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Post by Jesse on Sept 7, 2014 16:49:45 GMT -5
Neil Young once sang "Rock n' roll can never die," but according to Gene Simmons, it's already dead. The Kiss bassist recently made controversial remarks about Donald Sterling, immigration and depression (which he eventually backed off from), and now the Kiss bassist has another enormous statement to make: "Rock is finally dead," Simmons declared in an interview with Esquire. "The death of rock was not a natural death. Rock did not die of old age. It was murdered," he added. But rock's killer wasn't the blurring of musical genres or lack of craftsmanship. Instead, Simmons blames file sharing and the fact that no one values music "enough to pay you for it" for murdering rock n' roll. Related KISS Kiss Forever: The Rolling Stone Cover Story "It's very sad for new bands. My heart goes out to them. They just don't have a chance. If you play guitar, it's almost impossible," Simmons tell his son Nick, who interviewed him for Esquire. "You're better off not even learning how to play guitar or write songs, and just singing in the shower and auditioning for The X Factor. And I'm not slamming The X Factor, or pop singers. But where's the next Bob Dylan? Where's the next Beatles? Where are the songwriters? Where are the creators? Many of them now have to work behind the scenes, to prop up pop acts and write their stuff for them." Simmons goes on to say that 1958 to 1983 was music's pinnacle as he could name 100s of iconic musicians. Since then, Simmons lists two bands that have carried on the spirit of that era: Nirvana and, surprisingly, Tame Impala, which Simmons' son turned him on to. "The craft is gone, and that is what technology, in part, has brought us," Simmons said. "What is the next Dark Side of the Moon? Now that the record industry barely exists, they wouldn't have a chance to make something like that. There is a reason that, along with the usual top-40 juggernauts, some of the biggest touring bands are half old people, like me." Simmons then points the finger at who he suspects is guilty for killing rock: "My sense is that file sharing started in predominantly white, middle- and upper-middle-class young people who were native-born, who felt they were entitled to have something for free, because that's what they were used to. If you believe in capitalism — and I'm a firm believer in free-market capitalism — then that other model is chaos. It destroys the structure." Simmons also uses this train of thought to slyly apologize for his previous statements about immigration by adding, "I find that many of the more patriotic people are immigrants." Perhaps upset that they weren't named among "iconic" acts like Nirvana and Tame Impala, Foo Fighters shared Simmons' "Rock is finally dead" interview on their Facebook page, adding "Not so fast, Mr. God of Thunder..." Dave Grohl and company will attempt to exhume and resuscitate rock with their next album Sonic Highways on November 10th. Read more: www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gene-simmons-rock-is-finally-dead-20140907#ixzz3CfVAASqC Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook |
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Post by Jesse on Sept 7, 2014 17:08:52 GMT -5
What a fucking putz. I normally like what Simmons has to say, but he's totally off here. Still barking up the "File sharing is killing the music industry" tree from 15 years ago. Couple obvious holes in his theory: 1-there aren't that many free file sharing sites left. 2-It's so easy and cheap to get mp3s through Amazon, itunes and other sites, I think most music fans pay for the music today. It's not like during the Napster days when, if you wanted just one song, the only way to do it was through Napster or other free/illegal sites. 3- I said this back in the height of the napster controversy and I'll say it again: I realy don't think most people who get music for free through file sharing would pony up the $$ to buy those songs anyhow. Sure, it's still wrong, I agree, but I don't see it as a major factor towards killing Rock music. Some larger factors toward Rock's demise, just off the top of my head: Marketing toward preteens. Marketing shitty music. Top 40 radio formats, Classic Rock radio formats, the video game industry, record companies no longer developing artists. record companies going public, music buying demographics getting older and not having discretionary $$ to buy and/or not interested in what is marketed today. I could go on and elaborate if I had to, but I don't feel like. Remember, in the early 80's it was home taping that killed the industry. No one wants to look in the mirror.
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Post by spacel0rd on Sept 8, 2014 9:45:50 GMT -5
I’ll tell you this:
The rock star is dead. When Mick Jagger, Axl Rose, Bono, Steven Tyler and the likes all finally pass on, there is no one who will take their place. Sadly, the new “rock star” is the “rap star”. We grew up with the David Lee Roths of the world. Today’s kids grow up with the Jay Zs of the world.
Or, I guess you can say…rap stars and country stars have BOTH replaced the rock star. And I don’t know what makes me wanna barf more: Brad Paisley or Nicki Minaj.
Rock stars had a “dangerous” quality to them…Divas who drank, did drugs and fucked too much. Now the “dangerous aspect” is rap stars who beat their girlfriends and get shot at a club.
