The Roanoke Times: cutNscratch

Comments

# 1

[April 18, 2008 1:07 PM]

12/20 : →http://myspace.com/knoxvilles1220

NO! rock n roll is NOT dead! you're just not looking in the right places. rock is changing but it will NEVER die

visit; myspace.com/knoxvilles1220 for some truth!

# 2

[April 18, 2008 2:29 PM]

H. B. Oprah

People seem to have many different definitions of what is R&R, and I've never been one to embrace the overly broad "Oscar Wilde and Che Guevara were Rock&Roll" school of thought that one encounters in some pretentious writing. The HOF is manifestly just about commercial popularity within the mainstream pop music arena, thus inevitably Madonna is in, while Wanda Jackson is not. The ultimate travesty, if we consider true musical influence, is that the great Link Wray is STILL not in the HOF; he pioneered hard rock, metal and grunge before Cobain and Love's parents had even begun to get horny. Anticipating this mindset was reportedly why HOF founder Ahmet Ertegun insisted that Jimmy Yancey be an initial founding member, because he knew that there would never be another likely chance for his recognition, and sure enough, where are Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons today? NOT influences in the HOF!! So influence as a criteria would seem to be defined by how that influence can still be exploited, rather than the historical record.

Also interesting were Ralph's remarks about the Pixies, their influence and comeback. Doolittle surely was one of the quintessential rock albums of the late eighties, and a homemade video of "Hey" was one of the biggest hits in the early explosion of Youtube, so the idea that they have the durable influence for HOF induction is very valid. But again, maybe it's not the kind of influence the HOF thinks merits inclusion.

I tend to agree with the idea that the hyphen-rock genres, which embrace an adolescent resistance to being identified, suffer musically for having discarded the blues, not just musically, but in terms of spirit. While the Velvet Underground and the Sex Pistols may have realized that they had no room for blues spirit in the meanness of their lives, generations of under-skilled bands since then have mis-used their example to justify a lack of emotional depth (and often a lack of musicianship). "Went to my Congressman and he said, quote: I'd like to help you son, but you're too young to vote"-that's a blues that rocks AND rolls.

# 3

[April 18, 2008 2:55 PM]

Matt : →http://www.myspace.com/theroyalgreens

Capitalism eventually kills everything that is pure. At the very least it makes all things pure extremely hard to find, then suggests to the populous that they, the populous, believe in heavily marketed shit that all sounds the same. A vicious cycle that keeps money alive but really nothing else.

Hogwash and/or brainwash. The vote is still out.

# 4

[April 19, 2008 2:21 PM]

King Ebola : →http://www.myspace.com/kingebola420

i agree with alot of what everyone is sayin but i dont think hyphen genres have anything to do with rebellion...its more of a way for record companies to put youth culture into slots and instead of encouraging real creativity (which is culturally dangerous) these kids are given different cubby holes to express themselves in and then they think theyre being rebellious but theyre really just pawns. i would go further in the argument and say that MUSIC IS DEAD.

# 5

[April 19, 2008 11:21 PM]

Tad : →http://www.roanoke.com/entertainment/insideout/music

Music is never dead as long as people still care about it, talk about it and play it.

You make a good point about genres and corporate pigeonholing. But it's been that way for a long time. Mods, rockers, teenyboppers, Deadheads, etc., etc. -- some of them just grow up organically. Some are invented cynically.

By the way, that might be a good name for a band -- The Rebellious Pawns.

Now, I'm going on vacation!

# 6

[April 21, 2008 4:04 PM]

Laurel

Rock and roll will never be dead. Not only do we have the old bands still producing hits that draw fans: Metallica, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith; But also, we enjoy up and coming Daughtry, Buckcherry. And then take a look at some of the rockers of the last decade(s): Nickelback, Papa Roach, Kid Rock, Three Days Grace and and Puddle of Mudd, to name a few.

ROCK IS NOT DEAD!! Just look at the Top Artists on myspace. Metallica, Daughtry, Buckcherry, and Three Days Grace are all listed together in the top-10 most played rock bands today (4-21-08).

Rock is not dead. I think we just stop rockin' n' rollin'.