[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

No Subject



RE: Rock is Dead

While I am a longtime Pete Townsend fanatic (I go back to "My Generation/The
Kid's are Alright"), I only discovered The Who digest a couple of months ago
through a friend. I appreciate the knowlege of most of the postings I read,
as Pete is one of the people who keeps me sane - even today. Thanks everyone.

Scott Curtis brings up a conversation that's close to my heart. Why don't the
bands of today have the impact of bands of yesteryear? I opt for -3- "there
is nothing new under the sun" (Rock is Dead). However, I do not agree that
groups like The Who were the last great innovators of rock music. Please
indulge me:

The last meaningful innovative movement in rock music took place in New York
and London in the late 70's. The Punk/New Wave movement was headed by
Ramones, Patti Smith, Talking Heads and Television in New York and Sex
Pistols, Clash, Buzzcocks and Elvis Costello in England. All of these bands /
people moved their generation with explosive/innovative rock.

To me, this was the final defining moment in rock. Since this movement, all
rock has sounded basically the same. Some new bands that I have thought were
pretty good (Nirvana, U2) sound like new wave bands.Since the Punk/New Wave
movement, we have heard no excessive experimentation like we heard in the
late 60's/early 70's. No sitars, no classical, no glam, etc, etc. We have
heard a rehashing of new wave. All the b.s. stopped. At that moment, we knew
what rock was. In Pete's day, it still wasn't clear.

When we look behind this defining moment in rock, who do we see behind it??
Who were the influences?? No question - Pete looms very large (listen to the
early Clash. This is great, great rock with Pete's stamp all over it. Did
Ramones listen to Pete when they were kid's?? Check it out). There are
clearly others (Lou Reed / John Cale come to mind), but Pete knew and felt -
unconsiously - what rock was right at the beginning.

So, my opinion is that the "primary source" material will always sound
better/be more inereresting/have more impact  and therefore be more valid
than the later day interpreters. The last "primary source" work that we have
to listen to was Punk/New Wave. This will be it, I believe, until some kid
comes up with the next New Wave. However, I don't think that this will be
guitar based rock. This trend in popular music (culture) is fully developed
and explored. I believe it will be someting done with the aid of computers.
It will move kids the way Pete moved me and "my generation", however, it will
finally put rock officially in the history books much like rock put Frank
Sinatra and the blues in the history books. I'll stay with rock myself, as
this is the music of my generation. It will be good, however, to see kid's
moved the way I was. It hasn't happened since the late 70's, except in black
music, where rap has clearly moved kids in the manner that I am referring to.

Today, I read people like Robert Christgau (Village Voice) try to tell me
that P.J. Harvey is a "genius". With hope (though it is probably only
nostalgia), I race out and buy "To Bring You My Love". I have to laugh to
keep from crying. It sucks. It's boring. I understand that in order to make a
living, Christgau has to perpetuate the myth that rock is still vital.
However - Scott - there are at least two of us that can hear and feel that
nothing could be further from the truth.
Thanks for listening. All comments are welcome.
Hey - when we talk about great rock drummers, let's not forget Mitch
Mitchell. He drove Jimi crazy. After Keith, I think he was the best.

Thanks - Jack