50 Worst Things To Happen To Music

[Jesse]

music.aol.com/home/blender/rock-6

Blender came up with this list and, while I agree with a lot of them, there are a few I have issue with, so I'm just gonna post those (as the list is 6 pages in length) and you can follow the link to the rest.




50-SGT Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Has any record's influence upon music proved so malignant? Concept albums, progressive rock, Brian Wilson's nervous breakdown, baby boomers yammering away about the Summer of Love, musicians taking themselves more seriously than cancer surgeons -- all the Beatles' fault. And is there anyone alive who hasn't suffered a collapse of the will to live during 'When I'm Sixty-Four'?
I'm not a huge Beatles fan, but C'mon.

49-The dude that yell "Free Bird" at every concert

Annoying? Yes, but one of the 50 worst things to happen to music? I think not.

35-Van Halen fires David Lee Roth

34-Van Halen Hires Sammy Hagar

33-Van Halen fires Sammy Hagar

32-Van Halen hires Gary Cherone

This bothers me. Not only do they play up the Rock'n Roll myth that Roth WAS the source of all things good in Van Halen, but they wasted 4 spots to make their stupid point. I mean this whole Roth/ Van Halen thing is cliche IMO. It's very easy to say this shit. Only someone with some balls (like me ) will say that if you take the worst of Roth's solo material and the worst of the Van Hagar material, you would likely end up with, what would be any post-1984 Roth/Van Halen material. So get over it people. Van Halen did some good stuff with Hagar and some real shit with Roth and Gary Cherone coulda made a fine singer for Van Halen in the 90's if you woulda given him a chance.

16-Replacement Lead Singers
AC/DC's impressive recovery from singer-vomit-asphyxiation is the exception that proves the rule. If the phrase "Van Hagar" fails to convince, consider 'Rock Star: INXS' (winner J.D. Fortune pictured) and the macabre spectacle of Queen fronted by a leather-faced Paul Rodgers.

This one follows up on the Van Halen thing as total bullshit. Note to blender: Freddie Mercury and Micheal Hutchence are dead. The new guy in INXS sounds just fine. Steve Augeri in 2006 is better for Journey that Steve Perry in 2006. Molly Hatchet is doing better now with Phil McCormack than the last 10 years of Danny Joe Brown's tenure. Paul Rodgers iosn't replacing Freddie Mercury, he doesn't have to because he's Paul Rodgers and he sings those Queen songs just fine as anyone who listens with an open ear will tell you. What #16 SHOULD be is: Dipshit media indoctrination that lead singers ARE the band.


9-Whitey

There are people who believe that this creature -- call him "honky," "ofay" or the "blue-eyed devil" -- was created 6,000 years ago by an evil scientist named Yakub via genetic experimentation on an island called Patmos in a ... lab or something. These people are music critics. In the first half of the century, Whitey took the kaleidoscopic music of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington and begat LAWRENCE WELK and the couldn't-be-more-appropriately-named PAUL WHITEMAN. In the latter, he took Little Richard's gender-bendy, crypto-porn shout 'Tutti Frutti' and begat its wan, Wonder Breaded anathema, PAT BOONE.

We see the Beast's essence everywhere.
There he is, a beefy blond youth in a Von Dutch cap, spilling keg beer as he shifts weight from one Teva to another to a Bob Marley song -- something he calls "dancing"; there he is, performing as MICHAEL BOLTON and VANILLA ICE or singing through the narrow, goateed visage of A.J. MCLEAN. The dreaded character George Clinton christened Sir Nose D'Void of Funk has had an anti-Midas touch on music for decades now, whether it's rockers copping the sexiness but not the subtlety of the blues in the '50s or lemon-faced mooks hijacking hip-hop's vigor to express the torments of suburban males who can't get laid in the '90s.

White folks: They ruin everything.

I do hate people who cry "Racist!" at the drop of a hat, BUT, THIS is RACIST! I could make just as convincing a case that BLACK PEOPLE ruined music through disco, rap, hip-hop and Whitney Houston, but it would be stereotyping the entire race and belittling the efforts of those black people who were integral to the developement of music. I'm not that shallow, but apparently the writers of this article are.


