wm (10/11/82)
I think one of the telling signs between the "old" music people are remembering and the current "schlock" is that today's bands seem to be obsessed with being different, creating a new sound that makes them unique. No wonder their music is short lived. This does seem to be strongly influenced by the current record company mentality that looks after the trends, and who cares if they will be requested in 10 years. Of course, back in the old days, rock was new and you could sing your song without worrying that someone else had sung it before. It was also a way to express yourself, not a way to make more money than you could ever need. It's sad. I'm trying to think of a band that has started up in the last few years who's early music is still played even now. When was the last time you heard "Psycho Killer" or Devo's "Satisfaction". Probably longer ago than the last time you heard an early Beatles or Led Zeppelin or Doors or any number of bands more than 10 years old. I'd be interested to hear anybody's exceptions to these. On the other side, I keep expecting video disks to change the face of the music scene. Who knows? Maybe we will have another 60's, if we don't get nuked first. Wm Leler - UNC Chapel Hill
markm (10/12/82)
Funny, today's groups don't sound all that different relative to each other to me. There are a few J.Geils, the Heads . . . But the rest are almost indistinguishable except for a basic structure (female lead vocal, male lead vocal, saxaphone, harmonica, or some other gimmick uniquely abundant). I look at it this way . . . in the early sixties, the industry was pushing all those Frankies, etc. they all sounded the same. Then in '64-ish everything came apart with the British invasion. Now they're pushing groups that are all pretty much the same. Safe lyrics and marketable sound. For example, the first verse of the Doors 'Land Ho' is 'The human race was die'in out/ No one left to scream and shout'. Anything like that lately? Just the usual stuff today. Granted, KISS (ugh) and the like put on a satanistic show, but it's just that - a glorified movie with no message. Now lets face it, kids today are smarter than ever, they go through their REO phase, but then the songs of the 'good ole days' overpower the candy-#$%ed stuff they push today. I think another factor is that the old groups had a certain 'style' in the way they did things (tearing up hotel rooms and the like). They were defiant. While todays groups seem so, they are still an industry, with too many obligations to permit the antics of days past. Anyway, with everything sounding the same again, there has to be another rennaissance (sp?) in the next few years . . . . . . or not. Probably coincide with the next minor war we get in (Lebanon?). If it coincides with a major war, it'll only be a 90 second rebirth before the apocolypse. MSMiller GR Concord, MA