Music.... Wow, why is it getting worse?

[The Black Adder]

After a day of listening to Viking Radio I've been exposed to the latest of the chart tracks as well as other previous chart stuff.

I have to say, it's not until you spend a day listening to such a station that you realise that music is suffering dramatically. The style of todays tracks are a simple rinse and repeat formula. You could do a carbon copy of most tracks and still come out with a track which would be worthy of airplay.

I don't mind change, I embrace it. But change which copies the same change is just boring. And it has no credible benefit to creativity. So, it makes me wonder where are we going? I thought by 2022 we would have done away with autotune and semi dubstep beat lines by now. But no... we are still there.

How do you find todays chart music?

[struth]

i dont listen to radio fortunately so cant help. ive a fairly eclectic liking for music but not for chart pop, and really never did.

[CageyH]

What is this “chart” that you speak of?
I stopped paying attention to that years ago..

[The Black Adder]

lol... it's the stuff workmen have on in the background mostly.

[Barry]

lol... it's the stuff workmen have on in the background mostly.

And for them it is just something played in the background - I doubt if they pay too much attention to it.

When I listen to the radio (usually Radio 4), it is for the plays and arts programmes. Radio 3 when the Proms are on, and occasionally BBC Radio Essex for '60s and '70s pop and rock.

[Sherwood]

The “charts” are no different now to what they have always been. They have never been about the best quality or the most original music. They are the product of the marketing efforts of the record companies and the efforts of “pluggers”. The stories of how the charts were manipulated are well-known, including the complicity of multiple record stores in fiddling sales figures. Amongst the records that made it into the charts were the products of such musical geniuses as: Terry Wogan, Benny Hill, Max Bygraves, Paper Lace, Renee and Renaldo. I could go on but the memories are too painful.


There are plenty of excellent new acts. Some of them make it into the charts whilst others don't. However, the charts are less important now in the success of emerging acts. Modern streaming services give us virtually unlimited access to personalised playlists rather than the curated, and often commercially determined, choices of radio stations.




After a day of listening to Viking Radio I've been exposed to the latest of the chart tracks as well as other previous chart stuff.

I have to say, it's not until you spend a day listening to such a station that you realise that music is suffering dramatically. The style of todays tracks are a simple rinse and repeat formula. You could do a carbon copy of most tracks and still come out with a track which would be worthy of airplay.

I don't mind change, I embrace it. But change which copies the same change is just boring. And it has no credible benefit to creativity. So, it makes me wonder where are we going? I thought by 2022 we would have done away with autotune and semi dubstep beat lines by now. But no... we are still there.

How do you find todays chart music?

[Macca]

we have the radio on at work but on the 1970s channel. Occasionally we have the 1980s and 1990s channels just for a bit of variety.

Proper music pretty much finished at the end of the Nineties as far as I'm concerned. Could say the same about films as well.

[Pigmy Pony]

I agree that for the most part, films I like ended in the 90s. With a few exceptions by my favourite directors ( Michael Mann, Coen brothers, Tarantino, Martin Scorsese) who did a bit since 2000. But that might just be my tastes, I prefer dialogue to action and special effects.

As for music charts, I stopped paying attention in the 80s. I don't bother with radio at home, but while working it's Radio 2 (which is mostly my era), and 6 Music, which can throw up some decent quality imo new stuff. My lad doesn't like it though, he just wants Ed Sheeran, silly boy. He's 28.

We had a debate last year (who's best, Sheeran or Bowie), which entertained the customer so much he asked for us by name to go back and do further work for him. He came down on the side of Bowie of course :) Apparently Sheeran's music sells by the shedload. During Bowie's heyday you actually went into a shop to buy your record, while these days younger music buyers just do a couple of clicks on their smartphones, and there it is. Bone idle little shoites.

[Pharos]

This is my ongoing gripe.

It is a reflection of the whole of our societal changes over the last 50 years, caused by a conflation of causes.
A shift to the right politically, starting with Thatcher, reduced the rebellious tendencies of the young; they were encouraged to pursue money via business rather than indulge as so many had done in the analytical protesting of the 60s and 70s.

Money tended to become a 'God', individuality was defined by personal acquisition rather than expression, and record companies stopped investing extensively in the artists over the following decades. PWL evolved to make their 'corporate formulaic music', to quote Peter Waterman, "Its just something for the kids to have fun with". It certainly was for me not art. They were indeed 'so lucky, lucky, lucky'.

The equipment available now does everything for the (supposed0 writer, no real ability is required, no virtuoso singing or mastering of an instrument. Just get a computer and loop a load of sounds, correct any errors on the screen, and produce yet another vacuous pallid bit of crap. If you are female, make sure your teeth are perfect as are your boobs and arse, if exaggerated, and hope to get rich and famous with that.

The young are too worried about their future to be rebelliously complaining, look at the pressures to which they are subjected.
I have yet to hear on the media anything resembling profoundly moving art containing powerful statements, sung with a real feeling for the writing, and which exposes new truths about life.

King Crimson's Epitaph, Steve Miller's Return to Eden, anyone? The words of both fit the dire state of the world we have produced.

[Mikeandvan]

It's absolutely appalling, I listen sometimes in the van, but invariably turn it off cos it's so God awful. May be popular music has run its course? What could possibly come next after the dance music revolution of the 80s/90s?

[The Black Adder]

It's absolutely appalling, I listen sometimes in the van, but invariably turn it off cos it's so God awful. May be popular music has run its course? What could possibly come next after the dance music revolution of the 80s/90s?Indeed... What could we all have expected after the 90s... Ed Sheerean? Who would have thought that!

I do wish the older artists would voice concern and not jump on the band wagon with the old 'Ed is great' line. I was surprised even McCartney did that. He didn't need to suck up like that. He's got more talent in his little toe than Sheeran.

Nobody's controversial anymore.

Sheerans style is something that wound me up about the creative direction of most the dross on the radio. A lot were trying to sound like him and succeeding. You would be hard pressed to think it wasn't him. So filling the airwaves with the same kack seems pointless and/or just lazy. It's truly awful and it seems nobody has the guts to say.

I guess the main players in this shocking exposure to brain dead music are the radio stations and DJs too... Every song they play is 'Great'... Not once does a DJ express a collective or personal account to a track. But then, if they did, they would be an ex DJ. Its all so formalistic and hermetically sown up that even the hosts can't voice a controversial word.

I agree, the end of the 90s (with exception to the odd artist) rang the deathnell of pop. There were some crap in th 90s too like any other decade but nothing like today.





Sent from my 9001X using Tapatalk

[Macca]

This is my ongoing gripe.

It is a reflection of the whole of our societal changes over the last 50 years, caused by a conflation of causes.
A shift to the right politically, starting with Thatcher, reduced the rebellious tendencies of the young; they were encouraged to pursue money via business rather than indulge as so many had done in the analytical protesting of the 60s and 70s.

Money tended to become a 'God', individuality was defined by personal acquisition rather than expression, and record companies stopped investing extensively in the artists over the following decades. PWL evolved to make their 'corporate formulaic music', to quote Peter Waterman, "Its just something for the kids to have fun with". It certainly was for me not art. They were indeed 'so lucky, lucky, lucky'.

The equipment available now does everything for the (supposed0 writer, no real ability is required, no virtuoso singing or mastering of an instrument. Just get a computer and loop a load of sounds, correct any errors on the screen, and produce yet another vacuous pallid bit of crap. If you are female, make sure your teeth are perfect as are your boobs and arse, if exaggerated, and hope to get rich and famous with that.

The young are too worried about their future to be rebelliously complaining, look at the pressures to which they are subjected.
I have yet to hear on the media anything resembling profoundly moving art containing powerful statements, sung with a real feeling for the writing, and which exposes new truths about life.

King Crimson's Epitaph, Steve Miller's Return to Eden, anyone? The words of both fit the dire state of the world we have produced.

I don't agree with the Thatcher thing (is there anything she's not supposedly to blame for?), loads of good bands came out of the early 1980s because everyone was on the dole and life was hard, they had the time and the motivation to make good music. The 80s wasn't just SAW.


I take the opposite view - that Youngsters today have it too easy, that's why their music is bland and crap and their films are mostly childlike super hero rubbish.

[Pigmy Pony]

Indeed... What could we all have expected after the 90s... Ed Sheerean? Who would have thought that!

I do wish the older artists would voice concern and not jump on the band wagon with the old 'Ed is great' line. I was surprised even McCartney did that. He didn't need to suck up like that. He's got more talent in his little toe than Sheeran.

Nobody's controversial anymore.

Sheerans style is something that wound me up about the creative direction of most the dross on the radio. A lot were trying to sound like him and succeeding. You would be hard pressed to think it wasn't him. So filling the airwaves with the same kack seems pointless and/or just lazy. It's truly awful and it seems nobody has the guts to say.

I guess the main players in this shocking exposure to brain dead music are the radio stations and DJs too... Every song they play is 'Great'... Not once does a DJ express a collective or personal account to a track. But then, if they did, they would be an ex DJ. Its all so formalistic and hermetically sown up that even the hosts can't voice a controversial word.

I agree, the end of the 90s (with exception to the odd artist) rang the deathnell of pop. There were some crap in th 90s too like any other decade but nothing like today.





Sent from my 9001X using Tapatalk

A song came on the radio earlier this week which I thought was Ed Sheeran. I commented to my lad and he was most offended as he is a big Sheeran fan (don't blame me, he's not my son, just my partner's). Turns out it was Michael Buble :doh:

[The Black Adder]

A song came on the radio earlier this week which I thought was Ed Sheeran. I commented to my lad and he was most offended as he is a big Sheeran fan (don't blame me, he's not my son, just my partner's). Turns out it was Michael Buble :doh:Doh!.... Haha. Exactly.

I'm really not a bubble fan either. If I want to listen to a crooner, I'll listen to a real one.

