Why do people think rock is dead?

[Buxom]

 

This is what got me thinking on the matter. I've seen it here, but then I saw it on my newsfeed. Why do you think rock is dead? I gave this guy 2 great examples and he still thinks this way.

 

Sure, there's other genres competing, and sure, it isn't as popular as it used to be, but come on, it really isn't hard to sift through the garbage and find decent bands.

 

 

But can someone explain why they/other people think rock is dead?

 

 

Examples:

 

 

[kaleb]

Ignorance, ignorance.

 

I will agree that rock in the mainstream is dead, which is a problem (excluding the classic stuff) in my eyes (or to my ears, for that matter), but you can't say that music sucks now because there are so many great bands out there today. Black Country Communion (although it's 75% veterans), Skeletonwitch (finally a modern metal band that tunes their guitars in standard tuning), Mastodon, Graveyard, Ghost, Volbeat, Hellyeah, The Chelsea Smiles, Pisser, Black Label Society, lots of em'. And Twiz's bands!

 

There are also many 80s-present bands that aren't necessarily new and you don't hear about everyday, but they're still alive and well and producing great music (without riding the nostalgia wave). Bands like Y&T, Tesla, Exodus, Accept, Overkill, Testament, Monster Magnet, Agnostic Front, Murphy's Law, Lynch Mob Jackyl, etc.

 

This is my not-so-humble advice: If you are a young musician and think that "music sucks these days", then go create some good music. Nuff' said, mother****ers.

[Buxom]

I think music is great. It's so creative, and is really pushing the boundaries of censorship at times.

 

I'm just flustered over people acting immature, or just being a plain ******** over music.

[charlie brown]

It's not dead, it just changes, and evolves. Some (often) don't like change, or at least they

don't like the direction that change takes. It's not just "Rock," it's everything. People, by

nature, are resistant, to change...it's uncomfortable, until it's percieved, by enough folks

to be valid, or "better."

 

"Technology," alone, has changed us, in remarkable ways, and continues to do so, at incredible

speeds. People, while embracing those changes, also tend to need time to adjust. That time frame

is much smaller, now. Nothing seems as permanent, as it used to...though, the only real permanence,

or constant, IS change!

 

Rock, as well as other forms of music, and art, tends to "stagnate" for a time, now and then,

until something happens, to kick-start it, all over again. And, because things change so

quickly, now...people's attention spans, and patience, tend to do the same. So, pretty soon,

everything seems "boring," old hat, "ridiculous," etc., etc., etc. I think (and this is only

my opinion) that people love a lot of the "Classic Rock," because it's very familiar, steady...

doesn't change, both younger and us old geezers, love it...and, it influenced, and still does

things that came after. People said the same things, about the original "British Invasion,"

era...that it was "shallow" attempts at great "American" '50's Rock. Some of that, was valid.

But, we had lost "Rock" ourselves, and the Brit's brought it back to life, with a vengence! That

started a whole new, and very energized era...that hasn't really been duplicated...YET. It may

never be??? Then again, something could trigger another event like that, any day! So...don't

give up! Play, and listen to what inspires you, old or new! Naysayer's are everywhere, in every

era...always have been.

 

Cheers,

CB

[stein]

How can Rock be dead when the Stones are still going?

[RS1976]

Ignorance, ignorance.

 

I will agree that rock in the mainstream is dead, which is a problem (excluding the classic stuff) in my eyes (or to my ears, for that matter), but you can't say that music sucks now because there are so many great bands out there today. Black Country Communion (although it's 75% veterans), Skeletonwitch (finally a modern metal band that tunes their guitars in standard tuning), Mastodon, Graveyard, Ghost, Volbeat, Hellyeah, The Chelsea Smiles, Pisser, Black Label Society, lots of em'. And Twiz's bands!

 

There are also many 80s-present bands that aren't necessarily new and you don't hear about everyday, but they're still alive and well and producing great music (without riding the nostalgia wave). Bands like Y&T, Tesla, Exodus, Accept, Overkill, Testament, Monster Magnet, Agnostic Front, Murphy's Law, Lynch Mob Jackyl, etc.

 

This is my not-so-humble advice: If you are a young musician and think that "music sucks these days", then go create some good music. Nuff' said, mother****ers.

 

I thought you were taking a break from here?

[Lu Ruello]

There are so many categories of ROCK, it is about impossible for it to die. Crud...Chuck Berry style Rock and Roll is STILL loved by many. Fun music to play and dance to. Remember when people actually danced?

 

I am glad some of the teens are listening to the pioneers of rock on the classic radio stations. The new music being created today, just will not stand the test of time, like the stuff we older musicians grew up with. Music died after Guns and Roses in my opinion. We are all stuck on Classic rock because it is the BEST!

