Gene Simmons: 'Rock Is Finally Dead. It Was Murdered'

Good ol’ Gene! He can always be depended on for a story when Rolling Stone runs out of things to say.

No doubt the business side has changed, and often not for the better. But lots of those incredible songwriters in the early days of rock were starving while the company execs gorged on wine and caviar. They didn’t write to get rich, they wrote because they had something to say.
 
He's pretty much on it....case in point, that article. Everything from media, award shows, etc. in recent years, when referencing rock, hard rock, metal, can only seem to dig up Dave Grohl :eek: as the spokesman.

It's a sad state of affairs to be sure.
 
I just think that the aging rock stars still touring kind of makes rock seem old fashioned to kids now days. There is still good music being made but it's mostly hip hop/rap or country. I didn't realize that article was so old (2014) but not much has changed since then.
 
Mr. God of Thunder is just being extremely myopic, he can't see past his own ego. When you look outside of typical US labels & media channels, you'll find that rock music is actually doing quite well. FWIW, some of the most inspiring music I've ever heard is being made today.

From The Netherlands

From Italy

From Germany

From France

Even in the US, there are indie bands that are pushing right through preconceptions and expectations to create some insanely cool music.

 
Mr. God of Thunder is just being extremely myopic, he can't see past his own ego. When you look outside of typical US labels & media channels, you'll find that rock music is actually doing quite well. FWIW, some of the most inspiring music I've ever heard is being made today.

From The Netherlands

From Italy

From Germany

From France

Even in the US, there are indie bands that are pushing right through preconceptions and expectations to create some insanely cool music.

Totally agree. There’s been great music out of Europe for the last 20 years, or more.
 
Mr. God of Thunder is just being extremely myopic, he can't see past his own ego. When you look outside of typical US labels & media channels, you'll find that rock music is actually doing quite well. FWIW, some of the most inspiring music I've ever heard is being made today.

From The Netherlands

From Italy

From Germany

From France

Even in the US, there are indie bands that are pushing right through preconceptions and expectations to create some insanely cool music.


I'm glad you like them but how can you compare bands like this to Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Nirvana, The Who, The Clash etc, etc. They have a sound and play good but they are nowhere near bands that were big in the 60's through the 90's.
 
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I'm glad you like them but how can you compare bands like this to Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Nirvana, The Who, The Clash etc, etc. They have a sound and play good but they are nowhere near bands that were big in the 60's through the 90's.

None of the bands you listed are Heavy Metal bands (so they do not compare... different genres) and I think that PRS Artist Kanami Tōno is the best Heavy Metal guitarist I've ever seen.
 
I'm glad you like them but how can you compare bands like this to Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Nirvana, The Who, The Clash etc, etc. They have a sound and play good but they are nowhere near bands that were big in the 60's through the 90's.
Easy. The groups you mentioned were at the right place and time to be more widely accepted in the US. People had TV and radio, that was pretty much it. Those bands had little to no competition from other media sources (Netflix, HBO, etc) or digital activities (MMOs, Facebook or other online entertainment).

That doesn’t mean rock is dead, just different. IMHO, of course.
 
As a music fan, my take is that the 60s-70s-80s were a wonderful time where musicians were discovering new sounds (the development of electric guitar, pedals, amps, techniques) in a free market (thousands on independent radio stations). Currently we have a few media conglomerates that control music as a product from musicians, songwriters, production, to which songs they decide are top billed.
Personally I love watching local talent perform ( and I always buy their albums). I do not subscribe to any streaming content where the music corporation decides what i should be listening to. I know, I’m old school, but at least I’m real.
 
Easy. The groups you mentioned were at the right place and time to be more widely accepted in the US. People had TV and radio, that was pretty much it. Those bands had little to no competition from other media sources (Netflix, HBO, etc) or digital activities (MMOs, Facebook or other online entertainment).

That doesn’t mean rock is dead, just different. IMHO, of course.
I think it's easier now to make it big now. You can record at home, upload to a site that millions can access, sell your songs on a website. Like Chance the Rapper you don't even need to have a label with a bunch of weasels telling you what to do.
 
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