Rock Music.. Then and Now
I have a friend in the music business who only listens to Rock 'classics'. Hasn't given contemporary Rock music any play. Shame. There is always great music coming out that's worthy of a listen. Although I don't stay up on Rock music the way I did when I was younger, I still like to hear what's being played. I do like listening to Three Doors Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nickleback, Bush, and groups like that.
Having said that, I think there are two points that are worth mentioning, one, although there is always good music coming out, I think what sets the rock music of the 60's and 70's apart from today is not just the quality but the quantity of the quality back then. Not only did you have the British invasion with the Beatles, Stones, Led Zeppelin and groups like that, but you also had lots of great bands here as well like the Eagles, Allman Brothers, Lynard Skynard, Grand Funk, Creedence, Hendrix, and tons of others. Just an unbelievable amount of talent.
The other thing that jumps out at me is, how come bands today can't or won't jam like bands back then? Back then it was nothing for groups to jam or extend or whatever you want to call it for 7, 8 minutes at a time. Is it that the people who control the record, or should I say CD business don't allow that kind of playing or is it just that bands today like it short and sweet for the most part? Or was it the drugs that most bands were using back then that produced that ability to jam? Maybe some or all of it, or none of it, but I just wonder why most rock groups today with some exception just don't do long jams anymore.
Looking back, 60's and 70's Rock music was a different breed of music. Although I like much of today's music, I just wish there was that kind of quality, and those long jams!
Having said that, I think there are two points that are worth mentioning, one, although there is always good music coming out, I think what sets the rock music of the 60's and 70's apart from today is not just the quality but the quantity of the quality back then. Not only did you have the British invasion with the Beatles, Stones, Led Zeppelin and groups like that, but you also had lots of great bands here as well like the Eagles, Allman Brothers, Lynard Skynard, Grand Funk, Creedence, Hendrix, and tons of others. Just an unbelievable amount of talent.
The other thing that jumps out at me is, how come bands today can't or won't jam like bands back then? Back then it was nothing for groups to jam or extend or whatever you want to call it for 7, 8 minutes at a time. Is it that the people who control the record, or should I say CD business don't allow that kind of playing or is it just that bands today like it short and sweet for the most part? Or was it the drugs that most bands were using back then that produced that ability to jam? Maybe some or all of it, or none of it, but I just wonder why most rock groups today with some exception just don't do long jams anymore.
Looking back, 60's and 70's Rock music was a different breed of music. Although I like much of today's music, I just wish there was that kind of quality, and those long jams!
posted by Bill Thomas at 1:46 PM
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