"But let’s also leave some space in the culture for new musicians, new songs, and new stories. Otherwise, we’re just living in the past—and that’s a terrible disservice to the future." Hear, hear!
For the target group for these offerings, the past is a fantasy they seek to escape into from an intolerable, confusing, and mostly hopeless present. Those of us for whom that past is history are an annoyance – and easy to consider irrelevant.
Do a search for Franki Valli on youtube. He's currently 92 years old and still touring. He is obviously lip syncing and is frail and looks like he needs medical attention. But they keep paying large sums of money to see him. People have said there is elder abuse involved or ties to the mob where he owes money. Whatever the reason, people willing to cough up large sums of money to watch the shadow of the past that lives in their minds. Chicago, the band has one original member left and is performing in Las Vegas. Nothing more than a cover band of itself. No better or worse than Leonid and Friends...Russian Cover Band playing Chicago, Earth Wind and fire and similar. 25 million followers. Currently touring the United States. There are two Australian cover bands playing pop hits similar type of following depending on the video. Then add all the reaction video's of younger people reacting to music they never heard, tons of graduates from music conservatories that started a youtube channel analyzing chord changes of the old rock and jazz standards. I think Rick Beato must have done 1/2 dozen more video's on Steely Dan and so have many others. And the comments usually say something, 'they were so underrated. No they weren't. We all know. Well deserving of the attention for their musical contribution, but enough is enough..
It's almost like the majority of musical listeners have no interest in the present. David Lee Roth 71 years old. I saw an entire list of starts of the 70's and 80's still touring. All in the 70's and 80s. The Eagles were performing at the sphere basically as background music to the visual effects of the sphere. The past is great but it is over bearing now. Hollywood, the music industry, the venues, and the public can play nostalgia all they want. Not interested in anymore. I want to hear new sounds. And that was one of the prime reasons I am a subscriber to your substack. Help me spot new things that are more difficult to find.
Absolutely we need a channel for new music. Last time I tried I got the "Millennial Whine” and retreated. My fault, I know I need patience and persistence.
Not a response to your main point, but lately I find myself unable to listen to music Michael Jackson made as an adult. Giving it up saddens me, because the tracks I like still sound good, and they brightened my teen years. But when something from, e.g., Thriller comes on, I feels as if I'm condoning his misdeeds if I don't turn it off (or, if someone else is playing it, ignoring it).
(Qualms I have about listening to music he made as a kid arise because of his father's brutality, not anything MJ did, so "I Want You Back" and "ABC" remain on my playlists for now.)
And then there's Phish who bridges the gap between old and new. The band has existed for 40+ years and the members are in their early 60's. They just played a residency of nine shows at Sphere, where they did not repeat a single song, 162 individual songs from throughout their career, from some of their earliest compositions to some from the last few years. They did repeat some of the visuals over the three weekends, using them for different songs.
Michael Jackson was found innocent. He was probably one of the most thoroughly investigated people in history - strip-searched, raided, and put through a high-profile trial that took a massive toll on him. The media was ready to crucify him, but after the jury acquitted him on all counts and the accusations fell apart under scrutiny, the story largely disappeared. That's why this biopic is needed, even if it focuses on his life and artistry. The next one will include the accusations because MICHAEL ends in 1988. Will be a lot darker and probably angrier, his music and lyrics. gets a lot more angry after 1988. Also it is really nice that for the first time probbaly ever people are starting to talk about his craft in a menaingful way. Media missed that chance. The kids get it.
Does this mean that today's music sucks, and so we have to reach back to when it didn't suck? It would be easy to jump to that conclusion, but I think it has more to do with Hollywood's lack of imagination and unwillingness to take a risk - they'd rather reach for a sure thing in a sequel, remake, or biopic. It probably says something about the audiences, too.
Don’t forget all the “Reaction” videos where people play old music and the host says, often convincingly, that they have never heard this before. Bands like The Doors, Chicago, Procol Harum, even the Beatles and on and on. So, for them it is new.
I’m sure some of them are. I like this one, she reminds me of a nun I had in grade school and I actually learn something about how songs are structured in her analysis. The ones that are hosted by actual musicians are usually pretty good. There is another one run by an opera singer who has proven her singing abilities but I can’t find the link just now. One out there is run by a composer who does a deep dive on Captain Beefheart. So, a pretty good variety.
Agree. I would think the younger generations are fed up with rehashing the past at the expense of the present and future. Even the muzak in public places is nauseatingly stuck in the '70's/'80's.
I think it's extremely tasteless to create this film. But if there's a dollar to be made, nobody feels shame because dollar>shame. I wonder if the appeal is to younger people who, despite the very serious issues surrounding Jackson, don't have quite the same kinds of star anymore like that, when they were in their prime. Where it was partly "managed" in Jackson's day, it's now totally manipulated. Mega stars are as much created as algorithmic slop and think tanks now, the media companies might as well be buying their own records.
New musicians and artists tend to get their big break from Eurovision and we often find gems and new favourite artists every year. It's a huge deal so clearly people want to hear new music.
"But let’s also leave some space in the culture for new musicians, new songs, and new stories. Otherwise, we’re just living in the past—and that’s a terrible disservice to the future." Hear, hear!
For the target group for these offerings, the past is a fantasy they seek to escape into from an intolerable, confusing, and mostly hopeless present. Those of us for whom that past is history are an annoyance – and easy to consider irrelevant.