 

I'm stuck in a time warp and I try to create 80's rock/pop music with a modern feel. I also write and record instrumentals. Rock will never die. It will become what it's predecessor, the blues were to it. A standard by which other music will evolve. Besides, what is rock? How can you define any music made today as being purely rock? Just mix it all up and see what comes out! Cheers,

Lu :)

[Bender 4 Life]

because they've mistakenly heard that Chuck Berry has gone to Rock & Roll Heaven?

 

Long Live the TRUE Father of R&R !!!!!

Mr.Chuck Berry

 

everything else is an imitation.......

 

(but then I digress)

[IanHenry]

Rocks not dead, but it doesn’t seem to get the commercial backing from record companies that other forms of music receive.

There are some great up and coming bands out there check out The Union:

 

http://www.theuniononline.com/official/

 

And Leogun:

http://www.leogunband.com/

 

It looks like Leogun are making a bit of a name for themselves in the states.

I think rock music will enjoy something of a resurgence once the youth of today realise what utter rubbish they are being force fed by record companies, but I doubt it will ever be as original and innovative as it was during the 70’s, interestingly I was watching a TV program last night (in the U.K) which pointed out that there was only 6-7 years between Woodstock and the emergence of the punk movement, and that 6 years was packed with non stop change! Makes you think doesn’t it.

 

Regards,

Ian.

[Murph]

I think people are just trying to cling to the old names, therein lies the problem.

 

Rock & Roll was the 50's stuff.

 

Rock was the 60's / 70's early 80's stuff.

 

Punk was the people who never learned how to play well stuff.

 

Alternative is stuff that didn't want to be called rock, but still wanted a record contract stuff.

 

And on and on.

 

Rock's not dead, but stuff that ain't Rock is something else.

 

Get yer own name......

 

[Lu Ruello]

because they've mistakenly heard that Chuck Berry has gone to Rock & Roll Heaven?

 

Long Live the TRUE Father of R&R !!!!!

Mr.Chuck Berry

 

everything else is an imitation.......

 

(but then I digress)

 

I recall buying a Chuck Berry songbook back in the 70's to learn Johnny B.Goode and Rock n Roll Music and No Particular Place to Go. Yes he was the first true Rock n Roller IMO.

[Rabs]

Cos people keep releasing songs called Rock n Roll is dead???

 

(like theyd know :))

 

 

[Izzy]

It's not dead, it just changes, and evolves. Some (often) don't like change, or at least they

don't like the direction that change takes. It's not just "Rock," it's everything. People, by

nature, are resistant, to change...it's uncomfortable, until it's percieved, by enough folks

to be valid, or "better."

Play, and listen to what inspires you, old or new! Naysayer's are everywhere, in every

era...always have been.

 

Cheers,

CB

Besides, what is rock? How can you define any music made today as being purely rock? Just mix it all up and see what comes out! Cheers,

Lu :)

 

I think this is at teh heart of it. People will always say, "In MY day...." It is odd that kids say things like, "It IS my day and it sucks for rock," but I think it is indolence. You can't find rock by tunnin on the radio. Sometimes rock goes underground and you gotta dig for it. Heck, follow Jack White and he'll take you to rock.

 

What is rock music? Rebellion, making what your parents call noise with guitar and drums.

[Riffster]

I was lucky enough to grow up in the 80's and catch the Thrash Metal movement from inception, the awesome music that the main NWOBHM bands put out and the great records of the Heavy Metal German bands. then came Grunge and while that was fun it did not last long and it created a huge vacuum...there was no next music movement?!! Alternative did not cut it as a movement.

 

The way I see it guitarists had been influencing each other since the 1920 with the blues, then Chuck Berry came and influenced others to do something different and then those others influenced somebody else and so on but the buck seems to have stopped with Grunge. A lot of people like Grunge but it seems to me that for some reason it did not spark a new movement, a new wave of musicians taking it to the next step like other movements did.

 

Now, Rock n' Roll does not come to you, you have to look for it yourself and while radio is not truly supportive there is the internet and Youtube and guitar forums to make up for it.

 

I saw Graveyard live again last week and trust me Rock is alive and well.

[ShredAstaire]

Simple answer? People are lazy and complacent, no matter what they say.

[LarryUK]

Rock will never die. It comes in phases. I've seen it come and go. It'll be big again. I think the digital way of recording will fade too. People will want to record live again in time.

[BobF_]

IMO, rock has left the mainstream b/c society has moved to less appreciation of *music*. Most accept an iPhone driving earbuds from an mp3 as music.

 

Rock is about *power* - feeling your pantlegs shake when the drums/bass get going and your fillings rattle when the guitars kick in.

 

You can't *feel* rock with an iPhone and earbuds.

[quapman]

They think it's dead because it's all just labels.

As Bender stated, Chuck Berry was there in the beginning. Everything after that is evolution.

Murph also said it very well.

 

Like everything, music evolves. As far as I'm concerned there are only 2 labels.

Good Music,,, and Bad Music.

Both are subjective.

 

What I label as good, you may hate. Who cares.

