My Defense of Modern Music

king volta wrote: We have reached the modern age of music, and it is just now beginning.

Well no, not exactly.
We've been in 'the modern age of music' for at least 400 years. In 1607 Monteverdi wrote his ORFEO (which is close in spirit to certain prog concept albums!) and since then there's been revolution upon revolution.

You're right in pointing out that (some) contemporary rock bands seem to have regained the spirit of adventure which characterised the 1970s. But you're in danger of generalising.

First of all, the 1970s were not the only 'golden age' of popular music. The 1960s produced just as much good music (even if it wasn't prog) and the 1950s were no laughing matter, either.

Secondly, you seem to think you're analysing 'Modern Music' in general. Well, you may call The Mars Volta or Porcupine Tree 'post-rock' as much as you like, but they're still only rock bands to me, i.e. bands operating with a 'rock music mentality' (albeit an experimental one) and aimed at a rock audience (even if it's an audience with a taste for adventure).

Don't forget that there are OTHER forces out there, e.g. superb jazz soloists such as Keith Jarrett and Tomasz Stanko, 'World Music' performers such as the Portuguese fado singer Cristina Branco, and symphonic composers such as John Adams and Qigang Chen. If you ignore people like these, you just can't pretend you're discussing 'Modern Music'.

P.S. Computers do not have an 'affect' on people. It's 'effects' you're after.
    

Edited by fuxi - January 23 2007 at 04:12

Modern music has thrown up some great bands..see my avatar for one great example.But the seventies had bands writing and performing classic music that will never go away.It was a special time for music and thats a fact.British rock bands stormed the world and left a lasting legacy.Nowadays music is more cosmopolitan and its harder to find what you want...but its there for sure.Thats why sites like this are so invaluable!

king volta wrote: Reverie wrote: I completely agree that modern music is fantastic and free and wonderful. However, i don't think the impact of the late 60s/early 70s rock groups should be played down. If it weren't for many of those groups we may not yet have the diversity that we do. So while, yes, rock music today is just as free from restraints, perhaps even moreso than those old prog groups, said groups have made more of an impact on music than these modern groups. I'm not saying they are better or worse, i'm just saying their impact can't be equalled today. I also agree that the computer has had nothing to do with degredation of musical quality. Bad music has always been present if you ask me. I like much popular 70s music as much as i like todays popular music - not very much! Heck, even much antique classical music bores me to tears and gives me that same disgusted feeling that modern pop does. Computers are just another tool. Many kratrock fans, for example, don't seem to have a problem with the tape effects bands like Faust used in their music. All computers do is make stuff like that easier, and indeed expand upon those ideas. i wasn't trying to put down the seventies bands...i'm sorry i came across that way, i was just tryign to glorify modern music in comparrison to 70s music and etc. Like I said, I LOVE the "ancient" bands, and I adore classical music...I dunno. I just felt modern music needed a boost. Especially where I Come from.

Oh no, i know you weren't debasing the 70s bands or anything, i just wanted to make sure it was clear that those bands have had a bigger impact than modern prog bands could have. Again, i'm not saying the old bands are better or worse than the new bands

king volta wrote: Camel_APPeal wrote: ^^ That's right; I think the "computers destroyed music" argument can't be solid at all. Computers and internet are there; you can make good use or bad use of them. Tools are not to blame... blame the users if they make bad use of them!      I defended the computer in the music industry...it's capable of bring good and bad, but i support its use as a form of creative output and self-promotion. I think it's helped in inventing musical styles also.

^^

That's right; I think the "computers destroyed music" argument can't be solid at all. Computers and internet are there; you can make good use or bad use of them. Tools are not to blame... blame the users if they make bad use of them!

I do agree with the gist of the defense. For those who feel that Prog's heyday was the late 60s & early 70s, with nothing new or interesting since, please remember that it was also the "in thing" at the time. SO record companies searched for the next Yes or King Crimson & musical groups were inspired by the giants of the time to try their hand. Yes, believe it or not, this so-called serious music was a big trend in those days. Then the next trend(s) came in, for example, southern California songwriter centered music, and while the Prog scene still produced quality music, the record industry went on to follow the fad of the day, as they had with Prog & early 70s hard rock/metal, as they would with New Wave, Hair Metal, AOR, Grunge, Pop Punk, Boy Bands as so on. This will scare or nauseate some of you, but there are some 80s Hair bands doing pretty good business these days. But there is not much of a scene for new bands putting out music of that style. In comparioson,and a  consolation, it must be said that the modern Prog scene is more varied than other scenes  in that there are many new groups from  a number of different countries producing  Prog masterpieces, which is something that can't be said about Hair Metal or Pop Punk (in all of its' subgenres). Not bad for a type of music that was once relegated to dinosaur status. 

Edited by pantacruelgruel - January 22 2007 at 21:32

I completely agree that modern music is fantastic and free and wonderful. However, i don't think the impact of the late 60s/early 70s rock groups should be played down. If it weren't for many of those groups we may not yet have the diversity that we do. So while, yes, rock music today is just as free from restraints, perhaps even moreso than those old prog groups, said groups have made more of an impact on music than these modern groups. I'm not saying they are better or worse, i'm just saying their impact can't be equalled today.

I also agree that the computer has had nothing to do with degredation of musical quality. Bad music has always been present if you ask me. I like much popular 70s music as much as i like todays popular music - not very much! Heck, even much antique classical music bores me to tears and gives me that same disgusted feeling that modern pop does. Computers are just another tool. Many kratrock fans, for example, don't seem to have a problem with the tape effects bands like Faust used in their music. All computers do is make stuff like that easier, and indeed expand upon those ideas.

Paragraphs would serve you well.

Going back to decipher it.

TheProgtologist wrote: Being a lover of modern prog music I really agree qith what KV wrote.Very nicely put,but I see no need to defend it right now because no one has really attacked it.

    Not here it isn't--but everywhere I go, my friends, my peers, my father...you name. They attack modern music, and it just got to me. So I wrote that for my school paper...

a lot of people both on forums and just generally everywhere always feel the need to attack the things they dislike instead of just stating that they don't like them. there's no real reason to defend modern music because it's not under attack from anyone thinking rationally.

but it's a nice rant