The Death of Arena Rock

[dragonboy]

They're not as good as Pearl Jam or U2, though.

That's a matter of opinion.
I don't mean to be rude Dark but it would seem to me that you have no idea what you're talking about. Just because a band isn't currently touring in your country doesn't mean to say they're on Hiatus.
& please take a look at this link for Wembley Arena: http://www.livenation.co.uk/venues/venue.aspx?vrid=1065&&shortcut=wembley
(the UK's most famous concert arena) & check out who's playing in first half of 2007 (The Killers, Keane, My Chemical Romance, Bob Dylan, Lostprophets, Deep Purple, Bryan Adams, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Ozzy Osbourne, Damien Rice) Some of those artists/bands I like, some I don't but that's not relevant.
I would say you've got a pretty good mix of old & new right there making your comment about 'no one to take their place' simply not true.
The death of arena rock? Maybe in the 2nd half of 2007...

[The DARK]

Maybe I don't. I live in South Carolina and no one important seems to come here (except for MMJ). It just seems that when I look back on this period, I don't know who people will remember. All I mean to say is it seems that the truly good bands struggle for years to reach the top, but poser bands and bad pop artists reach it with ease. I don't like that.

[dragonboy]

All I mean to say is it seems that the truly good bands struggle for years to reach the top, but poser bands and bad pop artists reach it with ease. I don't like that.

Hmm, I want to say you're over-generalising but I think I've already given you enough shit for today  ;)

Some bands work hard their whole career & never get the recognition they deserve but some bands do make it big from the get go (Radiohead, Pearl Jam, Oasis etc)
Other artists work hard for a years & it eventually pays off, Ray LaMontagne for example is kicking up one hell of a storm (especially in the UK) right now after paying his dues for X amount of years.

Maybe you should worry less about what other people are listening to? If I had to listen to a mainstream radio station or watch MTV for a day (they still play music videos in Japan) I'd probably kill myself!

All we can do is count ourselves lucky & consider ourselves fortunate to have discovered this incredible band.
Everyone else can go f**k themselves  ;)

[The DARK]

I'm a high schooler and everyone else listens to total crap, and they are too stubborn to give MMJ a listen. I've only met one other person who shares my musical taste. Hard to let it go when everyone I know doesn't give good bands like MMJ a chance.


I was in a bad mood when I wrote the first post. I've taken enough heat for this thread.  :-[

[dragonboy]

Hey Dark, I sent you a PM  :)

[The DARK]

Thanks, sent you one too ;)

[fitzcarraldo]

The Dark, I applaud your enthusiasm!  Plus your bein schooled by the best.   ;)

[ManNamedTruth]

. From about 1974-1990, the amount of truly great, great new artists emerging were little or none. Bruce, The Eagles, REM, U2, The Police, Tom Petty and a couple of others were truly great, .

What about The Clash, "the only band that matters"!

[megisnotreal]

i mean, really, where's the fun in seeing a band at the globochem/ megabank/ cell provider aweso-dome?

that girl...your ability to use stuff from Mr. Show in casual conversation delights me!  Hehe.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is... Pack your bags, gang; we're going up my mother's ass!"
:D

[Jaimoe]

. From about 1974-1990, the amount of truly great, great new artists emerging were little or none. Bruce, The Eagles, REM, U2, The Police, Tom Petty and a couple of others were truly great, .

What about The Clash, "the only band that matters"!

It's true that the 80's may be the worst decade when it comes to rock, but to write off 6 years of the 70's along with some decent 80's bands is ridiculous and short-sighted.  

The sad truth is that most of the great bands of the 60's and 70's that were still hanging around were on life support by the 80's, further tarnishing that decade's reputation.

[MMJ_fanatic]

This thread begs the question:  Do we really need arena rock anymore?   [smiley=bath.gif]

[dragonboy]

Is that smiley knocking one off in the bath? Sure looks like it to me!

[ycartrob]

From about 1974-1990, the amount of truly great, great new artists emerging were little or none. Bruce, The Eagles, REM, U2, The Police, Tom Petty and a couple of others were truly great, but not many other innovators really shone through.

Really?
I happen to like Sonic Youth, B-52's, The Pixies, The Replacements, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr, The Ramones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Talking Heads, Metallica, Primus, Guns n Roses, The Clash, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, The Sex Pistols, Dire Straits, AC/DC... and that's off the top of my head.

You should check these bands out, you might change your mind.

[.Walt]

Is that smiley knocking one off in the bath? Sure looks like it to me!

i thought the same thing.