Sent from my 9001X using Tapatalk

[The Black Adder]

I don't agree with the Thatcher thing (is there anything she's not supposedly to blame for?), loads of good bands came out of the early 1980s because everyone was on the dole and life was hard, they had the time and the motivation to make good music. The 80s wasn't just SAW.


I take the opposite view - that Youngsters today have it too easy, that's why their music is bland and crap and their films are mostly childlike super hero rubbish.I kind of agree with the point made that rebellion was somewhat diluted with thatcher. But, creativity was still there and even though I wasn't a massive fan of 80s music back in the day, looking back to the charts or listening to a HITS LP, the content was much more diverse than it is today. And there was a great mix of styles of performing music too, some electronic, some guitar stuff, even some world music... Now it's just shrink wrapped plastic pack Sheeranesque inward looking, socially blind music performed by social climbing none entities.

Sent from my 9001X using Tapatalk

[walpurgis]

It's all about choice. People like listening to (and watching) rubbish. The freedom of social media steers society to 'the latest new thing' and popular older things and nobody would accuse society of having discernment or even good taste. Things find their own level.

[Pharos]

I agree that there was some good stuff in the 80s, but then a downtilt through the 90s.

I think even now, let alone by historians in the future, we will be of the view that from the 60s through to the 80s there was a renaissance, also beyond music and encompassing many aspects of life. Political correcteness surely tends to deny the ability to criticise.

It was said 25 years ago that society was dumbing down; this could be a correlate.

[struth]

the year the music died. 1959....

[dave2010]

the year the music died. 1959....Boring stuff - like this:


https://youtu.be/sgeFRgQpT8Y

which I think dates from 1959.

See also https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/1959 - and there's Russ Conway at number 70.

Time and things have moved on....

[Barry]

the year the music died. 1959....

On February 3rd, to be precise.

[prestonchipfryer]

This is my ongoing gripe.

It is a reflection of the whole of our societal changes over the last 50 years, caused by a conflation of causes.
A shift to the right politically, starting with Thatcher, reduced the rebellious tendencies of the young; they were encouraged to pursue money via business rather than indulge as so many had done in the analytical protesting of the 60s and 70s.

Money tended to become a 'God', individuality was defined by personal acquisition rather than expression, and record companies stopped investing extensively in the artists over the following decades. PWL evolved to make their 'corporate formulaic music', to quote Peter Waterman, "Its just something for the kids to have fun with". It certainly was for me not art. They were indeed 'so lucky, lucky, lucky'.

The equipment available now does everything for the (supposed0 writer, no real ability is required, no virtuoso singing or mastering of an instrument. Just get a computer and loop a load of sounds, correct any errors on the screen, and produce yet another vacuous pallid bit of crap. If you are female, make sure your teeth are perfect as are your boobs and arse, if exaggerated, and hope to get rich and famous with that.

The young are too worried about their future to be rebelliously complaining, look at the pressures to which they are subjected.
I have yet to hear on the media anything resembling profoundly moving art containing powerful statements, sung with a real feeling for the writing, and which exposes new truths about life.

King Crimson's Epitaph, Steve Miller's Return to Eden, anyone? The words of both fit the dire state of the world we have produced.

Really? Blaming Margaret Thatcher for the likes of Sheeran and people like Stormzy or rapper Dave :lol:

[dave2010]

On February 3rd, to be precise.In memoriam


https://youtu.be/ceLjgUXx4Ss

[struth]

https://www.cincyplay.com/images/default-source/productions/2019-20-season/buddy-holly-images/bh-musicians-header.jpg?sfvrsn=6f596780_1

[Pieoftheday]

After a day of listening to Viking Radio I've been exposed to the latest of the chart tracks as well as other previous chart stuff.

I have to say, it's not until you spend a day listening to such a station that you realise that music is suffering dramatically. The style of todays tracks are a simple rinse and repeat formula. You could do a carbon copy of most tracks and still come out with a track which would be worthy of airplay.

I don't mind change, I embrace it. But change which copies the same change is just boring. And it has no credible benefit to creativity. So, it makes me wonder where are we going? I thought by 2022 we would have done away with autotune and semi dubstep beat lines by now. But no... we are still there.

How do you find todays chart music?
Dont really listen to charts anymore but I dont think much has changed in the respect of age related opinions. 'What's this crap?' Yeah yeah grandad things have moved on..

[Enossification]

Maybe the answer to the question is because it can't get any better ?

How can you beat what we had ?

[Pieoftheday]

Maybe the answer to the question is because it can't get any better ?

How can you beat what we had ?
It's just different, I cant stant the Beatles....

[Pharos]

"Really? Blaming Margaret Thatcher for the likes of Sheeran and people like Stormzy or rapper Dave "

That seems a more than imprecise interpretation; I attributed some changes in youth culture to her during her 'reign'.

[Mikeandvan]

Indeed... What could we all have expected after the 90s... Ed Sheerean? Who would have thought that!

I do wish the older artists would voice concern and not jump on the band wagon with the old 'Ed is great' line. I was surprised even McCartney did that. He didn't need to suck up like that. He's got more talent in his little toe than Sheeran.

Nobody's controversial anymore.

Sheerans style is something that wound me up about the creative direction of most the dross on the radio. A lot were trying to sound like him and succeeding. You would be hard pressed to think it wasn't him. So filling the airwaves with the same kack seems pointless and/or just lazy. It's truly awful and it seems nobody has the guts to say.

I guess the main players in this shocking exposure to brain dead music are the radio stations and DJs too... Every song they play is 'Great'... Not once does a DJ express a collective or personal account to a track. But then, if they did, they would be an ex DJ. Its all so formalistic and hermetically sown up that even the hosts can't voice a controversial word.

I agree, the end of the 90s (with exception to the odd artist) rang the deathnell of pop. There were some crap in th 90s too like any other decade but nothing like today.





Sent from my 9001X using Tapatalk

Indeed, music was already repeating itself in the 90s with Brit pop, a genre I hated, apart from the odd band. Rock was dead by the early 80s, apart from the odd act like Nirvama, then dance music came along, and that was the new rock 'n' roll, and it was fantastic. Nothing can beat it now, music has been dead since the early 00s, even that supposedly rebellious genre 'grime' has been going for almost 20 years, punk was done and dusted within 5 years max!! It's not the kids fault, or is it? Technology drove the dance music revolution, as it did rock and roll, something needs to drive the next big wave in music, what and when it will be is anyone's guess. The 20th century was like a bullet train, seems we're back to steam. Not to worry though, just enjoy all the great music that's ever been recorded.

[Mikeandvan]

I don't agree with the Thatcher thing (is there anything she's not supposedly to blame for?), loads of good bands came out of the early 1980s because everyone was on the dole and life was hard, they had the time and the motivation to make good music. The 80s wasn't just SAW.


I take the opposite view - that Youngsters today have it too easy, that's why their music is bland and crap and their films are mostly childlike super hero rubbish.

Most of them signed on the dole so they could pursue their music, it was like they were state sponsored, they also benefitted from free education, and a pint was way cheaper then too, as was of course, rent. In fact one could argue, things were much easier then, for young folk anyway, perhaps not family men, who suffered from the loss of our manufacturing base, and subsequent recessions. Of course may be these days you don't need a studio to make a song/record?

[Pigmy Pony]

I don't agree with the Thatcher thing (is there anything she's not supposedly to blame for?), loads of good bands came out of the early 1980s because everyone was on the dole and life was hard, they had the time and the motivation to make good music. The 80s wasn't just SAW.


I take the opposite view - that Youngsters today have it too easy, that's why their music is bland and crap and their films are mostly childlike super hero rubbish.

I'm not sure the current crop of young people have it too easy, but certainly they did in their childhood ("helicopter parenting" where mum and dad got involved in everything they did, safety goggles in science class, lifts to school, not allowed matches, home made weapons discouraged, no proper discipline at school).

So now that they have grown up (sort of), and they've had to go into the big bad world, uncertain about everything, including their own gender, maybe "bland and crap" music is their comfort blanket. I've often seen young people going down the street with earphones in and been curious as to what they're listening to. I'd be tempted to stop them and ask, but fear the ensuing mockery might harm their delicate sensibilities.

[Macca]

Most of them signed on the dole so they could pursue their music, it was like they were state sponsored, they also benefitted from free education, and a pint was way cheaper then too, as was of course, rent. In fact one could argue, things were much easier then, for young folk anyway, perhaps not family men, who suffered from the loss of our manufacturing base, and subsequent recessions. Of course may be these days you don't need a studio to make a song/record?

well in the 1980s in the north at least there was no work available at all. I went in the job centre in Liverpool and all there was were YTS schemes or join the forces. Completely different now. I think the only thing that has changed that is not in a young persons interest is the cost of houses.

Even so all the youngsters I have worked with had bought their own house, had new cars, five quid coffee every morning, latest iphone and were always going out to the cinema, restaurants, going abroad on holiday a couple of times a year.

I couldn't dream of doing any of that stuff at their age. I lived in the box room of a rented house shared with four others and lived on baked potatoes and cheese on toast. Worked in a cold storage warehouse on agency for £2.50 an hour, fifty hour week. And if they didn't need you that day you got sent home with no pay. So I don't buy the idea that young people today have it hard, at least not the majority of them.

Plus I don't hear the youngsters complaining about their lot either, seems to me the people bemoaning the plight of the younger generation are all wealthy middle-class lefties who've never had to spend a day in their lives.

[Pigmy Pony]

In real terms the young people today don't have it so tough, they just think they do. It's a matter of perception - measuring their "success" against those around them. When they see social media and crap like Love Island portraying folk with perfect bodies and ample material wealth, their self esteem is barely able to cope.

Different when I was younger - we had bugger all, but neither did our contemporaries*, so we didn't feel poor. And I wouldn't trade in my life for theirs, not even if it came with a free nest of tables.

