Was it always this way?

Received 2 mails today regarding a rock gig that’s taking place in town. 3 out of the quartet that make up the company rock band will be performing today. They play (professionally) for 2 different bands.

It’s short notice, but I guess most of the regulars would be making it there anyways. Point being we do have a regular crowd. It’s like all rock fans in the organization seem to know each other. There would be a flurry of mails over the next few hours with everybody chalking out plans and getting rid of their bosses etc. hmm on hindsight, it’s quite fortunate… the resignation thingy.

It’s odd in a way. It’s a fairly big organization I assure you, and all rock fans knowing each other means there are hardly any rock fans around (ratio). We’re like a sprinkling here and there and are the official weird bunch.

I guess most of us can live with it and be fairly happy about it as well. I wouldn’t compromise my sanity and go about listening to Himesh just so I fit in.

For all those who’re frowning, Thinshark – Music – Himesh bashing… see the link?

Anyways, all the mailing kinda reminded me of he last gig, a month or so ago. Something similar had ended up in AHAK and me ending up in a smallish rock gig in a disc. It was this classic rock deal and had one of the ‘quartet’ (a guitarist friend) playing with his band. The show started off with a couple of bands playing classic rock and fitting the definition, but then went the usual, ‘lemme play maiden leads and impress the crowd’ way. I’m fine with maiden once in a while. Used to absolutely love the band in college, but seem to have grown out of it now. I still find their music alright though, but then this was an absolute overdose with ‘fear of the dark’ and ‘hallowed be thy name’ being played like 5 times each. If that was what I’d wanted, I could’ve gotten hold of a CD instead.
Oh and when they didn’t play maiden, they played some sidey rap stuff with thrash guitaring. What’s with that stuff anyways? Since when did it become a necessity to get rap into good ol’ rock? Am I being too old fashioned?

Before I go into a tirade of sorts, the band we guys went to check out were awesome. They played Led Zep!!! How many local bands play Led Zep??

In fact, a few of us apart, most people (college crowd mostly) didn’t seem to have a clue about Led Zep, Van Halen etc. and they’d come over for a rock show. A ‘CLASSIC ROCK’ show. And boy! Were the rapping dudes a hit with the crowds or what?

Does the entire planet genuinely lack vocalists? If not, why settle for rap in rock? Let’s not get into that again…

Some band somewhere along the way had their lead man getting the crowd going with chants. Something like this, he shouts MC (the same mom oriented Hindi slang) and the entire crowd responds with BC (same deal, sis this time).
‘Bunch of wannabes’ says I,
‘Attention seekers’ opines AHAK,
‘You guys’re sure pissed’ Guitarist friend (who had played a while before),
‘Thanks for sticking to classic rock dude… some things in life are still worth it’ me (to guitarist)

If we guys were pissed off in a rock show, then where is it that we fit in? Damn frightening. Not that we genuinely expected Floyd/U2/Tull or something. Even though they said classic rock night, you don’t expect that, but chanting MC/BC sheesh. What point does it drive? That you know swearwords?

Anyways, the show apart from these jokers was quite good and so are most rock gigs of nowadays. It’s just disheartening to see people using shortcuts to fame and getting away with it. At least not in rock guys.

Just occurred to me,
We have this fairly huge segment of society who do not like the standards of music coming out these days. The music of say 30 years ago seems to be preferred.
Was it the same 30 years ago, when Rock was the big thing? Were there people then who didn’t like the music coming out then and probably preferred Classical stuff?

-- Komodo Dragon