Old Guys and New Music - closed ears???

prog_rockin_metal_man · Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:35 pm

"Any youngsters here feel that rock is better than ever, and if so, why?"

hell no!!! I'm one of the younger members here (20 years old) and I hardly ever listen to newer music. I used to be into the modern rock scene when I first started getting into music in 9th grade. Once I discovered bands like Metallica, Led Zeppelin and Rush that was it for me. These bands opened up a whole new world of song structures and musicianship that I had never experienced before. Ever since then I've been looking for the classics and the bands that we're really revolutionary. I came to discover many great bands and different styles like Blues, Jazz, Prog Rock, Thrash Metal and others. I even got heavily into classical music (isn't it ironic that I'm one of the youngest members but I listen to some of the oldest music?).

The music scene today seems so generic and lame compared to the music of past generations. I think my problem is that with things like rock metal and punk ,which are some of the more popular styles today, I find that I can find better examples of those styles in older music. The contemporary counterparts of these styles seem so commercial and watered down to me. There are a few bands that I sort of like and will listen to if I hear their song on the radio or something but I don't have any of their albums. I would much rather listen to my Rush albums which is what I listen to 95% of the time and I'm fine with that. I do keep an open ear for new bands that might be good but I never find anything that really moves me like the classics do.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:14 pm

Nice post, Matthew.

I've found if there is not really good musicianship, melody, composition, melody, good lyrics, melody, decent voices (though my wife would agrue that last one) and melodic playing/singing/writing, I just can't get interested. I have always been able to find this through the decades (I'm 54) but it has been more rare than the norm, especially since the disco era mid-late 70's.

Here's a though - for us older fuddy-duddies, name a few recent/current artists you like.

Marc Broussard, some Creed, some Cold Play, MB20, Earthsuit, early Counting Crow (ok, fairly old), some Dave Matthews, some Linkin Park, Our Lady of Peace. Not a total list, but a start. Oh, Shamus Twins!

The article link was dead today.

bitzerguy · Post by **bitzerguy** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:27 pm

Hmmmm. I'm 46 and still only a fuddy. But for "new" bands I am into Jonas, Matt Mays and El Torpedo, Grim Skunk, some Bad Astronaut, all the Dexter Freebish I've heard and I really dig North of Malibu (are they new? or..)

I also get into ICBM. They need more tunes though.

...Dean

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:31 pm

Mr. Juden - "Rock" has become an incredibly subjective word.

A few posts back, Jeff Rath talked about how he listens to newer groups like 3 Doors Down, Foo Fighters, etc. All "rock" groups in my mind. More specifically, "nu-metal", "hard rock", and "alternative" groups.

For Matt, "rock" is more towards groups like Rush, Zeppelin, Metallica, etc. Okay, i'd say they're all rock too. "Metal" and "prog" IMO, but still "rock".

Rock in general has come to refer to hard/heavy music. You know the sound - huge distorted guitars, big drums, etc.

I don't listen to those groups. For me, it's Sufjan Stevens, Wilco, Bright Eyes, Death Cab for Cutie, Arcade Fire, Iron and Wine, Sigur Ros, and others. These are groups and artists that are equal parts ambience, American popular song, folk, alt-country, and electronica.

And for me, this is where the great songwriting, the innovative musicianship, the brilliant lyrics, and the great arrangements are coming from.

The bottom line is that it's not as simple as just listening to The Beatles anymore. They had it all and they'll never be touched. People who like The Beatles and complain about modern music have an uphill battle before them, unfortunatley.

In general, it's not as simple as turning on the radio. Modern radio rock, for the most part, plays the type of music that Jeff and Matt listen to. Bands like Zeppelin, Rush, Yes, an the Rolling Stones are suddenly one entity - "classic rock". And then there's the "alternative" and "nu metal" bands. And that's rock radio.

Looking for something new you might like? Email me for some suggestions.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:12 pm

John, another argument for satellite radio. But after a few years at it thats getting routine too, just no commercials. There is The Verge on XM for unsigned...