1- Kids Today

Back in our day, we didn't have any of yer fancy iPods and ringtones and downloads. We didn't have the luxury and convenience of your scrotum-rings and your World Wide Web logs. When we wanted to steal the new URIAH HEEP album, we couldn't just troll the Internet for it, we had to do it the old-fashioned way -- by hiking to the store (uphill, both ways) and shoving 12" of vinyl under our sweaters (which we had to knit ourselves). That's why you sniveling whipper-snappers don't appreciate the real value of music. Or Uriah Heep. Now get the hell off our lawn!


No argument here! Let's face it, if kid's today (actually kids of about 5 years ago) used Napster to discover new music instead of trying to download artists' entire catalogs for free, there may not have been a lawsuit and we wouldn't have to pay to hear a new song that radio SHOULD play but won't. Thanks to kids either downloading albums or keeping their CDs in books and throwing away the covers, few artists put forth the effort to give us a good album cover. Thanks to kids buying into whatever crap the media sells them, we get little variety and a lot of crap in our music today. Nope can't argue with this one at all. Hit a home run here!

[Frank]

NUMBER 49 IS FUNNY FOR ME. AS PART OF MY BANDS SHOW. BEFORE WE DO ANY SKYNYRD SONGS. I ALWAYS ASK WERE THE DRUNK GUY IS THAT YELLS "PLAY SOME SKYNYRD WHOOO" AT? AND WE WON'T START THE SONG UNTIL SOMEONE YELLS IT. ITS FUNNY AS HELL & GOES OVER REAL WELL. IF THEY ONLY KNEW WE WE'RE MAKING FUN OF EM.

[Jesse]

bass63 said:

NUMBER 49 IS FUNNY FOR ME. AS PART OF MY BANDS SHOW. BEFORE WE DO ANY SKYNYRD SONGS. I ALWAYS ASK WERE THE DRUNK GUY IS THAT YELLS "PLAY SOME SKYNYRD WHOOO" AT? AND WE WON'T START THE SONG UNTIL SOMEONE YELLS IT. ITS FUNNY AS HELL & GOES OVER REAL WELL. IF THEY ONLY KNEW WE WE'RE MAKING FUN OF EM.

Reminds me of when my sister was in my band. We were about to play "What's Up?" by 4 Non Blondes and someone shouted "Free Bird!", to which my sister replied into the mic, "Ok, this is SOOOOO NOT Free Bird". Kinda had to be there and hear how she said it, but it was a riot and we still talk about that every once in awhile and laugh.

[Jesse]

I got a few to add to the list:


The De-regulation of radio. With corporate radio buying up stations in every market, this led directly to the sameness of music throughout the 80's, then again in the 90's and stil today. Also is the reason you can only hear about 50-100 different songs throughout the year on any given Classic Rock station.


"Achy Breaky Heart". Since this is about music and not just ROCK MUSIC, I gotta put this on the list. This song and more importantly, the line dance for it ushered in a whole new era in Country music where you couldn't have a hit country single unless one could line dance to it. Now, nearly 15 years later, Country music is overflowing with acts that sound like Rickey Martin with a wad of tobacco between his cheek and gum.


Morning DJs. Not sure who the genius was who thought I wanted to listen to 3 or 4 morons laugh at their own stupid jokes and 3 Stooges-like sound effects at 6:30am while I'm driving to 7-11 for my morning cup of coffee, but this trend of "Morning Zoos" has had worse effects than just annoying me. These guys are laughing it up for up to 20 minutes at a time in some instances and this is all time that could and SHOULD be spent playing music. Next time you read or hear of some radio programmer saying that they don't have the air-time to play new songs Classic Rock artists, write to them or tell them directly to pull the fuckin' plug on Opie And Anthony and they'll free up, what, 4 hours of otherwise wasted space right there!


Keep thinkin'.......I'll come up with some more.