*If I'd used a word like 'contemporaries' back then I would have got battered, and definitely wouldn't have many friends

[walpurgis]

Indeed, music was already repeating itself in the 90s with Brit pop, a genre I hated, apart from the odd band. Rock was dead by the early 80s, apart from the odd act like Nirvama, then dance music came along, and that was the new rock 'n' roll, and it was fantastic. Nothing can beat it now, music has been dead since the early 00s, even that supposedly rebellious genre 'grime' has been going for almost 20 years, punk was done and dusted within 5 years max!! It's not the kids fault, or is it? Technology drove the dance music revolution, as it did rock and roll, something needs to drive the next big wave in music, what and when it will be is anyone's guess. The 20th century was like a bullet train, seems we're back to steam. Not to worry though, just enjoy all the great music that's ever been recorded.

I agree with Mike here.

[Enossification]

It's just different, I cant stant the Beatles....

Me neither.

[Mikeandvan]

well in the 1980s in the north at least there was no work available at all. I went in the job centre in Liverpool and all there was were YTS schemes or join the forces. Completely different now. I think the only thing that has changed that is not in a young persons interest is the cost of houses.

Even so all the youngsters I have worked with had bought their own house, had new cars, five quid coffee every morning, latest iphone and were always going out to the cinema, restaurants, going abroad on holiday a couple of times a year.

I couldn't dream of doing any of that stuff at their age. I lived in the box room of a rented house shared with four others and lived on baked potatoes and cheese on toast. Worked in a cold storage warehouse on agency for £2.50 an hour, fifty hour week. And if they didn't need you that day you got sent home with no pay. So I don't buy the idea that young people today have it hard, at least not the majority of them.

Plus I don't hear the youngsters complaining about their lot either, seems to me the people bemoaning the plight of the younger generation are all wealthy middle-class lefties who've never had to spend a day in their lives.

That's exactly what i did growing up in 1980s South Wales, joined a YTS scheme in 1986, working in a sheet metal factory with old men, lol. I also remember the agency work I later did in mid 90s London, and having to go home if there was no work that day, absolute exploitation. Still, wish I bought a flat back then!! I went to Uni free of charge though, well with just a small loan for living costs. Your experience with young people doesn't mirror mine, no one I know owns their own property, they all buy food from supermarkets, rather than coffee shops, etc. I'm amazed looking back at the 80s, I earned about £80 a week, and still managed to go out, buy rare records, spend weekends away with friends, I'm completely puzzled. Suppose that's inflation.

[Macca]

That's exactly what i did growing up in 1980s South Wales, joined a YTS scheme in 1986, working in a sheet metal factory with old men, lol. I also remember the agency work I later did in mid 90s London, and having to go home if there was no work that day, absolute exploitation. Still, wish I bought a flat back then!! I went to Uni free of charge though, well with just a small loan for living costs. Your experience with young people doesn't mirror mine, no one I know owns their own property, they all buy food from supermarkets, rather than coffee shops, etc. I'm amazed looking back at the 80s, I earned about £80 a week, and still managed to go out, buy rare records, spend weekends away with friends, I'm completely puzzled. Suppose that's inflation.

Houses are more affordable here than down south so that probably has something to do with it. You can still buy a house for £100K here. Plus since interest rates are so low the repayments are affordable even if your not earning mega-money. Prices here are shooting up though and that's because landlords from down south are buying them up.

[struth]

kids can be the great leveller for people. they cost a fortune these days, if your not gonna make them out to be paupers by their peers. as said earlier when i was young, barring the people who were really poor, and the odd rich bastard, everyone was pretty much in same boat; wore same clothes and played with same toys etc.
if you had a football you were everyones pal:D

[Macca]

kids can be the great leveller for people. they cost a fortune these days, if your not gonna make them out to be paupers by their peers. as said earlier when i was young, barring the people who were really poor, and the odd rich bastard, everyone was pretty much in same boat; wore same clothes and played with same toys etc.
if you had a football you were everyones pal:D

Children don't need to cost any more than food and clothes and some presents at Xmas and birthdays. The trend now is that if you don't give little Johnny everything he asks for then your a bad parent. And don't forget to dress your four year old in hundreds of quids worth of designer gear that he will grow out of in three months.

People want to make a rod for their own backs that's their problem.

[the_bat]

I occasionally have to remind people that the two biggest selling records in 1967 weren't Hendrix, Pink Floyd or The Doors, but Silence is Golden by the Tremolos and The Last Walz by Englebert Humperdinck.

[dave2010]

I occasionally have to remind people that the two biggest selling records in 1967 weren't Hendrix, Pink Floyd or The Doors, but Silence is Golden by the Tremolos and The Last Waltz by Englebert Humperdinck.I bow to your superior knowledge. Ha! :)

[struth]

the tremeloes had lots of hits, and went on for years.. still play as a band although no original members. Englebert Humperdinck, jeez, he was a huge star, and may still be going.

[the_bat]

The point being that, to paraphrase Sturgeon's first law, ninety percent of popular music is crap but then, ninety percent of everything is crap.

[dave2010]

the tremeloes had lots of hits, and went on for years.. still play as a band although no original members. Englebert Humperdinck, jeez, he was a huge star, and may still be going.86 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck_(singer)

https://www.viagogo.co.uk/Concert-Tickets/Rock-and-Pop/Engelbert-Humperdinck-Tickets

Re comment about 90% - I'd raise that to 99% - and maybe 95% for "everything".

Just call me grumpy! :)

[struth]

86 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck_(singer)

https://www.viagogo.co.uk/Concert-Tickets/Rock-and-Pop/Engelbert-Humperdinck-Tickets

Re comment about 90% - I'd raise that to 99% - and maybe 95% for "everything".

Just call me grumpy! :)

still doing well i see. alas his wife died of covid last year..

[Macca]

I occasionally have to remind people that the two biggest selling records in 1967 weren't Hendrix, Pink Floyd or The Doors, but Silence is Golden by the Tremolos and The Last Walz by Englebert Humperdinck.

In fairness proper music was only just getting going in 1967. If we exclude Elvis and the Beatles which I think we should. And Jazz is a separate case.

Really we only got 30 years of it.1967 to 1997 or thereabouts. Good job they made a lot of it in that period.

[Pigmy Pony]

I occasionally have to remind people that the two biggest selling records in 1967 weren't Hendrix, Pink Floyd or The Doors, but Silence is Golden by the Tremolos and The Last Walz by Englebert Humperdinck.

Hey, don't be dissing The Hump :D

My mate once saw him at Charnock Richard services when he was working there. My mate, not Humperdinck. Said he was a really nice bloke, no 'I'm a big star' about him, even though he was.

Mind you, I once met Gary Glitter at the Crest hotel in Preston (ooh that doesn't sound right), and he seemed like a nice bloke too. But I was 17 at the time, so probably outside his target demographic.

[The Black Adder]

Been watching 'My life as a Rolling Stone'.. Just seeing that makes me weep for music now. Its like music was on another planet back then... Not so much now as they've lost it but live, they can still getcha booty wigglin'.

I was a big indie/dance fan in the 90s... And even the likes of Oasis can't be touched now. I was only a fan of their first album really and it still gives me goosebumps.

As for dance, I've always loved the chemical brothers and the last gig I went to was in 2019. Still got it, massive set... Massive tunes and euphoria. Simply amazing.

Then I listen to Sia and that arse with a shit little guitar and think... Shit, did I mistakenly get on a bus to shitville.

If so... "Stop the world, I'm getting off"

Sent from my 9001X using Tapatalk

[The Black Adder]

Hey, don't be dissing The Hump :D

My mate once saw him at Charnock Richard services when he was working there. My mate, not Humperdinck. Said he was a really nice bloke, no 'I'm a big star' about him, even though he was.

Mind you, I once met Gary Glitter at the Crest hotel in Preston (ooh that doesn't sound right), and he seemed like a nice bloke too. But I was 17 at the time, so probably outside his target demographic.My grandad gave him his first gig... Really. Nice bloke apparently. But I'd rather listen to him than the crud today... That statement for me is quite something.

Sent from my 9001X using Tapatalk

[Beobloke]

I think the mistake some of you are making is talking about modern chart music. Most of that is, indeed dross. However, as a big fan of 1980s music, it's worth remembering that a good portion of the stuff in the charts in the 1980s was also utter dross!

There is plenty of good modern music out there - the trick is not to go looking for it in the charts. Try BBC 6Music instead, for a starter.

[struth]

of my current roon top 30 played, which was relatively recently reset(a few months) 14 of top 30 are from last 20 years.

[Theadmans]

In fairness I have a lot to thank Englebert for.

As one of the few stars that maintains homes in Beverly Hills...

...and er Leicester. Enge played golf with my father regularly at a course in the Leicester area.

When I was born in the same week in 1967 that "Please Release Me" kept "Strawberry Fields" b/w "Penny Fields" off #1...

...my father was all for calling me Englebert but Enge encouraged him that it was a bad idea.

In the end I got called Adam, after Adam Faith (another of my mother's favourites).

When I was a teenager I beat Enge in the Golf Club darts tournement.

This seemed to seriously p*ss Humperdinck off (he had a pub complete with a dart board in the garden of his Leicester residence).

[struth]

it was a great, if crazy name to pick; unforgettable too

[Macca]

In fairness I have a lot to thank Englebert for.

As one of the few stars that maintains homes in Beverly Hills...

...and er Leicester. Enge played golf with my father regularly at a course in the Leicester area.

When I was born in the same week in 1967 that "Please Release Me" kept "Strawberry Fields" b/w "Penny Fields" off #1...

...my father was all for calling me Englebert but Enge encouraged him that it was a bad idea.

In the end I got called Adam, after Adam Faith (another of my mother's favourites).

When I was a teenager I beat Enge in the Golf Club darts tournement.

This seemed to seriously p*ss Humperdinck off (he had a pub complete with a dart board in the garden of his Leicester residence).

Great story. Never knew he was from Leicester, Although born in Madras according to Wikipedia.