If I didn't enjoy music so much, there are times I think its almost too much effort. Presently I've spent a lot of time listeneing to the 60s, and now I'm parking on the 50s.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:19 pm

John, this may sound strange, but I prefer to keep my "terrestrial" radio because it forces me to listen to things. I feel like if I just got what I wanted all the time, I wouldn't able to branch out like I have.

For the last two months it's been nothing but WBGO Newark - the best damn jazz station in the tri-state area. And i'm thankful for finding it, because i've been able to get seriously schooled about guys like John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Count Basie, whereas I was only able to skim the surface before.

kenposurf · Post by **kenposurf** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:39 am

Sounds like a very cool Jazz station John..Ornette Coleman can be a tough listen..REALLY takes a concentrated ear.

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:04 am

Jeff R,

You and I have a lot in common regarding our musical tastes!

I'm 40 now and grew up on and still like the great ones, Beatles / Who / Zep etc. I like new (post 1990) stuff too. I've had a hard time keeping up with them though, so rely on a couple friends to "pre-chew" it for me also. For example, through the past 15 years or so, I'll tell them about a specific song I like and they'll let me know who it is and maybe even get a copy for me. Common denominators start showing up, like everything I've heard from Chris Cornell has really been great, IMO.
My current band plays nothing but newer stuff like Audioslave / Foo Fighters, and it's really fun and fresh for me. Besides, the scenery at the college gigs is a bonus!

expomick · Post by **expomick** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:40 am

Hey, Jeff Leake from The Verge says hi!!!

Again, great comments all around; I personally "side" with Mr. Biscuti.

As for the original link to the Toronto Star article...they revamped their website, thus it has been lost. Sorry about that.

Article synopsis: we middle-aged people (mostly middle-aged white guys) don't tend to seek out new music like we did when we were young....but there's still creative, interesting, catchy music out there...just not on the Clear Channel world of radio stations.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:50 am

I find it hard to get out of the 60s, 70s and 80s (I'm 55) but I occasionally latch on to something 'modern' that my 18 year old son is listening to. He and I sometimes play together and it's stuff from 'my' era like AC/DC (which he likes). We also do some Metallica and Rammstein stuff.

I agree with John A. in that I need most if not all of the elements he listed before something grabs my attention.

Call me a fuddy-duddy if you like but I find that a heck of a lot of modern music is very 'non-musical'.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:28 am

I grew up with Classic Rock ... I played it when it was cutting edge current music ... Then in the 80s I got disillusioned with MTV ... it became more about the video than the music ... the posers took over ... so during the 80s I went retro and played in blues bands ... then in the 90s grunge came along and it was about music and not about the image and the video ... so I got interested in modern music ... then about 2000 I started playing in bands again ... blues didn't seem to be a good fit any more so I got in a band that played modern music which lead me to play 5 string basses ... now I play different basses and different music ... but I still like some of the old stuff and I still play some of the old stuff ... but I really enjoy Green Day, American HI-FI, All American Rejects, Dream Theature, Jimmy Eat World ... etc ... and I like old King Crimson, Beatles .. etc ...

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:20 pm

John B. - with satt radio you get to pick the genre, but what you get is a LOT more varied playlist. Exposure to new/different artists and songs from artists is the common element; I've heard more new/different music/artists in the last few years than the last few decades.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:48 pm

Eminently astute observations, Mr. Biscuti.
Check is in the mail, Mr. Allgaier.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:29 pm

"Check is in the mail, Mr. Allgaier."

If I remember the purchase price correctly, it should be the other way around!! I keep thinking of that new 4003 and how some of those tunes would be.....

Have I ever told you how well I think Hello Hello is written and performed? Great lyric wordplay and a great tune. Always a smile.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:46 pm

Jerry - "I Hide" is my favorite. LOVE the main riff on that one, Fm7 to E7.