Many people don't think of music as a geeky thing now a days, beyond the marching band, show choir, and the ever infamous "Band Camp", thanks to a series of movies we all love so much (or dont, I rather enjoyed the first 2). This whole rant stared on facebook with some friends after a simple comment, that still gets me about people, and their music:
"I hate Nickleback. Seriously".
Now this is nothing new, people have the choice to like or dislike what ever they choose, the joys of being a human in a free world! The hating of music, mainly in the main stream or pop culture is nothing new to anyone who is at least 15 years old. Sometimes it's parents, lashing out at their childs music of choice, others it's some random passer by who screams at you for blasting some "crazy rap music" in a parking lot, far enough away from the main entrance of a store, that it shouldn't offend someone, but there is always an exception to the rule. Other times it's the people in the same Pop Culture scene that get tired of having crap shoved down their thoats. For example, with Nickelback once again:
"Everyone hates Nickelback, I think it has to do with the fact that they are a bunch of no talent hacks who put out the same song over and over with slightly different words."
The example, Nickleback, is a worthy one. Good, solid rock is a bit of a strange thing these last 15 years. Rock Died, as it were. Rather it ran. So much of what began in the 90's with pop music, began to make rockers so sick that by the end of the 20th centery, that rock just went away. It was so bad, people nearly forgot what an orginal wrote and composed song sounded like. At this point, I'm going to spare my thoughts on sampling songs for the production of other songs, sometimes this works, sometimes it doesnt't. I'll leave it at that. Writing aside, the lead vocial talent often takes a lot of heat as shown here:
"I hope your not saying Kroeger can sing, because well, he can't."
"Oh HELL no. Kroeger's voice sounds like $%&#."
Vocals are, in a lot peoples minds, the heart of a band... I'm here to tell you people, it's not. The music is key! Its the rythem that drives you, moves your body, your soul, your heart. Vocials in music is like the whipped cream and sprinkels on an ice cream sundae. With all of the music I prefer, many people would say I'm not quaflied at this point to be making these statments. Yes, I like Slipknot, Fear Factory, Green Day, HIM, Dropkick Murphey, Disturbed, Dark new Day, Alice In Chains, Billy Joel, Bloodhound Gang, Psychostick and Sevendust! Heres all I have to say to you people: GET OVER IT! It's your choice!! I mean currently, as I type this, waiting for my son to wake up, I'm listening to the World of Warcraft Score! Thats right, I like music written for a video game! Theres something very special about these soundtracks that just make you feel like you should be fighting for some great cause! Yes, I know... I'm weird! Except it, I have!
"Just to note, there is a lot of talent out there that isnt in the main stream, or just under the main stream as it were... And in all fairness, as it is with most bands, the singles that get released arent always the best songs... and if your into music that really does some serious genre bending... well hell, theres always Richard Cheese"
I've heard the "remix" of the Nickelback songs. Yes, the sound nearly the same. It reinforces the thought that they've really done nothing but recycle their first ablum 4 times. I just have this for a thought on the subject:
For no talent hacks who somehow made it big by recycling... my desire to even pay for their music is nil. The last 5 years in music has been very strange... and I'd love to see a change in pop rock. A return to the heavy and weird. Not every album is a hit either! Fear Factory is, in my mind, on the greatest Hard Rock (call it Nu Metal if you must, the stigma with that so called genre is so sad, it makes me want to punch a kitten) bands of the last 10 years, hit it big with, after lots of hard work on many albums, with "Obsolete" then followed that up with the album "Digimortal" which by all accounts, blew hard! Recycling is a big hit these days. Just listen to any given rap song on the Top 40. Oh, wait, I said I was going to avoid my thoughts on sampling... sorry!
Heres my final thoughts on this... for now:
I will give any band a chance to wow me... to do what makes music so enjoyable, to stimulate my mind and my emotions. Lyrics or not. Video Games Live is a great Ocrstra that makes Midi songs of the 1980's feel like 300 year old classics! Simply, Listen to what you like, if the raido is playing something you don't like, then change the station or suffer through it... or at the very least, make of the campy stylings of a group while you wait for something else!
You can always just put your iPod (or respetive MP3 player...) on and just listen to stuff you know you like! Trust me, even then some songs get old. You will, on the other hand have a better chance of catching that song from 1997 that makes you miss the late night swim fest's your local water park had, that helps your remember that feeling of "Man, I hope this never ends" in your mind!
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