[Frank]

JESSE ,

IT'S FUNNY YOU SHOULD MENTION THE MORNING DJS. THERE A STATION TO THE EAST OF ME THAT I CAN ONLY LISTEN TO WHEN I TRAVEL THAT WAY FOR WORK. THEY ARE A GREAT BLEND OF CLASSIC ROCK (THEY ALSO PLAY A LOT OF DEEP ALBUM CUTS) & SOME OF THE BETTER NEW ROCK. BUT MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 6-10 AM THEY HAVE ON THE BOB & TOM SHOW. YES THEIR FUNNY. BUT THEIR SHOW IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING DAY IN & DAY OUT. AND IT ALWAYS GETS ME TO THINKING THAT THEY COULD USE THAT TIME PLAYING SOME MUSIC. DAMNIT! I WANT MY ROCK FIX! WHEN I WANT MY COMEDY FIX I'LL WATCH COMEDY CENTRAL AT MY CONVIENCE!!

[rocknut]

Blender magazine is a complete waste of column space anyway. Anything that they have to say is not something I want to pay attention to.

That said the "whitey" thing........wow.....can you imagine what woulda happened if it had said "coon" or "spade"?

Todays social double standards are at their worst in those few lines.

[caljam]

rocknut said:

Blender magazine is a complete waste of column space anyway. Anything that they have to say is not something I want to pay attention to.

That said the "whitey" thing........wow.....can you imagine what woulda happened if it had said "coon" or "spade"?

Todays social double standards are at their worst in those few lines.

Not quite. There's a difference with being racist, and mocking one's own race.

I'm assuming, and probably correct in doiung so, that the person who wrote the article is white. Hence, they are mocking their own race in a sterotypical way.

Look at all those black Gangsta rappers freely using the word "niggaz".

Look at the film "White Men Can't Jump". It's directed by a "Whitey".

You can mock one's own people, but not those from other races. Rightly or wrongly, I don't think it's racism. Merely having a laugh at one's expense.

[rocknut]

That's a fair point...and well made.

There's another difference though.....white people aren't quick to seize on racism directed at them and use it to their own ends.

[Speedy]

caljam said:

rocknut said:

Blender magazine is a complete waste of column space anyway. Anything that they have to say is not something I want to pay attention to.

That said the "whitey" thing........wow.....can you imagine what woulda happened if it had said "coon" or "spade"?

Todays social double standards are at their worst in those few lines.

Not quite. There's a difference with being racist, and mocking one's own race.

I'm assuming, and probably correct in doiung so, that the person who wrote the article is white. Hence, they are mocking their own race in a sterotypical way.

Look at all those black Gangsta rappers freely using the word "niggaz".

Look at the film "White Men Can't Jump". It's directed by a "Whitey".

You can mock one's own people, but not those from other races. Rightly or wrongly, I don't think it's racism. Merely having a laugh at one's expense.

BULLSH*T!

If the Cleveland Indians logo is racsist, that article is racist. Period.

I hear what you are saying, and I may believe it. However I am sick and tired of "racism" being a ONE WAY STREET. It only applies to any race but WHITE.

I do see some others feeling my way. Watch Mind of Mencia on
Comedy Central. That is some funny stuff.

[Jesse]

I do see some others feeling my way. Watch Mind of Mencia on
Comedy Central. That is some funny stuff.

That show is a hoot!


To be fair to Blender magazine, out of a list of 50, I only have a real problem with 8 of them.

[caljam]

mrspeedgene said:

caljam said:

Not quite. There's a difference with being racist, and mocking one's own race.

I'm assuming, and probably correct in doiung so, that the person who wrote the article is white. Hence, they are mocking their own race in a sterotypical way.

Look at all those black Gangsta rappers freely using the word "niggaz".

Look at the film "White Men Can't Jump". It's directed by a "Whitey".

You can mock one's own people, but not those from other races. Rightly or wrongly, I don't think it's racism. Merely having a laugh at one's expense.

BULLSH*T!

If the Cleveland Indians logo is racsist, that article is racist. Period.

