Alice Cooper for President!

If you search hard enough, you can always find a great new song. It's just much harder. You have to wade through mounds of absolute crap to find a good one. That's sad. Last century you didn't have to.
I think it depends on where one looks.
Also, we're people in our 50s, 60s {I presume}. We have over half a century of music we've loved stacked up. Naturally we're not going to find plentiful supplies like in the days when we were discovering. It's not that it's harder to find good songs, it's that we're loyal to what we love and we get fussier. That's just a reality of getting older.
For me, I remember saying back in 2011, 2012 that I'm no longer looking for new music. And I'm still not. I have enough to get me through till I'm well old {;)}. Now, every so often I'll hear a song that I will buy and add to my collection but it's always coincidental, either I've heard it on TV or my son was playing it, it's never that I've gone looking for it. And usually if I have, on someone's recommendation, gone looking for a particular artist/album/song, they're usually from my favourite era {1964~1983} anyway !
For originality I'll merely point to the name on this thread. The Alice Cooper band took rock and created a singularly original sound and experience
But so did hundreds of artists. But Alice Cooper didn't create any new style of music. They moved within an already existing and evolving genre. That's what every artist does.
 
I think 'new and original' is sometimes overrated. That was what I was getting at. The 20th century had so much innovation musically {the fashion stuff was retreads ~ men had long hair centuries before the 1960s. Just look at old portraits from bygone eras} that there is much for newer bands to mine, refine and be innovative within. Just because you don't invent a genre {and by definition, even if you don't subscribe to genres being evolutions, which I do}, it doesn't mean that by operating within a particular genre that you won't knock out good original work. David Bowie {just one example among thousands I could name} did not innovate a single genre in his whole career. He utilized many already existing styles of music and fashion. But you can't convince me he was not really original in his music. He wrote great songs for the best part of 49 years.

Very true.

Somethings missed in the earlier post by Snowman.

1974 there was a 'Rockn'Roll' revival with bands like Showaddywaddy. I remember Bill Haley getting another lease of life back then which I think he was still doing when he died.
Much of the 'Ska' music in the 1970's was 1960's based. 'Northern Soul from the mid 1970's was also 1960's based.

1980's had a few 1960's based revivals with the 'Mod' movement which strangely became New Wave. The 'New Romantics' were only 'Glam Rockers' with shorter hair and better clothes.


It must be fair to say that from the 90's 'Oasis' was basically 'Beatles' based music. Again from the 1960's.

So all re-hashed in some way from earlier times.

Perhaps in the 2000's it is too much trouble for someone who sits in the house and sees the world from their PC and phone screen to invent something new or re-hash earlier trends in fashion and music. That's ok. Being revolutionary or looking and sounding like a prat is not compulsory because there were lots of other styles and trends in music back in the day which didnt take off. Perhaps the young of today just want to play safe.

Beards are an exception. A beard when I was younger was associated in not a good way.
 
He wrote great songs for the best part of 49 years.

Fucking Ziggy played guitar!....I could have done without "let's dance" but under pressure...Holy shit! Loved Bowie but he was a weirdo ...then again who isn't? Starman, Space Oddity...

With regards to "New and Improved" we are all just Myna Birds singing our interpretation of the vibrations we pick up.

When we create / invent be it art, music or creation of any kind we are like cosmic radio receivers tuning into the universe. You didn't make you, how all of this came to be is all part of the Devine cosmic mystery. When we have the eureka moments, inspiration, they are cosmic gifts for us to use as we choose. Some do nothing with them...some don't get them... the how's n why's I've not a clue... But...

John Lennon described it as such and this is not an exact quote but a paraphrase of what he said... There is a cosmic river of which we all can tap into and that is where the impetus for all that man creates comes from....
We are just receivers and interpreters of the big vibrator in the sky's cosmic buzz.

It is funny when we see insects or animals do certain amazing feats like bees building a hive, or birds building a nest, a beaver building a damn we call it instinct but when we humans make up a song or create a piece of art we call it creating...I call bullshit...It's instinct and just like the bee's we are just doing what we were created to do and it evolves like everything else. Fish wriggled out of the sea, grew legs, then wings and in just the blink of a few millenniums there was you n me.... enjoy the ride and don't take it too seriously...seriously :laughings:
 
Somethings missed in the earlier post by Snowman.

Well really he started in the 50's when the evolution of music is 100's of thousands of years old starting with Nanook banging two sticks or rocks together, then a rock with a stick...then some animal skin stretched out and hit with a stick...then a branch hollowed out to make a whistle, then a flute...stringed instruments, harpsichord, piano, organs, synthesizers oh my. folk music, classical music, romanticism, the roaring twenties, the big band era, the blues, the crooners, country music...and I have a left out a ton of other stuff.

Music is always almost at death with itself, yet on the staircase of birth, someday the Beatles and the music of the 20th century will be looked upon in the same manner as most of us look back at music that precedes us by more than 100 years ...Hmm cool but not what I'm going to be doing.


Joni had it figured out...


I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It's cloud's illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all
 
Music is always almost at death with itself, yet on the staircase of birth, someday the Beatles and the music of the 20th century will be looked upon in the same manner as most of us look back at music that precedes us by more than 100 years ...Hmm cool but not what I'm going to be doing.

A teacher at school touched on this in the early mid 70's. He said that at the rate of songs produced (thousands every year in uk back then) and the amount of combinations of notes which is set by what the human ear can actually hear. All new songs will soon be exhausted. But then you add what combinations of notes we actually like or could stand. I would have thought it would have gone tits up long ago. But still we find new tunes.
 