And if someone thinks there are a slew of younger rock stars to replace the older legends…like Chris Martin and Adam Levine…Well, that will just prove my point even more.
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Post by Frank on Sept 8, 2014 11:45:53 GMT -5
I like Gene Simmons but he's all wet on this one. Rock is not dead. But it's not high on the list for consumers. Sad.
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Post by Jesse on Sept 8, 2014 17:43:59 GMT -5
I’ll tell you this: The rock star is dead. When Mick Jagger, Axl Rose, Bono, Steven Tyler and the likes all finally pass on, there is no one who will take their place. Sadly, the new “rock star” is the “rap star”. We grew up with the David Lee Roths of the world. Today’s kids grow up with the Jay Zs of the world. Or, I guess you can say…rap stars and country stars have BOTH replaced the rock star. And I don’t know what makes me wanna barf more: Brad Paisley or Nicki Minaj. Rock stars had a “dangerous” quality to them…Divas who drank, did drugs and fucked too much. Now the “dangerous aspect” is rap stars who beat their girlfriends and get shot at a club. And if someone thinks there are a slew of younger rock stars to replace the older legends…like Chris Martin and Adam Levine…Well, that will just prove my point even more. I pretty much agree with you on this. Only point where I diverge from you is on Brad Paisley. I never cared for him either, but saw him in concert and it changed my perspective. Sure, he's got more shitty songs than good ones, but his good ones are pretty darned good. And even his shitty ones at least kinda sound Country. On today's Country radio, his songs stick out like a Hank Sr classic on a disco mix-tape. Anyhow, back on point: Yeah, who's been the big Rock "Star" of the last decade or so? I think you could argue Kid Rock, but his star didn't shine all that bright until he started to go Country. Beyond him? I dunno, I don't keep up all that much, but then again, 30 years ago, my parents didn't keep up all that much either but they still knew who David Lee Roth was, who Alice Cooper was and could name the 4 original members of Kiss. Today, I'm not sure even fans of Nickelback know the name of their singer. |
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Post by Jesse on Sept 8, 2014 17:46:58 GMT -5
I like Gene Simmons but he's all wet on this one. Rock is not dead. But it's not high on the list for consumers. Sad. Rock as an art form is very much alive. Rock as a cash cow in the music business is pretty much dead. But, in my opinion, it's been dead in that sense for quite a few years now. |
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Post by Frank on Sept 11, 2014 11:49:50 GMT -5
Dee Snider's response... TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider has issued a response to KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons' recent comment that "rock is dead." Simmons told Esquire magazine last week — in an interview conducted by his son Nick — that "rock did not die of old age. It was murdered. Some brilliance, somewhere, was going to be expressed and now it won't because it's that much harder to earn a living playing and writing songs. No one will pay you to do it." Simmons went on to elaborate that as a result of file-sharing and other issues, record label support for rock music was not available like it was when KISS was coming up, concluding, "It's finally dead. Rock is finally dead." Snider posted the following message on his Facebook page on Wednesday (September 10): "Recently my esteemed colleague Gene Simmons of KISS declared that 'rock 'n' roll is finally dead.' "Really? "While I have nothing but respect for Gene, he couldn't be further off the mark. Yes, the rock 'n' roll 'business model' that helped KISS (and my band, for that matter) achieve fame and fortune is most certainly long dead and buried, but rock 'n' roll is alive and well and thriving on social media, in the streets, and in clubs and concert halls all over the world. And the bands playing it are more genuine and heartfelt than ever because they are in it for one reason: the love of rock 'n' roll. "Spend some time seeing and listening to these incredible young bands and their rabid fans and you will know that rock 'n' roll couldn't be more alive. Yes, it's not the same as it was for the first 50 years of rock's existence, but the fire definitely still burns. "And it wasn't some 15-year-old kid in Saint Paul, Minnesota (to paraphrase Mr. Simmons) who killed the rock 'n' roll goose that laid the platinum egg... it was greedy, big-city record company moguls who made their own velvet noose to hang themselves with. It was they who took advantage of the consumer (and the artist for that matter) and drove them to use an alternative source of music presented to them. "For example, take the bill of goods the record industry sold the mainstream public when introducing the CD format. 