the Sad State of Music Today

Maybe it's because I am old (38 is ancient just ask my son he will tell you) and my memory is starting to fail or rock stars just aren't as memorable as they used to be. Back in the day I could tell you the lineup and what instruments people played for just about any hard rock band out at the time whether it was superstar bands like Motley Crue, Ratt, Poison etc etc or lesser known bands like Asphalt Ballet, Shotgun Messiah, Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies, Babylon A.D. and so on and so forth. I could pretty much give you the band's entire bio back then.

If you asked me to name the members of the big bands today I wouldn't have the foggiest idea. I could tell you one person's name from Nickelback, Chad Kroeger that's it. I can name two members of Hinder, Cody Hanson, that is because I interviewed him for hardrockhideout.com and Austin Winkler simply because I've always wondered if he is related to the Fonz in someway. I can name two people from Buckcherry, Josh Todd and Keith Nelson and that is it, and my band knowledge is pretty much zilch. I could probably tell you some basic shit but not the little nuggets of information like I could in the past. The sad thing is I consider myself a fan of these bands more so towards Hinder and Buckcherry.

Two bands I could name the members of right now are Badmouth and Heaven's Basement because IMO these are the two most kick ass bands out right now. Other than that if my life depended on me naming the members of a popular band today....you might as well just shoot me and get it over with.

I know I may be beating a dead dog here but not only are the bands today not memorable but the music isn't either. I already admitted I listen to it but I am finding that I am spending less and less money on new North American bands and more money on European bands, especially Swedish, and bands from the past that I may have overlooked the first time or didn't actually like then but love now. Maybe I'm crazy but I would rather spend $25.00 or more on a 20 yr old used cut out c.d. than spend $15.00 on a new c.d.

It really explains the sad state of music today when Johnny Crash's "Neighbourhood Threat" sounds better today than 90% of the albums record companies are releasing now or when Gypsy Rose's "Poisoned By Love" means more to me than just about any song that has been released in the last 10 years.