 

If you like it, enjoy it. Don't label it.

[Twiz]

I think that (for lack of a better word) movements in rock will die or evolve to something else. But, the spirit of rock and roll will never die. It just might not sound exactly like the stuff that preceded it. Like any art form, it's going to change. As long as people want to have sex and rebel against something, rock and roll will live.

[DanvillRob]

But Rock IS dead!

 

[EllenGtrGrl]

As was said in earlier posts, new rock isn't really dead - it's just not mainstream (as in pop music oriented) nowadays. Turn on any pop station, and what do you hear?, hip hop, diva singers, and the occasional pop country music crossover song. But new and interesting rock music exists. If I want to hear some really new metal, all I have to do is go to YouTube, or listen to the "Team Metal", metal show on WMSE (the local college radio station). Corporate related rock can still be heard on some stations (one of my co-workers [who also happens to sing in rock bands] has WIIL playing on her radio at the present time, with its typically corporate rock, metal, and hard rock format). It may not be as interesting as the kind of rock I like to listen to, but it sure beats hearing autotuned singing by Shakira, etc., or boring, simple rhythm, not very melodic stuff by whatever "rapper/hip hopper of the month" is in vogue.

 

Like I've known since the 90s, the good stuff is out there, you just have to do some looking to find it.

[milod]

Actually I would say that "rock," country and everything else is "dead" in terms of what we collectively heard and saw up into the 1980s.

 

And really I could make a case that it went "dead" in the 1970s.

 

Why?

 

Because in the '50s and '60s into the '70s, "we" had relatively very few venues for mass knowledge of various bands and sounds. Everybody in much of the world knew about Elvis, Chuck Berry, Link Wray, Roy Orbison, the Beatles, the Stones... etc., etc., etc.

 

In fact those were so well known that they're obviously legendary. Even "I can't get no satisfaction" has been remade into familiar but soothing elevator music.

 

Then came cable television, later the Internet, and ... now one has to dig for music one likes whereas in my own younger years, you had less opportunity to hear alternatives, but greater exposure to "the" big, popular trends manufactured exactly for the fewer media.

 

OTOH, whether I like the stuff or not, being a grouchy old man, I think probably we have more musicians who are more technically skilled and who have far more listening experience to draw from in their own creativity. One listens to Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue" and you've gotta realize that the "lead guitar break" almost could be considered semi-pathetic low-level amateur by standards of later "stars."

 

But the weakness for today's younger musicians looking for their own musical expression is that they don't have "the big trend" either to follow or intentionally to offer a counterpoise as one found in the Beatles vs. Stones discussions of the mid '60s.

 

Another good point made here: Kids - heck, old people - don't dance in the percentages they once did. I remember my parents all dressed up in the early '50s headed out 30 miles to the Skyline Ballroom for a night of dancing with their friends. Now you've got a relatively few saloons with live music and a postage stamp dance floor for a bit of belly rubbing or a larger dance floor for whatever goes as "dance" nowadays.

 

Ain't the same.

 

What I think it means, though, is that musicians who wanna make money at it and still do their own thing, whether it's old guys playing old rock or country to old people at a country club, or kids playing for kids in young adult saloons, is that they've gotta also study their market and adjust their performance to that market. And IMHO that's far more difficult than it was in the post WWII world up through the early '70s for all "popular" music venues.

 

Note I emphasize "performance" even more than "music." What makes an audience at a given venue willing to pay the money that more than covers the cost of the evening's "entertainment?"

 

If the audience is happy with their entertainment, they'll support the music itself...

 

m

[kaleb]

I thought you were taking a break from here?

 

Yeah, well I lied! Actually, I don't come on here as much as I used to.

 

Proof that rock isn't dead: we're still playing it. People still go see classic bands. The younger generation is just as blown away by "Whole Lotta Love" as the baby-boomers were back in 1969.

 

The problem is that with some newer bands, the ambition isn't there. The dangerous-ness, the energy, the fun, the rebellion, the self-indulgence. Let's face it, these days people are too pampered and too many musicians don't wanna break the rules. And the ones that do aren't as exposed as they should be.

 

For example, these days people call 100w Marshall stacks overkill. But back in the day, a 100w Marshall meant you had balls (assuming you knew how to use it).

 

Overkill is good (yes, the band too!), volume is good, in-your-face is good.

[milod]

Kaleb...

 

Never had a 100-watt Marshall.

 

But... how 'bout a 120-watt AIMS Dual 12? I think it still can break windows. <grin>

 

I, of course, am far too mature even to think of such a thing.

 

(And if you believe that, check with your local shrink.)

 

m

[kaleb]

Kaleb...

 

Never had a 100-watt Marshall.

 

But... how 'bout a 120-watt AIMS Dual 12? I think it still can break windows. <grin>

 

I, of course, am far too mature even to think of such a thing.

 

(And if you believe that, check with your local shrink.)

 

m

 

You're never too old to crank it up!