[struth]

https://www.engelbert.com/news/10-travel-questions-with-engelbert-humperdinck

a q and a of travel etc from the man....

[Pharos]

Evidence for me was on Pick of the Pops today, the first half 1966. Almost every track was good, original and not following formulaic, the latter 1997 was much more formulaic.

[fatmarley]

It's 100% an age thing. Most people seem to get to a certain age and start to dislike modern music. Thankfully that hasn't happened to me yet... Although there is a lot of crap out there, I'd actually argue that the very best modern pop is better than ever.

[Pharos]

I agree with your stated trend, but that 18 year old a few years ago were regarding DSOTM as fantastic counters this.

A friend's children in their 20s also think that most modern is rubbish, but that there is good stuff out there.

It is possible to evaluate music according to criteria, and not just to personal taste.

[Barry]

A lot of the choices posted on the 'Spinning Today ...' thread I think are rubbish, but recognise that I am in the minority. Likewise I'm sure that many don't or wouldn't like the stuff I enjoy.

Suum cuique.

[Pigmy Pony]

A lot of the choices posted on the 'Spinning Today ...' thread I think are rubbish, but recognise that I am in the minority. Likewise I'm sure that many don't or wouldn't like the stuff I enjoy.

Suum cuique.

Makes me wonder...

What is it about certain genres/artists that some find so appealing, but which others find anodyne/abrasive/offensive? Might it be a chemical thing going on in the brain, or a result of upbringing or exposure in our formative years?

[Lawrence001]

I used to think my mum was silly watching Heartbeat and liking the pop music she grew up with. But it's like me watching an 80s set film now which I do like!

[Stranraer]

For this self confessed music snob chart music has ALWAYS been mostly terrible. If you liked Elvis, The Shangri Las, The Kinks, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Stranglers, Tubeway Army, Smiths, Kate Bush, Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Public Enemy, Rage Against The Machine, Chemical Brothers, Radiohead, Beyonce, errrr.... whoever's good and sells shed loads of records these days, check what was in the charts in the same week their best songs were.
For new music I rarely miss Lauren Laverne on 6 Music. She got me into Wet Leg, Working Men's Club, Goa Express, Roisin Murphy and though none of them's shifted the units it's got me opening my wallet and getting along to gigs still.
Spiritualized's new album is a corker too.

[Jac Hawk]

For this self confessed music snob chart music has ALWAYS been mostly terrible. If you liked Elvis, The Shangri Las, The Kinks, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Stranglers, Tubeway Army, Smiths, Kate Bush, Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Public Enemy, Rage Against The Machine, Chemical Brothers, Radiohead, Beyonce, errrr.... whoever's good and sells shed loads of records these days, check what was in the charts in the same week their best songs were.


Errrm i like 90% of that list,:eek::eek: does that make me a bad person :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::)

[Macca]

Errrm i like 90% of that list,:eek::eek: does that make me a bad person :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::)

I think the point was - that was the good stuff and you forget the dross but there was a lot of it.

[Pigmy Pony]

I looked at the chart for 9th December when Pink Floyd were at no.1, and the top ten included The Police, Madness, The Tourists, Dr Hook, Michael Jackson and The Sugarhill Gang. I don't think that's so bad.

There's no doubt in my mind that the quality/dross ratio is much worse today. But I don't think the kids are too bothered, they've got X Box, social media and streaming TV to make up for it.

[Jac Hawk]

I looked at the chart for 9th December when Pink Floyd were at no.1, and the top ten included The Police, Madness, The Tourists, Dr Hook, Michael Jackson and The Sugarhill Gang. I don't think that's so bad.

There's no doubt in my mind that the quality/dross ratio is much worse today. But I don't think the kids are too bothered, they've got X Box, social media and streaming TV to make up for it.

In my humble opinion a lot of the chart music is much the same, the only difference is the band or artist name and the music for the most part is uninspiring and plain forgettable, unlike your chart from the 9th of December, non of those artists could be confused with one another, they all had their own sound, in my opinion a lot of good new music isn't getting the backing or airtime it deserves, labels and radio stations are playing and promoting the safe bet.

[Lawrence001]

I looked at the chart for 9th December when Pink Floyd were at no.1, and the top ten included The Police, Madness, The Tourists, Dr Hook, Michael Jackson and The Sugarhill Gang. I don't think that's so bad.

There's no doubt in my mind that the quality/dross ratio is much worse today. But I don't think the kids are too bothered, they've got X Box, social media and streaming TV to make up for it.That must have been Another Brick in the Wall? The video used to scare me when I watched TOTP when I was little.

[Pigmy Pony]

That must have been Another Brick in the Wall? The video used to scare me when I watched TOTP when I was little.

Yes it was. I forgot to include that it was 1979 in my post. You was little in 1979? You're making me feel old :(

[Pigmy Pony]

In my humble opinion a lot of the chart music is much the same, the only difference is the band or artist name and the music for the most part is uninspiring and plain forgettable, unlike your chart from the 9th of December, non of those artists could be confused with one another, they all had their own sound, in my opinion a lot of good new music isn't getting the backing or airtime it deserves, labels and radio stations are playing and promoting the safe bet.

Agree 100% Mike. At least in 1979, even though there was as always an amount of crap knocking about, no one could accuse the charts of being 'samey'. Even the crap was memorable.

Much of the current charts content could well be the same song, speeded up or slowed down, and with a bit of autotune. Although the rot may have started in the late eighties - I still maintain that Kylie Minogue slowed to 33 1/3 could well be Rick Astley. Yes I really have been a moaning old git for more than 30 years...

[Macca]

Agree 100% Mike. At least in 1979, even though there was as always an amount of crap knocking about, no one could accuse the charts of being 'samey'. Even the crap was memorable.

Much of the current charts content could well be the same song, speeded up or slowed down, and with a bit of autotune. Although the rot may have started in the late eighties - I still maintain that Kylie Minogue slowed to 33 1/3 could well be Rick Astley. Yes I really have been a moaning old git for more than 30 years...

1979 was an especially good year in music though.

Look at all these here and that's just scratching the surface https://www.albumoftheyear.org/1979/releases/?genre=7

[walpurgis]

1979 was an especially good year in music though.

Look at all these here and that's just scratching the surface https://www.albumoftheyear.org/1979/releases/?genre=7

Some good stuff!

[Pigmy Pony]

Got quite a few albums from that year

[Macca]

lots of albums there that have stood the test of time.

Plus you could do your album cover as a painting of a naked woman having sex with a snake ('It's much worse than 'Smell The Glove!') and no-one batted an eyelid.

https://i.ibb.co/52ZR12Y/95969-lovehunter.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)
photo upload sites (https://imgbb.com/)

[struth]

disgusting;) [would never have been allowed in my day]

[Barry]

You don't have to go back to 1979 to find covers depicting naked women (possibly) having sex with animals:

https://static.stereogum.com/uploads/2022/08/fauness-the-golden-ass-1661281324-1000x992.jpg

[struth]

thats relatively new... i saw an ad for it recently

[Pigmy Pony]

You don't have to go back to 1979 to find covers depicting naked women (possibly) having sex with animals:

https://static.stereogum.com/uploads/2022/08/fauness-the-golden-ass-1661281324-1000x992.jpg

Things are looking up at the Donkey Sanctuary. Good to see that my donations are being spent wisely :)

[Barry]

I wonder if the title: "The Golden Ass" refers to the girl's posterior, or to the animal?

[Pete The Cat]

Stepping outside the charts for the moment, I maintain that there is at least as much good new music coming out as ever. The challenge is being able to filter it.

Accessible production technology such as Pro Tools and internet distribution such as Bandcamp mean that as an audience we're literally waterboarded with opportunity these days. However the corresponding shift away from a very limited number of channels back in the day (a few hours of John Peel, OGWT and Melody Maker) makes it difficult to digest what's happening nowadays, since too much is happening. If you don't have time to research multiple forums and platforms you won't get to appreciate the richness that's on offer.

Perhaps the Radio 1 playlist and the editorial prejudices of the weekly music papers were doing us a favour in that respect. Blimey, I never thought I'd say that.

Pete

[Sherwood]

I agree with you, though not about radio one.

Obviously, and for well documented reasons, we tend to be very emotionally attached to the music of our youth. Our favourites will often include pretty awful stuff, but we remain attached to our "guilty secrets" because they remind us of a particular time, place, person or event. I am sure we all had vinyl albums that we hid at the back of our record storage because they were not cool. However, it is all too easy to become fossilised in our musical tastes. Agreed, there is a lot of crap out there, but that has always been the case. However there is also a wealth of great new stuff waiting to be discovered. I make it a point to listen to as much new music as I do old stuff. I find the curated playlists on streaming services are a good way to find stuff I like. Once I find a song I like I look up an artists discography. That typically links me to other similar artists and musical styles. Much of what I listen to these days is by relatively unknown new artists. Not forgetting "new to me" stuff: old recordings that I missed the first time around!


Stepping outside the charts for the moment, I maintain that there is at least as much good new music coming out as ever. The challenge is being able to filter it.

Accessible production technology such as Pro Tools and internet distribution such as Bandcamp mean that as an audience we're literally waterboarded with opportunity these days. However the corresponding shift away from a very limited number of channels back in the day (a few hours of John Peel, OGWT and Melody Maker) makes it difficult to digest what's happening nowadays, since too much is happening. If you don't have time to research multiple forums and platforms you won't get to appreciate the richness that's on offer.

Perhaps the Radio 1 playlist and the editorial prejudices of the weekly music papers were doing us a favour in that respect. Blimey, I never thought I'd say that.

Pete

[Barry]

I agree with you, though not about radio one.

