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Tired of Rock ?

#61
BassBrass said:
If by rock you mean playing the tonic of guitar written songs often blues based or other familiar pop progressions when only the words/arrangement are actually original (marginally)...never have been able to stand it.
If by rock you mean music with a straight rock beat but can be anything musically and uses some improvisation, anytime!

That's why there are rocks bands that bore me and rock bands that keep my interest.
Bands like Gang of 4 or Tortoise hold my interest over a span of many years. Bands like ZZTop or Black Crows where there is nothing original except the clothing, hair and personality, none of which can hold my interest over a few minutes, it's a waste of my time.
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+1 I'll have to add it's something of a constant battle - I find it more difficult to get my mates to agree to stretch things a bit (Television, 13th Floor Elevators, etc.) as they always bring up the "if it's not popular then we won't get gigs" argument. There may be some truth in what they say but I still don't like it - it's not like we're in it for the money anyway. So, I'm looking for some jazz jams in the area to expand my horizons and, perhaps, to hook up with some folks to crank out something new.
 
#62
I find magic currently with my Jazz Rock (instrumental) Improv band. Creating something from nothing LIVE, on the spot has displaced any love I had for the "POWER of rock and roll". The interaction between musicians and creative bond and groove are much more stimulating.

Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of fun in my last Rock band (back in 2004 or so) mainly because we did all originals. Eventually even that got a little tedious, and when inner-strife got the best of us, I never looked back and left all hope for commercial success behind and started experimenting with crazy stuff.

Straight up Rock songs are just not my cup of tea anymore. Mostly cannot even listen to them either anymore. I just got "saturated" (burned out). Did put Led Zep 2 on the stereo the other day, though, but my Rock listening has dwindled to a small fraction.
 
#63
BigOldHarry said:
Where's the "new" classic rock? Was it that music from the '80s/'90s was *so bad* that it really hasn't taken? I have a hard time buying that...
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Personally I think there was TONS of great music made in the 80s and 90s. I just don't care for much of the stuff that was really popular on the radio or MTV back then. There were loads of great bands making fresh, interesting music bubbling under the surface though.

It's funny--I happened to be flipping around the radio in my car the other day (not something I usually do) and the DJ described a song by Billy Idol as well as a Soundgarden song from the early 90s as "classic rock."

I guess I'm getting old. The early 90s don't seem that far away to me, but it's two decades!

eSmith said:
I have to agree with the poster who said he is sick of Rock "Singers" This also is a big reason I swore off most rock.

In fact there are many good tunes that should have just been released instrumental but NOOOOOOOOO, some jerk wants to tell his dumb little story and therefor sings about ABSOLUTLY NOTHING IMPORTANT that anyone but themselves care about...

Anyway, most songs would be twice as good if they simply turned off the singers mic.....
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I definitely feel you here. I mean, there is a lot of vocal rock from all eras that I dig, but the older I get the less I want to hear somebody singing some crud I couldn't care less about, or covering some subject that has been done to death a million times, and done better by someone in the past.

For the past few years a great deal of my listening has been instrumental in nature. Lots of jazz, especially from the 50s to the mid-60s, though I don't play that kind of music myself--just like listening to it) and a lot of old instro R&B and surf. I've got a huuuge soft spot in my heart for surf and hot rod kind of instrumental music from the early 60s as well as mostly instro kings from back in the day like the mighty Link Wray and The Ventures, etc.

Fortunately, there are several instrumental bands around currently that I enjoy a great deal. The Diminished Men, Grails, Unwed Sailor...along with some stuff from the 90s like Impala, Friends of Dean Martinez, Pell Mell, Dirty Three....
 
#64
Muddslide said:
It's funny--I happened to be flipping around the radio in my car the other day (not something I usually do) and the DJ described a song by Billy Idol as well as a Soundgarden song from the early 90s as "classic rock."

I guess I'm getting old. The early 90s don't seem that far away to me, but it's two decades!
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A while back, our Classic Rock station started playing "Enter Sandman" in their playlist. And I was talking to myself in my head, and I said to myself... "Self, why is this on here with other bands like Hendrix, Creedance and other stuff? Well it was made in about 1993. I guess it does qualify as 'Classic Rock' ".


Personally, I've got friends who are in cover bands and Rock and Alt Rock is all they play live because it's what draws crowds. Hearing the songs they know. I've gotten deeper and deeper into Symphonic Metal in the last couple of years because in my opinion there's a lot more substance there. I just feel that there's so much more depth than what's going around the top radio stuff right now.
Rock is good, and it's got it's place with some really great artists. But I get tired of hearing it. I haven't listened to the radio in a few years and I don't regret it.
 
