Where have classic rockers split to?

[Loren Booda]

A good 95% of the great rock acts of the '60's and '70's are now either slumming it by touring with just old material, fallen off the charts with recent failures or have yet to resurface. Did their style grow stale, their fans become disillusioned, or did they tire of each other?

Rock 'n' roll was truly revolutionary - it couldn't just burn out? (Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of good music out today, in my opinion not as consistently talented and prolific as rockers of yesteryear, though.)

 

[vedder]

I guess it depends on what one considers good music. Does a band need to be a mainstay on popularity charts to be considered good and revolutionary? Either way 95% may be a very kind estimate. For the most part, I think the revolutionary bands of the past were forced to pass the torch to the revolutionary bands of today. Or maybe the fans of these bygone giants have finally overcome the effects of all the drugs they ingested and realized that most of the music and revolutinaries of these late bands were not very good.

 

[Andy]

The Rolling Stones are still the greatest band in the world.

 

[Iamme]

We as humans tire of the same ol same old, and are looking for something new. It has become practically exponential with the population increase. The more we have, the more we want. Check out Best Buy's collection of C.D.'s/artists once. That says it all.

It used to be that you could name them all: Beatles, Rolling Stones, Cream, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, Dave Clark Five, Jefferson Airplane, Mamas and the Pappas, The 1910 Fruitgum Company, Tommy James and the Shondells, The Turtles, The Animals, The Doors, The Byrds, Lovin Spoonfull...there were lots then, as we had FM (sort of considered underground music that the druggies listened to) and AM bubblegum music (that the teeny-boppers listened to). But there was a finite limit of these groups.

Today, there are a gazillion groups. All these guys started to learn after watching acts like Kiss and Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne, that the wilder their shtik, the better their chances. They started off by having mid-length hair. Then they added smashing guitars. Then they started painting up their faces. Then they started eating bats. Then the fireworks started going off. Then, they all grew long hair. Then, they punked out with black-death themes, rings, tattoos...till we got to today: Marilyn Manson. And I think even HE is a has-been now. Just like that. I can see through that guy. He aint' really wacked like he comes across. He does that just so he can con kids into thinking he is some heavy messed-up dude. He don't fool me.

Anyway...you ever hear some of the old bands (lead singer) sing? Ouch. Stick a fork in them. I can't getr into watching a bunch of 50-60 year olds trying to act like they are cool, while you see their wrinkly, gravity stricken faces...listening to their howling. Every once in a while I see someone who is as excellent as they always were. Willy Nelson, at 70, is one of them. Paul Rogers from Bad Company still has a good voice. There are others. But some are pathetic and need to hang it up. Creedence Clearwater Rival is faking out people and they are really Creedence Clearwater Revisited, now. There is only one band member I think that is the original guy. Look at all the ones that died in plane crashes, od's, and suicides. It is a phenomenal number.

O.K., this is driving me nuts. I'm in a room with two other 50 year olds. None of us can remember the name of the group that sang "Inagodadavida". And I HAVE that album! Duh! (I'm posting this from a friends house)

 

[J/Psi]

(1) MTV and Clear Channel have killed music

(2) Rolling Stones did a top 500 albums of all time . . . of course there is a lot of room for disagreement in 500 albums; one thing stands out (at least to me) is the number of 60's 70's bands that populate the list.

 

[J/Psi]

Originally posted by Iamme

O.K., this is driving me nuts. I'm in a room with two other 50 year olds. None of us can remember the name of the group that sang "Inagodadavida". And I HAVE that album! Duh! (I'm posting this from a friends house)

IRON BUTTERFLY . . used to listen to the full version in study hall when i was in high school . also the first song i learned to play on the guitar (very easy, as you would expect)

 

[wasteofo2]

Music is constantly changing. You take one style, it's taken as far as it can go and then a new style is created which goes further.

People still like classic rock, everyon I know who likes guitar music (aside from punks/goths) likes classic rock.

 

[redrogue]

Don't forget Aerosmith!

Their music which started in the 60's is still popular today, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Cheers.

 

[wasteofo2]

Originally posted by redrogue
Don't forget Aerosmith!

Their music which started in the 60's is still popular today, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Cheers.

Aerosmith doesn't count anymore, they have songs written for them by people hired by their label.

 

[wolram]

rock and roll and motorbikes and rockers, sadly that
era has gone ,instead we have a plethora of middle
of the road mediocraty, with a few exceptions.

 

[Zero]

Guys? Seriously? You need to get past the 70s nostalgia, ignore MTV and the radio, and start reading guitar and bass magazines. They'll clue you in pretty quick to the fact that there are vibrant rock bands out there, thet play in something similar to the style of the 60s and 70s...and no, I don't mean bubblegum punk and prefab retro bands.

 

[wasteofo2]

Originally posted by Zero
Guys? Seriously? You need to get past the 70s nostalgia, ignore MTV and the radio, and start reading guitar and bass magazines. They'll clue you in pretty quick to the fact that there are vibrant rock bands out there, thet play in something similar to the style of the 60s and 70s...and no, I don't mean bubblegum punk and prefab retro bands.

Guitar and bass magazines? You've got to be kidding. I've never seen a guitar or bass magazine with anyone on the cover (or for that matter read an article in one) who wasn't on mtv/a legend like van halen or page.

 

[Iamme]

In my record collection from the 60's to 80's i have most of the classic rock bands, and then some. Today,...post '90 stuff that I haven't kept current with as I don't have a C.D. player...on cassette, I enjoy Lenny Kravitz, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, (some) 3 Doors Down, Oleander...and a number of current artists where, when I hear some grand production rock song coming through the 4 speakers in my van, I scream out, "Who IS that?! (as in, I want to go buy the song)

 

[jimmy p]

With Aerosmith, Steven Tyler nearly always hand a hand in what was being written didnt he, i mean on most of the songs I've seen they have been "Tyler/Bloggs/Other" or whatever

How about Santana, you guys missed Santana out!