Obviously, and for well documented reasons, we tend to be very emotionally attached to the music of our youth. Our favourites will often include pretty awful stuff, but we remain attached to our "guilty secrets" because they remind us of a particular time, place, person or event. I am sure we all had vinyl albums that we hid at the back of our record storage because they were not cool. However, it is all too easy to become fossilised in our musical tastes. Agreed, there is a lot of crap out there, but that has always been the case. However there is also a wealth of great new stuff waiting to be discovered. I make it a point to listen to as much new music as I do old stuff. I find the curated playlists on streaming services are a good way to find stuff I like. Once I find a song I like I look up an artists discography. That typically links me to other similar artists and musical styles. Much of what I listen to these days is by relatively unknown new artists. Not forgetting "new to me" stuff: old recordings that I missed the first time around!

That certainly applies to me! I try to listen to new music - that is, music that is new to me. This is done, not through streaming services, but listening to various radio stations, and taking a gamble on CDs I see in charity shops. Oh, and seeing what Members here are listening to and post about.

[Macca]

There's still a lot of stuff from the 1970s I haven't got to yet.

[Jac Hawk]

There's still a lot of stuff from the 1970s I haven't got to yet.

Me too, i find some new to me but old music if you get my drift on films that i watch, you'll hear maybe a chorus or a riff, then at the end you're trying to find it in the credits

[Sherwood]

You could simply Shazam it


Me too, i find some new to me but old music if you get my drift on films that i watch, you'll hear maybe a chorus or a riff, then at the end you're trying to find it in the credits

[Jac Hawk]

You could simply Shazam it

i try but sometimes the clip isn't long enough or there's too much other noise for it to work

[Macca]

Me too, i find some new to me but old music if you get my drift on films that i watch, you'll hear maybe a chorus or a riff, then at the end you're trying to find it in the credits

yes bought a few albums based on that. I scour the credits to find out who it's by, none of that technological stuff for me.

I think I did buy one album due to a tune on an advert but I can't remember what it was now.

[Pigmy Pony]

Me too, i find some new to me but old music if you get my drift on films that i watch, you'll hear maybe a chorus or a riff, then at the end you're trying to find it in the credits

Shazam Mike, piece of piss with Shazam.

Edit: Damn, I really should have read all of the posts first :doh:

[Pigmy Pony]

yes bought a few albums based on that. I scour the credits to find out who it's by, none of that technological stuff for me.

I think I did buy one album due to a tune on an advert but I can't remember what it was now.

Was it the one where this young bloke strips down to his boxers in the Laundrette to wash his Levi's? Or was it the Fairy Liquid "Now hands that do dishes can feel soft as your face..."

[Macca]

Was it the one where this young bloke strips down to his boxers in the Laundrette to wash his Levi's? Or was it the Fairy Liquid "Now hands that do dishes can feel soft as your face..."

Fairy liquid ofc.

When that Levi ad was new I went to the cinema with a couple of mates to see 'Letter To Brezhnev.' Before the film started they showed the ads and there was a lot of people talking while they played (this was back when you'd go to the pictures and there would be more than half a dozen people at the screening so there's maybe a hundred people in there).

Anyway it gets to the Levi ad and as they show it and it cuts to the two girls watching him undress one of my mates exclaims 'That bird's got massive tits!'.

Coincidentally it was at the exact point where the chatter in the room subsided and his comment rang around the auditorium, even above the music. Every person in the place turned to look at him. He went bright red and I don't think he said another word until we were back out on the street.

[Pigmy Pony]

Ignore me, I'm trying and failing to post a Youtube video.

[Pigmy Pony]

Don't know how I ended up with this video, and I can't get rid of it :doh: Oh good it's gone

[Stranraer]

1979 was an especially good year in music though.

Look at all these here and that's just scratching the surface https://www.albumoftheyear.org/1979/releases/?genre=7

That does look like a golden period, but I think a list of singles would tell a different story. Plus, it would have been round about then that I bought and enjoyed BA Robertson's album and I'm not sure that would be on anybody's Wanted list. Including mine now............

[Macca]

Of the various 'Heart' radio channels we have on in the office I am the only one who prefers the 1970s.

The channels all play the most popular singles of their respective decades, (seemingly) anything that made it into the top twenty - excepting novelty records.

Of the 8 polled four like the 1980s channel the best even though they were not even born. One likes the 'Noughties' channel and one the Sixties channel (although she is even older than me). One did not care. Make of that what you will.

[Stranraer]

Of the 8 polled four like the 1980s channel the best even though they were not even born. One likes the 'Noughties' channel and one the Sixties channel (although she is even older than me). One did not care. Make of that what you will

I'd be interested to know if they all voted for the decade each was in their teens.

[Barry]

Of the 8 polled four like the 1980s channel the best even though they were not even born. One likes the 'Noughties' channel and one the Sixties channel (although she is even older than me). One did not care. Make of that what you will.

I'd be interested to know if they all voted for the decade each was in their teens.[/QUOTE]

I think that is significant - we are all drawn to music that was playing when we were adolescents; regardless of musical merit. For me it was the '60s and '70s, despite some awful acts (let alone fashion). Nostalgia has a lot to do with it :)

[Macca]

Of the 8 polled four like the 1980s channel the best even though they were not even born. One likes the 'Noughties' channel and one the Sixties channel (although she is even older than me). One did not care. Make of that what you will

I'd be interested to know if they all voted for the decade each was in their teens.

I am the only one in the office who was a teenager in the 1980s. All the others were teenagers in the 2000s, except the youngest who is only just 21.

[Stranraer]

I am the only one in the office who was a teenager in the 1980s. All the others were teenagers in the 2000s, except the youngest who is only just 21.

Sorry Macca, just noticed you stated the Eighties fans weren't even born then.
Which are the acts that have stayed the course ? You say 80s I instantly think Duran Duran and Wham, but there must've been others, I guess.
Just gonna flick through my collection and see what 80s I have on the listening pile.
I did give The Cure a spin last week.

[Lawrence001]

I am the only one in the office who was a teenager in the 1980s. All the others were teenagers in the 2000s, except the youngest who is only just 21.Which just goes to prove the 80s was the best musical decade [emoji16]

[struth]

80's put me off music for years lol

[Pigmy Pony]

Sorry Macca, just noticed you stated the Eighties fans weren't even born then.
Which are the acts that have stayed the course ? You say 80s I instantly think Duran Duran and Wham, but there must've been others, I guess.
Just gonna flick through my collection and see what 80s I have on the listening pile.
I did give The Cure a spin last week.

Paul Simon, Talk Talk, Tears for Fears, Peter Gabriel, Dire Straits, The The, Joe Jackson, Sade. There will be others. I bet about a third of my music hails from the 80s.

[Magna Audio]

There is so much music being made today.
More today than ever before, technology, population etc

Some of it is good, very good.
You just have to look for it.

[Mikeandvan]

There is so much music being made today.
More today than ever before, technology, population etc

Some of it is good, very good.
You just have to look for it.

Rubbish, it's all a rehash of what's gone before, give us some examples if you like though. Music stopped dead around the end of the millennium.

[Pharos]

It faded in the 90s.

The essence of good music is for me, words giving a new emotional insight, sung with expression by the originator, accompannied by appropriate chords and melody.

It is not about even competent singing, with no unique insight, in a hash of looped samples.

[dave2010]

You may be right. Mostly though I don't like music with words, which rules out most pop music. I agree though that rubbish music + rubbish words = rubbish.

Meaningful words appropriately set can be interesting, but such have long seemed a rarity to me.

[Pigmy Pony]

You may be right. Mostly though I don't like music with words, which rules out most pop music. I agree though that rubbish music + rubbish words = rubbish.

Meaningful words appropriately set can be interesting, but such have long seemed a rarity to me.

Pretty much how I feel. Never been one for lyrics really. If there has to be a vocalist I prefer it to be female, but I'm not really listening to the words. Real instruments played well, that's what I like.

[Pharos]

I think the lyrics 'seep in' after many listens, and then provide meaning.

[Barry]

Pretty much how I feel. Never been one for lyrics really. If there has to be a vocalist I prefer it to be female, but I'm not really listening to the words. Real instruments played well, that's what I like.

So no Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan for you then? ;)

[Mikeandvan]

I don't pay much attention to lyrics. Though Carly Simon's song 'the carter family' reveals what a complete bitch she is!

[Barry]

I don't pay much attention to lyrics. Though Carly Simon's song 'the carter family' reveals what a complete bitch she is!

Really? Have you listened carefully to the lyrics?

[Magna Audio]

Rubbish, it's all a rehash of what's gone before, give us some examples if you like though. Music stopped dead around the end of the millennium.I'm sure that what every era says as they get irrelevant.
When Shellac / 33s replaced sheet music, when the Rat Pack took over from Bing and the crooners etc etc.

Each generation moves things on.

Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it isn't good.

That's why you can carry listening to your stuff.

This came to mind[emoji846]

https://youtu.be/DvswW6M7bMo

[emoji846]

If you mean originality then this comes to mind.

There’s the point by George Harrison where he said he’s afraid to play the piano as he might be playing someone else’s note.

I guess, Ed Sheeran, who knows a bit about composing pop music summed it up saying, there are only so many notes, so many beats, so many permutations (or words to that effect).

I think the permutations were used up long before the millennium.

Thankfully we have never listened to everything ever composed, to know, or be an authority on all of it.

[Barry]

Excellent post Steve! :)

[Mikeandvan]

Really? Have you listened carefully to the lyrics?

Yeh, she was happy when her granny died, bitch!

[Mikeandvan]

I'm sure that what every era says as they get irrelevant.
When Shellac / 33s replaced sheet music, when the Rat Pack took over from Bing and the crooners etc etc.

Each generation moves things on.

Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it isn't good.

That's why you can carry listening to your stuff.

This came to mind[emoji846]

https://youtu.be/DvswW6M7bMo

[emoji846]

If you mean originality then this comes to mind.

There’s the point by George Harrison where he said he’s afraid to play the piano as he might be playing someone else’s note.

I guess, Ed Sheeran, who knows a bit about composing pop music summed it up saying, there are only so many notes, so many beats, so many permutations (or words to that effect).

