Rock as It Nears 40: Running on Empty?

Ho hum . . so Times pop critic Robert Hilburn suggests that rock is dead or dying (July 15 cover story, “Is Rock Running on Empty?”). Haven’t we heard that before? Critics have been periodically writing rock’s obituary since 1959--despite that rock has continued to grow in popularity and today has its largest worldwide following ever.

Hilburn tends to overlook that from a creative standpoint rock is cyclic and at the present we are going through a stagnant period. Don’t worry, Bobby, they’ll write your obituary decades before they’ll write rock’s (and I am assuming you’ll live to at least 100).

JAY CHARLES JOHNSON

La Crescenta