"I hate modern music!"

[skonopa]

Here is another interesting missive on the current state of modern music by one of the youth correspondants at the local newspaper.

I tend to agree with the most part of what he said in that article that it seems a lot of the current popular music is so "fake" and "manufactured", as oppose to real talanted musicians creating real music. Fortunatly for me, I don't listen to any of that garbage and I do go out of my way to look for "real" music by "real" musicians.

And if I find anything interesting, I'll be sure to post it in the current "weekly music recommendation".

[picky]

{Well whaddaya know....I now have "No life"! 1,000 Posts and going strong! Woo-Hoo!}

skonopa: I think I know where you are coming from. I am a former professional musician. The tenor of the article actually sounds like a rehash of some written some 20 years ago when "New Wave" and "Electronic" music (we'll refer to it as "Techno" here) both first appeared.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, many classic rock musicians (who were still reeling from the disco era) were having cows over the fact that the new wavers were simply recycling older music and then adding "garbage" vocals to it. That was their opinion not mine. I enjoyed the onslaught of new bands such as "The Police", "The Knack", "Cars", etc. But, most of the musicians I worked with resented the new groups. The other problem classic rock musicians had was that Techno was created electronically, using keyboards and drum machines. "Fake" and "manufactured" were some key words used back then to describe Techno. Although that may be true, it still took talent to program and play those instruments, so I also enjoyed the refreshing difference that Techno made in our music culture. The musicians I worked with considered Techno, no-talent, computer-music that was akin to cheating.

I am not singling out classic rock musicians here nor am I trying to make them look like the bad guys. I am only re-telling the way it actually was back then and using that as an example. DJ's were also beginning to replace live bands at weddings and other large receptions and today, it is rare to see a live band an any large social event. So, rightfully so, the musicians were concerned about their jobs.

It seems that with each new generation of sound, brings with it new prejudices from the "reining" generation's likes and dislikes. This was true when rock-a-billy and rock-n-roll replaced the 1940s big band music and it was true when industrial, grunge and alternative replaced new wave. The same is true with today's Rap, R&B, Hip-Hop and pop music. I have discovered that aligning oneself to these prejudices makes one a lot like their own parents may have been; "Turn that down! How can you listen to that junk? What on earth are you listening to?" Sound familiar?

Although, I must admit that I too am not very fond of the current pop music, I can tell you that a couple of things still hold true that existed as far back as the 1950s. When the echo chamber was first developed and utlized to enhance music back in the 1950s, the words "fake" and "manufactured" were all over the press in description of this new sound. It happened again when fuzz guitars were introduced, and when Phil Spector developed his "Wall of Sound" and again when Dell Shannon first used the flanging effect and again when Emerson Lake and Palmer released their stellar synthesizer hit, 'Lucky Man'. See a pattern here?

The more music changes, the more it stays the same. We can choose to accept the change and move on, or we can chose not to. And for those who choose not to, there are plenty of Oldies but Goodies out there. No one is wrong here. That's the beautiful thing about music; there's always something for everybody. Now, where is that Nine Inch Nails CD of mine...? Interesting thread. thanks Steve.

[Fuchal]

Of course, alongside the popular music, there's some great music being created today that few know about.

[thebes]

I've got to go along with Picky on this one. It seems to me that music being art goes through phases. Sometimes there is a cultural, social or artistic blooming and sometimes its the same old same old. Music has it's ups and downs, but thanks to this place I know how much good music is still coming out today.

What is different is that the music industry is now much more monolithic, particularly radio so we don't get as exposed to as much of it.

Finally, ever hear the early Beetles. They sucked big time. Later they got very, very good. Pop is pop, it's like bubblegum, chew on it for awhile and throw it away.

[skonopa]

----------------

On 9/28/2004 4:33:22 PM thebes wrote:

Pop is pop, it's like bubblegum, chew on it for awhile and throw it away.

----------------

I guess that is why they call it "Bubblegum Pop".

But, yeah, I can see where Picky is coming from. I remember my parents getting on me and my brother's case when we were cranking up the Pink Floyd, The Cars, Styx, Rush, and etc. Now, it seems that I get irratated at the kids driving around thumping thier car stereos playing Rap, especially in the middle of the night when I am trying to sleep.

