Is it just me or is main stream rock/hard rock dead

namnoc16

namnoc16

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 17, 2015
Messages
1,303
Location
between boring and bored
I was born in the 70's and grew up in the 90's so maybe it's a generational thing but it seems like record companies don't even try to develop rock or metal acts anymore. The last truly great albums I can think of was Audio Slaves first one and white stripes Elephant and that's been 15 years ago. Please don't anyone try to convince me of Lincoln park because all their hits sounds like the same damn song recycled or the Killers because they are techno with guitars. Am I missing the boat on some groups if so please fill me in I still listen 60's- 2001 because everything nowadays seems to blow and I ike to hear some good new jams. There are a few songs here and their I like for instance cigarette daydreams(love that song) and Lazy Eye(sounds like smashing pumpkins but no band puts out hit upon hit like Nirvana,Alice in Chains,Soundgarden, Peppers,etc.............. It's all about producers now not musicians.
 
Last edited:
Record companies as they used to exist just aren't really around any more.
I mean, there used to be a huge market for selling music in physical formats, but the internet has made much of that industry (like so many others) all but redundant.
This has put financial pressure on all of the traditional mediums through which we were delivered good music in the past - the pinch on the record industry has carried over into radio, where 'classics' and 'oldies' are a surefire bet, over finding new talent.

And the "talent" shows that are served up - glorified kareoke reality tv bullshit - is swallowed up by the celebrity-obsessed masses.

But fear not! There are still thousands of great bands across the world - it's just that it is now up to us musical aficionados to find them.
Where to find them? Online, through any number of sources - or better yet, the live music venues of your nearest town or city.
Practically all the great contemporary bands i have discovered over the last 10+ years have been playing local bars/clubs/warehouses/parties - or simply an act working the touring circuit that i have taken a chance on, and fallen in love with. For me, much of the soundtrack of the 21st century has consisted of bands i've seen in little clubs and dive bars. That is where good rock'n'roll started, and arguably where it belongs.

The death of the old school music business means that it is harder to find those (new) gems that everybody knows and loves - but the upshot is that there is still great music out there, but you can experience it in a more intimate live setting than a big fucking stadium show. Personally i think it is a bit sad that the 'mainstream' is so vacuous, safe and hollow - but that kind of makes the good stuff - when you find it - all the more special.
Look at how many bands were destroyed by "mainstream success". Not every musician is cut out (or desiring to be) a "star".
That's not to say that they don't need the support of an audience to sling them a few bucks for the door fee or to buy an album - the vast, vast majority musicians today are struggling to make any kind of money from their art, and even the most successful, famous performers i know work day jobs of some description.
Sure, we want to get our music out to the people, but there are so many examples of this going to people's heads and fucking up their creativity.
My 2 cents anyway.
 
Last edited:
I definitely hear u man, lots of commercialized shit that I wouldnt have given the time of day back in the day. I grew up in the same time period and I've liked all different kinds of music growing up, even the early 90s rap if u can believe that, lol. Can't stand it now but I used to jam it. Right now I've got my pandora tuned to the breaking Benjamin station and they're playing some good shit IMO. Check it out man. Now I haven't kept up with music since the. 90s so it's all new to me so maybe that's it but I definitely like all this three days grace, breaking Ben., the five finger death punch is nice dude, s. o.a.d is nasty too. It could just be that it's not played out to me yet but I'm feeling a few of these new bands. Of course the Lincoln park and korn and shit like that is wack as fuck to me anyways but other bands have some gems IMO. Keep jammin brother!
 
Cliffy78 IMHO the greatest rap album put out in the early 90's Fine Malt Lyrics by the House of Pain-can't tell me that's still not great. No offense One Thousand Words you've proven my point that todays mainstream music sucks if those are the best examples out there. My family dragged me to Fire Fly festival and it totally blew(kings of leon really sucked) only acts I liked Sir Paul(hasn't had decent album in 30 years) and Snoop(nothing good in decade) .Tried to keep open mind bout new acts and there might have been some but by the time they hit the stage my ears had been abused by complete shit. Only really good concert I've seen this summer(people probably flame this) Elvis Costello with Steely Dan. I'm afraid if I don't find some decent new music soon all artists I like will be dead and I'll no longer see a live act,lol!

