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The Demise of the Rockstar |
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Location: Blogs ~WC~Band Articles/Interviews |
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| Posted by: whiskeychick |
2/22/2007 9:22 PM |
by WhiskeyChick
So here I was toolin around town with my best friend, partner in crime, and fellow Drunken Hillbilly when he made the comment that there are no more innovators in music today. No more Beatles. No more Deville's. No more Lynard Skynards or Doors or even Rolling Stones. There are no bands on today's radio that stand a chance of becoming the next legend. Do you know who he blames? The fans...
He says they're too fickle... too easily distracted by the next big trend. But do you want to know who I fault? I assume you must if you're still reading. I blame the marketing companies. The record labels. Hell, the artists themselves!
The way I see it these people get together and come up with every possible way to bribe, manipulate, package, and produce what was once an art into a single-serving product that is as disposable as it is forgettable. The days of someone getting behind a musical project because they believe in it... because they hear something truly original... because they think that by supporting this artist they can watch history being made are long gone. Instead young artists line up in front of Sun Records thinking that if they share the same space as greats from the past they will become the greats of the future.
What they don't realize is those greats had to sacrifice. They had to find a way to stand out against the million other aspiring artists and show what made them different. What made them more than just a flash in the pan. Those greats had something that made them unique and irreplacable. And above that, they stayed true to it. They didn't pump out singles for a buck to the next fickle fan down the block... they produced music that carried with it their heart and soul. Their dreams. Their lives. And those are the artists that became part of our lives growing up.
So tell me... who are your kids carrying with them for the rest of their lives? Justin Timberlake? Miranda Lambert? Fergie? Rascall Flatts? Don't get me wrong... they are entertaining, but they are just not going to hold a candle to the legends of the past.
~WC~
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Re: The Demise of the Rockstar |
By Sonburnt on
2/26/2007 8:20 AM |
Yeah, so I'm a n00b here, but have known the WC for a little while...
I not only agree with both of you, but I loooooove how you give the Tyler Durden "single serving" association. It's sad when the big, huge names in music today arent as innovative as their producers are. I remember when it was the musicians that needed talent and all the producers had to do was make sure that what went in was what came out. Now its all just manufactured keyboard workstation, studio created, glorified techno. Now don't get me wrong...I like me some techno...after all, I'm a confessed computer geek whos had his hand in producing a few old dusty locals of my own, but techno has no place on a Justin Timberlake album. I mean...WTEfffff?!?!?!?! |
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Re: The Demise of the Rockstar |
By Smitty B on
3/3/2007 10:53 AM |
Present company excluded, I think you can blame music bloggers too. I check in regularly with about a dozen of them and most are interchangeable. They are all pushing Arcade Fire and Cat Power, The Shins, The Decemberists, yada yada yada. Most of the bands are good, but how many get ignored? It should tell you something that they all have a link to The Hype Machine.
I've been saying for a long time that critics should have to pay for the music they review. I think that might make a difference.
Your friend in Madison [ Col. Parker lived here ] TN ,
Smitty B |
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Re: The Demise of the Rockstar |
By whiskeychick on
3/3/2007 10:53 AM |
You have a point there... when I first started going to local shows I felt like I had uncovered the world's best kept secret. I wondered why these bars and small venues weren't just clammerin with folks tryin to get in. Cheap beer, cheap (if any) covers and amazing talent! The more I got into the more I realized that very few people ever step out of their little box and seek an alternative to anything. Music, opinions, lifestyles, anything! That is why it is my self-appointed mission in life to corrupt as many as I can with the temptations of the underground ;-)
~WC~ |
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Re: The Demise of the Rockstar |
By Pseudopunker on
5/14/2007 6:08 PM |
| I wouldn't blame anyone for this. As time goes on, the chord progressions we use are eventually going to have to be reused, and as we get more involved in different bands and cultures due to advancing forms of media throughout the world, we see so many more types of music. If something is original, we start to discount it because it might be popular (i.e. the Gorillaz, or as mentioned above the Arcade Fire, Cat Power, the Shins and the Decemberists. I don't own any of these records but I sure as hell can tell you the they are worth talking about). Besides, I'm assuming most people that visit this site are into various forms or alt-country, hillbilly, rockabillly, etc...99% of which is not original AT ALL...and that's okay, because the people playing it are having fun, getting free beer and playing something they love, and the people listening and watching them are having fun, getting drunk and hearing something they love. I think we sometimes focus soooo much on the "originality" that we forget that part of the musical experience is the hook that makes us want to sing along. |
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Re: The Demise of the Rockstar |
By theDEVOLVERS on
6/8/2007 1:26 PM |
| We try to be original but let our roots show to bring people in. Random audience members come up to me and say, "I really heard Cash's influence on that song" or "I like the Social Distortion/ Johnny Cash/ Misfits thing you do" but the people who show up to show after show (our fans I guess) tend to say "You have such a unique sound, don't ever lose it." I think that's what separates the "Music Fans" from casual listeners. Our best shows shows have both casual listeners intermingled with hardcore fans. But like with most things the 20% core drives 80% of the effort from the crowd. Anyway, I personally think those HOT bands Arcade Fire, Bloc Party etc. are overrated mainly because I find them so boring, they inspire nothing in me personally. |
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Re: The Demise of the Rockstar |
By Rusty on
7/7/2007 5:39 PM |
| People are slaves to the almighty dollar...money kills everything! |
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