Rock as It Nears 40: Running on Empty?
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Why look to the same small set of artists and expect decade after decade of inspired work? Most now have families and (let’s face it) financial empires to tend to.
There is much vital new blood that is for the most part being kept locked out by the conservative business orientation of the music industry. It’s no small wonder that we see an endless slew of Led Zeppelin caricature bands that are more interested in their hairdos and ancillary merchandising than the songs they write.
The radio and record execs endlessly rehash the same tired formulas, and the bands (if they know what’s good for them) get with the program.
The reason that rap has proven so vital is simply that being a “non-market-tested genre,” there was no old guard standing at the castle door.
STEVE MELOAN
Los Angeles
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