re: Clambake Joe...

From: SJCurtis@cris.com (Scott Curtis)
>>>
[...]
As much as I like some of today's music, I don't think
it has near the intensity or impact as any of the aforementioned
groups. So why is this?
   

1. The music business has become more business than music. The money
that today's bands make has clogged up the abilty to write and perform
truly inspirational music.

2. MTV. They have narrowed young people's attention spans so much that
a new band has to either recreate itself every 6 months or suffer low
album sales. Can you imagine having to to a video to sell albums?

3. There is nothing new under the sun. Groups like the Who were the
last great inovators of rock music and everything we hear today is
just a rehash of what we heard 30 years ago.

Maybe it's a combination of the three or something else. I'd like to
hear your opinions.
<<<

Nice post, Scott.  Here's my 2 cents on your three points:

1)  I think this has been the case for a long time.  It's the old idea   
that a young, hungry artist writes more passionately and honestly than   
one living in a castle.  Most often exemplified by the statement "yeah, I   
loved their first two albums, then everybody started listening to 'em and   
now they suck."  I know people that believe the Who bit it when Tommy   
came out.

2)  MTV.  All you can say is that it started out with an ideal and   
rapidly turned into a cesspool of marketing crap.  I used to watch it all   
the time, back when all they did was play videos.  I never watch it now,   
save for the occasional Beavis & Butthead or Liquid Television.  Same for   
Rolling Stone. I canceled my subscription the first time they came out   
with a "Summer Fashion" issue.  Someday media types are going to realize   
that modern media marketing techniques are effective, but by their nature   
pollute and destroy their market.  But I'm just a stupid software   
engineer,  what the hell do I know about marketing?

3) I agree 100%.  The Who were, IMO, the last great innovators of modern   
music.  I know, Jeff, but The Sex Pistols only refocused the groove, and   
only briefly before the marketing buzzheads got ahold of the idea and   
created "New Wave" in the 80's (which was every bit as stupid as disco).   
 Maybe someday an artist will come along with a new approach, but if they   
do, they'll soon be run into the ground by marketing departments (see   
#2).

I'd add the following:  Overplay (day 1 of Mass Marketing 101).  Biggest   
enemy to a new band (killed Nirvana even before Cobain's suicide) and   
kiss of death to older bands (care to hear Stairway To Heaven again   
before you die?).  If there were radio stations who were willing to admit   
that there just might be a market for an intelligent station if they were   
willing to drop their profit margins .01% then we might have a chance at   
decent exposure without running something into the ground.  Gotta admit,   
though, I can't wait for that muzak version of Pearl Jam's "Evenflow"...

So, I'm willing to concede to the artists on point #1, as anyone who   
comes up with a Tommy or Dark Side of The Moon or Layla deserves to kick   
back, get fat and write pop songs the rest of their life.

But the other points I feel are mainly the fault of the audiences and   
their willingness to swallow whatever the promoters and marketers throw   
up.  As some on this list have pointed out, if you don't like it don't   
buy it.  I don't watch MTV, and I listen to little radio.  I pay the   
30-50 bucks to see an artist I like, because that's what it takes, but I   
rarely buy the t-shirt, the program, the $5.00 Budweiser or the $3.50 hot   
dog.  That's my choice.  Like so many other things in life (this list   
included) I support the right of someone else to do what they want, as   
long as it's not harming someone else; but I have the right not to like   
it or participate.

Again, nice thread, Scott

OK,
KLW