Why Is Rock Still Dead?

Talking about big record companys that actually have budgets to promote artists through TV, radio and other big advertising.

Mainstream. The music that reaches the average Joe.
Thats what Frank is talking about. The reason for big acts like Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber, Lady Gaga, etc...

And no it's not the 'hippie' in the record company making the decisions anymore, he put his petulant grunge-boy or wigger son in charge of A&R back in the 90's who in turn gave the position to his little gum-sucking niece. Now everything mainsteam is lifestyle reinforcement for hyper-sexualized 12 year old girls... of every age and sexual persuasion!

 

Not enough time in the day. Conceiving, practicing, recording and performing good music demands much more time than a full time job.

Thats why you've got to be able to sell enough of it to at least pay the bills.

 

If rock ever gets a burst of fresh energy again and starts producing a large quantity of quality material, it will have to grow out of a cultural movement in some unexpected location. That's the way it always works. New Orleans, Memphis, Philadelphia, Detroit, Austin, Jacksonville, and Seattle have all had their organic, creative explosions. Those never happen in a spot selected by corporate executives. The next wave will probably get started by using an internet distribution method not under the control of major record companies.

Even if another big wave never comes, the old stuff is never going to die out 100%. It always encourages me to go to New Orleans and see the classic rock cover bands on Bourbon Street. Some are bad, but there's always at least one where some 20 year old guy on lead guitar is absolutely putting on a clinic, blowing everybody off the stage, playing classics from 1978. And there are always people his age in the audience who know the words to most of the songs.

The digitally preserved recordings aren't going anywhere, the sheet music isn't going anywhere, and the music speaks for itself. I believe that 200 years from now, if human civilization has survived, some teenager will be absolutely amazed as he listens to "Stairway To Heaven" for the first time, while a few miles away, somebody else is moved to tears by Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

 

The thing is, back in the 70's I don't remember kids my age raving about how great the music was 30 and 40 years previous, like is so common now about classic rock and it's offshoots.

 

You mean like China? lol Might be a good bet!

 

I grew up hearing and knowing more about Bach and Handel than what was popular in 1940. When I found jazz, it was like discovering a forgotten treasure, but it isn't fair to compare it to any other genre. Apples and oranges, you know.

One thing has come full circle; when you watch an old Bing Crosby movie, the focus is on his vocal performance and personality, not on the music itself. Current pop is like that.

Rock played only on the black keys of the synthesizer? :rofl: Definitely unique!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StYl_FuNH8s

This song is my response to Zappa and the way I feel about the music industry right now.

This is joe public speaking
I'm controlled in the body. I'm controlled in the mind.
Total con
Control

 

http://www.fastcompany.com/3027413/fast-feed/punk-rock-branding-the-clash-teams-with-converse-for-three-artists-one-song

Punk-Rock Branding: The Clash Teams With Converse For Three Artists, One Song

...what did you dream? it's alright... we told you what to dream!
~ Roger Waters-Welcome to the Machine

 

When you have as much vision as the Clash...or David Bowie...there's really a good argument to be made that you can't sell out. These artists want their ideas to be as far reaching as possible. I personally have no qualms with Clash songs being mainstream...I guess that's the point we're already discussing. These artists SHOULD be mainstream. And like the Clash sing, it's just another con to tell them that if they're selling you, they have the control. The point is that these artists' messages are being spread, and if Lincoln Toyota thinks it's a good idea to fill people's minds with the Clash in order to sell cars or whatever, all I can do is laugh.

I think a lot of people get confused about this point. To me, counterculture isn't all about staying outside of the mainstream. It's about infiltrating it with the catchiest, craziest shit possible. And just let them try to co-opt it.

People worry too much about control these days. And the point of the Clash song I posted is just that. Control is a CON, an illusion. There's no such thing. You don't have to fight (though you can if you want to.) I doubt the guys at the top even worry about control. They just think they're in control. They're arrogant to the point where they think they can co-opt anything and turn it into a selling point, but the world just doesn't work that way.

Rebellious, unique music will always inspire individualism. It will never inspire conformity. It doesn't matter who sells it. And certain smart individuals realize this. Put Johnny Rotten in a million butter commercials. That's the whole point. You're not going to sell any more butter. Put Iggy in your Old Navy jeans. Nobody knows who Iggy is. They're just like "Who the fuck is this weirdo?"

In short. More weird = better, no matter how you slice it. And control is a C-O-N.

 

Perhaps Maynard James Keenan says it best...

http://youtu.be/R890wISHwG4

 

Any genre only dies when it's name is no longer household.

If we're counting personal opinion, I believe rock (in many forms) is still very much alive. Too many old school rockers (Matthew Sweet, Gary Moore, Lemmy Kilmister to name a few) won't let rock die off. I mean, AC/DC is still touring despite one member slowly turning into a vegetable. Rock, by name or sound, isn't going to die because, in other words, too many old schoolers are influencing younger generations to keep the sound alive - even if that means through fusion.

 

Whatever message those artists may have had will be distorted and watered down to whatever ends those corporate forces decide are in their best interest.

There are countless examples... just a few
(I couldn't possibly remember them all but these first two have been used in numerous cooperate and right-wing establishment favoring promotionals);

Woody Guthries 'This land is your land' with it's conspicuously missing anti-property rights lyrics.

John Fogerty's 'Fortunate Son' with anti-war lyrics chopped out

Most recently I saw a commercial for some high tech thing or another featuring Devo's "Freedom of choice", leaving off the (italicized) punch line of course ;

Freedom of choice, it's what you want...Freedom from choice, it's what you got

 

I don't think it matters. If people are buying luxury cars because they think we're the cool ones...who is winning? We are.

If people are hearing these songs on commercials and liking them and going out and buying the album, who is winning? We are.

It seems like you want to convince me that people are all just money grubbing holes, but it's not working.

 

Who's this 'we', kimosabe? :indian_chief:

I really don't care, I have no skin in the game.
You're the one that said the message matters.

Too many messages if you ask me. Gimme a good love song, lol

 

You're too cool to care. What you don't realize is that in being so fucking cool, you are completely one of us. We are the people who will not compromise our individuality, creativity, and imagination.

I don't think there are too many messages, but I agree there are way too few love songs. Just naive love songs...not all these bleak songs about cheating girls and break-ups.

Naivety in music is a big part of what appeals to me. Like Dio, for instance, singing about rainbows in the dark. No one in their right mind is going to form a metal band today and say "Let's sing about a rainbow in the dark." And I miss that kind of stuff. I find that so genuine...metalheads who are into mythical beasts and warriors and shit. Whatever happened to that?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lK4cX5xGiQ

 

We live in an age where music from everywhere in the world is instantly accessible, and there really is so much good music out there if you take the the time, and people are still complaining. Boo hoo music isn't the same as is used to be in the old days. Bollocks. There's shit loads out of great rock music out there, open your ears and listen to it. Here's some cool rock tunes of recent years for starters.

Blitzen Trapper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFl-oaGcaWA

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes (still making good music)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTVCJwUS6b8

The Siegal Electric Band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jHvbGyaP6Q

JJ Grey & Mofro - The River (full album)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlgcRNoX2Zw

 

If it's metal you're after, this is a pretty good album.lots of Maiden and Floyd in there, and plenty of screaming death metal bass riffs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4iKsbF4TnM

Also, there's lots of good death metal coming out of Norway these days, I tihnk the scene started there in the old days. Mutations by Obake.