I think the permutations were used up long before the millennium.

Thankfully we have never listened to everything ever composed, to know, or be an authority on all of it.

There's been a definite stalling of the culture since the late 90s, in everything, films, music, visual art (that died long before arguably). Culture used to move in big cycles, a lot of that due to technology. Nowadays it's just a tepid rehash of those big cycles. Really, there's been books about it, see Simon Reynolds 'Retromania'. I'm not 'having a go' at today's generation, if music is done, it's done.

[Barry]

Yeh, she was happy when her granny died, bitch!

So what is the last line of each verse then? It's one of regret.

[struth]

The Carter family lived next door for almost 14 years
With Gwen and I inseperatable from rag dolls through brassieres
Then Gwen began to bore me with her giggles and her fears
The day the Carters moved away, I had to fake my tears
I told new friends Gwen Carter had become a silly pest
And then I found I missed her more than I'd ever have guessed
Grandma used to nag at me to straighten up my spine
To act respectful and read good books
To take care of what was mine
I hated being criticized and asking her permission
So what if her advise was wise, It always hurt to listen
I didn't cry when Granny died, she made me so depressed
And then I found I missed her more than I'd ever have guessed
You used to make me moan in bed, but that can't be enough
My friends complained your jokes were crude,
Your manners were too rough
Don't know just what I wanted, but I know I wanted more
Someone smooth, presentable, to blend with my decor
And now at night I think of how you grinned when you undressed
And I find I miss you more than I'd ever have guessed.

[Pigmy Pony]

So no Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan for you then? ;)

I do make exceptions for people with something to say :D Leonard and Bob each have 3 or 4 places in my collection and do get played quite often.

[Mikeandvan]

So what is the last line of each verse then? It's one of regret.

Yeh I get that, still, she didn't cry when granny died, bitch!

[Barry]

I didn't cry (as in weep) when my parents died - but I did regret and was greatly saddened by their passing.

[Pigmy Pony]

People handle bereavement in different ways. It's a personal thing and should not be judged. And some may feel guilt over not showing emotion in the "expected" way - that's not right either.

But what do I know - maybe if I listened to lyrics more I have a better handle on these things...

I do quite like the lyrics for Baz Luhrmann's "Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen" though Not really a song, just a lot of words.

[Macca]

Great lyrics are ones that have personal meaning to the listener. Different listener, different meaning.

Inscrutable lyrics - where you don't know what they are singing about and have to decide the meaning for yourself. Like Bowie's lyrics, or Steely Dan's.

[Pharos]

Did anyone listen to Steve Wright's top 20 debut albums/ Nothing of any value to me.

[Pigmy Pony]

Did anyone listen to Steve Wright's top 20 debut albums/ Nothing of any value to me.

I caught a bit of it. Norah Jones, Oasis, Adele, Ed Sheeran. No thank you.

[Pete The Cat]

Removed from the context of the times - the vibrancy of the Britpop scene, TFI and Evans Breakfast Show on the airwaves and the Gallagher brothers in the news - Oasis are revealed to be a very mundane act. Even Definitely Maybe, their standout album, merely feels "OK" to me nowadays.

Pete

[Pigmy Pony]

Removed from the context of the times - the vibrancy of the Britpop scene, TFI and Evans Breakfast Show on the airwaves and the Gallagher brothers in the news - Oasis are revealed to be a very mundane act. Even Definitely Maybe, their standout album, merely feels "OK" to me nowadays.

Pete

They were never as good as they thought they were imo, their lack of originality was surpassed only by their sheer arrogance.

Part of "She's Electric" sounds like "I'd like to Teach the World to Sing" by The New Seekers, "Cigarettes and Alcohol" sounds to me rather like T.Rex "Get it On", and "Whatever" is a dead ringer for Neil Innes' "How Sweet to be an Idiot", which was probably a send up of John Lennon.

And the sound was engineered to sound ok on the radio, but only just. You may have guessed I'm not a fan.

[Pharos]

Removed from the context of the times - the vibrancy of the Britpop scene, TFI and Evans Breakfast Show on the airwaves and the Gallagher brothers in the news - Oasis are revealed to be a very mundane act. Even Definitely Maybe, their standout album, merely feels "OK" to me nowadays.

Pete

At that time I didn't feel that there was anything new or unique about Britpop, Oasis blatantly copying Beatles in style and lacking any original content.

Context is very significant for 'popular art'.

[Stranraer]

Rubbish, it's all a rehash of what's gone before, give us some examples if you like though. Music stopped dead around the end of the millennium.

Okay then I'll take the bait, though absolutely any band from any era could be called out for "rehashing" someone else. Maybe the exception would be Sergeant Pepper ?
So, LCD Soundsystem released their first album 2002. Second and third albums changed my world and still sound fresh and innovative today.
They did a great track called Losing My Edge which is hilarious in a morose kinda way. It addresses musical snobbery (not accusing you of that though, Mike) and lists relatively obscure gamechangers amongst the lyrics.
Gives the hifi a good workout too. And now I'm gonna have to dig it out................

[Stranraer]

[QUOTE=Pharos;1330606]At that time I didn't feel that there was anything new or unique about Britpop, Oasis blatantly copying Beatles in style and lacking any original content.

I used to knock about with Noel at the start when he moved round the corner from me and he'd get uppity if you mentioned the similarity to Beatles,. He always maintained totally sincerely that he was blatantly copying Slade

[Pigmy Pony]

[QUOTE=Pharos;1330606]At that time I didn't feel that there was anything new or unique about Britpop, Oasis blatantly copying Beatles in style and lacking any original content.

I used to knock about with Noel at the start when he moved round the corner from me and he'd get uppity if you mentioned the similarity to Beatles,. He always maintained totally sincerely that he was blatantly copying Slade

:D Good lad Noel! I don't mind Noel, it's Liam I can't be doing with.

[prestonchipfryer]

Surely the likes of Oasis are why so many people prove they are tone deaf!

[Pieoftheday]

I didn't mind their first few songs at the time:sofa: I did get bored quite quickly though

[glenhb]

Okay then I'll take the bait, though absolutely any band from any era could be called out for "rehashing" someone else. Maybe the exception would be Sergeant Pepper ?


To quote Sir George Martin:- "Without Pet Sounds, Sgt Pepper wouldn't have happened . . . Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds.

[Pigmy Pony]

The Beatles may well have drawn inspiration from 'Pet Sounds', but I don't really hear any similarities.

[glenhb]

The Beatles may well have drawn inspiration from 'Pet Sounds', but I don't really hear any similarities.

This might be an interesting read for you:-
https://www.the-paulmccartney-project.com/interview/paul-mccartney-spoke-about-pet-sounds/

[Barry]

The Beatles may well have drawn inspiration from 'Pet Sounds', but I don't really hear any similarities.

They are both about human relationships. With Pet Sounds the relationship is centred on adolescence and teenage years. With Sgt Pepper, the relationships are broaden out both in age and to family relations: 'With a Little Help from My Friends'; 'Lovely Rita'; 'She's Leaving Home', and 'When I'm Sixty Four' for example.

[Pigmy Pony]

But is this what we're talking about, the songs' subject matter? I was thinking more in terms of how the songs were structured, the instrumentation, the production techniques, things that might say to me "ah, they just copied 'Pet Sounds'".

Edit: confession time - I don't own and have never played "Pet Sounds"! :doh: Although I do know some of the stuff on it. So feel free to shoot me down, I deserve it :D

[Jac Hawk]

But is this what we're talking about, the songs' subject matter? I was thinking more in terms of how the songs were structured, the instrumentation, the production techniques, things that might say to me "ah, they just copied 'Pet Sounds'".

Edit: confession time - I don't own and have never played "Pet Sounds"! :doh: Although I do know some of the stuff on it. So feel free to shoot me down, I deserve it :D

i've got it on vinyl, it was one of my dads LP's, you're quite welcome to borrow it

[Pigmy Pony]

i've got it on vinyl, it was one of my dads LP's, you're quite welcome to borrow it

Cheers Mike, but I'm not really a Beach Boys fan, otherwise I would have a copy by now :) Anyway, why you not at work? I've got a gammy leg, that's my excuse :doh:

[struth]

ive a cd of that.. no idea where tho and it doesn't seem to have been ripped either... says it all. lol

[Jac Hawk]

Cheers Mike, but I'm not really a Beach Boys fan, otherwise I would have a copy by now :) Anyway, why you not at work? I've got a gammy leg, that's my excuse :doh:

I've been away since Monday project managing in Romford, then did a site survey yesterday in Lyndhurst in the New Forest, a lovely place, btw the only car dealership in the town is Ferrari so you can imagine what it's like, got back home last night and i've been in Teams meetings all morning, can't wait till the weekend mate

[JohnNB]

Brian Wilson said that hearing The Beatles Rubber Soul (1965) was what inspired him to make Pet Sounds (1966), which John and Paul raved about and went on to make Sgt Pepper (1967)

[struth]

I found my beach boys rip. Must have another listen

[JohnNB]

I bought Pet Sounds when it was first released having been a Beach Boys fan since their 'surfin' days. It was in mono though - don't know why, even a later cd release was also mono. I always thought the album was perfect for stereo given Brian Wilson's production values and finally a stereo version was issued on vinyl a few years ago, and it didn't disappoint. I think the track Pet Sounds on side 2 is one of the finest stereo productions I've ever heard.

[JohnNB]

BBCs Radio 6 Music plays quality non-chart contemporary music as well as older stuff, so Radio's not an entire barren desert of chart pop. I listen at the weekends to Giles Peterson and Craig Charles, and Guy Garvey on Sundays. Great way to hear new stuff, and be reminded of great music that I'd forgotten about.

[The Black Adder]

BBCs Radio 6 Music plays quality non-chart contemporary music as well as older stuff, so Radio's not an entire barren desert of chart pop. I listen at the weekends to Giles Peterson and Craig Charles, and Guy Garvey on Sundays. Great way to hear new stuff, and be reminded of great music that I'd forgotten about.Indeed. But I do feel R6M has started to play less of the good stuff recently. Well, for the past year anyway.