[MMJ_fanatic]

Is that smiley knocking one off in the bath? Sure looks like it to me!

A gentleman never tells... ;)

[The Big Come Up]

From about 1974-1990, the amount of truly great, great new artists emerging were little or none. Bruce, The Eagles, REM, U2, The Police, Tom Petty and a couple of others were truly great, but not many other innovators really shone through.

Really?
I happen to like Sonic Youth, B-52's, The Pixies, The Replacements, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr, The Ramones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Talking Heads, Metallica, Primus, Guns n Roses, The Clash, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, The Sex Pistols, Dire Straits, AC/DC... and that's off the top of my head.

You should check these bands out, you might change your mind.

Yeah but during the 80s Sonic Youth, B-52's, The Pixies, The Replacements, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr were pretty much what today we call indie music, and punk (The Pistols, Ramones) has since fallen into the awfulness that is pop-punk. I admit that the Clash are a truly legendary stones/zep/beatles class band and i forgot them, but Iron Maiden and Van Halen? Far from legendary bands in my opinion. Metallica and AC/DC are good and original dont get me wrong, but transcendent? Far from it. This period produced far less truly classic transcendent bands as the period of 1965-1975.

[The DARK]

I don't know about you lumping the B-52's into the indie pile...

[CTdeadhead]

Here is my take on the evolution and current state of the concert industry.  In the early days of rock n roll, the fifties and sixties, the single ruled the music business.  People bought singles, and the record companies found them in the form of lots of hit performers.  Touring and performing was done in groups.  For example, if you watch the movie La Bamba, you see how Buddy Holly played on a bill with at a whole bunch of artists.  Artists didn't have huge catalogs to fill two hours.

Then by the seventies bands recorded albums and built concerts around the Bill Graham style of business.  Bands like the Dead and Stones were building what would become the business model for the concert industry for decades to come.  

By the 90s CDs were the mainstream.  CD Singles never really caught on though so people continued to buy albums.  This encourages record companies to find prolific bands rather than one hit wonders.  

In the last few years, with the growth of digital music and Napster and iTunes the Single is once again king.  That encourages the record companies to find bands to fill the short term profit goals rather than prolific bands like MMJ.  These modern bands don't have catalogs to tour behind so you have the festival now becoming the business model of the concert industry.  Its cheaper to throw huge events and get the fans to travel to see the music.  They book 100 bands and it becomes bonnaroo etc.    

The big bands with big fan base and big catalogs don't work cheaply and that's why tickets are so outrageous.  I have a ticket from the Stones Steel wheels tour in '89, it was $30 face value and that was hugely expensive at that time.  

In my state, arena rock has become Casino Rock.  Any big bands play the casino and average joe loses out to high rollers at each and every concert.  Its really sad.  I love concerts, hate casinos. I'd rather stay home than pay $150 for crap seats while Joe Poker tournament sits up front.  

End of rant..

[ycartrob]

From about 1974-1990, the amount of truly great, great new artists emerging were little or none. Bruce, The Eagles, REM, U2, The Police, Tom Petty and a couple of others were truly great, but not many other innovators really shone through.

Really?
I happen to like Sonic Youth, B-52's, The Pixies, The Replacements, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr, The Ramones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Talking Heads, Metallica, Primus, Guns n Roses, The Clash, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, The Sex Pistols, Dire Straits, AC/DC... and that's off the top of my head.

You should check these bands out, you might change your mind.

Yeah but during the 80s Sonic Youth, B-52's, The Pixies, The Replacements, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr were pretty much what today we call indie music, and punk (The Pistols, Ramones) has since fallen into the awfulness that is pop-punk. I admit that the Clash are a truly legendary stones/zep/beatles class band and i forgot them, but Iron Maiden and Van Halen? Far from legendary bands in my opinion. Metallica and AC/DC are good and original dont get me wrong, but transcendent? Far from it. This period produced far less truly classic transcendent bands as the period of 1965-1975.

jeeez, what's your fucking point? Who ever said anything about trascendent? I was merely responding to your statement: From about 1974-1990, the amount of truly great, great new artists emerging were little or none and I simply pointed out some really great artists from that time period. Calling The Pixies "indie" or saying punk has been watered down is neither here nor there and has nothing to do with my reply (IMO).

And too bad Eddie Van Halen inventing an entire new style of playing the electric guitar is not "innovative" enough for you.


But I glanced back at your original post (you remember that one, the one I was responding to?) where you list The Strokes....The Strokes, as great artists. Yikes.

Long live rock.

[The DARK]

Hey, this isn't a debate club!  >:(