I Love Reading Reviews By Teenagers On Amazon...

[aeon]

I love reading reviews by teenagers on Amazon...

 

...that express the feeling that their generation's music is {censored}e, and how (insert name of Brit Invasion Band Here)'s music is better.

 

To wit: (and yeah, Cindy is no spelling wiz, hehe )

 

I'm a 15 year old canadian and I'm discusted with the music of my generation. I am a musician and presently play bass, piano, gutair, and I'm working on my drumming skills. The only thing I bother to play is this great music. The bass in all these songs is great and it contains great gutiar. Of coarse it isn't the most elaberate instramentals but when you add in the great vocals it's a winning C.D. It's a shame they didn't make it big but if your looking for a break from the modern pop crap that's out their this is the C.D. for you.

 

(she was commenting on a Zombies singles collection.)

 

Discuss...because I would love to hear how people feel about this.

 

 

cheers,

Ian

[Geoff Grace]

It seems to me that Gen-Xers were the first people I noticed who often were, as a rule, more into the past (in their musical tastes) than the present. FWIW, all three of my brother's kids (the oldest of whom is 11) prefer The Beatles to any other recording artists.

 

Four initial reactions:

1) I wonder what Cindy thinks now that she's a year and a half older. Tastes can change pretty rapidly during youth.

 

2) When I was 15, I hated much of the pop music of my time as well. ("Muskrat Love," "Seasons In The Sun," "Thank God I'm A Country Boy," etc.) I mostly was into progressive rock, jazz fusion, album oriented rock, and funk. Granted, unlike Cindy, the alternatives I chose were contemporary; but to a lesser extent, I also liked older forms of jazz and classical music.

 

3) The Zombies "didn't make it big?" I'd say they did pretty well.

 

4) In my experience, musicians tend to like stuff that's fun to play; and today's programmed music can be less fun to play than performed music (if not downright impossible).

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[zookie]

I remember when The Zombies were AM pop music.

[Joe Cole]

 

Originally posted by Geoff Grace It seems to me that Gen-Xers were the first people I noticed who often were, as a rule, more into the past (in their musical tastes) than the present. FWIW, all three of my brother's kids (the oldest of whom is 11) prefer The Beatles to any other recording artists. [ Geoff

 

 

Geoff, are you refering to this 15 year old as a GenX'er?

[flemtone]

It was simple when I was growing up. There was WABC and WMCA (AM stations in NYC), playing the 'pop' music which was generally crap with a few really good songs mixed in.

 

When you heard Aretha and Marvin Gaye a couple of times, you naturally migrated to FM and listened to Roscoe in the evenings and Allison Steele all night on WNEW-FM. Album sides vs. 2.3 minute pop 'hits'.

 

No contest.

 

Today, it seems like it's harder for kids to get past 'that big hit that everyone's talking about' by the 'artist that everyone's talking about' because it's a multi-level hit. Radio, TV, commercials, movies, ads, etc. I don't remember ever seeing Yes doing a Pepsi commercial. The Stones didn't appeared on Happy Days.

 

We, as allegedly enlightened musicians, need to lead this younger generation towards the light.

 

Have at it!!

 

peace,

Tim from Jersey

[Jas]

Its my duty to step in on behalf of non-average teenagers and just state:

 

 

 

"We're not all the same. :mad:"

 

 

 

 

That will be all.

[Anderton]

It's my duty to step in as A Guy Old Enough to Remember This Stuff and say that my theory is that the crap music of yesteryear hasn't survived, but the good stuff has because it remains on playlists and in stores. The Jimi Hendrix wannabees are mostly forgotten, but Jimi lives on. So people get the impression that a previous era was better. But there was just as much garbage back then.

 

I even think there were probably composers centuries ago doing ripoffs of Bach, and fortunately, their works will remain blissfully obscure in the ages to come

[flemtone]

Damn, Craig, why do you have to step on my rose-colored glasses???

 

You're right, however. I've got a bunch of 60's - 70's albums, cd's, compilations etc. There was definitely a bunch of curd mixed in with the cream. My memories from the early 60s recall the great tunes but, like having a broken bone re-set, the horrors are pushed back into the subconscious.

 

Kinda like Monty Python's Flying Circus. After buying the box set on DVD, it's amazing how much BAD stuff there was, while we only remember the Fish Slapping Dance and the Pirhana Brothers.

