G“Hackney Diamonds,” the Rolling Stones’ new record, had just been released when Keith Richards gave his assessment of contemporary music: “I don’t even want to start talking about modern music. Drums at the push of a button and everything is synthetic. Digital recordings are a disposable toilet.” Disposable toilet? Of course that was extra mean. Firstly, because young musicians still cite the Stones as great role models. Secondly, because knowledgeable reviewers accused the new Stones album of being “too perfect”. So they no longer sound like frayed Sixties rock either. And thirdly, because it is always easy, from the perspective of the established ones who have shaped half a century of musical culture, to look down on those who come after them.
We recently had an interview with Sen Dog from Cypress Hill. He could be Keith Richards’ son, but he is also 57 years old. Sen Dog said he wasn’t a fan of current hip-hop productions, he didn’t even know if they were still based on his band (they are). “Everything revolves around me, my money, my cars, my women. If that’s what kids are excited about these days, fine. But that’s not what got me into hip-hop back then.”
The heroes of the stadiums
That’s not totally wrong. But do these music industry heroes really come from a time when life was “real,” a land of milk and honey that no artist of today can compete with? Even after the third joint, Sen Dog doesn’t believe that anyone is interested in the common cause anymore. And as far as entertainment value goes, didn’t the Stones themselves commit to pure fun in 1974 with “It’s Only Rock’n’Roll (But I Like It)”? There is a lot of electronically produced music today. But the big heroes of the stadiums are still the oldies. At that time they criticized the established conditions. Today Lady Gaga, Harry Styles and Billie Eilish do it. The Who, on the other hand, used to sing: “Hope I die before I get old.”
Does the whole rant have more to do with that? If today’s pop music and young rap judged the old people like that, there would be a lot of outrage. I suspect that the blasphemy of the ancients says more about themselves than about the quality of music of our time. But that is of course a question of perspective. And the taste.
Elena Witzeck writes about pop here every four weeks. Ask your questions [email protected]
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