Nope, it's everywhere. Alternative is big now. Bands like Cage the Elephant, White Stripes, Black Keys, and Franz Ferdinand are going strong.
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Rock and roll is dead?
- Thread starter ghostrider
- Start date
Nope, it's everywhere. Alternative is big now. Bands like Cage the Elephant, White Stripes, Black Keys, and Franz Ferdinand are going strong.
As a not quiet younger, but not older person, that is exactly the type of "sackless gap ad boy" music I'm referring to. If you want me to believe you are a rock back don't raid your girlfriends closet or grab some ill fitting clothes from a garage sale. There is still REAL rock out there, but it ain't that stuff which makes me feel that there is some validity to Gene Simmon's proclamation.
(PS. I don't mean the Knack, I mean all the other stuff mentioned up until that point.)
(PS. I don't mean the Knack, I mean all the other stuff mentioned up until that point.)
Funny, raiding girlfriends' closets was exactly how all those 70s glam rock and 80s new wave and hair metal bands costumed themselves. What does clothing have to do with music anyway? I know, I know - image counts. But to discount a band just because you don't like current clothing fashion doesn't seem helpful to me.
Summary version of thread:
"Rock is dead."
"No it isn't, here are a bunch of bands that play rock."
"Well, I don't like them, so rock is still dead."
It's not loaded with lucre like it once was. But The Sword, Clutch, and Red Fang all seem to be bringing something genuine and real to the table for me.
"Comparison is the thief of joy."
- Theodore Roosevelt
"Comparison is the thief of joy."
- Theodore Roosevelt
Rock & roll isn't going anywhere. You actually have more scenes and constituencies than ever, as well as a creative legacy that stretches nearly 70 years.
Gene Simmons is just another doomsaying boob. THAT'S what I wish would go away.
Gene Simmons is just another doomsaying boob. THAT'S what I wish would go away.
It's a little more complex than that. There are two separate things happening here that happen to dovetail together. Let me see if I can clarify them.
The argument that Gene Simmons makes is that as a Rock music as a viable economic opportunity for up and coming musicians is "dead." Now there are many things people can say about Simmons, much of it not good, but he certainly knows how to make being a musician profitable. His sentiment isn't unique either as I've hear many "classic" rock/metal musicians say that if they would never would have tried to be musicians in today's markets. Rob Flynn has made his feelings about how rock bands are treated these days well known and Greg Christian of Testament recently explained that at the end of the year he barely clears $35k, which is about what I make, I'm terribly underpaid, and his job is WAY harder than mine. There are bands with as much major support as you can get these days, that aren't doing "bad" things to waste money on the road, that can tour for a year straight just to break even. So I guess the click-bait headline "Rock is dead" isn't as accurate as "Rock Stars are Dead." The days of any rock musician buying multiple sports cars, mansions, and having endless supplies of women are dead. Top Ramen isn't just for struggling bands anymore.
The music of "rock" is, of course, not truly dead, just as Big Band isn't really dead. But neither are where they were at one point either. However the "rock" that is acceptable for modern radio stations, late night TV shows, and what's left of MTV, are rock in the loosest sense in that they have at least one guy with a guitar and no backup dancers. The Urban Outfitters employee picks, hipster-chow that was mentioned earlier are to bands like Mastodon, Behemoth, Black Label Society, Crowbar and Opeth (all of which have had home run releases this year) as camomile tea is to a Doppelbock or Islay Scotch. Sure they are both beverages, but....
Rock that pushes buttons, makes people think, challenges authority in a meaningful way, or slams the status quo has been marginalized; so to say that its "dead" isn't completely accurate in this context either, but it certainly has been muzzled and neutered. Which brings me to the point you made about "What does clothing have to do with music anyway?" With the actual notes put on a CD, absolutely nothing. But Rock is more than that isn't it? Even from its earliest incarnations, where would Rock be without Elvis' hips and the Beatles shaggy hair? Its about attitude and emotion, its about giving the world the finger. I didn't care for glam/hair/butt rock so I'm glad its gone, and despite its questionable taste I'll take fringed leotards or spiked leather as being emblematic of rock over the high school math teacher or underfed, over manicured shim looks that are prevalent now. Its not the look as much as the weak, submissive, non-threatening attitude it represents.