 

peace,

Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Eggs Bacon and Tim from Jersey

[blue2blue]

Originally posted by Anderton It's my duty to step in as A Guy Old Enough to Remember This Stuff and say that my theory is that the crap music of yesteryear hasn't survived, but the good stuff has because it remains on playlists and in stores. The Jimi Hendrix wannabees are mostly forgotten, but Jimi lives on...

 

Yo... you slaggin' Mahogany Rush, old man?

 

[Lee Flier]

 

Originally posted by Anderton It's my duty to step in as A Guy Old Enough to Remember This Stuff and say that my theory is that the crap music of yesteryear hasn't survived, but the good stuff has because it remains on playlists and in stores. The Jimi Hendrix wannabees are mostly forgotten, but Jimi lives on. So people get the impression that a previous era was better. But there was just as much garbage back then.

 

 

Well of course, there will always be a ton of crapola at any point in history, but to me that's not the point. The question is: is there anybody of the caliber of Jimi (or countless other great artists of that era) today?

 

And even if there were, could they get signed/get played on the radio/etc. in today's industry?

[blue2blue]

Originally posted by Lee Flier Well of course, there will always be a ton of crapola at any point in history, but to me that's not the point. The question is: is there anybody of the caliber of Jimi (or countless other great artists of that era) today? And even if there were, could they get signed/get played on the radio/etc. in today's industry?

 

A) maybe

 

B) probably not

 

 

______________

 

 

I think one thing that was so special about that era is that seriously revolutionary pop musicians (as Jimi was) as well as seriously serious pop writers (Dylan and others) could not just get on pop radio in that era -- but could rise to the top.

 

Remeber -- even Captain Beefheart was able to score a top 40 hit...

 

... think about that.

 

[Okay... it wasn't your typical Beef' song, admittedly. ]

[gearmike]

wHitE zOMbiE ruLeZ

[Geoff Grace]

Originally posted by Joe Cole: Geoff, are you refering to this 15 year old as a GenX'er?

 

Joe, most definitely not (although I can understand the need for clarification).

 

I was just trying to note when this trend (if there is one) started.

 

My generation (Baby Boomers from the boom's peak onwards, teens in the 1970s) were still pretty "anti-establishment" like our older brothers and sisters had been in the sixties. That meant it was un-hip to listen to older music, especially anything that came before rock 'n roll that our parents might have liked.

 

However, the next group that followed (Generation X, teens in the 1980s) were often primarily into older music, what was by then being dubbed as "classic rock," music that was in some cases their parents' music.

 

Now, it seems to me that there are more kids and teens around today who are into classic rock than there were kids and teens of my era that were into the equivalent for my generation: swing-era jazz.

 

YMMV.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[lakeoffire]

Originally posted by Jasplayer Its my duty to step in on behalf of non-average teenagers and just state: "We're not all the same. :mad:" That will be all.

 

I second that...

 

E.G.: I'm 17, I'm a guitarist, and I'm listening to Marcus Miller's new album...

[nat whilk II]

Kids aren't quite as alienated from their parent's generation as they were back in the 60s and 70s it seems to me. So they're more open to the geezer's music is one result.

 

I mean, my parents watched the Lawrence Welk show and never got over the demise of Big Band from the war years. A lot of the Big Band material was and is fantastic - talk about a golden age of pop music (I won't comment on Mr Welk ) but we weren't interested - the gap was too big to allow much crossover.

 

nat whilk ii

[stratslinger]

I'm a gen X'er and remember the junk I listened to in the 80's....rap. One letter away from crap! I do, however, remember sitting in my '82 Z28, alone, turning the channel to our local rock station to catch some Boston or Aerosmith when I wasn't with my buddies.

Now, years later, my 11 year old daughters favorite song is "More than a Feeling" by Boston. She heard me playing it in my office/studio on my PRS and wanted to know what that cool song was. I pulled out the CD and let her have a listen. Analog chorus never sounded so good at that moment. She still likes the pop stuff but now understands what quality and individual sound can do to seperate you from the masses.

Her latest quest is to find her "tone" on her squire strat using an RP20 I bought for her.

Maybe a new generation of tone seekers is yet to come. Remember what our parents though of tube distortion when it was first used?

Keep on playin.