I would have thought it would have gone tits up long ago. But still we find new tunes.
Just write every song that's ever been written backwards and then do it again in a new time signature, then mix and match......there's enough music to last the humans another seven millenia ! :p
 
Grim I'm always looking for something new. For about the past 20 years comcast have music videos on demand. I watch as many as possible, and I've found about 3 artists. Most of the time I couldn't even make it through the mounds of absolute shit.

I look up whose playing at the up and comer clubs, go to their sites and listen to their songs, and I've found about 2 or 3 that way. The local music magazine SUCKS.

I think I've found more bands through film than any other way since 2000. That's just sad.

After reading the responses to my last post, I'll merely say, if you think since 2000 the music scene/industry has been as exciting, exhilarating or productive as last century you weren't paying close enough attention.

This is the most original band I've heard in the 21st century. They combined, jazz, house and chant for something completely new. They're great live, loads of fun. Did they invent a new genre? No. They combined and made a great original innovative sound. One in 20 years, that's progress.

 
This is the most original band I've heard in the 21st century.

They have a cool schtick but man there are a LOT of killer innovative bands that have emerged in the last 20 years creating some great music and also a lot of bands that existed before 20 years ago STILL making and creating great Rock...
Here's a top 50 ROCK songs of 2020..many you have not heard but it is a nice "Too long couldn't watch the whole thing" condensed video of one persons opinion of what would be the top 50 in 2020..

Enjoy and discover...

 
This should cement the idea that rock n roll is still very alive and well in our 21st century schizoid children.

Warms the cockels and even the sub-cockels of my little raisin sized heart...

 
And then of course there is Back in the Daze...the most amazing classic rock band within one mile of that garage we practiced in fo sho! LOL a mere 6 years ago.....a very loose jam me on the keys and the Daze with a bad ass drummer buddy sitting in on the drums...Drew the bass player just does not know how to get into it the groove....:D So lets see I was 61 back then :eek: frickin time is flyin by...




A little better version @ 9 years ago back when the drummer sang the damn song. We were on our best game because we were opening for the infamous ( Together Baby) "Tierra" at a local club. For a bunch of old farts we rocked the night and that drummer could sing and play his ass off... TBH 30 years earlier I swore I would NEVER play in a cover band ...but have to admit after swallowing my pride it was nice to get out of the house and revisit playing live after a 30 year hiatus...

 
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The best part of all the videos was your keyboard playing on the garage version. You looked like you were having a ball.

That top 50 list was BAD. The bits of songs I heard were uneventful at best. You figure when you're cutting up songs to highlight them, you pick the catchiest part.

Bowie definitely channeled his inner Ronson for Rebel Rebel. Of course he had Visconti producing, so there's that. I had a great conversation with Visconti at the urinal. My friend George (concert double) was in the stall yelling "that's a great question George."

Vulfpeck started out good, and they sound like great players. I can understand why you'd like them. But, they have a little to much Prog for me. It's the one form of music, that if I didn't like the record when it was released, I can't get into now. My concert double (though he's been to thousands more shows than I have), works with Nektar, it's one of his favorite bands. He gave me seats to one of their shows a few years back, and I left halfway through.

I don't know if it's the recording equipment or the sound just changed. If I was on deserted island with only one form of music it'd be big band/swing recorded before 1950. Dorsey, Miller, Armstrong and all the greats have brass sounds that are so smooth. Sinatra had many 50s hits and the brass became shrill and bigger. For me it takes away from the beauty of the music. That Uptown Funk has that 50s brass sound.

In my top 10 all-time favorite recording. It's beyond beautiful, and it's shows why people loved young Sinatra. This song still gives me the chills.


It seems like I'm a snob. But, I give everything a chance. I can count a handful of times when I turned something off thinking it sucked, and then was forced to listen to it later for a longer amount of time and thought "wow, that is good."

What a person likes is singular to that individual. But, there's just something lacking this century and IMO it's originality and innovation. Believe me, I will be thrilled to be proven wrong. I want to go to my grave knowing I only scratched the surface of excellent music. (for me excellent music has heavy pop overtones. Nothing beats a catchy melody)
 
The best part of all the videos was your keyboard playing on the garage version. You looked like you were having a ball.

Glad you could see / feel that, I am at one with the universe when I am immersed in the moment playing n singing.


Vulfpeck started out good, and they sound like great players. I can understand why you'd like them. But, they have a little to much Prog for me. It's the one form of music, that if I didn't like the record when it was released, I can't get into now. My concert double (though he's been to thousands more shows than I have), works with Nektar, it's one of his favorite bands. He gave me seats to one of their shows a few years back, and I left halfway through.

Yeah I like me some good prog rock but I get it...being a keyboard player watching Wakeman and Emerson was always inspiring.. I went to see Carl Palmer do his thing a year or so ago and sadly the sound was so bad we had to leave mid concert..not something I normally do.. I like a ton of other music too. I've met Wakeman and Billy Preston and shook both their hands (and instantly gaining all the magic within their musical souls by doing so) ...yeah a simple handshake and BAM I could play like a mo fo!

I don't know if it's the recording equipment or the sound just changed. If I was on deserted island with only one form of music it'd be big band/swing recorded before 1950. Dorsey, Miller, Armstrong and all the greats have brass sounds that are so smooth.

In my top 10 all-time favorite recording. It's beyond beautiful, and it's shows why people loved young Sinatra. This song still gives me the chills.

That is a really cool tune....When I was young I heard symphonies and big band songs in my head often..I often thought I was born too late for my musical soul but I found my way into enjoying and writing rock music.

[/QUOTE]

My Mom's favorite Sinatra tune..




Nothing beats a catchy melody)

That is the truth!
 
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