For Techno/Eletronica, I can appreciate the talent that goes into creating that music. Several years ago, I tried my hand at it myself using a Yamaha keyboard and a Yamaha DB50XG synth-card in my PC and CakeWalk Pro MIDI sequencer (a copy of which was supplied with the Yamaha synth-card). I wish I still had some of those tracks that I did manage to create, but the friggan harddrive I was using at the time crapped up royally before I had a chance to make a backup (This was a blazing fast 486DX66 comp with a wopping 8megs of RAM and another wopping 420meg harddrive). I still got the card and the keyboard, so maybe I'll go throw it into one of these spare machines I got and try my hand at it again.

But what is said, there seems to be something for everybody. If the kid next door likes to crank up 50-cent, what is it for me to say he is "wrong" (as long as I don't have to hear it), but at the same time, I will continue to support the music and bands that I like to listen to.

As for the music industry, it is getting monolithic. It seems that everytime I listen to FM radio, I am hearing the same six tired old songs that I've been hearing for a long time. I did go and invest in XM-Radio, and I very much enjoy the variety as well as not having any commercials. $10/month is not much money for me, and not having to put up with commercials is worth it right there, in my opinion.

Also, I am hoping that as the internet gets more "mainstream", more and more acts will be putting up there music, at least samples of it, for download, with the option to buy the CD (or even vinyl) for those of us that want it. I am very concerned with the record and movie industry getting Congress to try to pass this "Induce Act". That will completely stifle innovation. I don't care how much the recording industry and the backers try to sugre coat it. As far as I am concerned, they can call it a Rose, but it still stinks.

Between XM-Radio, the Music Choice channels on my DirecTV service, and the internet, I've found a lot of great music that I would not have otherwise ever heard of just by simply listening to FM radio. I mean, come-on, find me a Clear Channel station that'll play the likes of Nightwish, or Stratovarious, or Kamalot! Not in this area!

I simply find this an interesting topic of discussion, so that is why I brought up.

[cluless]

Yeah - If you seek new music among the pop divas and the billboard charts you are going to be sorely dissapointed...

BUT HASN'T THAT ALWAYS BEEN THE WAY?

[Fish]

I'm in the modern music kinda sucks camp.Its not all bad but I see fewer future legends and artist and more bs every year,imho only.Don't even get me started on musicianship,although there are still a few its too few.

[picky]

----------------

On 9/28/2004 4:33:22 PM thebes wrote:

Pop is pop, it's like bubblegum, chew on it for awhile and throw it away.

----------------

HA-Ha-Ha! That must be why they were selling Brittany Spears' chewed gum on Ebay a couple of weeks ago! SERIOUSLY! LOL!

Didn't the term "bubblegum" actually come into play about the time "The Archies" released their hit single 'Sugar, Sugar' back in 1969?

----------------

On 9/28/2004 6:21:27 PM skonopa wrote:

But, yeah, I can see where Picky is coming from. I remember my parents getting on me and my brother's case when we were cranking up the Pink Floyd, The Cars, Styx, Rush, and etc. Now, it seems that I get irratated at the kids driving around thumping thier car stereos playing Rap, especially in the middle of the night when I am trying to sleep.

----------------

That's exacty right, Steve! It's a cycle that continues to repeat itself. Being older, I have seen this occur numerous times with each generation. Thankfully, I've stayed rather open-minded. Now, at 52 I am the one my friends of the same age group complain about. They hate the modern music I listen to and tell me that their kids all listen to it too. I hear, "How can you listen to that crap?" from my own friends. LOL! That makes me laugh really hard. All they want to hear when they come over is oldies. And that's fine. But, just because we're a bunch of geezers, it doesn't mean we have to listen to "Dinosaur-Rock!" LOL! Damn, I love music! It speaks to all ages and cultures.

----------------

On 9/28/2004 6:21:27 PM skonopa wrote:

As for the music industry, it is getting monolithic. It seems that everytime I listen to FM radio, I am hearing the same six tired old songs that I've been hearing for a long time.

