West Coast AOR vs East Coast AOR?

[Zsinj]

I've been into AOR/melodic rock music for well-over a decade, but there are still some terms out there I'm not completely clear on. For example, what defines West Coast AOR and East Coast AOR other than the location of the bands? Is there a difference in sound? What bands are the best examples of each?

[heavyharmonies]

To be honest, I had no idea there was an "East Coast AOR"... it's not like the rap wars of the 1990s.

[Jez]

1 hour ago, heavyharmonies said:

To be honest, I had no idea there was an "East Coast AOR"... it's not like the rap wars of the 1990s.

Me neither 

[Zsinj]

Guess I must have heard wrong then....

[KarpetRydOFunk]

There might be a difference in AOR bands from opposing coastlines. That would make sense as they would have differing cultural influences. Talking about in the USofA. But Westcoast is a sub-genre of AOR. 

[Geoff]

I've never heard of the term East Coast AOR. 

But if I'm not mistaken, West Coast AOR is just a style, isn't it? That jazz-influenced style of AOR? Whereas East Coast, or just the rest of it, would be the big pompy keyboard driven with big chorus stuff? 

I have no idea what coasts either of these bands are from, but for example:

West Coast - Toto

East Coast - Europe (circa 1986-1989)

[Leykis101]

 

I think in the US at least, the true aor bands and musicians who are left, reside around L.A. I really can't even think of any American aor performers who are on the east coast, I think that scene shut down when Steely Dan split, it's mostly just Toto, and The Tubes, not a whole lot of true West coast aor being produced, now in other country who still have good taste in music, I have to think this isn't the case

[heavyharmonies]

15 hours ago, Geoff said:

But if I'm not mistaken, West Coast AOR is just a style, isn't it?

This. It has nothing to do with geography, and there is no such thing as "East Coast AOR".

[Leykis101]

yeah isn't it just a really soft type of AOR? I cant for the life of me think of any east coast aor scene, I was really puzzled with the east coast aor thing, kind of had me thinking wait a minute, did i miss something here? but now Dan clarified that for us, I'm not as tripped out wondering how I could over look something so seemingly obvious, like rather or not my country has it's own unique niche aor scene and sound going on that for whatever reason, I just completely missed the memo on, fucking hilarious

[Kim_Hp]

On 3/6/2020 at 1:23 PM, heavyharmonies said:

It has nothing to do with geography, and there is no such thing as "East Coast AOR".

True, although the name itself comes from the fact that the style mainly developed in studio musician environments on the US westcoast through 70's and early 80's. 

 

[KarpetRydOFunk]

6 hours ago, Kim_Hp said:

True, although the name itself comes from the fact that the style mainly developed in studio musician environments on the US westcoast through 70's and early 80's. 

 

Except that one of the main forerunners, if not the main forerunner, was from Chicago. That band being... Chicago. 

[Leykis101]

do you mean Chicago? or Chicago Transit Authority? who was a fucking bad ass band with horns, until Cetera cut the balls off them and made them easy listening