I hear what you are saying, and I may believe it. However I am sick and tired of "racism" being a ONE WAY STREET. It only applies to any race but WHITE.

I do see some others feeling my way. Watch Mind of Mencia on
Comedy Central. That is some funny stuff.

I am not American, so I have no idea what the deal is with the Cleveland Indians logo, nor am I able to view Mind of Mencia. That part of your argument is lost on me.

But please don't shoot my posts down with capitalised derogatory remarks. I merely offered what I believed to be a reasoned argument as to why the above post was not racist.

I still stand by it. I also acknowledge that on occasions, there can be a one-way street regarding racism, just as there can be with other prejudices. I just don't think this is an example of it.

[Speedy]

caljam said:

I am not American, so I have no idea what the deal is with the Cleveland Indians logo, nor am I able to view Mind of Mencia. That part of your argument is lost on me.

But please don't shoot my posts down with capitalised derogatory remarks. I merely offered what I believed to be a reasoned argument as to why the above post was not racist.

I still stand by it. I also acknowledge that on occasions, there can be a one-way street regarding racism, just as there can be with other prejudices. I just don't think this is an example of it.

Since you are NOT American I can understand your NOT understanding.

For example this part of your original post:

"I'm assuming, and probably correct in doiung so, that the person who wrote the article is white. Hence, they are mocking their own race in a sterotypical way."


Here in America that is considered a VERY RACIST remark. How can you tell what race the person is by they way they wrote? You must be a racist!

Stupid isn't it? A remark like "most black people have curly hair" is considered racist.....even though most do have curly hair.

In fact the term black is considered "politically incorrect" in many circles. I don't even know what term to use. African American is most popular I guess. WHITE is ok to use though......even though I am an Irish/German/Indian(not from India, Delaware Tribe). I am not even white.....closer to pink IMO.

Even sports teams. Like the Cleveland Indians. Native Americans are protesting that the LOGO of the team is racist. Same with the Redskins, Warriors and others. Even though the mascots were chosen because INDIANS are proud, athletic, strong and TEAMWORK is a huge aspect of their history. Of course some Indians will say I am RACIST because some of them are WEAK, doppy, meek and they don't give a crap about others. ;D I am sure the thing that most poor Native Americans want or need is the logo of the Cleveland Indians changed

I am proud to be a INDIAN. Even though I am considered white.......even though I am pink......then again I am 1/4 Irish 1/2 German.

Are you confused? I hope so. Now you know how it feels to be an American on this issue.

I am all for equal rights, but it has come to the level of idiocy here. Just another NON-ISSUE that we Americans get all bent out of shape over.....that way the government can blind us to the REAL issues.

[caljam]

mrspeedgene said:

Since you are NOT American I can understand your NOT understanding.

For example this part of your original post:

"I'm assuming, and probably correct in doiung so, that the person who wrote the article is white. Hence, they are mocking their own race in a sterotypical way."


Here in America that is considered a VERY RACIST remark. How can you tell what race the person is by they way they wrote? You must be a racist!

Dear oh dear...

Any other Americans on here think that this is a racist remark?

[Speedy]

caljam said:

mrspeedgene said:

Since you are NOT American I can understand your NOT understanding.

For example this part of your original post:

"I'm assuming, and probably correct in doiung so, that the person who wrote the article is white. Hence, they are mocking their own race in a sterotypical way."


Here in America that is considered a VERY RACIST remark. How can you tell what race the person is by they way they wrote? You must be a racist!

Dear oh dear...

Any other Americans on here think that this is a racist remark?

LOOK, I know it isn't a racist remark. However it WOULD be considered racist by many people who make "racism" their business. By the way, where are you from?

[caljam]

mrspeedgene said:

caljam said:

Dear oh dear...

Any other Americans on here think that this is a racist remark?

LOOK, I know it isn't a racist remark. However it WOULD be considered racist by many people who make "racism" their business. By the way, where are you from?

Born and bred in England, though I have three other nationalities in my blood!

Ignoring all the other arguments so far, and going back to the original remark, do you think that is a racist comment?