'We have to charge more for it, because it's a new technology and there's a cost to setting up the infrastructure to produce them.' The consumer believed them — it made sense — so they paid a $18.98 list price for a product they had been paying $7.99 list for previously. After all, 'you can't break a CD with a hammer!' (Remember that?) "But when the infrastructure was in place and paid for in full, and the cost of producing a CD dropped to less than a dollar, did the record companies roll back the list price in kind? Not on your life. They weren't about to do the right thing and cut their increased revenue stream. Those fat cats were enjoying their ill-gotten gains way too much. "So when the general public finally realized they were being had, and the opportunity arose for them to stick it to the man, what did they do? The same thing their Woodstock Nation, baby boomer parents had done when they had their chance...they stuck it and they stuck it good. "Does anyone remember Abbey Hoffman's 'Steal This Book', the massive-selling, early-'70s hippy guide 'focused on ways to fight the government, and against corporations in any way possible.' Multiply that by a googolplex. "Is it hard to make it rock 'n' roll? You bet. Always was, always will be. Will rockers make as much money as they did 'back in the day'? Probably not. But that won't stop them, and they'll be motivated by a much more genuine love of the art, and great rock will continue to be produced, played and embraced by rock fans. "So in conclusion: Record company executives killed the old rock 'n' roll business model… and rock 'n' roll ain't dead!" Read more at www.blabbermouth.net/news/twisted-sisters-dee-snider-to-gene-simmons-rock-n-roll-aint-dead/#Zy9cA8IFwSeATOuD.99 |
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Post by Jesse on Sept 11, 2014 20:03:50 GMT -5
Dee Snider's response... TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider has issued a response to KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons' recent comment that "rock is dead." Simmons told Esquire magazine last week — in an interview conducted by his son Nick — that "rock did not die of old age. It was murdered. Some brilliance, somewhere, was going to be expressed and now it won't because it's that much harder to earn a living playing and writing songs. No one will pay you to do it." Simmons went on to elaborate that as a result of file-sharing and other issues, record label support for rock music was not available like it was when KISS was coming up, concluding, "It's finally dead. Rock is finally dead." Snider posted the following message on his Facebook page on Wednesday (September 10): "Recently my esteemed colleague Gene Simmons of KISS declared that 'rock 'n' roll is finally dead.' "Really? "While I have nothing but respect for Gene, he couldn't be further off the mark. Yes, the rock 'n' roll 'business model' that helped KISS (and my band, for that matter) achieve fame and fortune is most certainly long dead and buried, but rock 'n' roll is alive and well and thriving on social media, in the streets, and in clubs and concert halls all over the world. And the bands playing it are more genuine and heartfelt than ever because they are in it for one reason: the love of rock 'n' roll. "Spend some time seeing and listening to these incredible young bands and their rabid fans and you will know that rock 'n' roll couldn't be more alive. Yes, it's not the same as it was for the first 50 years of rock's existence, but the fire definitely still burns. "And it wasn't some 15-year-old kid in Saint Paul, Minnesota (to paraphrase Mr. Simmons) who killed the rock 'n' roll goose that laid the platinum egg... it was greedy, big-city record company moguls who made their own velvet noose to hang themselves with. It was they who took advantage of the consumer (and the artist for that matter) and drove them to use an alternative source of music presented to them. "For example, take the bill of goods the record industry sold the mainstream public when introducing the CD format. 'We have to charge more for it, because it's a new technology and there's a cost to setting up the infrastructure to produce them.' The consumer believed them — it made sense — so they paid a $18.98 list price for a product they had been paying $7.99 list for previously. After all, 'you can't break a CD with a hammer!' (Remember that?) "But when the infrastructure was in place and paid for in full, and the cost of producing a CD dropped to less than a dollar, did the record companies roll back the list price in kind? Not on your life. They weren't about to do the right thing and cut their increased revenue stream. Those fat cats were enjoying their ill-gotten gains way too much. "So when the general public finally realized they were being had, and the opportunity arose for them to stick it to the man, what did they do? The same thing their Woodstock Nation, baby boomer parents had done when they had their chance...they stuck it and they stuck it good. "Does anyone remember Abbey Hoffman's 'Steal This Book', the massive-selling, early-'70s hippy guide 'focused on ways to fight the government, and against corporations in any way possible.' Multiply that by a googolplex. "Is it hard to make it rock 'n' roll? You bet. Always was, always will be. Will rockers make as much money as they did 'back in the day'? Probably not. But that won't stop them, and they'll be motivated by a much more genuine love of the art, and great rock will continue to be produced, played and embraced by rock fans. "So in conclusion: Record company executives killed the old rock 'n' roll business model… and rock 'n' roll ain't dead!" Read more at www.blabbermouth.net/news/twisted-sisters-dee-snider-to-gene-simmons-rock-n-roll-aint-dead/#Zy9cA8IFwSeATOuD.99Yeah, what he said.  |
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