What happened to the Rock Stars?
All The media outlets are producing some type of rock star except for Music?
Forgoodness sakes! Simon Cowell is more interesting to look at than the karaoke singers.
Say What?
The public is so bored that their eyes are glued to Paris Hilton and Lindsay? At least the socialites are living up to the public expectations. The public is bored and they should be!
Did artists forget how to become rock stars?
Axl Rose returned briefly in 06, and he didn’t forget to bitch slap Tommy Hilfiger. Thanks Axl. You are a true rockstar. Keith Richards smoked up his grandfathers ashes. Whether true or not, its genius. Amy Winehouse is intriguing, a coked up rocker unable to perform. Rap stars were rock stars for a millisecond until kids figured out they were greedy hustlers concerned about their bank accounts. Rock stars don’t save money, they light their cash on fire.
Tattoos, eyeliner, and black clothing don’t automatically turn someone into a rock star. Passion, intensity, and belief are the true ingredients. Who is responsible for selling records? The labels or the act itself? or both? Unless an act consisently writes Beatle quality top 40 songs, you can’t sell squat if consumers aren’t passionate about the act.
Any rock stars on the Warped Tour? Nope. Although Davey Havok from AFI does a good job creating a live experience. Any rock stars on the Ozzfest? Nope. Maybe Ozzy himself but all he has left is vital signs and a nagging wife.
One year I was backstage at the Ozzfest overhearing the stage manager yelling at some hardcore act to get their shit off the stage. Thats the type of of respect these acts get. “Get your amps and kit off the stage now, we are on a time schedule”. Next act?
Except for a few, artists today can’t even sell out 3,000 seaters. How do promoters get the audience attention today? They need to gather up 200 acts, circus clowns, elephants, tents, and popcorn machines. If a petting zoo isn’t attractive, we will give away free tickets (Ozzfest 2007).
Oh, let me hear the excuses! Things change…. We are living in a different times. ….Society has changed…. Kids have changed….. Video games…… MySpace…… The national mood has changed….. Self Worship…… Bull! no excuse for the lack of rock stars that had the ability to persuade 15,000 kids to congregate in one place.
We are waiting…………………………………………..
Actually, you hit on something there…
“…I was backstage at the Ozzfest overhearing the stage manager yelling at some hardcore act to get their shit off the stage. Thats the type of of respect these acts get. “Get your amps and kit off the stage now, we are on a time schedule”.”
That IS exactly how things are. If you are a band, and aren’t doing what you’re told, you get the axe. Or at the very least, totally screwed over by a club owner. That is the way it is. Pretty disheartening, because the only people that have the money to allow bands to ‘live their dream’ are the labels. Sneeze the wrong way, and guarantee you’ll hear about it. Being a ‘rockstar’ (i.e. drugs, getting in fights, publicly/verbally abusing people, getting in trouble with cops, throwing temper-tantrums because you don’t have Figi water) has certain negative connotations, and will get you kicked out (at least in the future). Sad to say, but it’s people with the money that have the power, and the time of outlandish-rockstar behavior is passed. Act like a kid, and you lose the funding to ‘live the dream’. There are a few that are able to act that way and get away with it. But if you’re a $20,000 act, guess who won’t be worth somebody’s time..
Jesse Lacey – Brand New.
To bad they like to keep things on a smaller level. One of the few bands around today with a rockstar in them.
Someone is back in music this week:
Phoenix, AZ
Slayer 7/21/06 – Mesa Amp: 4200 people
Slayer w/ Marilyn Manson 8/27/07 – Cricket Pavilion: 20000 people
He doesn’t tour too often and lots of people still want to see him live regardless of what new music he has out, which I like.
Blame it on the government educational system. If they can brainwash kids into thinking smoking a cigarette or cigar every once in a while is going to give them cancer, do you honestly expect any rock bands to act like rockstars? The next generation of rock bands isn’t another group of hippies; they grew up with rich parents in the suburbs. The worst thing they’ve done is smoke pot at a friends house. This is a prime example of social conditions and government policies affect culture.
It’d be nice to see an American equivalent of Pete Doherty come along. Then we’d know we’re getting somewhere. I’m willing to bet this is all going to change 10-15 years from now, maybe sooner.
