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 I TAKE the bus to work everyday. With only my iPod as companion, I’m able to listen to my favorite songs in my forty minute commute to New York City. On weekends however, I’m forced to drive my beat up car to get anywhere. And since I only have an FM/AM radio in the car, I am able tune in on what’s on the radio.
To be honest, it’s depressing. The only good stations playing rock music are at the extreme left of the dial, which are college radios, and nowhere else. What has happened to Rock in the U.S.?
To begin with, American rock bands have always placed second with me, with British bands in the first. In high school, me and my friends were only listening to British underground bands and the so-called “new wave” movement. During that second British invasion however, there were some notable American bands at the time who I thought were in the same league as their Brit counterparts. There was R.E.M. (when Michael Stipe had hair), Wire Train and The Cult. And then in the early nineties, Nirvana and their Seattle clones dominated American radio and tv. When Kurt Cobain died, it left an ugly gaping hole in the American Rock landscape. From then on rock music seemed to have spiraled down and we were treated to Boy Bands and the like.
Just last month at the Grammy’s, there were no significant rock acts except The Police’s opening, which I missed completely, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’. Even Chad Smith, RHCP’s drummer, encouraged kids to form a rock band. He too was looking for fresh acts to dominate the airwaves.
The truth is, there are great rock bands out there…in the underground scene. And these bands without the pressure of pleasing major labels and the mainstream audience were able to sing and play in however way suits them.
Before The Strokes were signed by RCA, they were considered as rock’s saving grace by the underground community. In fact their EP The Modern Age was released by Rough Trade Records home to The Smiths! Following The Strokes is Kings of Leon, another phenomenally incredible American band , whixh I believe is even better than Julian and the boys. Initially these bands were thought to bring Rock back to the spotlight but fell short of that expectation. It is interesting to note that these two bands in particular are virtual unknowns in the U.S. but are revered as rock gods in Europe.
What has happened with the American public for them to snub these great talents? Is it how media pushed hip-hop as the edgier and more dangerous genre and therefore rock is considered lame? Did “nu-metal” somehow led to the demise of rock? Has “punk” music finally achieved it’s goal to destroy rock’s commercialism? I don’t have the answers either. But one thing’s for sure, there is not a single rock on the radio that captures my attention.
And this frustration with American music prompted me to get back on what I have been accustomed to, listening to independent, unsigned and underground bands. I had more luck discovering great bands in myspace! Plus I’m blessed with living minutes form Manhattan where great unsigned bands rock it out every night, Fil Am bands included.
The late Michael Hutchence of INXS once commented that in the future rock will become what jazz is today. Rock will take the backseat and will become an artform that is respectable but not commercial enough to be dominating the airwaves. I believe it’s happening right now, and I don’t have a problem with it. Rock Music after all should be about guts and perseverance and not what car you’re driving or how big your house is. It’s about the passion of playing how you feel without asking for riches in return.
Tags: commercialism counterparts perseverance phenomenally discovering expectation frustration independent interesting respectable |
