Is it possible the real reason rock is down in the U.S. is because whites are becoming a minority and the middle class is in decline?
Aren’t those two things core components of “rock n roll”?
I really think this has fuck all to do with Cobain personally from a ground level view of it and more to do with race and economic demographics shifting.
Also if we want to delve deeper I would say:
Sociological - Rock got it’s social message component from folk music, and I think that component of it is at odds with the level of intellectual awareness and instant gratification demands of the American youth today.
Technological - rock bands take longer to record a song and it’s more expensive for them to perform than it is for the artists of other genres, so young kids getting started opt in other directions because it’s easier. Grimes did her album in GarageBand for instance.
Economic - it may be more expensive for a rock band to sustain itself in terms of travel expenses (there are more members to feed/transport), gear is heavier, etc. and with less of a guarantee of a return investment again kids opt for other genres
Pharmaceutical - prescription drugs have largely replaced the consciousness expanding psychedelics of rock’s golden era or even later, the street drugs of the 90s. What is the effect of these drugs in determining the music the youth seek, or that seems relevant to them in that state? I think it’s worth considering.
“Collage Culture” - I see the culture today as a collage culture. Elements from the past are recycled constantly in ways that are out of context. I think it’s fashionable for kids to ape certain fashion trends or attitudes of rock…but those seem to have endured more than the art form itself which requires more discipline and skill than other genres and is more expensive to pursue…Hence you have this sense of rappers saying “I’m a rock star” because the context is lost and what remains relevant now is the style/attitude; the trappings of rock so to speak and not the core meaning.
Pharmaceutical - prescription drugs have largely replaced the consciousness expanding psychedelics of rock’s golden era or even later, the street drugs of the 90s. What is the effect of these drugs in determining the music the youth seek, or that seems relevant to them in that state? I think it’s worth considering.
This is one I have to disagree on. The neuro-pharma industry certainly has its hooks in a huge chunk of the American population, but illicit drugs are also diversifying and, from my experience anyway, getting more potent.
Things like crystal meth weren’t an all-hands-on-deck law enforcement issue 20 years ago, as they are today. Nobody had heard of synthetic cannabis variants like “K2,” and I’d argue that the modern-day weed being sold at dispensaries (with THC levels of up to 25%) is stronger than the stuff being smoked in my parents’ heyday.
Of course I’d prefer for the psychedelic impulse behind music creation to remain alive and well; I don’t see any worthwhile culture coming from soporific prescription drugs.
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Pharmaceutical - prescription drugs have largely replaced the consciousness expanding psychedelics of rock’s golden era or even later, the street drugs of the 90s. What is the effect of these drugs in determining the music the youth seek, or that seems relevant to them in that state? I think it’s worth considering.
This is one I have to disagree on. The neuro-pharma industry certainly has its hooks in a huge chunk of the American population, but illicit drugs are also diversifying and, from my experience anyway, getting more potent.
Things like crystal meth weren’t an all-hands-on-deck law enforcement issue 20 years ago, as they are today. Nobody had heard of synthetic cannabis variants like “K2,” and I’d argue that the modern-day weed being sold at dispensaries (with THC levels of up to 25%) is stronger than the stuff being smoked in my parents’ heyday.
Of course I’d prefer for the psychedelic impulse behind music creation to remain alive and well; I don’t see any worthwhile culture coming from soporific prescription drugs.[/reply]
Jesus Christ, Tomazs, Stop wielding your opinion around like a kid with his dad’s gun. Some people don’t like that shit. Stop cramming your opinion down everyone’s throat. Jesus, Some people [rolleyes]
Took care of that one for ya’ Olson!
Hey, you go fight in the fighting room!
This is the other room!
The Cobain room! It’s for . . . uhh . . . I don’t know. Wearing flannel and shooting ourselves in the face, I guess.
Jesus Christ, Tomazs, Stop wielding your opinion around like a kid with his dad’s gun. Some people don’t like that shit. Stop cramming your opinion down everyone’s throat. Jesus, Some people [rolleyes]
Took care of that one for ya’ Olson!
Hey fack you man!!! I’ll do what I want!!!
It’s important that people understand my need to rip huge bong hits; and the effect that it has on my fan-fiction writing skills. I needs to get stoned out of my gourd in order to drop my inhibitions and really get ‘in the zone’, where a new version of The A-Team with the classic Ministry lineup sounds like a wicked cool idea to base a script off of.
Hey, you go fight in the fighting room!
This is the other room!
The Cobain room! It’s for . . . uhh . . . I don’t know. Wearing flannel and shooting ourselves in the face, I guess.
LOL. Alright, Imma let you off with another warning but that’s only 'cause you made me laugh.
I gotta get this placed cleaned up for Olsen so his [strike]wife[/strike] [strike]kids[/strike] [strike]family[/strike]… it doesn’t matter, Olsen has deputized me and I take that shit real seriously. Move along folks nothing to see here.