Someone needs to make up their mind what they want: a coked-out asshole or a guy who makes great tunes and fills a room with his star power. Those two things are not synonimous with one another. I read a lot of talk about “hit records” on here and “great songs” but then I read how we are missing more coked out pricks like Pete Doherty. Please. I think you should write a record that is so badass that 50,000 fucking people chant your name before you take the stage; THEN you can worry about being a prick. Until then, all the coke/heroine/or whatever in the world wont make you a star. Star power does not equal acting like an idiot.
Except for a few, artists today can’t even sell out 3,000 seaters. How do promoters get the audience attention today? They need to gather up 200 acts, circus clowns, elephants, tents, and popcorn machines. If a petting zoo isn’t attractive, we will give away free tickets (Ozzfest 2007).damn…and this works ??
you know that on any tv show or commercial it’s always a “rock star” that has an English accent.House of Blues and the Chicago Metro are the same way you got 10 minutes and they mean 10 minutes.unless your a major act but if you got half stacks and 5 piece drums they become you fan real quick.
it seems today that bands are told over and over this is a buisness and labels are tired of digging rock singers out of rehab and paying for torn up hotels or paying off familys when some under age girl gives a blow job or gets killed in a riot at some concert where the singer walks off the stage after a couple of songs.so what is a “rock star” someone who can light up a room when they walk in and knows how to play the game or some jerk who throws your autograph book on the ground….
the closest equivilent to rockstar status in today’s young industry is probably Dave Grohl. I am not refering to the “infamous” rock star persona but the ability to captivate and sell record after record on a consistent basis. Others up could be Oasis, Coldplay, Lenny Kravitz…Rockstardem is dying. Any kid can sit down and make a demo now days. the market is over saturated with the same sound and as soon as something somewhat new comes out…it becomes horribly emulated. The music is lame..not to mention tame. Think about in the good ol’days if someone said F*** the USA you would have a large outcry against them. Now days you have every band from Green Day to Slayer saying F everyone. Politics play a great role in music. Its hard to shock anyone anymore. How can a true rockstar grace the front page of a magazine for trashing a room when kids are taking guns to school. People dont give crap about any of that anymore man. There are a select few that can truly appreciate what it is to be a true rocker, unfortunately those people are not the ones who make this industry spin thier mice wheel.
In regards to concerts, I think it has to do more about how the public perceives the events themselves. That’s a crucial reason why concerts aren’t selling out like they used to. We live in a society where music is constant – advertisements, in video games, tv shows and of course on persistent loop on everyone’s iPod or mp3 player of choice. Why attend a sporting event when you can watch it on tv? Why attend a concert when you can view the footage on YouTube or listen to the songs whenever you want on your iPod? See the popularity of live cds and dvds recently – it’s the “on demand” mindset of today.
How often when you go to concerts do you see “fans” holding up their cell phones or other recording devices to capture the event rather than enjoy the atmosphere and surroundings that a concert creates. The footage ends up in the obvious places – YouTube, mp3 players for constant playback. Not being in a band I can’t vouch for whether or not that has an affect on the guys on stage. When you look out into an audience and see motionless humans holding up these devices instead of headbanging/moshing/crowdsurfing, would that not affect your energy and “rock star” attitude on stage?
Would you consider Tool a band with that “rock star” personna? They recently sold out an arena date here and had enough support to justify a second date. The band seems to sell out wherever they go and they have a massive following (as well as just shy of 1.5 million copies of 10,000 Days sold). Yet none of the four band members seems to display that “rock star” attitude.
Established acts still seem to do quite well north of the border. Even minus the late Layne, Alice in Chains put one hell of a show last fall. The concert sold out weeks before, the crowd was energetic and 110% into it. Meanwhile, the support for that concert, Hurt, played to an audience of no more than 30 just a few months earlier at a smaller club.
Who gives a rats ass about off stage antics? Are you so twisted in ‘living the life’ that you have to follow int he footsteps of a coke fiend who can’t spell their own name? The fuck is that?
Concerts aren’t selling out because bands SUCK. Mainstream music SUCKS. That is the problem. If you won’t go to a show because the band members don’t shoot up while sniffing a line out of a hookers ass crack then you are a sad sad person.