I don't, and you said you "may believe me". So if we agree on that, then the rest is neither here not there for the purpose of this thread!

[Speedy]

caljam said:

Born and bred in England, though I have three other nationalities in my blood!

Interesting. I would suspect then that racism is not BIG BUSINESS in England? Good for you guys.

I think there is a little more "tolerance" there than here. I noticed one time when watching a Dolly Parton concert on HBO in London that there were punkers, metal fans, upper crust and blacks at the show. I thought WOW, that would be cool.

Here if you like PUNK, you can't like country or metal. I never got that. America tends to pigeonhole everything and everyone. You never see a bunch of latinos at a Judas Priest show.

CRAP! is it ok to say LATINO!?

[hojam]

50 Worst things to Happen to Music.

A few things (IMO)....

-Corporate ownership of radio stations. Took power away from DJ's.

-MTV's format change in the early 90's.

-VH-1's format change in '03.

-The so-called "Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame"...which segues into the following....

-Any scenario that takes the "danger" out of rock and turns it into a snooty, sophisticated, self-righteous, black-tie affair.

[Warpig]

[MrAce]

jesse said:

9-Whitey

There are people who believe that this creature -- call him "honky," "ofay" or the "blue-eyed devil" -- was created 6,000 years ago by an evil scientist named Yakub via genetic experimentation on an island called Patmos in a ... lab or something. These people are music critics. In the first half of the century, Whitey took the kaleidoscopic music of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington and begat LAWRENCE WELK and the couldn't-be-more-appropriately-named PAUL WHITEMAN. In the latter, he took Little Richard's gender-bendy, crypto-porn shout 'Tutti Frutti' and begat its wan, Wonder Breaded anathema, PAT BOONE.

We see the Beast's essence everywhere.
There he is, a beefy blond youth in a Von Dutch cap, spilling keg beer as he shifts weight from one Teva to another to a Bob Marley song -- something he calls "dancing"; there he is, performing as MICHAEL BOLTON and VANILLA ICE or singing through the narrow, goateed visage of A.J. MCLEAN. The dreaded character George Clinton christened Sir Nose D'Void of Funk has had an anti-Midas touch on music for decades now, whether it's rockers copping the sexiness but not the subtlety of the blues in the '50s or lemon-faced mooks hijacking hip-hop's vigor to express the torments of suburban males who can't get laid in the '90s.

White folks: They ruin everything.

I don't know, but to me this does sound pretty racist. There are hints of truth but racist. Regardless of the race of the author. I find it funny that it's easier to swallow the racism when it's done by one's own race.

[caljam]

mrace said:

jesse said:

9-Whitey

There are people who believe that this creature -- call him "honky," "ofay" or the "blue-eyed devil" -- was created 6,000 years ago by an evil scientist named Yakub via genetic experimentation on an island called Patmos in a ... lab or something. These people are music critics. In the first half of the century, Whitey took the kaleidoscopic music of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington and begat LAWRENCE WELK and the couldn't-be-more-appropriately-named PAUL WHITEMAN. In the latter, he took Little Richard's gender-bendy, crypto-porn shout 'Tutti Frutti' and begat its wan, Wonder Breaded anathema, PAT BOONE.

We see the Beast's essence everywhere.
There he is, a beefy blond youth in a Von Dutch cap, spilling keg beer as he shifts weight from one Teva to another to a Bob Marley song -- something he calls "dancing"; there he is, performing as MICHAEL BOLTON and VANILLA ICE or singing through the narrow, goateed visage of A.J. MCLEAN. The dreaded character George Clinton christened Sir Nose D'Void of Funk has had an anti-Midas touch on music for decades now, whether it's rockers copping the sexiness but not the subtlety of the blues in the '50s or lemon-faced mooks hijacking hip-hop's vigor to express the torments of suburban males who can't get laid in the '90s.

White folks: They ruin everything.

I don't know, but to me this does sound pretty racist. There are hints of truth but racist. Regardless of the race of the author. I find it funny that it's easier to swallow the racism when it's done by one's own race.

Maybe people just lack a sense of humour. If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?