A lot of the stuff they play is rap, don't mind rap but only when it's done well and it's not about killing n shit... The stuff they're playing are like the scrapings of Bandcamp. A mix of adolescent wannabes copying everything else.

Sent from my 9001X using Tapatalk

[Pigmy Pony]

Indeed. But I do feel R6M has started to play less of the good stuff recently. Well, for the past year anyway.

A lot of the stuff they play is rap, don't mind rap but only when it's done well and it's not about killing n shit... The stuff they're playing are like the scrapings of Bandcamp. A mix of adolescent wannabes copying everything else.

Sent from my 9001X using Tapatalk

I suppose that's true, but 6 Music is still head and shoulders above everything else on the radio. Shame I'm the only person I know who can tolerate 6 Music, or I'd have it on all the time while working :(

[JohnNB]

There's enough djs whose tastes coincide with mine - so I'm happy. And it's on demand on BBC Sounds. Great service.

[Avinunca1]

I wish Radio Paradise was broadcasted in the UK over FM/Dab in addition to it's wonderful internet delivery. I imagine it would eat up a lot of data using mobile internet in the car etc.

[Pigmy Pony]

I wish Radio Paradise was broadcasted in the UK over FM/Dab in addition to it's wonderful internet delivery. I imagine it would eat up a lot of data using mobile internet in the car etc.

DAB can only accommodate a finite number of stations, so something would have to go first, to make room for Radio Paradise. My vote would be for Heart to be given the boot, but that's never going to happen. The masses need their fix of depressing adverts and mindnumbing chart cack.

[Sherwood]

Radio Paradise is on the BluOS app. It has 4 MQA channels which sound very good Very brief station announcement every half hour or so.

[Macca]

DAB can only accommodate a finite number of stations, so something would have to go first, to make room for Radio Paradise. My vote would be for Heart to be given the boot, but that's never going to happen. The masses need their fix of depressing adverts and mindnumbing chart cack.

my boss is off at the moment so I get to control the radio at work - Heart 'Seventies' all day every day!

[Pigmy Pony]

my boss is off at the moment so I get to control the radio at work - Heart 'Seventies' all day every day!

Well that's going to be better, still have the adverts tho :(

[Macca]

Well that's going to be better, still have the adverts tho :(

yes, but when they're on I just get some work done.

BBC substitute inane chatter for adverts anyway, it's not like it's just uninterrupted music on their channels.

[Pigmy Pony]

yes, but when they're on I just get some work done.

BBC substitute inane chatter for adverts anyway, it's not like it's just uninterrupted music on their channels.

Oh they give you work to see you through the adverts? They really do look after you :)

And radio ads, bad though they are, don't hold a candle to TV's daytime slop. In amongst all the funeral plans and cover for folk who may or may not survive going past customs when going to Benidorm, is a sweet little nugget called 'Smart Insurance'.

Some gormless looking woman with a gob that could eat a banana sideways gives them a call to ask about their insurance:

"There are no medicals, I just need to know your age and smoking status"

"Well, I'm 32 and I don't smoke". (They never admit to having a crafty fag).

"Ok, so for just £6 a month you could be entitled to £100,000 of life cover!"

"That's great! We could pay off the mortgage!" It's not great, because you have to be dead, you daft bint!

And after the first 12 months the daft bint in question qualifies for 10% of her premiums back. So next Christmas she can expect a cheque for £7.20. "Well whoopy-fookin-doo! That'll buy me a tin of Celebrations! Where do I sign?"

Martin, you're better off at work with your Heart 70s ;)

[Pigmy Pony]

And the funeral plan ads aren't much better. Delightfully vague, they're clearly not confident that the finer details will keep us interested: "Tes, we stick you in a cardboard box with 'Beko fridge freezer' printed up the side, and ferry you in our battered Mk 7 Transit to the local incinerator, all for a paltry £1400". And it the Transit breaks down, your final journey will be on the bus.

I know this thread is about how bad music has become, and believe me the jingles will earworm into your head if you let them.

[Jac Hawk]

When i'm traveling for work, it's a mix of Heart 70's or 80's for me, i used to like radio 2 but the only DJ i can tolerate on there now is Ken Bruce and that's really only for pop master

[walpurgis]

And the funeral plan ads aren't much better.

And the 'equity release plan' ads that don't point out that this is a way of diddling the government out of the money that would have paid for your care when you finally lose your marbles. Not to mention any kids will get sod all.

[Macca]

"Ok, so for just £6 a month you could be entitled to £100,000 of life cover!"

"That's great! We could pay off the mortgage!" It's not great, because you have to be dead, you daft bint!



That always makes me laugh. Plus these days £100K won't clear much off a typical mortgage anyway when the average is £350K

[struth]

yeah but if you dont die you get zitch, as you will if you miss a payment...;)

[Sherwood]

The average outstanding mortgage for 10.97 million households with mortgage debt was £146,427 in July 2022.

The average house price in England for the same period was £311,583. Much much lower in the rest of the UK.

Source: https://www.finder.com/uk/mortgage-statistics
Analysis conducted by finder.com


That always makes me laugh. Plus these days £100K won't clear much off a typical mortgage anyway when the average is £350K

[struth]

up here the average is £188k.. not in street i live tho lol

[Barry]

I only paid £17,500 for mine, but that was in 1978.

[Macca]

I meant the average amount of a new mortgage, i,e what people borrow at the start, not the average of what is still owed.

£29K here but that was 25 years ago.

[struth]

I meant the average amount of a new mortgage, i,e what people borrow at the start, not the average of what is still owed.

£29K here but that was 25 years ago.

i nearly bought a house in late 70's. i bid about 6.6k and it went for nearly 7k.:eek: i guess my life would have panned out completly different if i had won. was a big old house that needed a bit of work but i could have done most of it myself. its worth a fair amount now i guess. ive no regrets tho; :wah:

[Macca]

i nearly bought a house in late 70's. i bid about 6.6k and it went for nearly 7k.:eek: i guess my life would have panned out completly different if i had won. was a big old house that needed a bit of work but i could have done most of it myself. its worth a fair amount now i guess. ive no regrets tho; :wah:

Mine was a little old house that needed a lot of work. And still does.

I did nearly buy a huge but slightly run down place. Big basement and three stories above. Massive rooms on all four levels. £45K.

Was going to let a few rooms out to cover the mortgage but I got cold feet. Bet its way over 300K now. Oh well.

[struth]

Mine was a little old house that needed a lot of work. And still does.

I did nearly buy a huge but slightly run down place. Big basement and three stories above. Massive rooms on all four levels. £45K.

Was going to let a few rooms out to cover the mortgage but I got cold feet. Bet its way over 300K now. Oh well.

yeah, a much as i was disappointed in not getting it, i was equally pleased and relieved not to be crucified by a mortgage for 25 yrs. hell i might have had to conform;)

[Macca]

yeah, a much as i was disappointed in not getting it, i was equally pleased and relieved not to be crucified by a mortgage for 25 yrs. hell i might have had to conform;)

That was my problem with it too but my plan was to pay it off in five years. It took nineteen and by then it was too late for me. But the mortgage payment was a lot cheaper than renting and now I live in it for free.

[dave2010]

I guess this might be where you [Mikeandvan] got your avatar from -

https://youtu.be/a2mdlxbuXz0


https://youtu.be/a2mdlxbuXz0

Currrently I'm wondering about the SQ on the set of Klemperer remastered CDs I just bought - as elsewhere a few people were enthusing about the set and the remastering.
Maybe I've got rose tinted ears, but I'm not convinced.

I've not done an exhaustive evaluation yet - nothing like - but my first impressions are that things are a bit different - perhaps a bit harsh, and the Schubert 9th I listened to might have sounded better on the LP I still have tucked away in a cupboard.

Then again the harshness could be due to the recommended speakers I bought a few years ago - and yes - I did listen to them carefully before buying.

[guy]

I think the differerence (across generations of chart music) is whether the artist/s is doing it for the love of the genre/style or doing for the love of fame/money/“celebrity” .

In my view, and i admit to being an old fart, currently the fame chasers are in the majority - time for a change or back to basics (content over “style”)

EDIT: This week the Quay street Wailers - bunch of “old buggers” will be singing at my local; I’m really looking forward to seeing/hearing them again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tget6Y6FO4

If Ed Sheeran were to play there, i would give it a miss.

[Macca]

I think the differerence (across generations of chart music) is whether the artist/s is doing it for the love of the genre/style or doing for the love of fame/money/“celebrity” .

In my view, and i admit to being an old fart, currently the fame chasers are in the majority - time for a change or back to basics (content over “style”)

EDIT: This week the Quay street Wailers - bunch of “old buggers” will be singing at my local; I’m really looking forward to seeing/hearing them again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tget6Y6FO4

If Ed Sheeran were to play there, i would give it a miss.

I've no interest in Sheeran either.

I think the money/fame thing has always been an incentive. Being in band got you noticed by women and there was always a chance that it might be a way out of a dead end job. Sure I have seen various Beatles saying that over the years, along with many others like Black Sabbath.

[guy]

Money fame are certainly an incentive, it’s just that I’m sure that the groups i enjoyed in my teens also had a love of music (although i may have been taken in :o).

