[NEohioPAL] Rock is not Dead

Tue Sep 9 09:26:44 PDT 2014

It seems like every day, I see the article where Gene Simmons declares Rock is Dead, it posted by someone else, and there are usually a fair amount of people commenting in agreement with his statement. Let me first say that I am a Kiss fan, I have liked every version of the band since I first heard them in 1977. I would also like to say that I feel some of the reasons Gene and Paul get bashed are unfounded. They take a lot of heat for their Marketing strategies, However those strategies are being used by most successful artists in all forms of music. Essentially they wrote the book on how to market a Rock band. As you can see i'm fully in the Kiss camp on many things. However, I think that Gene is a little off on this one. Rock is not Dead! Has it changed? Yes, will it continue to change? Yes. But Dead, I hardly think so.
The problem with any music genre, is how its defined. and there are so many versions of what some consider Rock music that its really hard to figure out what Rock really is. So hopefully my take on this will help give it clarity.
In the early days it was definitely the music of African Americans. It was a more upbeat version of the blues, that appealed to the angst ridden teens of the day. It wasn't long before White acts jumped on, and the rebellion had begun.
Over the years Rock music has taken on many faces, the doo wop of the 50s sounded nothing like the psychedelic 60s, which sounded nothing like the Hard rock of the 70s and so on and so on. each generation seemed to reform the genre into what meant something to them. and each generation before them claimed what they were hearing was not Rock N Roll. The basic common ground though has always been the angst factor. people looking for some sort of release from the society that binds them.
Today is no different, although I believe Gene is actually talking about the demise of the recording industry not really Rock itself. The record companies used to control everything, what you were sold was what you got to listen too on the radio, which was controlled by them. If you didn't hear of a band it wasn't that they weren't any good, they just never got the chance to have multi million dollar promotion behind them, while others, like Kiss did. So yes the days of that may be coming to an end, but the music itself has always been there and always will be. Does anyone think that pop princesses will fair well when the promotion is gone? The bands who have crafted their sound, and did their time in the trenches (Dive bars) however will remain and will always be needed.
Back to why Rock is not Dead though, as foreign as it may sound to some their are Rock stars still to this day, those artists or bands that thumb their nose at society, and create a stir in everyone around the. Cant stand her music, but Miley Cyrus Has pretty much told the whole world to F themselves, and that she's going to do what she wants. What more Rock N Roll than that. the bottom line is that as long as their is angst among the people Rock in any form will exist.
Let me say one last thing, The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame is the real culprit here. Its a nice building, and its got some cool stuff in it, but the HOF committee has done something that at its very core is Anti Rock. They have tried to establish the Anti Establishment. Rock Music has always been the middle finger to everyone who didn't get it. So what do these jokers do the come along and start deciding who is the most relevant in the genre, that they clearly do not understand.
If you are truly interested in Good music regardless of genre, but especially Rock, then sign up for an account at www.revebnation.com and start exploring the 3.7 million bands from around the world that have pages there. Yeah there are probably many that you will not like, but when you find that hidden gem that makes you pump your fist in the air, there's no better feeling in the world.

Of course you are always welcome at my page www.reverbnation.com/aldiamondphillips 

Thanks for taking the time to read my nonsensical ramblings

Al 

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