The Mood Ring: "Rock is Dead?"

Rock and Roll is…. dead?  When I think of Rock and Roll, I think of bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Guns 'N' Roses, and Queen; intense bands that stood out among everyone else.  These bands are household names because of mind blowing guitar riffs, racy lyrics, stage shows that would put Britney Spears to shame, and of the course the essential sex, drugs, and Rock & Roll lifestyle.  All I am asking is: Where is that now?

Now if we think about it, and let’s be honest, it’s quite difficult to find a band that stands above the rest.  We’ve split genres into sub genres and those into sub genres.  Now we have “indie,” “emo-indie,” “scream-o,” as well as “punk,” “punk rock,” and “pop punk rock.”  Is this really necessary?  Are we killing music?  It is no longer cool to be “Rock.”  Now bands must be “Rock-Alternative” or  “Indie-Rock” and everyone’s favorite “Nu-Metal.”  Where is our “Misty Mountain Hop” or “Welcome to The Jungle?”  It’s so difficult to find one song to hold onto, to be our anthem.  What we listen to is based on what is being forced into our ears.  Whether it is by television, radio, or even our friends.  Singles are no longer.  We have no anthems.  Bands are trying so hard these days that they have to put the word “anthem” into their song titles (Good Charlotte –“Anthem,” Story of the Year – “Anthem of Our Dying Days”) just to try to get an extra push in their less than pleasing attempts.  If we were to tell our children the top ten songs of our growth ages, what would we say?  I am betting that the majority of the songs would be under four minutes.  And I am not saying that is a bad thing.  It’s just that as a pop culture, we are “dumbing” ourselves down.  Our attention spans can no longer hold on over three and half minutes.

And whatever happened to guitar solos? Do we hate them?  Is it so bad to have something other than sobby lyrics constantly thrown at us?  Rock was built on guitar. That’s why we know the names of Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Jimmy Hendrix, and Slash.  I don’t know who the guitarists are from Story of the Year, Linkin Park, or Taking Back Sunday, and its not because I’m not trying.  It’s because they are replaceable, by either the next guy in line that can play three chords or a synth.

Here is what I am suggesting.  It’s quite simple, so simple, in fact, that I can break it down into three suggestions.

One:  Enough of the bitching lyrics.  Emo, Punk, Hardcore, and whatever else you want to call it are becoming today’s new country.  I lost my girl, my job; my friends all hate me, my bleeding heart, wah wah wah.  Seriously, is that how we want our generation to be remembered?  As a bunch of whiney bastards who can’t let go of something?  

Two:  Influences.  Change it up a bit.  Yeah Weezer’s cool, but so are Otis Redding and Bella Fleck and the Flecktones.  If you start mixing up your MP3 library you are bound to mix up your band’s style.  There’s nothing more
impressive than the kid that turns heads.  Plus, chicks dig the rebel!

And three:  STAND OUT!!!  I can’t emphasize that enough.  Just because Pearl Jam made millions with the voice of Eddie Vedder, doesn’t mean we want or need more (Creed, Three Doors Down, Nicklecrack - I mean back).  This pour of pseudo-emotional, untalented singers is becoming too predictable and monotonous.  We have some incredible vocalists out there, I am sure of it. It’s just a matter of finding your voice through yourself.  It’s pretty damn cool to be doing your own thing.

In conclusion, I just want to say that I miss rock.  I miss individuals.  And I miss people having valid opinions.  If I offended any of you by saying that rock is dead, then good.  That shows that you have something inside, now just express it.  I love hate mail.

Johnsie Mays
johnsie.mays@XROXX.com