----------------

Right again, Steve. However, playlists have been around since the 1950's. In fact, there were some people prosecuted back then for a Payola scam where the records companies allegedly paid-off radio disc jockeys to play only certain songs. Many of the formulac stations today actually play only the top-100 songs and you can virtually tune in at the same time of the day Monday-through-Friday and hear the same song played about the same time each day. In fact, for years, since at least the 1970s, many radio shows are pre-recorded with the music and voice-overs already added and then simply distributed to affliated stations. Only the local commercials are different. That doesn't make it the wrong or the right thing to do, but the music business has been monolithic for a lot longer than you may realize.

_______________________________________

Sex has always been a huge factor in modern music including the lyrics and the presentation. I remember when they banned showing Elvis Presley from the waist-down during one of his early performances on the Ed Sullivan TV show because the censors considered his hip-shaking to be vulgar. But, today the package has become more seductive, and more literal. Instead of simulating the act of sex via some lyrics containing double-entendre and perhaps some skimpy or tight-fitting clothing with a few hips-shakes thrown in, now we have the "F-word" among other things and talk about "Ho's" and "booty" and half-naked costuming (Janet Jackson as a lame example), crotch-grabbing and hip thrusting. As I said; it's now literal and the respect that used to be implied of the relationship between a man and a woman has diminished to the point where it is nearly non-existant. Additionally, there is a distinct generation line now drawn across the floor with the use of hand gestures and clothing details imparting distinct meanings to those whom are street-smart, leaving those of us whom are not, out in the cold, and wondering what it's all about. I suspect this is all diliberate. It's a code and they (whomever that is?) don't want everyone to decipher it. The message being sent is: This is OURS not YOURS!: The voice of yet another, new generation.

Just like art (which music is part of) music seems to always have been a place where a blending of cultures occurs. Just as it did in the 50's when soul, the blues and rock-a-billy merged to form rock-n-roll, now hip-hop, rap and pop have joined to form R&B. Music is a rich amalgam of diversity, which seems to be ever-present on our radios yet so elusive in our everyday lives. One thing we can always count on to be a constant in music: Change.

Yo-yo-yo; Peace-out!

[edwinr]

1000 plus posts! Congratulations Picky, you 'NO LIFE' you..

[picky]

Thanks edwinr, ya little "Freak"! G'day, mate!

[thebes]

This continues to be a very good thread.

Yup Picky it was called Bubblegum Music but I would put the coining of the phrase closer to the mid-60's.

We are both of a same age and have seen these cycles come and go. Although playlists have been around for ever, there were always some local dj's and college stations thatwould bring out something new but there's really little of this these days. For example, every university in the Washington,DC area has sold their radio station to commercial interests. I'm talking Georgetown, George Washington, Catholic, and Howard. It seems to me that the suits own the music now and we are just customers to be conned into believing we have no music sense. I've walked and my car radio is now dead to me.

Skonopa's call on Nightwish is right on. By the way just shared it with a friend and he called me out of the blue just to thank me for turning him onto it. I'm thinking tht with BMG, Sony, Macintosh, and Microsoft muscling in on internet music the same will hapen there too with the few holdouts too balkinized to bring and sort of mass appeal for creative, musically talented bands. Watch how internet radio follows napster after the thugs shut them down because these stations can't afford to pay the licensing fees (ps did not approve of napster and it's ilk). Hope I'm wrong.

[TheEAR]

Agree with you people 100%,and yes too many talented artists never get what they deserve in terms of recognition and money.Too often these days manufactured clowns that belong to the poOp segment of music make the big bucks and have zero talent.

Remove the looks from most cutie pie babes shaking thier goods and what do you have? Not much left

I will not buy one CD,not one song from these plastic bimbos.I support true talent,not manufactured figurines.

[picky]

RIGHT ON, EAR!!!

These "packages" suffer from what I like to refer to as CBFS: "Crotch and Booty Fixation Syndrome":

Just one look at them.....and one can almost hear the music! .....Yeah, ....right. Looks more like a line-up at the local whorehouse...or, is that "Ho"-House?

I'll take this "Super-Sized" Woman any day. She can sing octaves (4 of them!) above the others!

(Ann Wilson of "HEART"): One, class act!