I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but $%&# it. Why? Because not giving two @$%s is rock \m/
I think socialleper got a bunch right. The music form isn't dead. But the mega economics of it are gone. The net income to many of these guys is shot. The merch money used to be a sweet peach, as did tour pay. Now companies have 360 deals where they skim money from those areas which they didn't touch in earlier years.
"Comparison is the thief of joy."
- Theodore Roosevelt
"Comparison is the thief of joy."
- Theodore Roosevelt
Rise Against is punk. They're one of the only mainstream punk bands that are still hitting Top 10 (or #1 in their case) on the charts.
Shinedown & the Black Keys are great examples of modern rock.
Bastille, no. They're pop and will likely fade away as the rest of this folk-pop movement dies off I don't know who that other band is enough to comment.
They are hitting that too now?! :***:
OK, how about this headline instead: "Rock smothered to death in crib by record labels" or "Labels have finally killed the golden goose"
Bastille is a good example of new alt that seems to be taking the music scene by storm. The other band is a lesser known group that uses jazz and electronica elements. Not very mainstream, but still an example of electronic alt kinda stuff. They're my favorite band at the moment; monster musicians.
It'll be around for a long time, but I don't see it being the cultural force that it once was. When I was a teenager, the coolest thing you could possibly do was play lead guitar in a rock band. You could hear garage bands practicing in every neighborhood. Not the case anymore.
I never understood this "Rock & Roll is Dead" thing, you're just not looking in the right places if you think it is.
What is "popular" is not always a good indicator, there is so many factors that control what you see and hear musically if you aren't actively looking, very few of them take you into consideration.
I grew up in the late 90's Rock/Punk Seattle scene, people claimed the same thing then. My tastes have matured and I enjoy an even larger cross section of music which is good because there isn't a lot of stuff that comes out that I like in the genres that I preferred in my angst addled teenage years.
There are a lot of current artists that are doing some pretty good stuff out there even if you prefer traditional genres.
What is "popular" is not always a good indicator, there is so many factors that control what you see and hear musically if you aren't actively looking, very few of them take you into consideration.
I grew up in the late 90's Rock/Punk Seattle scene, people claimed the same thing then. My tastes have matured and I enjoy an even larger cross section of music which is good because there isn't a lot of stuff that comes out that I like in the genres that I preferred in my angst addled teenage years.
There are a lot of current artists that are doing some pretty good stuff out there even if you prefer traditional genres.
The key to that article is when Ol' Gene mentions "opportunities". What was that movie with Paul Rudd where he's a small record executive? That movie illustrates Gene's point quite well.
Another thought: the second a band transcends in to "classic", the opportunities to ever make that again are gone. The road has been paved. Everything else is just filling potholes. People don't want music. They want happiness. They want distraction. And they feel like they should just have it without working for it.
Another thought: the second a band transcends in to "classic", the opportunities to ever make that again are gone. The road has been paved. Everything else is just filling potholes. People don't want music. They want happiness. They want distraction. And they feel like they should just have it without working for it.
If rock is dead, would I be going to this festival this weekend? Sure, a lot of these bands aren't HUGE, or are older, but the rocking and rolling will be in full force.
Looks like a bunch of retreads to me.
Yes a lot of good bands and music but it is "old" music.
In the words of Dan Aykroyd,
"Well, here it is the late 1970s, going on 1985.
You know, so much of the music you hear today is preprogrammed electronic disco, you never get a chance to hear master bluesmen practicing their craft anymore.
By the year 2006, the music known today as The Blues will exist only in the classical records department of your public library..."
The funny thing is is that the blues is flourishing with a lot of new young artists.
Rock is dead now and has been for more than 10 years.
It will come back again someday.
Word to the mother! I see about 40 bands on there I'd love to see. About that more many I'd have to see just because of the name.If rock is dead, would I be going to this festival this weekend? Sure, a lot of these bands aren't HUGE, or are older, but the rocking and rolling will be in full force.
Some of the MUST sees on this line up for me would be Die Antwoord, Skaters, Pussy Riot, The Hold Steady (These guys are nothing but ROCK N ROLL/NY too!), my buddy is the drummer for Kurt Vile and the Violators they are worth checking out. There is also a lot of older baddass bands too. How can you possible see everything you want when the whole bill is good? Yep even those "Orwells" most of the TB community was harshing on. Hell yes Cock Sparrer.
Send this sh$t to Gene. Haha
Your entire argument is "bands I don't like are popular, therefore rock is dead."