[Hollow body]

Originally posted by Anderton It's my duty to step in as A Guy Old Enough to Remember This Stuff and say that my theory is that the crap music of yesteryear hasn't survived, but the good stuff has because it remains on playlists and in stores. The Jimi Hendrix wannabees are mostly forgotten, but Jimi lives on. So people get the impression that a previous era was better. But there was just as much garbage back then. I even think there were probably composers centuries ago doing ripoffs of Bach, and fortunately, their works will remain blissfully obscure in the ages to come

 

Yeah. Wasn't "Harper Valley PTA" the biggest hit of 1969? Check out a web site that gives you the top 40 of a given year and you'll see what Craig means.

[Anderton]

 

Better get on my flame suit here...some of the DJs I've seen in Europe I would place in that category, but ONLY in the sense of being able to create a musical experience that makes your jaw drop. It's an entirely different skill set of course, but I've seen a handful of people who are to DJing what Hendrix was to guitar: Totally innovative, original, off the wall, sophisticated, capable of a huge emotional dynamic range, and able to hold an audience in the palm of their hands. And like Hendrix, it's pretty much just one person without a safety net...not to minimize Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding, but if Hendrix had a bad night, the Jimi Hendrix Experience had a bad night.

 

I saw one gig with Dr. Walker and Rei$$dorf Force that was as heavy and commanding as Led Zeppelin. It totally blew my mind. But it was an "of the moment" thing, that particular combination of people and evening didn't happen again. Of course, after I joined Rei$$dorf, they went downhill

 

 

Some of the aforementioned people don't have getting signed as a goal. Live performance is their thing and they get paid well for it. They could care less about record companies; they make music for the moment. Sometimes it's okay, very rarely it just doesn't take off, but a lot of times it's just transcendent.

 

But be that as it may, I'd still love to see a guitarist who did for me what Jimi did.

[whiteroom]

Originally posted by aeon I love reading reviews by teenagers on Amazon... ...that express the feeling that their generation's music is {censored}e, and how (insert name of Brit Invasion Band Here)'s music is better. To wit: (and yeah, Cindy is no spelling wiz, hehe ) (she was commenting on a Zombies singles collection.) Discuss...because I would love to hear how people feel about this. cheers, Ian

 

I agree with you. It is a bit funny.

Question:

How is Her review any different than the 15 year old's that post here about how great a $250 pedal sounds in front of a ten watt crate amp? Or, posting the 182nd gear review on a boss metal zone that they've owned for maybe two hours.

Do they really come here to learn?

[franknputer]

Craig - given your statement about music in the moment, what do you think of Rei$$dorf Force's recordings? Do they convey the moment well or not (as I've always heard about the Grateful Dead)?

 

I'm really curious to hear the stuff - I've always liked experimental music. The only place I see it right away is via some German store on the web. Do they have an online presence?

[aeon]

Originally posted by Geoff Grace However, the next group that followed (Generation X, teens in the 1980s) were often primarily into older music, what was by then being dubbed as "classic rock," music that was in some cases their parents' music.

 

I was born in 1969, just for an age/timing reference of when I was a teen.

 

As I recall it, there was a divide of sorts: those who were into the post-punk/new wave/"roots rock" stuff, e.g., Elvis Costello, Japan, The Plimsouls, Depeche Mode, The Cure, etc (that was me!)...and then there were those who refused it, and "remained in the 70s" with the classic/arena rock of its era. (Of course, you also had the passionless, who just listened to whatever was on the radio or the new-fangled MTV. )

 

Their refusal was largely based on two things, as I saw it: their distrust of the dress and apparent sexuality of many a UK post-punk/new-waver , as well as their dislike for synthetic sound, and microprocessor-driven sound (for the groups that used those things)...too close to disco, you know?

 

But make no mistake...back in the day, we were not comfortable with the Baby Boomers...we just didn't protest in the way you did with your parents.

 

That said, to profess a like of anything pre-1967, much less early-70s, was anathema among all groups. I kept my love of Motown, British Invasion, and Brill Building Pop, among other things, largely secret.

 

 

cheers,

Ian

[Anderton]

 

Do they convey the moment well or not (as I've always heard about the Grateful Dead)?

 

 

I liked "Smart Dust" (EMI) a lot, but unfortunately the studio stuff is just not the same as the live experience. There are quite a few tunes off "Let Your Ears be the Receiver" from Air Liquide that are pretty cool, though, and it has some of the same personnel.

 

But I often wonder if when I listen to the CDs it's mostly triggering what I experienced live! That's really what it's all about. Trying to capture it on CD is tough.