BY MIKEY MIGO
Things are changing all around us. This is nothing new. Things are meant to evolve for better or worse. It's in our nature and will in our grandkid's nature as well. Sure the science of things changes every day, there are wars beginning and ending, and technology is on its way to JETSON's a like landscape (okay, so that's wishful thinking). This isn't some sneaky way to do a "back in my day" piece. It's really just me taking in some of the random musical happenings and trying to digest the change going on around us. Let's take a look at a few things that are changing that I've noticed…
CHANGE #1: Anger Management.
What the hell happened to the anger and passion? Things just seem whiney, wacky, or boastful. Where are the bands like Rage Against The Machine? Where is the anger and the good sense of rebellion? Most, not all, musicians have given up, rolled over, and is letting themselves continue to live a style over substance. Sure they might write a witty little ditty about protesting, being against war, and all of that worthwhile stuff, but they're singing as if their voice can't change anything. Granted, I don't think many songs have actually changed the world in a grand scale, but that's not a reason to not to try. Music should give us hope and let us vent. I'm not saying go out there and growl and scream the lyrics, but show something. You're not going to last the grains of time if you're only focused about drinking your latté and wearing your thrift store button up. This leads to change #2.
CHANGE #2: Nothing (New) to Write Home About.
Outside of a few "current" bands like The White Stripes, The Foo Fighters and a few select others, who actually stands as something that'll be considered a modern day classic? Fall Out Boy? Lil Wayne? Nickelback? Oh God, NO! That's just the disposable mainstream. The indie rock scene with the likes of The Shins, Artic Monkeys, and the like are pleasant sounding and sometimes catchy, but lets not dispute the blandness of these bands. I'm open minded, what is out there that's impactful and will hold the tests of time? Not much is sticking. The proof in this is that the Billboard charts are always dominated by tweeny pop shit, the occasional pop rock, and almost always by established acts. People want Metallica and the music they already know. It's not that there isn't quality music out there. I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying that as a general public we're sticking to more of what we know now more than in recent history. Bands are just too concerned with their myspace, keeping their cred, and their 360 record deals to be bothered with trying to change the world with their music. Older acts are the same way, but I guess they're just better at balancing their relevance with their profit.
CHANGE #3: Rockstars Become Responsible Adults.
What happened to the fun loving, drug doing, groupie banging, asshole rockstars? Sure there have always been people like Bono who dabbled in political affairs, but the party people still outnumbered them. Is our current situation THAT bad compared to the past? We don't live in a utopia and never will. There will always be issues that need to be addressed. On a grand scale music is supposed to be something you can use to escape from the horrors of reality. Sure you can relate to it and I'm sure we'd hate a world full of Blink 182's and Andrew WK's(still great!), but why is everyone becoming so serious. This whole thing has been bugging me, but then it hit me. THEY DON'T REALLY CARE. They are pretending so they sound important and so they can be part of this current TREND. We're on the verge of history and everyone wants their name to be connected to a news snippet about it come 20 years from now. The current US election IS very important, but who cares what John Mayer thinks about it? Who cares who Coldplay supports? Was it really that necessary for Chris Martin to shout "Barack Obama" at the end of their second song this past week on SNL?
CHANGE #4: Selling Out Is Okay If It's For Something Popular.
We grew up (I'm 25) hearing tons of musicians talk about their morals and "anti-selling out" speeches. It was a big deal to start hearing Robert Plant's recognizable voice and those classic tracks in commercials. Trent Reznor sued Gatorade because they used a song that sounded a little too close to "Down In It". Nirvana was a complete "no-no" to anything marketing or product related until the catalogue started to get thrown around like a bag of skittles on the playground. Then the game Guitar Hero came. The artists who used to show pretentious ideals about their art are now cashing in on the brain rotting culture of video games. I've played the game and it's fun, but it's weird to hear classic tracks that'll go down as some of the best ever simplified so you can get points pressing buttons in rhythm on a child-like plastic guitar. The only games I play with music are drinking games. Then there are ipod commercials, a whole different of monster.
CHANGE #5: Rolling Stone Magazine Changes Format.
I've been a subscriber to Rolling Stone Magazine for awhile now. I knew they were changing the format of the magazine, but it didn't really hit me until this past week when I received the latest and first of the new format magazine in the mail. I know this is silly, but I was a big fan of their bigger than normal, news print type of pages. It made the magazine seem way more special than some other random rag like SPIN, Maxim, or even the WWE magazine. Ironically, the magazine changes format and puts Obama on the cover. That part, I liked. It gives the issue some feel of historic importance. Still, the magazine didn't feel right. When holding it to read the normal articles like "Fricke's Picks" and the album reviews, it didn't have the same "official Rolling Stone" feel. All the complaining in the world won't make it go back to its old ways and really it shouldn't. I'll get used to it.
CHANGE #6: Britney Spears' Popularity.
Here's a new "How to be a celebrity" checklist that young girls can now follow. (Takes deep breath) Take mediocre talent, record the "poppiest" of pop album, make a glorified school girl fetish video, become super famous, repeat the process but change it up a little to stay "fresh", show your true white trash roots, go on a downward spiral, go completely crazy, make ill-fated comeback attempt, have reality check, get your shit together, go back your mediocre talent and pop music. (Exhales) That's pretty much it. I'm not saying I don't have respect for ANY popstars. It's just the attention hungry Spears is a trainwreck and I'm tired of trainwrecks. The Courtney Love, Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears Trainwreck Tour has hit the same markets too many times. I don't wish them harm, I just wish them banishment from the public eye until they do something legitimate to merit attention. Let's face it though, Christina's voice, career decisions, and attitude has always been better than Spears. She doesn't do stupid shit in front of TMZ cameras so she gets less attention. Then again, I just typed a paragraph about Brit so I'm a sucker just like you.
So let's change, let's evolve, and let's move forward. Next week.
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