Retort tape

This article or the following section is not adequately provided with supporting documents ( e.g. individual evidence ). Information without sufficient evidence could be removed soon. Please help Wikipedia by researching the information and including good evidence.

Retort band is a derogatory term for a band that was not founded by its members, but by members of the music industry - mostly music producers - or a recording company . The band members are usually selected from a large group of applicants through a casting process , with the style and image of the band being determined from the start. Since the 1990s, the casting itself has also been marketed publicly in the form of a casting show .

In contrast to other bands, test-tube bands usually only consist of singers who also dance; Instrumentalists are often completely absent. The band members neither write their lyrics or their music themselves, nor do they decide on their own stage show ( costumes , choreography , stage design ), they only perform what is written for them.

Practically only commercial aspects are in the foreground; accordingly, test tube bands in styles other than pop music are unknown. Often, test-tube bands are tailored to a young audience ( boy groups , girl groups ).

The term is derived from the name for a laboratory device (see retort ) and alludes to the fact that such bands are artificially “bred”, so to speak. Another name is casting band .

The Monkees , which were specifically conceived as the American answer to the Beatles , are considered the first retort band . Further examples are the Village People , the New Kids on the Block and the Spice Girls , in Germany Boney M. and the No Angels .