Bad Outlook
I spent some quality time surfing the internet last night. It has been a long time since I have had the chance to just look at things that interest me. Somehow I got on the FM 104, WIOT website. It is not some place that I would have normally gone but I was looking for the name of a particular song that is getting some air play (Pain byThree Days Grace) and just started watching their video on demand feature.
After watching three or four videos, I realized that the rock and roll today is one giant protest. Gone are the days of the cute, scantily dressed girls, parading across the screen while the lead guitarist glides up and down the frets. One video was scene after scene of war violence from Vietnam to Iraq. It did not center on just Americans but implied that we were the cause of all the unrest in the world. Another was a remake of the Genesis song Land of Confusion. It was a cartoon that started with jet planes with swastikas on each wing dropping bombs on London, Paris and New York. The armies all had gas masks on and they were marching in unison down a major boulevard. The scene flashed to a lone man, with a black face and big white teeth who was chained to a wall. He broke his chains and ravaged those in the room. You cannot tell he is a good guy until he leads a rag tag group against the approaching army. I guess the Iraq conflict has has heavily saturated the music concepts that are being presented to our youth.
It is an extension of the 60's protest with the ability to mass market protest instead of staging large events. It is easier to flash it on the TV. The internet and cell phones have provided a platform for protest that enables people to all get the same ideas without having to interact with anyone else. Just put up a myspace page and add a few friends and you have an instant audience. Since you can put your music and pictures on the net, you can identify yourself with whatever you are interested in and push whatever agenda you want, hidden or not.
I keep trying to find some way to link America's current situation with the fall of Rome. We have a corrupt, entrenched government that has gone Hollywood. We are developing political dynasties where the entire family goes into politics. Laws are being passed not for the benefit of the country but to attract defined classes of voters. The only redeeming position is that the ability to communicate has improved and be are able to be better informed. Based on the videos I saw yesterday, that is not always a good thing.
Icool
Cobb
After watching three or four videos, I realized that the rock and roll today is one giant protest. Gone are the days of the cute, scantily dressed girls, parading across the screen while the lead guitarist glides up and down the frets. One video was scene after scene of war violence from Vietnam to Iraq. It did not center on just Americans but implied that we were the cause of all the unrest in the world. Another was a remake of the Genesis song Land of Confusion. It was a cartoon that started with jet planes with swastikas on each wing dropping bombs on London, Paris and New York. The armies all had gas masks on and they were marching in unison down a major boulevard. The scene flashed to a lone man, with a black face and big white teeth who was chained to a wall. He broke his chains and ravaged those in the room. You cannot tell he is a good guy until he leads a rag tag group against the approaching army. I guess the Iraq conflict has has heavily saturated the music concepts that are being presented to our youth.
It is an extension of the 60's protest with the ability to mass market protest instead of staging large events. It is easier to flash it on the TV. The internet and cell phones have provided a platform for protest that enables people to all get the same ideas without having to interact with anyone else. Just put up a myspace page and add a few friends and you have an instant audience. Since you can put your music and pictures on the net, you can identify yourself with whatever you are interested in and push whatever agenda you want, hidden or not.
I keep trying to find some way to link America's current situation with the fall of Rome. We have a corrupt, entrenched government that has gone Hollywood. We are developing political dynasties where the entire family goes into politics. Laws are being passed not for the benefit of the country but to attract defined classes of voters. The only redeeming position is that the ability to communicate has improved and be are able to be better informed. Based on the videos I saw yesterday, that is not always a good thing.
Icool
Cobb
posted by Cobb at
6:41 AM
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