Rock music and why its bleeding.
Date: Mar 5th, 2007 7:48:41 pm - Subscribe
Mood: changed
A Radical Dreamers journey through despair: and rocking out!
So I got to thinking about rock music again today, yesterday, well I guess the other day. I think I have an idea as what the problem with rock music is today...Visuals. Rock, Metal, Hard Rock, Emo Rock, Punk Rock, all rock, is leaning over to trying to visually impress the audience.
For example Slipknot. Some of you don't care for them but you like Stone Sour which I totally find hilarious, as it is pretty much the same band. When they first came on the scene they all wore masks, walked around wtih baseball bats, spike chains, and various other things. I couldn't take them seriously to be honest. Recently they have removed the masks. Which now I can stomach seeing them on tv. The thing is, I was so caught up in their visual style (which I hated), that I did not pay attention to the content of their lyrics.
Yes Slipknot does yell alot, but looking past that; if you read their lyrics or listen to them in depth, they are actually a pretty awesome band with great song writing for the most part (remember "Through The Glass" and "Bother" which are songs by Stone Sour, but the lead singer for SS is also Slipknots lead singer), you can't deny the guy has a great voice.
Then we have one of my favorites, Mudvayne. They first hit the scene wearing paint all over their faces, not to mention the names (I don't know who comes up with names for band members, but its ridiculous). They yell alot too. However when you read their lyrics, you see alot of what they are saying.
I'm a huge fan of 90's music honestly. Tool, Sublime, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, etc. And my point is this. None of those bands had a visual gimmick besides the fact that some dressed grungy... because they were considered grunge rock. Take for instance the band Tool.
Great sound, make absolutely beautiful music. Lyrics are very in-depth. Alot of their songs are about flaws in Society. Schizm, the failure of communication. Vicarious, humans nature to be attracted to tragedy. The Pot, usage of narcotics and the finger pointings. The point being, the lyrics make sense, have a meaning of sense, and they avoid flashy visuals.
Rage Against the Machine... Shouldn't have to say anything here, but I will. Tom F'in Morello. Quite possibly one of the best guitarist of our time, right there with Jack White of the White Stripes. Audioslave and RAtM have both broken up but Tommy boy can get another band if he so chooses and continue on his merry way. But back to RAtM. They didn't have masks, face paint, etc... Instead they had lyrics and an outstanding sound. You may disagree with what they stood for, but the fact remains that they were at least meaningful in what they sang.
And you ask me around when rock music started bleeding? I would be bold enough to say Nirvana started killing rock. Kurt came along at just the right time, he inspired an audience of people who just loved hearing something made up of non-sense. Teen Spirit is the one song I can place the finger on at the moment that is proof. Kurt himself said that the song had no meaning or any linking to the words. You can tell. A mosquito, my libido...wtf? That was when we all learned, that anyone could grab a guitar, scribble down some lyrics, learn 2-3 chords, wail on the guitar, sing horribly into the mic, cut a record, make a few thousands.
I like classic rock, but I don't idolize like all these other rock buffs. I could care less for Hendrix honestly, ok sure he could play, as could Clapton... but you know what. Their time has passed. They are music of generations before my time. I prefer to find the bands of our generation. Floyd is not my generation. Led Zeppelin, yep you guessed it, not ours. The Beatles, however great you think they are, are not in our generation.
Classic Rock is good don't get me wrong. But I don't see me sanctifying music that is 40 years old. Thats not me. I am 21 years old. I grew up on Live, Pearl Jam, A.I.C., Linkin Park, Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, Korn, Limp Bizkit, RAtM, and up. I want to have some 40 years from now saying the exact same thing I am about the bands of our time. I want to turn the classic rock station on in 30 years and hear some of these bands that I enjoy.
I know we have nothing truly spectacular in our time, like Stairway to Heaven, but me personally, I grow tired of classic rock like the flu. And there is a much larger variety out today. I beg to differ when someone says all bands these days are just going for quantity not quality. Of the bands I listen to of now-a-days music, Breaking Benjamin - all most all 3 cds are awesome in their whole. Staind - I could listen to Dysfunction and Break the Cycle all day. Disturbed - anyone have a 3 disc cd changer? I could go on and on.
I'm not downing Classic Rock, nor am I protesting all the bands that are about a visual gimmick... just saying the music we have right now, is not horrible; its just that the market is flooded right now with so much rock. Thus why we won't have any super huge selling bands. Alot of the song writers are great overall, and the music is on par right now... regardless whether or not they use a distortion pedal. Its not who is better because of what they do with less equipment (look at Jack White, arguably one of the best ever, he doesn't use a dist pedal. In fact he tuned down his guitar big time to do 7 Nation Army.) Sometimes the more equipment you have the tougher it can be.
Thats my 2 cents on the world of music for the day. Flame it, enjoy it, whatever.
-=No Current Sig=-
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