JeramieOK
The Death of Music?
When it comes to music I’m a purist of sorts. I think rock should sound like rock, country like country, blues like blues, etc. Guitars were meant to be played for more than two or three “power cords.” And most of all music needs heart and soul. Think Susan Tedeschi.
There is a lot of Garbage out there! Tokyo Hotel, Seriously what the hell. And this new punk era. Pssst, its been done before. It was called the 80’s. Ever hear of the Ramones? Country isn’t doing much better but at least there is some talent wearing boots. However, very few of today’s country stars look like they could go stretch fence or worm cattle shortly after stepping off of their multi-million dollar tour bus.
That being said, I think music overall has headed in a bad direction. There is still some quality music being created but a lot of the stuff being pushed in the Main Stream is pure junk and will never withstand the test of time. It may serve its purpose by collection millions from the masses but in 20-30 years will anyone still be singing it?
Fogerty released the song Fortunate Son in 1969. It will be 30-years old this coming year. Still, anyone who loves music can pick out the slides at the opening of that song in an instant. Black Dog (Zeppelin) or All Along the Watch Tower (Hendrix) will grab an ear in and not let go until the song is over. Crap even Free Bird, which has been played beyond its worth, is still a basic necessity. I honestly don’t think that can be said about the vast majority of the sounds pumped out today.
Possum said, “He stopped loving her today”, that in fact wasn’t George’s chair after all, and Freddie Fender apparently Wasted some Days and Nights. All are still withstanding the test of time. But how true are the roots of Country today? I can’t imagine Hank singing anything about a Freak Parade or a rapping cowboy. Has the line that defines music been blurred indefinitely? Have the very roots been pulled from the depths and tossed to the side in the name of capitalism, fame, and idolism?
Perhaps Music is in a funk like SNL and will eventually return. However I think it will take a time freezing riff, culture shattering lyrics, or a sound so Unique that it cant be dismissed. I remember, as a teen, standing in our living room mouth agape at a new sound blaring from the family set. “With the lights out it’s less dangerous. Here we are now entertain us. I feel stupid and contagious. Here we are now entertain us.” Is it going to take another Nirvana to wake the drone beats falling like bricks from our speakers? Have we grown so far away from the soul of Music that voices like Ella and Billie no longer command attention? Are the LP’s and recordings of the past the music of a dismal future due lack of heart, lack of soul, and lack of true depth?
So here is my question, is music dead or simply in a deep slumber?
The Death of Music?
When it comes to music I’m a purist of sorts. I think rock should sound like rock, country like country, blues like blues, etc. Guitars were meant to be played for more than two or three “power cords.” And most of all music needs heart and soul. Think Susan Tedeschi.
There is a lot of Garbage out there! Tokyo Hotel, Seriously what the hell. And this new punk era. Pssst, its been done before. It was called the 80’s. Ever hear of the Ramones? Country isn’t doing much better but at least there is some talent wearing boots. However, very few of today’s country stars look like they could go stretch fence or worm cattle shortly after stepping off of their multi-million dollar tour bus.
That being said, I think music overall has headed in a bad direction. There is still some quality music being created but a lot of the stuff being pushed in the Main Stream is pure junk and will never withstand the test of time. It may serve its purpose by collection millions from the masses but in 20-30 years will anyone still be singing it?
Fogerty released the song Fortunate Son in 1969. It will be 30-years old this coming year. Still, anyone who loves music can pick out the slides at the opening of that song in an instant. Black Dog (Zeppelin) or All Along the Watch Tower (Hendrix) will grab an ear in and not let go until the song is over. Crap even Free Bird, which has been played beyond its worth, is still a basic necessity. I honestly don’t think that can be said about the vast majority of the sounds pumped out today.
Possum said, “He stopped loving her today”, that in fact wasn’t George’s chair after all, and Freddie Fender apparently Wasted some Days and Nights. All are still withstanding the test of time. But how true are the roots of Country today? I can’t imagine Hank singing anything about a Freak Parade or a rapping cowboy. Has the line that defines music been blurred indefinitely? Have the very roots been pulled from the depths and tossed to the side in the name of capitalism, fame, and idolism?
Perhaps Music is in a funk like SNL and will eventually return. However I think it will take a time freezing riff, culture shattering lyrics, or a sound so Unique that it cant be dismissed. I remember, as a teen, standing in our living room mouth agape at a new sound blaring from the family set. “With the lights out it’s less dangerous. Here we are now entertain us. I feel stupid and contagious. Here we are now entertain us.” Is it going to take another Nirvana to wake the drone beats falling like bricks from our speakers? Have we grown so far away from the soul of Music that voices like Ella and Billie no longer command attention? Are the LP’s and recordings of the past the music of a dismal future due lack of heart, lack of soul, and lack of true depth?
So here is my question, is music dead or simply in a deep slumber?