Rock music dying?

Just before and during the war, the big bands were the epitome of this nation's soul. Excellent writers, outstanding composers , highly talented musicians, and beautiful "songbirds". Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller, Charley Barnett, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Hellen O'Connell (Green Eyes), Martha Tilton, Spike Jones....I haven't recalled all of them, but They carried us through the war.

 

How could I forget Artie Shaw and Harry James and Gene Krupa. These musicians could play their instruments with dedicated skill and the vocalists could actually sing the music without screaming or growling to show their "creative skills". I can always bring up memories of the Andrew Sisters, I saw them several times. And then there was Woody Herman. I saw and listened to some great stuff in some tough times and today there are some really great bands and performers. Right now I keep going back to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of the Moon" (that I think is a timeless classic), and Dire Straights stuff .

 

I want to go see this. It is local to me. https://www.pinkfloydexhibition.com/

 

I was thinking about " Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and still can't believe the sax solo at the end by a girl. Absolutely inspired. I haven't been able to find out who she is but she did an uncanny job.

 

I think part of what is contributing to the demise is the fact that rock has lost a lot of it's core goodness via modern production. Time correcting, pitch correcting, sampling instead of spending time getting a good sound through a great mic/pre/EQ (or even just "in the box")...all of these things strip the swagger and danger that made rock raucous, dangerous, and charming - it's most calculating practitioners included. You simply cannot take the humanity out of a genre built on piss and vinegar and expect it to really resonate. I have not heard a song on modern rock radio that was not sampled, compressed, and corrected into a sterile mass of trite noise in probably twenty years.

The other issue with this is that it makes it far too easy for record companies to pull less than talented groups with mediocre songs into the studio to produce quick hits that stand a chance in the charts for a minute but that lack the qualities that produce lasting statements. People do in fact respond to well-crafted and thoughtful statements, but it has to grow on and with them. Right now the broad audience is more distracted by the superficial gloss than ever before, and that's saying something.

It's also difficult for good stuff to cut through anymore. Seriously anyone can make a record that sounds at least halfway decent and it's easy to get lost in the shuffle without serious dough (which isn't there because practically no one makes money off of songs anymore) behind your effort.

Porcupine Tree are a great band. There are others. Truly, having always been primarily focused on prog, fusion, and jazz...I'm not too upset to see some of the dreck dying out...but there are still some great straight ahead rock groups in the vein of Brother Cain, Cry Of Love, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots (whose music is far more thoughtful compositionally speaking than many realize) who record honestly, put on great shows, have no pretense, and deserve to be heard.

 

First 45 I ever bought. I think it was around 1976? I still have it.

 

That good time Rock 'N' Roll will never die. TURN IT UP.

 

To me there is nothing like Aerosmith's music from the 70's, loved it when it first came out when I was a kid and still listen to it today.

 

Sitting 4th row center at the Greek in Sept! Beyond stoked!

 

He still hasn't announced his guitar player.

 

I always liked Edison's Medicine (man out of time) too.

 

This. I remember an interview with Springsteen where he talked about how he kept retaking Born to Run until he thought it was the greatest rock tune ever recorded. - swagger in the extreme. This was in 1975 or thereabouts, and you can tell when you listen to the entire album that he left everything in that studio. It all sounds authentic, even autobiographical. I don't know that we have another Bruce.

 

I think "authentic" is the key word. So true...and of course the more formulaic and derivative endeavors existed, but I think they tended to die out a bit faster due to a more discriminating, sophisticated audience. What was available on FM radio was so much more varied back then. Sorry I missed it!

 

Just as I’m about to release an album no less… figures. Gonna go get some pizza https://m.soundcloud.com/muttonxops/glittering-mud