When did rock 'n' roll die?

..dustyridge12, once you decide to go off the grid—really pull the plug—then you're actually gone. 🤣

Well, then it really is just Walter Scott.

dustyridge12 said:Well, that basically makes it Walter Scott.

Whoa, easy there! No need to get all worked up right out of the gate...🙂 👋 🙂

mistyfox812 said:I was just sitting here thinking about the exact moment Rock & Roll died.
Back when I was younger, everything felt so much more straightforward: there was this raw, authentic Rock & Roll, and its ultimate icon was definitely Iggy Pop. His best work was undoubtedly Funhouse, featuring that quintessential track 'I Wanna Be Your Dog'... honestly, it was just real.
On the flip side, you had this fake "Rock" stuff—just corporate nonsense dressed up in leather jackets because that’s what was selling at the time. The biggest fraud of that whole era was Bregović. His dumbest song was that one about all the kids and students joining in... but looking back, it was actually helpful to hear it, if only to realize just how low the bar had fallen. That was Bregović for you.
And then... well, even if we look at major historical shifts, it feels like everything fell apart right around '92, though I didn't really feel the weight of it until closer to '97.
I remember listening to it and just feeling stunned.
It felt like Iggy himself was singing those mindless, shallow lyrics. Sure, they were in English, but the sentiment was just as vapid. You try to laugh it off, trying to convince yourself it's just a joke... but you can't. It felt like the world had lost its way. I don't think I've truly connected with a Rock album since that moment.
Did anyone else experience that kind of cultural heartbreak?
How do you move past it?
Every time I think about checking in on the state of Rock & Roll—assuming it even exists anymore—that same sense of dread hits me. I just can't face it.
Please, help a guy out.
I’d love to go see the Pixies in concert, but I’m genuinely terrified. What if they suddenly start singing some cheesy, bubblegum pop anthem?

👍 👍 Well said.
I'm right there with you; my friend Wzrm and I, along with Drago Diklić, couldn't agree more. I'm still trying to pick up where I left off as Đimi Stanić, but I'll admit I've been a bit distracted lately—mostly because a certain Havajćanka made off with my password while she was busy swiping a Gaugginov painting...
Anyway, if you want more of my take on this, check out my old post regarding EL Mariachijev's thread about those bands from the region, where I spent quite a bit of time venting about Regina, Merlin, and especially Red Apple...

Everything you said about Bregović—that guy who abandoned his roots just to sell sugary junk to the masses—is spot on. The idea of Iggy, whom even the Sex Pistols looked up to, stooping to that level of kitsch is almost impossible to imagine.
And now, apparently, even Pixy is getting ready for Europjesm He He...

Good grief, if Iggy Pop were my benchmark for uncompromising artistic expression, I’d probably want to end it all after one listen to "Blah Blah Blah." But he isn't... so I can just drop the needle on the record and enjoy myself...

And "that" movie? Absolute perfection. 🙂

like Agent Orange - Everything Turns Grey

I'm not even talking about some movie here.

What I mean is, Rock & Roll is basically dead to me personally. Just... gone. And it happened right then and there.

Or maybe it’s not even that. Maybe I've just gotten old and cranky, and now I'd honestly rather listen to Bach than Sonic Youth.

That movie is killer... I loved that one part where they were in some restroom messing around with a cup of coffee. So good.

Rock & Roll really hit its stride once Guns N' Roses and the Sex Pistols entered the scene...

Kenneth Edwards3 said:Rock & Roll basically became mainstream once the guitars showed up and the dirty punks took over.

...and in some alternate universe, that happened at the exact same moment you were born.😁

for instance—Wilco - Hell is Chrome

Kenneth Edwards3 said:Rock & Roll really found its footing once guns and gritty punks showed up.

I honestly think you might be a little off base on this one!

Rock & Roll died on February 12, 1987, when a bunch of rats working at the Hershey factory in Austria decided they’d had enough and quit to start a band with the wildly descriptive name "The Sviscz." That was basically the beginning of the end.😉

mistyfox812 said:I’m not talking about some movie here.

I mean Rock & Roll is dead to me—personally. It happened right then and there.

Or maybe it’s just because I’ve gotten old and cranky—turns out I’d rather listen to Bach than Sonic Youth.

Rock & Roll didn't die, buddy—you did.

Rock & Roll died the second the Hells Angels trashed that Rolling Stones show and stabbed that Pimp crn guy
.
Iggy Pop and The Stooges were playing more pure punk than Rock & Roll—or maybe just what people call "Rock" these days after everything else burned down.
Did you ever actually read Iggy Pop's book, The Stooges and The history of punk Music?
They never even categorized him as Rock & Roll. 🙂

bluewolf4 said:Rock & Roll died the second the Hells Angels trashed that Rolling Stones gig and stabbed that Pimp crn guy.

I mean, Iggy Pop and The Stooges were way more about visiting punk muzika than Rock & Roll—or maybe just Rock, if you call what's left of it that nowadays.
Have you ever actually read Iggy Pop's book, The Stooges and The history of punk Music?
They never even put him in the Rock & Roll category.🙂

Man, you seriously have no clue. If there's any album out there that defines rock'n'roll, it’s Funhouse. Forget whatever they write in books, just listen.
And it's not just rock, either, because that "roll" part is everything... It's got that vibe, like Bo Diddley.

Really interesting stuff.
Here's my take on this:

ROCK & ROLL IS NOT DEAD!!!

I can back that up with a few simple points:
- It’s easier to sell pop garbage—sorry, ladies—sung by some mindless singer belting out lullabies, rather than some old, heavy-set, bearded rocker who decides to strip naked at every single show. Honestly, that gets a bit gross for me sometimes...
- Mass production. Back in the day, you’d listen to one album from start to finish, over and over, because the quality was actually worth the investment.
- The mainstream media, especially radio and TV, would rather spin an instant hit from some overnight celebrity just to spike their ratings and trigger other revenue streams (whatever economists call them).
- People are easily swayed. I'm talking about those cheap stunts, like Britney and Madonna kissing, or people buying albums just because they're being talked about constantly. They choose hype over someone like Eric Clapton, who is easily two classes above both of them combined in terms of musical quality.
- In my opinion, the biggest factor is that the habit of going to shows has died out, except for a few acts like Iron Maiden who actually pull it off. Most others end up losing money, which hurts the performers, the promoters, and all the local vendors along with them.

Even though things have been looking slightly better lately—seeing more crowds at the local dive bars, grabbing cold beers, catching a few decent shows (like Iron Maiden)—everything is still miles away from where it should be. It could be a hell of a lot better...

Oh, please. You're the last person on Earth who can tell me I "don't have a clue."
🙂

Steven Roberts22, based on what you wrote, are you actually suggesting Iron Maiden is Rock & Roll?🙄

I’m telling you, you don't have a clue...

....Rock & Roll isn't dead!!!

I wasn't just talking about Rock & Roll, I was talking about Rock in general...

And let's keep it that way!!!!

Period.

rOMMA said:Look, I’m telling you right now—you clearly have no clue what you're talking about...

....Rock 'n' Roll is NOT dead!!!

Exactly.

Let's go, Taylor Swift! 😁