================================================ Subject: Re: Rock From: To: Date: Sun 4 Nov 2001 07:18:02 +0000 ================================================ i hate to admit it, but i have to agree with marc on his assessment of today's radio stations...esp based on the fact that cleveland HAD the number one rock radio station in the nation for several years running... Lee -- ~~they laugh at us because we're different; we laugh at them because they're all the same~~Drowning Pool ~~Be careful what you learn, sometimes knowing burns~~Virgos Merlot > I'll reply to some of the other comments later...but for now I'd just like > to say that I think rock is in a wonderful state. Since the emergence of > hip-hop, the alternative music scene reclaimed its name and went back > underground. Bands like Wilco, Sunny Day Real Estate, Whiskeytown, The Get > Up Kids, Sonic Youth, Built to Spill, Calexico, Stephen Malkmus (and > previously Pavement), Modest Mouse, the (now broken-up) Afghan Whigs, Yo La > Tengo, the list goes on...have been producing amazing music for years that > has been going under the nose of radio listeners. But there's no doubt that > it is very powerful rock n' roll, very new, very unique...and it has > expanded the boundaries of music in ways that radio listeners won't > appreciate for years. > > But I don't want to dis too heavily on radio music. There is still some > great shit. Disregarding crap like Godsmack, Blink 182, and Offspring, > there are still groups like Metallica, Tool, RADIOHEAD, Santana, and so on. > I think rock is in great shape, but MTV and radio have perverted America's > exposure to it...so much so that incredible acts like Super Furry Animals > and The Strokes will never make it on American radio, in spite of the fact > that they produce intensely good pop. Radio stations are formatted and they > have rigid requirements for the types of music they play. If something does > not neatly fit into a format, someone in a head office in Houston, TX needs > to move heaven and earth to get it on air. And given that about 90% of the > radio stations in the country are controlled by three companies, it only > takes the decisions of three men (just three, not even experts in music, but > rather experts in appealing to an audience) to keep good music from reaching > people's ears. It sucks that things are that way, but with effort anyone > can listen to great rock. > > I mentioned in a recent e-mail that I used to run a radio station here. The > format was Modern Rock. And all the time I spent there, I miserably fought > for changes in format and on-air sound. But there were lives at stake. The > Program Director couldn't afford to change too much because ratings would > slip. The Sales people needed to sell commercials, and so if we weren't > optimally appealing, they would lose cash. We weren't even beholden to the > large companies...we were completely indepedent. Nonetheless, we were > handcuffed by the music on MTV. What we played had to correspond to MTV in > order for people to be accustomed enough to it to listen. We were record > companies' bitches too. So, ultimately, our lack of contractual obligation > to any other company was only a sham. Even as an indie-station, the > pressures of money backed us into playing certain things and avoiding > others. That's why rock appears to be in shitty shape...corporate > influence. > > > on 11/3/01 7:37 PM, Keith P. Mears at kthulu@COMTECK.COM wrote: > > > I'd say that's a pretty accurate assessment of AC/DC, though quite frankly, > > I'd have to say that there's almost NO rock band that doesn't owe at least > > some homage to Black Sabbath AND Led Zeppelin. Without them, rock today > > would be an even more dismal scene than it currently is. > > > > Regarding the comparison to St. Augustine, I think you may be giving way too > > much credence to the theory that Creed ARE Christian rock. Whether they > > actually are or aren't is a matter that may well never be settled, but it's > > no secret that Scott does come from a DEEPLY religious home and family, so > > both the comparison and the thematic material are pretty much inevitable. > > > > As for your conviction that their work lacks technical merit and/or > > creativity, I would simply say that it's your opinion, and you're absolutely > > entitled to it, but I for one disagree. Is it on the level of Black > > Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, or Metallica? Almost surely not, but VERY FEW bands > > ever reach that level. OTOH, is it the totally unoriginal tripe you would > > have us believe it to be? UNEQUIVOCALLY not. > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Marc Levitt" > > To: > > Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2001 7:12 PM > > Subject: ac/dc > > > > > >> It's interesting that you mention AC/DC. > > > > > > > > To unsubscribe or change your preferences for the Creed-Discuss list, visit: > > http://www.winduplist.com/ls/discuss/form.asp > > To unsubscribe or change your preferences for the Creed-Discuss list, visit: > http://www.winduplist.com/ls/discuss/form.asp To unsubscribe or change your preferences for the Creed-Discuss list, visit: http://www.winduplist.com/ls/discuss/form.asp