Why were the 60's so monumental?
I think we can all agree that music came to a head in the 1960's. With the birth of rock and roll in the post WWII 50's, a new breed of musician was born. The teens who grew up on this revolutionary music created the counter culture. But why? Why were there so many talented artists in that eara that made the world what it is today? Is it cyclical? Will this happen again? Or has the music industry been so completely taken over by American Idol and the Disney channel that all hope for pure creativity will only be found on sites like this?
Tags: 1960's
Views: 15
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Andy Meehan on -
It seems like the war made people more emotional and volatile and LSD helped them channel that into music. People gave up on making a difference and giving a crap once the 70's showed up. I think the music industry has been taken over by the heavily produced and processed stuff, but if you look hard enough you can find real music.
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Permalink Reply by Clint Viers on -
Andy, I think you're right. After World War two, America was basking in victory. The war was justified. Then something happened. The beatniks came along and completely rebelled against old fashioned American values. They spoke openly about their drug use and embraced eastern religious philosophies. This coupled with the be-bop scene paved the way for Rock and Rollers. Rock and Roll was so sexual and rebellious that it broke down barriers that had been in place for too long. It was time for change, especially with the Vietnam War. It was no longer justified, and the draft really scared people.
I believe it will happen again. Just like indie films have changed Hollywood, so indie music will change the record biz.
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Permalink Reply by Clint Viers on
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AJ I was replying the same time you were, looks like we are on the same page. The key is breaking down social barriers. LSD and Hindu/Buddhism had a lot to do with this. Terrence Mckenna calls psychedelics "boundary dissolving". They break down the programming that Judeo Christian values have put in place. He saw the 60's as an "archaic revival", and I totally agree with him. However I see us going back into the conservative grip that was in place before the 60's. Society is becoming more square, and I don’t like it.
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Permalink Reply by A K on -
if you aren't finding musical inspiration today you aren't looking hard enough.
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Permalink Reply by Clint Viers on
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it's not about finding inspiration. When I lived in L.A. I heard some amazing shit on KXLU, the L.A. equivalent of KGLT.....my question is, why is it not mainstream? Why are the Jonass brothers selling more records than say Devandra Banhart? Why was pop music in the 60's so much more raw and creative than it is now?
Was the audience different back then? Did they demand more out of artists? or was the industry taken over and tainted by greed?
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Permalink Reply by Taylor Anthony Frost on -
I agree. There are some extremely innovative groups out there. You just need to not consciously seek out elements to add to your music. I think thats why people say there are no inspirational acts.
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Permalink Reply by Andy Meehan on
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I'm finding plenty of inspiration all the time, it just takes a lot of sifting. I agree with Clint saying that society is becoming more square. Real rebellion went out the window and fake rebellion is all the rage. It's all about what's in style. I don't know what happened to all that creative power. It's the high water mark Hunter Thompson talked about. Maybe it's like what AJ said, people saw the money and the ambulance chasers showed up. I saw a show about psychedelia moving into the mainstream. I felt weird seeing trippy cereal ads.
I also think it's sad that music that requires talent is not so high on the charts. The bass lines of 60's (and some 70's) music were frequently amazing. They didn't need to be blistering, just interesting. Most of the good bass now is in jazzy stuff which usually isn't my cup of tea. Technical drums have been replaced with simple kick, snare, and high hat beats (which are good in the right situation but are far to prevalent). Innovative rhythm guitar parts have been replaced with machine gun power chords. I hope indie music changes the biz, but hopefully the ambulance chasers don't catch on as fast as they did in the 60's. It's probably already happening, though.
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Permalink Reply by Clint Viers on
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"high water mark", your right thats it. The wave peaked and rolled back. That tells me another wave is coming. maybe it was the "new wave" in the the late 70's early 80's. which makes us about due for another one...
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Permalink Reply by Paul Decker on -
I'm sure a new wave is coming.
I see it everyday with young kids playing cool old riff's on guitars. Other young kids playing rockabilly, punk, ac-dc riffs, beatles songs, old country and much more. And playing it well !
With the internet and new avenues of sharing music, it's bound to change.
But I bet you for sure that the Disney channel and the Jonass Brothers are going to inspire thousands of young kids who are going to end up playing some of the coolest music we may never hear.
Great discussions.
Paul
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Permalink Reply by Clint Viers on
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you make a good point. More and more young ones are getting into music, and that can only lead to good things.
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Permalink Reply by Tammie Jones on -
New wave, old wave, it's all good! My sons have been coming to my gigs since they were babies. I still remember Gabe kicking the back of my guitar at a gig, IN TIME, two weeks before I had him! We were sure he was gonna be a drummer:) Then came the day they informed me, " Mama, your music is corny.". I could only smile and reply, " It's supposed to be."
It cracks me up when I witness them getting guilty pleasure out of a great fiddle or dobro lick, or them knowing all the words to The Temptations songs. Just watching the look on their faces when they REALLY listen to something good and they ask who wrote it, or run and get their instuments and try to play it! Now THAT"S inspiration, for them and for me. I don't care where it comes from.
I will go out on a limb here and say, even though no one in the Jones house listens to much of their stuff, the Jonas Bros. have nice voices, family harmony, play their own instuments and write songs. So what's to despise???? Their commercial sucess or their cute little baby faces? The Jonas Brothers and others like them will always be, and have always been around. Paul I think you're right on that they will inspire a huge number of budding musicians. This is not a bad thing.
You have to remember music is a visual feast too. This is a very visually oriented generation as well. Maybe even the most visually oriented so far. I mean think about it... The Temps doing their dance in a line to their songs, Elvis in his black suit singing Burnin Love---( sorry I had to stop and fan myself there for a moment:)), The Beatles with their hair cuts. James Brown with his capes.......I was remembering a long ago gig with my string band where I did a ripping solo on the Lagerphone. This is a percussion instument of great distinction and dignity made of a million beer bottle caps tacked to a mopstick cover with ribbed tin that you play with an axe handle. They threw a cape over me, a la James Brown, when I finished. Some folks in the audience were laughing so hard they were crying. If I didn't inspire them with "great music", I did inspire them with the feeling that music is great fun!
Paul M. has been very open in past interviews about "writing a swimming pool" when he was collaborating with John L. Even the old sheet music covers of Frank Sinatra played up his "visual appeal". There are always those musicians out there that will have an edge when it comes to what they look like. BUT........they have a large opportunity to inspire for the simple fact that they can "hook" their audience into listening. If they don't have something that sounds as well as looks good they don't last. Anyone recall Milli Vanilli?
Robben Ford, who is a fantastic musician, guitarist, singer, songwriter who hasn't had a fraction of the recognition he deserves recognises this concept with his advice-"Ya gotta have an outfit man." After all, isn't making a little money on your music while getting it listened to the best revenge? I've been playing since I was 14 and it didn't take me long to figure out that getting paid to have fun was a pretty sweet deal:) Tammie
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Permalink Reply by Mark Sollars on -
I think music now days is so commercialized that we might not ever see the good old days again. Although it seems like some of the independent musicians out there tend to keep it real.
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