[skonopa]

----------------

On 9/29/2004 6:27:17 AM picky wrote:

Additionally, there is a distinct generation line now drawn across the floor with the use of hand gestures and clothing details imparting distinct meanings to those whom are street-smart, leaving those of us whom are not, out in the cold, and wondering what it's all about. I suspect this is all diliberate. It's a code and they (whomever that is?) don't want everyone to decipher it. The message being sent is: This is OURS not YOURS!: The voice of yet another, new generation.

----------------

I've noticed that myself, and frankly, they can keep it. I tried to listen to some of that Rap and Hip-Hop that seems to be so popular, but it does nothing but grate on my like finger-nails across a chalk-board.

In time, that generation will grow-up, and by then, it'll be interesting to see where the modern music scene is at (provided that the corporate "suits" does not kill it entirely off).

Thebes is right on about the radios though. Yes, I know playlists have been while, but there where several stations that always had thier own twists, plus it seemed DJ's had more free reign as to what to play. Now, it seems that all the radios play pretty much the same thing. I honostly think all those "Clear Channel" stations are like the "McDonalds" or radio. Predicatable, editble, but not all that great. I had a couple instances where I flipped between two stations, and they both were playing the exact same song at exactly the same time. I had to double check to see if I actually pressed the right button on my radio. And don't even get me started on the commrecials! It does seem there are more of them and they are more obnoxious. Got to the point that I just could not stand it anymore that I ended up getting XM-Radio.

Fortunatly, there are a few decent independent stations around, but, they are few and far between. Basically, I just don't listen to FM anymore, prefering to listen to XM Radio or my CDs.

[Frank Speaker]

Fear not the female side, grumpy old men.

Succumb to the seduction of beautiful women lest you fall to the floor in defeat.

Beautiful - Christina Aguilera

Everytime - Britney Spears

[BBB]

A fine post Picky however lets just skip the so-called music thats cranked out today. Where are the GREAT musicians that will forge the way for future musicians to emulate within the next decade? Frankly I dont hear or see any. Sure people can say they heard a few fine players that will hardly be noticed because they are stuck in the independent label trap. Maybe Im getting old and out of touch but do you know what? Musicians know. Im one and I talk to other musicians all the time. They agree with me AND Im talking about musicians of ALL ages. Where is the modern day MUSICIANS Musician? Hmmmm. Maybe their stealing the greats licks by sampling them. Im not negative. I just dont see any gurus on any instrument rising today. Shall I list names of some of the TRUE greats that have influenced players forever? Naaaaaah. I wont put you all through that.

[picky]

Frank: Old? Guilty! Grumpy? Naw, just disappointed.

BBB: Actually, I could not agree with you more! I am no longer active in the circuit but my fellow musician friends still are and their reactions mirror exactly what you are talking about. "Where is everybody?" Where are "the greats?" It's almost like we've gone from "Slow-hand" to "No-hand"!

I know one local kid (he's 19) who can shred like nobody's business. But, with no big-buck financial backing....it's "don't call us/ we'll call you"-time.

Play us out, Billy!

[BobbyT]

----------------

On 9/28/2004 1:55:57 PM Fuchal wrote:

Of course, alongside the popular music, there's some great music being created today that few know about.

----------------

you guys should check out www.cdbaby.com

[TheEAR]

----------------

On 9/30/2004 12:24:13 PM Frank Speaker wrote:

Fear not the female side, grumpy old men.

Succumb to the seduction of beautiful women lest you fall to the floor in defeat.

Beautiful - Christina Aguilera

Everytime - Britney Spears

----------------

Right,nobody dislikes the babes and fine booty here.

BTW did you notice it was a discussion about...MUSIC! I do not hear any music on your posts,more like a Playboy spread.

Great looking babes with ZERO musical talent should not sell so many "albums",sad but true so many teenagers will buy this CD just beacuse of a...great looking babe on the cover.These misguided little deaflings forget its MUSIC they should be duying not free pOOrn.

[edwinr]

With all the glitz and glamour associated with the latest 'fad' pop icon, it's easy to overlook the real talent that's coming through. Joss Stone is one example. Her debut album, 'The Soul Sessions' is truly outstanding. This lady is a bare footed angel who can, IMHO, match it with Aretha.

So put that in your individual pipes and smoke it, Mariah, Pink, Brittany, et al.