Space junk you are correct about seeing good live music is much better in smaller venue but my problem is if I wan to see good live groups I have to drive to city and Baltimore,D.C,,Philly and even New York are relatively close it's still over an hour drive to each one. Not many people I know want to be designated divers and I gotta have few beers while I'm out. I'm gonna scour the internet and see what I can find.Thanks all!
 
Last edited:
House of pain, wow, remember those days? Lol. Steely dan is fucking awesome live with all the horns, they don't get the credit they deserve IMO...
 
The horns were amazing but the guitarist Jon Herington,Bassist Freddie Washington, and the drummer Keith Carlock were some of the most together, talented musicians I've ever heard. The crowd was really chill(not many mouthy drunks) and for a bunch of old dudes they really impressed me. Got stoned and just dug the show!
 
Elvis Costello still kicks arse live, i agree.

Are you familiar with Thee Oh Sees? One of my favourite bands around at the moment, always put on a great show.
 
No but I'm gonna see if I can get them online and I'll get back to you. Any song in particular I should look for?

Yeah I love Elvis also and I couldn't believe he was the opening act. I really like a lot of that Punk/New wave era music. Speaking of not believing in a group opening for another,I believe it was in 97 and I saw the Ramones opened for White Zombie. I can listen to White Zombie but how can one of the greatest punk acts of all time open for them. Probably had little something to do with the Astro Creep 2000 album selling 2 million copies,still it's sacrilegious in my book!Ramones played for 90 minutes straight and played over 30 songs with only break between each one with a fast 1,2,3,4 into the next song!
 
Yeah, the Ramones are one of the greatest rock'n'roll bands of all time. I wish i'd had a chance to see them.

This is a pretty good Oh Sees track. Very fun see see live, they tour a lot, and are very prolific in the studio. I have a bunch of their records, all pressed in amazing coloured vinyl.
[video=youtube_share;XjwORI8DhYo]http://youtu.be/XjwORI8DhYo[/video]
 
It's not exactly hard rock but Jack White's two solo albums are masterpieces. The guy is a hall of fame song writer for sure.

Do what I do - have myself convinced that the best music i'll ever hear has not yet been written
 
I dig it,the music reminds me of a little known group from the 70's called Agent Orange(some shitty 90's band Offspring ripped them off),I like this a lot! Thee Oh Sees huh,will check out more that's my speed! How long they've been around for(guess I can google it)?
 
I think i first saw them in early 2011, in a little club. Seen them 3 times since - they really blew my mind.
Nice people too :)
 
Thee Oh Sees are great! Amazing live.

Some similar bands you may dig:

The Black Lips
King Khan and the BBQ show
Cave

And then there's some local (australian) guys:

Eddy Current Suppression Ring
Royal Headache
The Drones
Peep Tempel
 
Elvis Costello and Steely Dan are the shit. I am currently looking for a keyboardist or possibly a second guitarist to cover Costello, Carole King, Steely Dan, and even a little of the more acoustic Sublime stuff. I like to switch off with the lead vocals but if a really great singer wants to get involved I'm not totally opposed.
I'm in Lancaster, Ca and i swear I'm not looking for locals to find drugs from. Looking to build a 2 to maybe 3 person band. Please don' delete the city I'm in. That defeats the entire purpose.
 
Looking for keyboardist

Need a keyboardist to join small cover band to cover Steely Dan, Carole King, the Doors, and mellow versions of Ozzy songs.
 
It seems dead, seems that way. But it's really not. If you're hinting at the radio playing rock, then they sure do still just not as much anymore as most of the stations are now dedicated to pop and dance. I personally feel like the last big rock movement was during the 90's grunge era. Maybe techno after that to a certain degree but if you didn't look for it, you wouldn't be exposed to it like you would bands like AIC and Pearl Jam at that time. So in essence rock is still here, it's just not being played enough unless you buy satellite radio, and even then it's usually just mainstream played out songs from the past and present. There are good underground rock bands out there. They just need exposure.
 
I think that the Britpop scene of mid-90's might count, though the early 00's garagey rock shit (The White Stripes, The Strokes and all of those The The bands) is probably the last time that rock was pretty dominant on the charts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top