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Jesus Christ, Tomazs, Stop wielding your opinion around like a kid with his dad’s gun. Some people don’t like that shit. Stop cramming your opinion down everyone’s throat. Jesus, Some people [rolleyes]
Took care of that one for ya’ Olson!
Hey fack you man!!! I’ll do what I want!!!
It’s important that people understand my need to rip huge bong hits; and the effect that it has on my fan-fiction writing skills. I needs to get stoned out of my gourd in order to drop my inhibitions and really get ‘in the zone’, where a new version of The A-Team with the classic Ministry lineup sounds like a wicked cool idea to base a script off of.[/reply]
I can see I’m gonna need back up here!!! this is grmpysmrf to HQ, send all available opinion crushers. Dispatch red and blue teams respectively. go go go!!!
I don’t want this to turn into another 269 we already got a 420 on our hands!! I swear this job has no perks! I do it for Olsen. grmpysmrf out.
I can see I’m gonna need back up here!!! this is grmpysmrf to HQ, send all available opinion crushers. Dispatch red and blue teams respectively. go go go!!!
I don’t want this to turn into another 269 we already got a 420 on our hands!! I swear this job has no perks! I do it for Olsen. grmpysmrf out.
Go ahead and try to arrest me, maaaan, I’ll just become a martyr for the cause, and 1,000 composers of terrible stoned fan fiction will rise in my place, maybe even writing about 1980s cartoon heroine JEM doing battle with Martin Atkins.
Yes, radio for backup if you can get it…ASSAULT ON PRONGS 13 has commenced (cue John Carpenter-esque synth intro)
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I can see I’m gonna need back up here!!! this is grmpysmrf to HQ, send all available opinion crushers. Dispatch red and blue teams respectively. go go go!!!
I don’t want this to turn into another 269 we already got a 420 on our hands!! I swear this job has no perks! I do it for Olsen. grmpysmrf out.
Go ahead and try to arrest me, maaaan, I’ll just become a martyr for the cause, and 1,000 composers of terrible stoned fan fiction will rise in my place, maybe even writing about 1980s cartoon heroine JEM doing battle with Martin Atkins.
Yes, radio for backup if you can get it…ASSAULT ON PRONGS 13 has commenced (cue John Carpenter-esque synth intro)[/reply]
Back up be advised this opinionater might be on the LSD. Bring the fire hose. I don’t think he’s had a bath! smrf out
Back up be advised this opinionater might be on the LSD. Bring the fire hose. I don’t think he’s had a bath! smrf out
OK coppers, sounds like you mean business, but so do I…if you mobilize against me or my people, we will turn on the sound system and flood your precinct offices with [url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3eWJMQT0qQ]THIS.
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Back up be advised this opinionater might be on the LSD. Bring the fire hose. I don’t think he’s had a bath! smrf out
OK coppers, sounds like you mean business, but so do I…if you mobilize against me or my people, we will turn on the sound system and flood your precinct offices with [url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3eWJMQT0qQ]THIS.[/reply]
HQ HOLD OFF ON BACK UP!!! REPEAT HOLD OFF ON BACK UP. Were gonna need a negotiator. Where the fuck is Olsen? Only Olsen can take down an opinion this size… and the stakes… oh my god the stakes are high!
Olsen where are you??
I needs to get stoned out of my gourd in order to drop my inhibitions and really get ‘in the zone’, where a new version of The A-Team with the classic Ministry lineup sounds like a wicked cool idea to base a script off of.
I always thought the A Team coulda used a monkey. I’m serious - a MONKEY!! Like the orang-utan in that Every Which Way But Loose debacle.
*yes I know it’s a Foo Fighters songs but it was originally intended to be included on the next Nirvana album so…yeah, that’s why. Now stop looking at me like that.
[reply]I needs to get stoned out of my gourd in order to drop my inhibitions and really get ‘in the zone’, where a new version of The A-Team with the classic Ministry lineup sounds like a wicked cool idea to base a script off of.
I always thought the A Team coulda used a monkey. I’m serious - a MONKEY!! Like the orang-utan in that Every Which Way But Loose debacle.
It just…I dunno…seemed logical.
But anyway, I digress…[/reply]
That’s why there was the show BJ & The Bear Peligro…
I always thought the A Team coulda used a monkey. I’m serious - a MONKEY!! Like the orang-utan in that Every Which Way But Loose debacle.
I still need to watch that movie. I really enjoy the theme song. I’ve never seen a bad Clint Eastwood movie. Well, I guess Hang Em High could qualify as bad.
And there were a few good choices on that Nirvana mix, especially “I Hate Myself and Want To Die,” but I’m a little surprised to not see “Negative Creep.” I guess that one is too much of a White Zombie knockoff? I also would’ve ended it with “You Know You’re Right.” In fact, I’m gonna listen to that right now!