[rigger67]

This thread reminds me of an article I wrote for a magazine about ten years ago :

When the music stops

There’s a line in Don McLean’s American Pie that has always rung true for me:

” …the day the music died …”

I always wondered what it meant, but after years of working with music, whether as a DJ, a writer or back in the day when I worked in record stores (remember them?) I think I’ve finally worked it out.
Let me explain …
If you’re of a certain age, you can probably remember the first record you ever bought. It might have been a 7″ single or perhaps an LP if it was your birthday and you’d received some gift tokens. Maybe it was on CD, cassette or even 8-track cartridge ?
Whatever we’re talking about, most people can remember their first time, right ?
Following that initial – probably embarrassing – purchase, most young people get into “their” music and before long they’re dressing in a way that reflects it, just so that everyone else knows who they are. It’s a classic way of identifying with a certain movement and lets people both fit in and stand out simultaneously.
When I was a teenager, there were loads of “tribes” I could have joined: mods, rockers, teds, punks, skins, smoothies, townies, casuals, headbangers, hippies, goths, suedeheads, new romantics, rockabillies, psychobillies, soulboys, rudeboys/girls, dreads, etc … the list is almost endless once you start delving deeper into the individual sub-cultures and their nuanced differences. To the outsider’s untrained eye, there might not seem to be much difference between a ted, a rockabilly and a psychobilly, for example. Stop and speak to those individual people though, and they would tell you about the diversity between the three, whether it was musical, political, cultural or purely stylistic in nature.
The whole point was you and others like you identified with something, and it was usually the music that led you there in the first place. Sadly, these days I think you can only really be a chav or emo: they don’t know what they’re missing …

While most of my classmates were into metal and classic rock, I’d been brought up in a house where jazz was the norm, so I naturally gravitated towards disco and funk. Kool and the Gang’s Something Special on tape was the first album I ever bought, while Madness’s One Step Beyond and ELO’s seminal double, Out Of The Blue, were the first two LPs I was given round about the same time. Kool and the Gang were taking their first steps into superstardom following years of cult credibility as a pioneering funk band; Madness were at the forefront of the multi-cultural ska revival which was sweeping the nation; ELO were moving away from their earlier glam, prog and classical influences and on to a more commercial, disco-tinged sound that proved highly successful for them.
I still love all three albums today and have them in just about every format possible.

From there, I got into James Brown, Prince, David Bowie, The Beatles (who doesn’t), Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Chet Baker, Anita Baker (no relation!), Motown, reggae, Kraftwerk, hip hop, trip hop, house … and so on. Everything links to something and if you had the time and a very large piece of paper you could probably draw a diagram to show the various influences of one artist on another … all the while, they all influenced me and the person I am now.
I’m sure you have a similar story to tell, though the music, the fashion and the details would be different. For me, it’s an ongoing process, and I’m discovering both new and old artists all the time. I’ve got “pockets” of music I missed, like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Who and – shamefully – the Rolling Stones, who I really didn’t get round to listening to till I was in my thirties. I know of one bloke (and it had to be a bloke) who only listens to Gary Numan. He doesn’t own any other music. Not even similar artists. I’ll run that by you again:
Just. Gary. Numan.

And this is what I’m getting at … do you still listen ? Do you still try new music ?
Do you go to gigs ? Do you explore YouTube, watch Later and attend festivals ?
Or are you still listening to the music of your youth, like many people ?
What was the last album you bought ? Do you still buy music ?
Are all your CDs from the 20th century ?

Did the music stop for you ?

There’s nothing wrong with this: I’m not criticising and I’m not saying one type of person is better than the other. I’ve got loads of friends and acquaintances who are stuck in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, who never move on, musically. Similarly, I’ve had people come up to me at parties and demand songs from a decade, as if that’s the be all and end all … what if I only played the worst of the 60s ? The smallest hits of the 70s ? The one hit wonders of the 80s ?
What then ? Would it still be good music, just because it came out when that person’s “musical personality” was being created ?
I find the subject fascinating and have had loads of completely futile arguments and totally silly conversations about this. Some people talk about “old skool” when referring to house music from the 90s; others talk about third generation covers of sixties classics as if they’re on a par with Mozart.
I know it’s all subjective. I know it’s all opinion. That’s what’s great about music (and everything else, of course). It makes us what we are.

But I’m trying to find out why ?
Did The Who die the day Keith Moon did ? What about Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd ?
Why did you stop listening to Morrissey after he left The Smiths ? Or what about when Dave Gahan suddenly got serious ? Or when U2 “sold out” ? What about Bowie: did you like Let’s Dance or give up with him after Scary Monsters ? Maybe you never liked any of the Berlin trilogy anyway, so consider Station To Station his last great album ? Prince lost it when he left Warner Bros, right ? Once everyone else got into Jeff Buckley, you stopped liking him. Same with Nick Drake. How about The Sweet ? Best band ever, or a shadow of T-Rex ? Roxy Music were better than both of them put together, anyway. 90s ? I don’t listen to anything after 1988. There’s not been any decent music since downloads started getting in the charts. These days you only need to sell about 5000 copies to get to number 1 anyway. Not like in my day when you had to sell a million records and being on TOTP could make or break an artist.
Where do you stand with it all ?
I can see both sides of some of the arguments, I agree completely with a few and laugh in the face of others and treat them with the disdain they deserve. Remember: there’s no such thing as bad music. If someone likes it enough to buy it, there’s value in there somewhere.

I’ll leave you with a joke:
Q: How many soul fans does it take to change a lightbulb ?
A: 6. 1 to change it and 5 to stand around muttering “It’s never as good as the original”

[Barry]

Good post.

I'm not sure where I stand. I'll have to think about it.

[rigger67]

I worked in record shops on and off for over twenty years and would hear the "modern music is rubbish" argument on a daily basis.
If you follow football you'll always hear the same thing about the game too - Messi and Ronaldo are not the "GOAT"s (hate that term) because Maradona was better than both and used only one of his feet.
That's my opinion. I've got a mate (also a Leeds fan) who's pushing 90 and he swears John Charles is the greatest ever .. and he played against him as a young man for Leeds United's Youth side in the early 50s.
I had a conversation in a Paris bar with two men, one arguing Zidane, the other Platini .. blah blah .. whatever.

It's all the same thing.
Blokes waving willies.
Imagine middle-aged trad and big band jazz fans hearing Little Richard for the first time : I wonder what they said ?

It's a pointless argument in many ways because it's only one opinion against another.
One staging post on the road through life is when you hear a record that you loved growing up covered (or sampled) by a "modern" artist, especially if you have a conversation about it with a young person who loves the new one.
The irony is, nothing's new in music. Didn't Schubert write every pop song centuries ago ?

I guess what I'm saying is try not to moan about it too much - you might as well howl at the moon. Just embrace it.
Ignore the stuff you don't have time for - I totally agree about Sheeran and couldn't name a single song by him, while Adele is a karaoke singer compared to Ella Fitzgerald.
I find myself going back in time with music nowadays, getting into a bit of folk for the first time in my life, while jazz and classical take more and more prominence.

I'm happy there.
Be happy wherever you are - it's so much nicer :)

[Macca]

Any music I hear and like I buy it. Not bothered when it was made, or how old they are, or who made it. If Bin Laden had made a really good album I'd have it.

I have bought some records by modern bands but there's certainly less music now that catches my ear. I think that's partly my age and partly because it's true that there's less really good music than there used to be.

[Mikeandvan]

Popular music stalled around the end of the last millenium. All avenues are exhausted, technology has come full circle, what could possibly change now? That's how it feels anyway at the moment. The 90s were fantastic, all that fierce music coming out of the dance music scene, like Jeff Mills or Joey Beltram and about a million others, all the diverse sub genres like Trance, jungle, Detroit techno, etc etc This century so far is pure shite, as far as I can tell anyway, the radio does my fucking head in, if I have to listen to it. Simon Reynolds has it all down in his book 'Retromania'. Who cares anyway, when you've got reams of fine music from the 50s onwards. Jazz, rock, techno, hip hop, there's so much out there.Any time I might come across the Jules Holland show on the TV I cringe, the acts are so absurdly copyist, they just do some crappy naff version of 80s post punk, or some lame attempt at jazz-pop, whatever!

[Pigmy Pony]

I worked in record shops on and off for over twenty years and would hear the "modern music is rubbish" argument on a daily basis.
If you follow football you'll always hear the same thing about the game too - Messi and Ronaldo are not the "GOAT"s (hate that term) because Maradona was better than both and used only one of his feet.
That's my opinion. I've got a mate (also a Leeds fan) who's pushing 90 and he swears John Charles is the greatest ever .. and he played against him as a young man for Leeds United's Youth side in the early 50s.
I had a conversation in a Paris bar with two men, one arguing Zidane, the other Platini .. blah blah .. whatever.

It's all the same thing.
Blokes waving willies.
Imagine middle-aged trad and big band jazz fans hearing Little Richard for the first time : I wonder what they said ?

It's a pointless argument in many ways because it's only one opinion against another.
One staging post on the road through life is when you hear a record that you loved growing up covered (or sampled) by a "modern" artist, especially if you have a conversation about it with a young person who loves the new one.
The irony is, nothing's new in music. Didn't Schubert write every pop song centuries ago ?

I guess what I'm saying is try not to moan about it too much - you might as well howl at the moon. Just embrace it.
Ignore the stuff you don't have time for - I totally agree about Sheeran and couldn't name a single song by him, while Adele is a karaoke singer compared to Ella Fitzgerald.
I find myself going back in time with music nowadays, getting into a bit of folk for the first time in my life, while jazz and classical take more and more prominence.

I'm happy there.
Be happy wherever you are - it's so much nicer :)

Yeah but we do like to have a moan - moaning makes us happy :)

[Pigmy Pony]

Any music I hear and like I buy it. Not bothered when it was made, or how old they are, or who made it. If Bin Laden had made a really good album I'd have it.

I have bought some records by modern bands but there's certainly less music now that catches my ear. I think that's partly my age and partly because it's true that there's less really good music than there used to be.

I do like some new music, as long as it sounds like the stuff I used to buy :D

Although I like a lot of electronic music from the nineties, like The Orb, FSOL, Orbital, Underworld etc (ie not much in the way of real instruments), I can't be doing with the way so much modern music is presented, with autotuned vocals and percussion sounds that bear no resemblance to actual drums. No more entertaining or involving than ringtones imo.