Music fans are getting their panties in a bunch over Gene Simmons controversial “Rock is finally dead” comments. How much do you wanna bet that most of them didn’t read the actual interview itself before slamming the guy? I just finished reading the interview with Gene and his son at Esquire magazine.
Before bashing Gene Simmons, maybe you should read the entire interview and then you would understand what he’s saying.
Read it here:
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture/gene-simmons-future-of-rock
I think the interview is very interesting!
A lot of people are coming to a misunderstanding when he says that “Rock is finally dead”. He’s not saying that there are no rock bands anymore. That’s not what he’s saying at all. He knows that there are new rock bands today but what he’s saying is that they will no longer get the “iconic” and “legendary” status with the way the industry is going today.
Today, the industry have been giving the “iconic” status to fake pop-stars like Justin Bieber, Kanye, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Psy, etc. who are mostly manufactured by record labels. Those pop stars don’t write their own songs. It’s mostly the record labels that writes the songs in today’s mainstream these days.
Back in the old days when Hendrix, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Clash, etc. all came around they all got the iconic and “legendary status” ’cause they wrote their own songs and played their own instruments.
You know how legendary and essential albums like Led Zeppelin IV – Zoso, Pink Floyd “Dark Side of the Moon”, The Beatles “Sgt. Peppers”, The Clash “London Calling”, Hendrix “Electric Ladyland” are all important albums that we’ll never forget???
With the way the industry is going today, we’ll never get that essential classic again.
That’s what he meant when he said that, “Rock is finally dead”. When real rock bands and musicians get together and make albums that are huge and iconic that is rock n’ roll. Those days are dead and gone now.
People are accusing Gene of being behind of the times but he’s not. Yeah, there are rock bands today sure but most of today’s bands are manufactured and created by record labels too like Linkin Park for starters. Everything is created by the labels these days.
Gene just wants bands who writes their own songs and play their own instruments getting success in the music business.
I’m sure Gene is gonna get asked again about this in his next interview and I’m sure he’ll talk about it even more.
Read that interview I posted above, the whole thing. It’s good and Gene is so right on everything he said. I’m still siding with him.
Kev