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Rock and roll is dead?

#27
We got sold a bill of crap as rock fans. Corporate America dressed it up and gave us McDonald's rock. We all got fat and sick. We got Jock Rock and Hair Metal and Butt Rock. It was all Pop disguised as rock. Rock isn't dead, it just isn't Pop anymore. Or it's ultra processed Pop.


"Comparison is the thief of joy."
- Theodore Roosevelt
 
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#29
JMacBass65 said:
Interesting observation, and I think you may be on to something.
Click to expand...
I mean, I've met plenty of kids that aren't geeky and are bumping the top of the social ladder (ahhh, high school), and kind of like rock. Many of my friends are into rock/punk.
Unfortunately, I've met more that think this is good rock:



I'm not sure what my final say on this is. I mean, it switches daily. If you mean kids that like the modern rock that isn't scene crap, then yeah, it's still kicking. I'm not a fan of many of these bands, leaning more towards punk and alt myself, but the ones most rock kids are into (asides from classic - so many Led Zeppelin fans at my school)
  • Linkin Park (personally, I can't stand. Too pop/rap)
  • Avenged Sevenfold
  • Green Day (I like their earlier stuff. I was really into them, then I think I just over-listened. Willing to admit they're not punk anymore. They walk a fine line between pop and rock)
  • Three Days Grace (Used to be into them. Kinda annoying now)
  • Foo Fighters (While I have so much respect for the band, I'm not a fan of Grohl's voice)
  • Breaking Benjamin (Never got too into them. Not great. Not awful.)
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers (One of my top favorites, and top of many other teens, kids, and young adults)
  • 30 Seconds to Mars (pretty popular, pretty okay, but I could never get into it)
On the more metal side, we have SOAD and stuff like that.

You can say any type of music is dead, but you're clearly looking in the wrong place. Maybe it doesn't dominate charts like it used to. But it's a great culture/fanbase, and it's still alive.

"Rock died when so-and-so died."
"Rock died when so-and-so's album came out."
Music doesn't die. It lives on and influences the next to come. Actually, that's half the reason I have so much respect for Dave Grohl, despite not really enjoying his music. He's all about just getting together and making music in a garage, the classic rock and roll way.
 
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#30
There are certainly are issues with the music industry, i read an article that suggested we (musicians) are essentially consumers spending globally a whopping $35 billion dollars in order to get our hands on a chunk of a shrinking 10 billon in earnings! not to say you cant make a living out of it and some musicians are being very clever about how they go about doing it! obviously Gene is a bit behind the times, Rock is dead ?!! seriously?! get some kids in a garage with some instruments rock like noises will follow!
 
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#31
Nobody has given a damn what Gene Simmons has had to say in over twenty years. I didn't even read or listen to what this is all about.

However, I do remember one thing he said back when he was listened to. He said in an interview with Rolling Stone: "For those too old, incompetent or on drugs, just die and get out of my way".

Well Mr. Simmons I don't want you to die or get outta the way. But could you pretty please with sugar on top, shut the hell up.
 
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#32
So rock = corporate sponsored musicians? That's pretty much what I got from that interview. The same garbage from that opinion-editorial from Taylor Swift. Basically, rock/music/whatever is dying (or dead) because we, the artists (namely me), aren't getting paid enough for our "art." Then blame the consumers that we're not paying the industries enough to support these artists.

Then question some knucklehead son of the guy being interviewed on famous current artists. "Nirvana?" duh. What a surprise he's not going to come up with plenty of influential artists from the mid-80s to now.
---
Rock 'n Roll, as a musical style, dead? No. Rock 'n Roll, as a corporate sponsored lifestyle, dead? No.
 
#33
It should be noted that the reason the record companies supported bands such as The Beatles, The Stones etc etc and their up and coming counterparts back in the day was because that's what was 'popular' music! Rock n' Roll does not dominate the airways anymore. Whether you like it or not, Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry are todays version of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

(I'm not at all saying the music of these artists is in anyway comparable, just mentioning how millions of young people used to adore The Beatles, now its Katy Perry and other 'pop' artists who top the charts. Not that I pay attention to the charts!)
 
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#38
Take a look at the charts....rock & roll accounts for a pretty small part of what's happening today- very small. Look at record (CDs or what ever you want to call it) sales numbers. And look at the number of places you gigged at 20 years ago versus today, and see which direction it's going. It's not extinct, but certainly endangered. If Victor Wooten, Jeff Berlin or another respected bassist, had said the same thing, I'm willing to bet that the sentiments would be much different. Because it's Gene, the haters come out in full bloom.
http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200
 
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#39
1. Simmons makes the point that the days of corporately endorsed rock and roll bands are over. I agree with that.
2. Gene also says that this means rock and roll is dead. I think that's a load of horse guano.
I first saw this article as posted by the foo fighters Facebook page, with a snarky caption courtesy of Dave Grohl, who is, IMHO, one of the main reasons rock is still alive.
 
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#40
wmhill said:
Take a look at the charts....rock & roll accounts for a pretty small part of what's happening today- very small. Look at record (CDs or what ever you want to call it) sales numbers. And look at the number of places you gigged at 20 years ago versus today, and see which direction it's going. It's not extinct, but certainly endangered. If Victor Wooten, Jeff Berlin or another respected bassist, had said the same thing, I'm willing to bet that the sentiments would be much different. Because it's Gene, the haters come out in full bloom.
http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200
Click to expand...

It's doing better than Swing.

Rock and roll is not dead.

Gene Simmons didn't do much for rock and roll, musically speaking.

Victor Wooten, Jeff Berlin, and Jaco didn't do anything for rock and roll, musically speaking.

The bass heroes of rock and roll are:

Paul McCartney
Paul Simonon
Dee Dee Ramone
John Entwistle
Chris Squire
Geddy Lee
John Paul Jones
yes, Gene Simmons, I admit it

These are guys who range from technically proficient, to stylistically innovative, to, in Gene's case especially, people whose showmanship brought their instrument into the forefront.

I would argue that Dee Dee Ramone did a lot more for rock and roll than Gene could ever dream of.

He revitalized it, when it was "dying" in the mid seventies
He invented a style (fast downstrokes, notes following only the rhythm guitar for the most part)
He wrote lyrics that were acerbic, funny, dark and real
He died for it, living most of his life as a famous junky

Should any of us emulate him?

I wouldn't recommend it.

Anyway, rock and roll will probably never die, but it might never be a way to earn millions, and travel the globe in your own plane, for most people.

and that suits me just fine.
 

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