For the record, there are a hell of a lot of sold out shows, they just happen to be more underground bands; underground because major record labels won’t sign them, and small labels can’t afford to push their name in your face. When a black metal band can visit one venue in one city three times 4 months on one tour, and sell out every single fucking time you know they damn well deserve to be there.
The Killers? Fall-out Boy? Metric? They all suck. (Especially Metric… sounds like a 4-year old playing guitar, with a three year-old wailing lyrics a two year-old would be ashamed of.)
You want sell-out shows? How about you start with bands that actually have some talent? How about bands who don’t need cheap gimickery and tits to attract people? Bands who succeed purely on skill and ability.
As with everything else in society, the GOOD things are the ones no one knows about…
“while sniffing a line out of a hookers ass crack” damn…i pay a dollar to see that.
HINDER!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ummmm…everyone needs to see Milwaukee, WI based band Northern Room if you are looking for a REAL rockstar. Frontman Andrew Jonathan blows any other frontman away that has emerged within the last 10 years. He is real, though. No eyeliner, no dresses, nothing fake. Northern Room will be huge and honestly, I am shocked they are not signed yet. Listen to “We’re On Fire”. You will understand.
I believe being a rockstar takes more than being a drug addict.I get pissed when i pay $$$ to see a show and the band is shitfaced!! You know a Rockstar when he walks in the room and takes the stage,it’s not about dope!!!
It’s been a while since i have been to a arena show,i believe the last one was Shinedown and Three Doors Down,this show started at 7 pm in the middle of summer..?? I remember seeing bands several years ago starting at 8 or 9 and the show lasting till early morning hours.This might have alot to do with attendance as well…dunno
Don’t know about that Rock Star stuff, but we do plan to stir the pot up!
Okay Angela, Just checked them out. “Great they are. U2ish. I think sometimes Real Rock Stars don’t have a clue as to what they are. Which makes them special for so many. You just can’t make one. Check these cats out from Texas. Warryor!!!
I think people need to take another look at Program The Dead. I am surprised anyone complains about the ‘lack of rockstars’ with this band roaming the streets. Unbelievable.
Let’s not forget Josh Homme! I agree, there are almost NO signs of life out there but at least we still have bands like Queens of the Stone Age and The Bronx keeping it real. I would say pay VERY close attention to The Bronx. I have a feeling about that band. In the meantime, Trent Reznor needs to put down the weights and get back on the “sauce.” If he puts out one more easy listening total pedestrian sounding album my head’s gonna explode. C’MON MAN! You wrote the FUCKING DOWNWARD FUCKING SPIRAL! Time to do some more drugs homeboy!!!
Yes, encourage people ro ruin their lives away instead of getting a good head on their shoulders and getting healthy after years on a one way path to an early death. All because of your “pedestrian” opinion on his recent work.
It’s not 1994, people evolve and change, although we can’t all be like you and skip over the growing up. Get over it “Mat Woods”.
“I think people need to take another look at Program The Dead. I am surprised anyone complains about the ‘lack of rockstars’ with this band roaming the streets. Unbelievable.”
Yeah but listen to the music they are playing too!!! LOL They will be roaming for a while. Like to thier day jobs.:)
Watch yourself Cris.
I tried to get Program The Dead to write exclusively dude rock ballads to soundtrack frat boy date rape, but since their balls are still attached, they can’t reach those levels of pussification.
Your profanity citation is cute. The frontman for Program The Dead was arrested and jailed at SXSW after punching The Horrors guitarist in the face for ‘being rude’. THAT’S rockstar.
That guy from Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers (Colonel J.D. Wilkes) seems to be a real rockstar. “Pandelirium” is a great record, by the way. I’m afraid the real rockstars are far more ‘underground’ nowadays, than in the past. Does that make any sense?
I am affraid my people that the rock star died when corporations took over the industry….
because REAL rock stars like Roth and Morrison never gave a shit……
and there are NO MORE BALLS in the music industry
It has been replaced with a slogan and an iPhone app
the fact that you are all trying to define something that cant, is reason enough to know the shit has officially hit the fan
I bid you good day