Thursday, January 17, 2008

What Happened to the Rock Gods

Culture defines the generations that it confines. Music, art, and speech opens minds to new thoughts and perceptions on what could and ought to be. It shapes our futures. Through its impact our lives become richer as we push the limits of whats accepted or deemed as normal. With the dawning of the 50's the world was introduced to Buddy Holley as he beconned in a new age, that of Rock and roll. The music progressed throughout the decade and spread to the rest of the world. As the 60s came to be a British invation came, Bringing with it, most notably, the beatles, the Rolling Stones and Cream. Theses bands changes music and taught that music was more than just words on a page but feelings, raw emotion played out on an infinatly changable medium of the electric guitar. The late 70s saw Zepplin and Skynard. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers roared, but as of 1981 it all ended. What Happened to these stars, these Rock Gods if you will. Black Sabbath was the Last to fill stadiums with a couple of hits in the 80s. Throughout the 1960-1980 rein that this new rock had society changed. People lived by new rules. Why did that change. We have seen a recent rebirth with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, 311, the Urge and Incubus. But of late One hit pop wonders have dominated the air waves again. Why this change why the shift from pushing the Limits. Support Music that changes Ideas and conveys raw emotion. Its our best hope for progression.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well Josh, first and foremost, welcome to our class, the red team was certainly lacking without your presence. Now to the post, I appreciate and agree with your feeling about the music the defines an era. It's sad that in place of "rock gods" there is a slew of "pop royalty". You may have the occasional original artist and within no time at all, there are 15 new acts that are replicating the exact same sound. I'm just nostalgic for the past.

Keith McKay said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Keith McKay said...

Ouch on the comment about Red Team lacking, though I am glad to have you in our world domination team (keep that quiet for now). I think the problem, Josh, is that bands have stopped trying to make music that changes ideas. They repeat the same themes that have been used since 1990, and instead of attempting innovation for the sake of the music of the cause, the look for popularity, thus copying whatever group is "in" at the time. It makes for a very gradual, lazy musical progression, and we miss the days when all of a sudden a new band came along that was DIFFERENT.