorised as Trent Reznor's long running solo project is 
currently a group in MB. There are "additional member" ARs for those 
artists who have been long-running live band members; and sometimes 
studio collaborators.
http://musicbrainz.org/show/artist/relationships.html?artistid=347

This is imperfect to me, and I'm tempted to switch the ARs to 
artist-level "does/did supporting [instrument] for", but keep it as a 
group as I think this more accurately categorises the way NIN works; 
always /marketed/ as a band, rather than one man but with an 
ever-changing musician/band lineup.

I guess it's a little like the question of whether an authoritarian 
country is its dictator, or whether it's still a country of people, as 
powerless as they may be :-)

Chad / voice