#65
IconBasser said:
cool band! I like your sound.

although, I must say that it still sounds like a re-hash of disco and 70's prog to me.
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Oh your right..but at least we can improvise live. I never got to play in a Disco, or Prog rock band so it's new to me...

When I see Electo acts or Rap for that matter, I always wish for a live rhythm section. Watching a guy push play on his laptop doesn't work for me...

Link Removed
 
#66
I don't classify this group as rock artists, but they are a trio with singing:

YouTube - JPOP Xfile -


YouTube - DISCO FLIGHT


From Japan, 凛として時雨

...or: Ling Tosite Sigure.

Having played in a trio (without the singing) I appreciate their ability to fill a huge space with their instruments. I especially like the drummer - and I have partnered with the best, Bob Beerman.

The bassist is 345, aka Miyoko Nakamura. Plays with a pick, sometimes.

Cheers,
Jon-Lars Sorenson
ex-Pell Mell, UHF in Portland and SF
 
#67
Muddslide said:
It's funny--I happened to be flipping around the radio in my car the other day (not something I usually do) and the DJ described a song by Billy Idol as well as a Soundgarden song from the early 90s as "classic rock."
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A couple of nights ago I saw VH1 were playing "Vintage Classics" so I flicked it on excitedly. To my horror, a Rhianna song was being played. I stuck in thinking it was an interlude, but nooo...the next "vintage" song was a Kei$ha song. I changed channels when the text on screen announced the next "vintage" track was going to be a Lady Gaga song! Vintage indeed.
 
#68
Depth_Charge said:
A couple of nights ago I saw VH1 were playing "Vintage Classics" so I flicked it on excitedly. To my horror, a Rhianna song was being played. I stuck in thinking it was an interlude, but nooo...the next "vintage" song was a Kei$ha song. I changed channels when the text on screen announced the next "vintage" track was going to be a Lady Gaga song! Vintage indeed.
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Good post! I guess anything over a year old is labeled by some as "vintage." Who decides that, anway??? (I wonder if this is related to the feeling I get when I hear about things printed in today's school history books that hadn't even happened yet when I was a kid!...like Watergate....weird!!)

Anyway, I was in a YES tribute band about ten years ago. We played most of their 70's material. It is very complex and challenging music to say the least, but we had fun playing it. The thing is, there aren't alot of "mainstream" people who are into that kind of music. The diehards are into it, and they loved our performances. But I'm talking about the "average" audience member when I say mainstream. They might recognize Roundabout and one or two other songs, but that's about it. So, I'm now into playing rock music that is more broadly accepted. However, I have my standards, and I absolutely refuse to drop down to the nausea level where music such as Skynyrd and Petty and "Mustang Sally" reside. I would chew on ground up glass before I would ever play that stuff. I don't care what the audience wants to hear. I will NEVER play that chit! Fortunately, I have a professional (non-music) career that feeds me well, so I don't have to succumb to giving up my standards for making a living at playing music as some might have to, which, for those who must do that, I am truly sympathetic to their plight.
 
#69
Did the jazz scene, got tired of it and the arrogance that some cats have. I still like to play an old standard once in awhile, though.

Did the "beach music" scene (two radio hits with one band) and REALLY got bored.

Did the country-rock scene (old-style, like New Riders, etc) and enjoyed it, but the genre died out.

Did the country scene, but needed to play other stuff, too.

Did the classic rock scene, finally, after not getting to play all that stuff when it was new due to trying to always just be a "working musician" and playing like a mercenary for the money---and wow, I loved it. But the band died. Dang.

Asked to play in a blues band. Well, I didn't know if I wanted to play ALL blues, but tell the truth these guys are different. There's some typical stuff, but it's not all the same, some is funk, some is soul, some is kinda...well...I dunno how to say. Last night we did an original that was like Pink Floyd (imagine Pink Floyd with a harmonica solo). Anyway, it's a good gig.

But no, I'm not tired of playing rock. Besides I just started being a bassist, instead of a guitarist, full-time only 23 years ago. I never thought about what the bass part is on some of those old songs, so it's kinda new to me, you might say.

I could just play old Allman Brothers forever.
 
#73
I am having a really hard time finding an improv prog/art rock band (instrumental) that was as good as what my <3 1st real band <3 The 3 piece was an awesome guitar who was a hybrid between Corgan/J. Mascis/Husker Du and my late-brother on drums who had a custom built from C&C drums. Playing with my bro on drums was the most natural thing I ever felt. And the 30 min.+ improved songs were amazing. Unfortunatly noone knw the password to my brothers laptop and thus the recordings lost. I feel alot of passion when the drums are getting beat hard and fast, I love loud distortion and tube overdrive. If teh guitarist has a vision of telling a story via guitar: I am in, I love rock the best.
 

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