the music must change, i guess

I have brought up this point and have had many conversations with friends and colleagues about what happened to rock music. It died a slow death but die it did and that's too bad. Here's one theory I have entertained about what happened. Many years ago, a number of different parts of the country provided their own culture and take on what was defined as "rock and roll" music. Let's start on the east coast with Billy Joel, Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Steely Dan, Leonard Cohen, Aerosmith and the like. Heading down I95, we go to Florida and Georgia, home of Skynyrd, Tom Petty, Marshall Tucker and of course, the Allman Brothers. West to Texas and ZZ Top, Jerry Jeff, Stevie Ray along with many others. LA gave us Poco, CSNY, Eagles and all the laid back, country rock feel. San Francisco needs no introduction, the list of bands from there is as long as your arm. Let's not forget the midwest, home of Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, Cheap Trick, Prince, and on. Now, it seems all of the good songwriters are located in one city....Nashville. Pop has gone country and country has gone pop. Taylor Swift is Marie Osmond, Lady Antebellum is Fleetwood Mac, Tim McGraw is Bob Seger, Keith Urban is Bryan Adams(but a better guitar player)and on it goes. I'm just waiting for someone to channel Jim Morrison. That should be fun. It's coming, you know it is.

lady antebellum

one of the nice things about working bloomington was hearing different music. while running the country station there, lady antebellum caught my ear. this song confirms something i thought a year and a half ago...these guys are the country equivalent to fleetwood mac, only in reverse. mac had stevie, lindsay and christine, and these guys have two guys and a woman. listen to this and tell me you don't hear fleetwood mac. love this tune and if you are going to sound like someone, you couldn't have picked a better band. speaking of fleetwood mac...now that i don't play their music every hour of every day, i have become a huge fan of the self titled lp with "landslide" and "over my head" and all the rest. i don't think they were better than this, although "rumours" proves me wrong...

Leonard Cohen and All Things Musical

What an incredible piece of acoustic archetecture we have in St. Louis. It's called the Fox Theatre. Closed for many years, re opened in 1982 and the grand jewel of concert venues in my life. (Red Rocks ranks a close second). To see an artist like Leonard Cohen, at a place like that, to thouroughly get in the mood, you must be a bit imbibed. Whatever poison you choose is up to you. On Saturday night, since I wasn't driving, I chose top shelf margaritas from a very non descript restaurant that has food and drinks that are good and cheap. One of my best music buds, Corky, a gentlemen I have known since 1980, is a guy that will drive to Salina Kansas and back overnight to see Dylan. "I have an extra Leonard Cohen ticket" was all it took. Arriving at the Fox just as the music started, the next three hours was quite a treat. Now, I am not that familar with his music, but getting to see a living legend before he dies was just too much temptation. So, during my commute from work and back, I prepped with two Leonard CDs and I was ready. Wow. The band was clean and tight. The kind of guys that are first class, first rate players. The mood I arrived in was perfect, the seats were great and the music was played with style and class. Sweet. While getting my tickets for Leonard, I purchased 6th row seats for Mark Knopfler. I have never seen him play live. It's in April, I just wanted to make sure I'm ready
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Righteously bummed about someone using Roxy Music's "More Than This" in a commercial. Talk about playing your craft with style and grace. Why should I be surprised that one of the greatest albums to make love to would produce a commercial for a credit card in my lifetime. I stopped being irate years ago. But, that is another band I'd pay dearly to see one last time.
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So, Steven Tyler quit Aerosmith, not telling anyone and not returning eamils and phone calls? Yeah, I'd be done too if I knew the best music I ever made was done stinking fucked up? Ever since this band got straight, they should have made two records and called it a day. They have been phoning it in for awhile now, and until "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" I had a tad bit of respect for them because, at one time, they may have been the best band in America. Not for the last 35 years. After "Rocks" it was done. Doesn't need the money, every night on the road for probably 40 years...yep, I'd be out too. And you'd never hear from me again. Unless "The Muppet Show" called, they would be the only people. Thanks Steven, for the first four records, they were fun and I'll put them up against any band's best four. Meh.