Are we circling the drain?

[Blackened Soul]

The “ Will we ever see a truly new effect?” made me start thinking dark thoughts. When you look at actual music sales and streaming on nonpop music, and the actual state of average local gigging and costs for nonlegacy touring bands.. is all this talk of the next effect circle jerking..

[crochambeau]

I don't see the end being near, but I also don't really fit well with any of the options. I'll go with never die, but I'm unsure about the rock & roll aspect, plenty of nooks and crannies in which to hide though, and plenty more yet unexplored..

[Gone Fission]

People have been talking about the death of rock and roll cyclically since the 1950s. Rolling Stone, the mag, talked about it as a coming inevitability around the time Hendrix died. Sometimes there are rebuilding and reinventing phases.

More than charts and sales volume as compared to MOTR pop music, I’m concerned about the compensation structure for anyone making music. Spotify being the worst doesn’t mean other streaming is great at getting musicians paid into a middle class standard of living without what used to be rock-star level sales.

[crochambeau]

Oh yeah, I hadn't even wedged the notion of income into my consideration. That's a deeper unknown..

I was operating under the artistic merit of it all.

Could be argued that Rock & Roll is simply undead at this point from a revenue POV.

[John]

how long before someone posts a Rick Beato video?

[Gone Fission]

how long before someone posts a Rick Beato video?

If we’re getting into videos unpacking the “genius” of Matchbox 20, well, yeah, then we are well and truly doomed.

[John]

how long before someone posts a Rick Beato video?

If we’re getting into videos unpacking the “genius” of Matchbox 20, well, yeah, then we are well and truly doomed.

Let's hope not. I was referring to his notorious "Is rock dead" and "what's wrong with music these days" content.

[aedes]

"I can't believe what MrBeast said about Prince!"
Maybe we are circling the drain...

[imJonWain]

I thought Greta Van Fleet re-invented rock 'n roll? They sound like nothing anyone has ever heard and their lyrics are amazing.

"You are my special, You are my special, You are my midnight, Midnight yeah" I mean, damn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJg4OJxp-co

[Gone Fission]

There was a Don Dixon interview in Tape Op decades ago where he talked about working with R.E.M. in their early days and about them being hugely into Big Star where he was meh about it because he was older and had witnessed the Beatles from the start. Reductive of Big Star, but maybe that’s a lens on Greta Van Fleet—kids want that experience for himself but Plant hasn’t stood still, Page retired to his mansion, they’re old men, and the backbone is dead and gone.

[Kacey Y]

how long before someone posts a Rick Beato video?

I Watched The Top 10 Rick Beato Videos. Is Music Youtube Dead???

[Gone Fission]

Is Rick Beato an undead zombie feasting on old music?

[Zork]

I notice the people on stage and in the audience at rock concerts I go to are getting older but I suspect it's mainly because I am getting older myself. Long haired dudes 30+. Distinction, probably? I honestly don't know what kind of concerts young people attend but I guess they just do their own thing. A friend of my oldest son just started a band at 19 years old and we have practice room neighbours who live together as a band and play out very often, they are in their twenties. Nonetheless, Covid and the following economic crisis certainly has still a huge impact on available number of venues, costs of concerts and on how younger people who grew up in the pandemic participate in the scenes.

[crochambeau]

While it's true consumerism and being dead of brain are actively eroding everything, I think the kids are still all right. There's still a healthy swath of take no bullshit in many corners. There's still a huge ass chunk of mediocrity trying to suck all the air from the room, but in a sense there always has been, and it's safe to disengage from that quagmire.

Sure, we are circling a drain, but there's more to be seen in the land of pipes, and sewer rats benefit from art too.

[le lambin]

I think music scenes require in person participation to thrive. The post-covid state of things seems centered on the idea of doing more things at home- streaming, uber delivery of everything, etc. I think that extends a bit to enjoying music or creating music. I know speaking for myself, I go to less shows now, and way less local shows. Maybe that’s just me, or I’m getting older, but I’d like to think it extends a bit further than that.

I also think eventually the pendulum will swing back to more in person activity once everyone gets sick of staying home all the time. Maybe it will be coupled with the realization that mobile internet black holes in our pockets are not the best idea.

Meanwhile, there are still small scenes hither and thither- with younger or niche scenes. I don’t think that has ever changed. Same amount of dudes at a noise show now as 20 years ago.