The Death of Rock 'n Roll . . .

6.24.2005

Before I go on my latest rant, I want to make sure people understand a few things. I know that the music industry is about making money, I know pop music is not made for me. But this is my world, and I can bitch about it.

Modern Music. I have metioned this on a number of forums, but it bears reapeating. Creativity is dead in the music industry. Try to make groundbreaking music, and you will be poor and unknown your entire life. I am not a huge U2 fan, but Bono said something very true at U2's recent induction into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. First he went on to bash the music execs and the garbage they were force feeding the public, then he said (and I am paraphrasing) it is really sad, that a band like U2, would never get signed in this day and age . . Think about that, think about the new music you hear on the radio, U2, a band that has sold millions of albums, and been perhaps one of the most influential bands of the modern era, would not get signed today and if signed would get no airplay.

Music today follows a formula.

Pop: Find a sexy hot male/female (it helps if they can sing, but not nessecary), give them some cheese ball lyrics, and a funky dance beat. The lyrics must definietly either be about sex, imply that (not even subtley). I have gone of on this a bit on may last blog entry: Malach's to ELIMINATE List, and especially went to town of the ladies, but it is just as bad with the males. There is nothing I see creative going on in Pop music. Now don't get me wrong, it has it's place, but when you see how serious someone like Britney Spears takes herself, it makes me want to vomit. Addtionally, why does everyone over sing everything. Hold a note, no one cares to hear you go up and down you vocal range. You need help, listen to Aretha, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Ross, Cindy Lauper, Robert Flack, Jill Scott, Lauren Hill, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye. And if you really need a hit get the latest in hip hop flavor (or Lil' John) to appear in you video/on you track.

There is also a large group of pop stars who have what it takes, but don't seem to have the guts to fight the system. Justin Timberlake is very talented, as is Alicia Keyes, but they are missing something.



Hip Hop/Rap: To make a Hip Hop/Rap song nowadays (their are one in the same don't fool yourself), get a heavy bass laden beat, and rap about how hard you are, how many guns you own, what you gonna do to fools that cross you, how many "bitches" you had sex with and what position you had sex with them, how much Mary Jane you smoke, and how much you drink. The more yelling of things like "WHAT"you add the better. Also just randomly throw profanity and racial slurs in it. It also helps to have every other hip hop artist in the world in your video or songs. By the way, what the Hell is this Lil' John guy but annoying. Is he just a weird looking hanger on? At one time this genre of music was the MOST vital in the industry, and now it is a joke. Take Eminem. Very talented, mired in this "i have to be controversial" crap.

You guys need to go back a few years and take a long look at early to mid hip hop: Public Enemy, NWA, Erik B. and Rakim, Boogie Down Prodcutions, Run DMC, Grand Master Flash, De La Soul.


Hard/Heavy Rock: Is pretty much dead. Most of the stuff here is screaming over guitars. Gone is a genre that defined a generation. Part of it's death was hair metal, the final nail was Nirvana. One band System of a Down is pretty decent. Much of rock and roll could look back on a few bands, and revive this genre. Helmet, Clutch, and Orange 9mm. Anyone remember the locomotive that was Guns n' Roses?


Alternative: Ok, this is a bit of a misnomer . . . and Alternative to what? At one time Alternative was underground music, then the 90's (and the explosion of underground bands)changed all that and now you have whiny emo rock bands that all pretty much sound that same, and suck. The other peice to this is the rock/rap fusion bands: band like Linkin' Park, Incubus, Korn. Again, boring teenage angsty garbage. They are all trying to be Nirvana with much less talent. . . There is some good stuff mixed in here . . The Foo fighters, The White Stripes, The Strokes . . . do me a favor and pick up and album by Ween, Cake, or the Pixies. You young musicians, make this genre vital again. Go back and study, old REM, Sonic Youth, and Lou Barlows various Incarnations. And listen to the Beatles and the Beach Boys.



R&B: no longer exists and hasn't since the 70's which is sad. The stuff they label as R&B is just pop music. Bring back real R&B. Buckos, check out Otis Redding, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and those old school Motown bands. That was R&B. Aw Hell, even the Jackson 5.


Adult Alternative: When did they change the name from Light/Soft rock. There are actually some very good songwriters here . . . Sara Maclaughlin, Bare Naked Ladies and so on.

Country: See pop Music, add a country Twang and a Banjo. I can't even think of any modern Country I can stomach, someone give me a clue! Go back to the old days.

Punk: Pop music with green hair. Punk Band nowadays make this really annoying style of music. Even Blink 182, and Green Day are pretty annoying. Get back to real punk. Punk was always anti-society, anti-normalcy, now punk or pro that.


The other part that is really annoying is that these modern bands don't even seem to know or acknowledge any music before 1990. Bands that don't follow this formula don't get signed, or get signed to small labels with little distribution. Open you musical ear, and stop listening to stuff on the radio and MTV are stuffing down your throats. A some other artist to check out that son't get a lot of radio time? Beck, Pj Harvey, Bjork, Miles Davis, Morphine, Johnny Gutar Watson, Coltrane, and Amazing Crowns.


And this might sound hypocritical, but the 60's and 70's are over. Led Zepplin were nice, but the world has moved on.

I am Malach you are not!