For several days now I've been listening to a local radio station that's been playing a chronological of rock music spanning the past three decades. Today they're on 1978 and man have I forgotten how good music was back then!
My personal collection includes Big Band, Classical, Blues, Jazz, Rock. And I find myself equally at home listening to New Wave, Punk, Disco, and Old School R&B. I'm pretty diverse in my tastes in that I can easily listen to ABBA's Greatest Hits after finishing Ministry's "In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up". ("angry white boy music" as a co-worker of mine calls it).
I really don't have a favorite year or decade that I consider better than others. The 50's are timeless in my mind. The 60's and 70's had music that I feel I grew up with more or less, and influenced a lot of my tastes today. And the 80's ushered in the New Wave era of which I'm not ashamed to say I was a big part of. The 90's didn't hold that much for me but I still enjoy just about every genre of music that I've heard to date. Almost every one that is. I still find it very hard to stomach Hip-Hop and I just can't understand the whole culture, language, and it's fashion.
Before you're quick to say that I'm launching a direct attack on it let me digress and say that I have all the respect in the world for past groups and artists who were pioneers of Hip-Hop. Voicing opinions on government, questioning the system, and expressing their anger- these were pressing issues that needed the world's attention at that time. And regardless of how rude they appeared to some people it was for a noble cause and it had to be said. No doubt they all made a truck load of money also but it was the changing times and current issues that motivated them to give birth to this form of music.
But now it seems like anyone who can cover themselves in ridiculous jewelry, mispronounce words, and shout obscenities, finds themselves with a big fat record contract and truly annoying videos on MTV. And to be fair it's not just Hip-Hop that seems to be lowering their standards to produce the next big thing. The "angry white boy" music industry that spawned such great acts like Pantera, Slayer, Nine Inch Nails, and Ministry have begun a downward spiral in my opinion as well. No pun intended for all of you NIN fans. From what I see most of the new bands coming up in this genre of music just have to possess the ability to loudly clear their throats on mic and another star is born. Not long ago I even heard a band who's lead singer was a girl trying to perform in this style and they sounded idiotic. Tell me, is today's talent pool that shallow that this is all we can come up with now?
That's why I have and always will say that music from 20 plus years ago was head and shoulders above what's being made today. There is absolutely no comparison, and I accept any challenges on this one. Artists like Hendrix and Clapton, and groups like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Boston, and Rush were as great back then as they are today. And they continue to have more staying power than any of today's talent. Back then they had bands that actually had musicians in them. They sang with their own voices and played their own instruments! Quite the concept to the younger generation today. These artists were not techno geeks who could program grunts and beeps from a computer, or someone who wears a hole in a record while sampling another artist's music. And when one of these greats passed away they were immortalized by their work, not their east coast or west coast affiliations. Back in the day you wrote, composed, and performed your music by yourselves. And the whole bling factor, if any, was in your set and it's light show, not half dressed women prancing around combined with an entourage of posers.
And that my friends is what separates true artists from a flash in the pan. Call me an opinionated old fart who thinks the current generation lacks substance from his but that's how I see it. In a way most of us all grow older in this frame of mind. And not being able to understand the next generation from yours has and will go on forever. But regardless of your age, if you truly call yourself a music aficionado, I'm sure you'll have no problem agreeing with me on this one. Now go put on side two of Dark Side of the Moon and see what I mean.
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