Do a search for Franki Valli on youtube. He's currently 92 years old and still touring. He is obviously lip syncing and is frail and looks like he needs medical attention. But they keep paying large sums of money to see him. People have said there is elder abuse involved or ties to the mob where he owes money. Whatever the reason, people willing to cough up large sums of money to watch the shadow of the past that lives in their minds. Chicago, the band has one original member left and is performing in Las Vegas. Nothing more than a cover band of itself. No better or worse than Leonid and Friends...Russian Cover Band playing Chicago, Earth Wind and fire and similar. 25 million followers. Currently touring the United States. There are two Australian cover bands playing pop hits similar type of following depending on the video. Then add all the reaction video's of younger people reacting to music they never heard, tons of graduates from music conservatories that started a youtube channel analyzing chord changes of the old rock and jazz standards. I think Rick Beato must have done 1/2 dozen more video's on Steely Dan and so have many others. And the comments usually say something, 'they were so underrated. No they weren't. We all know. Well deserving of the attention for their musical contribution, but enough is enough..
It's almost like the majority of musical listeners have no interest in the present. David Lee Roth 71 years old. I saw an entire list of starts of the 70's and 80's still touring. All in the 70's and 80s. The Eagles were performing at the sphere basically as background music to the visual effects of the sphere. The past is great but it is over bearing now. Hollywood, the music industry, the venues, and the public can play nostalgia all they want. Not interested in anymore. I want to hear new sounds. And that was one of the prime reasons I am a subscriber to your substack. Help me spot new things that are more difficult to find.
Absolutely we need a channel for new music. Last time I tried I got the "Millennial Whine” and retreated. My fault, I know I need patience and persistence.
The polka dot microtone triangle guys give me hope;)
Not a response to your main point, but lately I find myself unable to listen to music Michael Jackson made as an adult. Giving it up saddens me, because the tracks I like still sound good, and they brightened my teen years. But when something from, e.g., Thriller comes on, I feels as if I'm condoning his misdeeds if I don't turn it off (or, if someone else is playing it, ignoring it).
(Qualms I have about listening to music he made as a kid arise because of his father's brutality, not anything MJ did, so "I Want You Back" and "ABC" remain on my playlists for now.)
I can't listen to Eric Clapton any more, and it's not because I like the music any less than I used to.
Same, though I was more a respecter of his than a fan, so cutting him from my collection is almost painless.
Same, though I was more a respecter of his than a fan, so cutting him from my collection is almost painless.
And then there's Phish who bridges the gap between old and new. The band has existed for 40+ years and the members are in their early 60's. They just played a residency of nine shows at Sphere, where they did not repeat a single song, 162 individual songs from throughout their career, from some of their earliest compositions to some from the last few years. They did repeat some of the visuals over the three weekends, using them for different songs.
“There's always fresh cheese in the mousetrap, baby”
Tom Waites
People should learn to play an instrument instead of watching super sketchy media.
Michael Jackson was found innocent. He was probably one of the most thoroughly investigated people in history - strip-searched, raided, and put through a high-profile trial that took a massive toll on him. The media was ready to crucify him, but after the jury acquitted him on all counts and the accusations fell apart under scrutiny, the story largely disappeared. That's why this biopic is needed, even if it focuses on his life and artistry. The next one will include the accusations because MICHAEL ends in 1988. Will be a lot darker and probably angrier, his music and lyrics. gets a lot more angry after 1988. Also it is really nice that for the first time probbaly ever people are starting to talk about his craft in a menaingful way. Media missed that chance. The kids get it.
Does this mean that today's music sucks, and so we have to reach back to when it didn't suck? It would be easy to jump to that conclusion, but I think it has more to do with Hollywood's lack of imagination and unwillingness to take a risk - they'd rather reach for a sure thing in a sequel, remake, or biopic. It probably says something about the audiences, too.
respectfully, I'd say we're force-fed. Like chem-trails.
We are in this thing called our society.
Where are the choices?
We are now challenged to find them but they are out there.
People sharing 'how it is for them' is where I find good places to look.
The big companies that make records and films are becoming like LLMs, just recycling what's already been done, chewing the cud and farting.
Don’t forget all the “Reaction” videos where people play old music and the host says, often convincingly, that they have never heard this before. Bands like The Doors, Chicago, Procol Harum, even the Beatles and on and on. So, for them it is new.
i've always felt that most, if not all of those, are blatantly phony and nothing more than an attempt to get some easy money.
I’m sure some of them are. I like this one, she reminds me of a nun I had in grade school and I actually learn something about how songs are structured in her analysis. The ones that are hosted by actual musicians are usually pretty good. There is another one run by an opera singer who has proven her singing abilities but I can’t find the link just now. One out there is run by a composer who does a deep dive on Captain Beefheart. So, a pretty good variety.
https://www.youtube.com/@VirginRock/videos
Agree. I would think the younger generations are fed up with rehashing the past at the expense of the present and future. Even the muzak in public places is nauseatingly stuck in the '70's/'80's.
It will all be replaced by comical A/i musicians. Wacky and inhuman. Sterile silver and white music.
I think it's extremely tasteless to create this film. But if there's a dollar to be made, nobody feels shame because dollar>shame. I wonder if the appeal is to younger people who, despite the very serious issues surrounding Jackson, don't have quite the same kinds of star anymore like that, when they were in their prime. Where it was partly "managed" in Jackson's day, it's now totally manipulated. Mega stars are as much created as algorithmic slop and think tanks now, the media companies might as well be buying their own records.
New musicians and artists tend to get their big break from Eurovision and we often find gems and new favourite artists every year. It's a huge deal so clearly people want to hear new music.