Artists/bands that saved the 80s from total oblivion

[Kino]

Originally Posted by Zombeels I know. Weren't the 80's horrible.

Lies.

[wolfsblood]

Let's not forget that a lot of rock bands recorded disco songs in the disco era. The Rolling Stones were full-fledged disco on Miss You and Emotional Rescue. Paul McCartney, the Grateful Dead, Kiss, Rod Stewart, etc. all of them did at least one disco song. I still can't believe the Dead did it. They were pure hippie rock.

[zoose]

Originally Posted by billtjr51 I understand what you are saying, and agree to a certain extent. But there were not many rock stations, around here anyway, in the early to mid 70's. Top 40 stations ruled the airwaves. Some rock made top 40, but not many I was listening to. Many disco songs made top 40. I agree with you on that point. Most bands I listened to didn't stand a chance of getting on the radio, except for the (I think I got one radical rock station, to many years and lost brain cells to remember) what was then an extreme rock station. I was in central NC then, not near any real big cities. I can only speak from my experiences. Anyway, rock continues!

Not ragging on you bro. Your examples show how desperate rock was becoming when major acts had to do disco to get any sales.
I can't think of an act that didn't start as a joke band, it's where you learned the craft.
The payoff came when an exec heard your demo and sent a promo man out with it to radio stations - in the big markets. If people liked it then the demo became a mass market single or lp and you got a tour.
No radio markets, no Rock Rodgers.
You worked yourself to death gettin your chops, playing bar mitzvahs and high school dances for a few bucks a night, paying your dues in hopes of getting your chance someday.
And trash like Disco Duck gets the markets.

[billtjr51]

Originally Posted by zoose Not ragging on you bro. Your examples show how desperate rock was becoming when major acts had to do disco to get any sales. I can't think of an act that didn't start as a joke band, it's where you learned the craft. The payoff came when an exec heard your demo and sent a promo man out with it to radio stations - in the big markets. If people liked it then the demo became a mass market single or lp and you got a tour. No radio markets, no Rock Rodgers. You worked yourself to death gettin your chops, playing bar mitzvahs and high school dances for a few bucks a night, paying your dues in hopes of getting your chance someday. And trash like Disco Duck gets the markets.

I have always heard, in the music industry, no matter how good you are, you have to know someone in the biz to get a real chance. I am generalizing, I know there are exceptions, but I knew a manager for some local, but very good musicians. This was some years ago. He told me his bands were playing backup to more popular bands, and many times his guys(or gals) would be lucky to go home breaking even (with pay) where the headliner was making the big bucks. He said "you need to know somebody on the inside". Like you said, "when an exec heard your demo and sent a promo man out with it to radio stations - in the big markets".

[eberg15101]

Originally Posted by zoose Not ragging on you bro. Your examples show how desperate rock was becoming when major acts had to do disco to get any sales. I can't think of an act that didn't start as a joke band, it's where you learned the craft. The payoff came when an exec heard your demo and sent a promo man out with it to radio stations - in the big markets. If people liked it then the demo became a mass market single or lp and you got a tour. No radio markets, no Rock Rodgers. You worked yourself to death gettin your chops, playing bar mitzvahs and high school dances for a few bucks a night, paying your dues in hopes of getting your chance someday. And trash like Disco Duck gets the markets.

ha, I got a poco record released in 77, and the first 3-5 songs on both sides are this great country rock, then each side the last song is a horrible attempt at disco, it was a very interesting twist to the end of the record lol

[zoose]

Originally Posted by billtjr51 I have always heard, in the music industry, no matter how good you are, you have to know someone in the biz to get a real chance. I am generalizing, I know there are exceptions, but I knew a manager for some local, but very good musicians. This was some years ago. He told me his bands were playing backup to more popular bands, and many times his guys(or gals) would be lucky to go home breaking even (with pay) where the headliner was making the big bucks. He said "you need to know somebody on the inside". Like you said, "when an exec heard your demo and sent a promo man out with it to radio stations - in the big markets".

Very true.
I was a rotten player in my first years but I got good gigs. That is the odd nature of the beast.
You could be a great player, have good moves, even your own superior material and never get a shot - while a total bozo got TV gigs.
In fact if all you were was a good player you didn't stand a chance - you have to have a sense of the moment, and when you sense it go like GODZIRRA!! Banzai!
Or stick close to someone who did.
However if you are hungry and I mean HONGRY you will get your shot; nothing will stop you.
The execs and promoters look for the HONGRY ones.

Best lay off my off topic forays sorry bout that

[zoose]

Originally Posted by eberg15101 ha, I got a poco record released in 77, and the first 3-5 songs on both sides are this great country rock, then each side the last song is a horrible attempt at disco, it was a very interesting twist to the end of the record lol

Poco had wheels for a while there (can't believe people still have vinyl).

The grudge against the 80s always intrigued me. Some of what are considered hard rockers like Neil Young loved the 80s sound.
As I recall what happened was what took place in the mid 70s. Some of the big dogs of rock put out some real dogs.
After a string of killer albums Firesign Theater put out a garbage piece that was sheer boring self indulgence (with Wolfman Jack of all people). Some others put out albums that had their fans going WTF?
Rock and Roll abhors a vacuum and it was soon filled with what ever was new, different, and just happened to be handy - like Disco.
They didn't come any poppier than 3 Dog Night and even they showed signs of being nuts in the early 70s.
Look at Zappa - he went from help I'm a Rock I'm a Cop I'm a Rock I'm a Rock to Movin to Montana Soon, Yellow Snow and Dancin' Fool - where he mocked the Great Society in the 60s he was mocking rock fans.
Carl Wilson was laying in his bedroom 24/7 talking about his unused sperm going into his brain and hanging around with Charlie Manson and friends.
The Great Nimrods of Rock built a Tower of Babel, and the people divided into groups who spoke different languages of rock and took off for the hinterland.
Where there had been one homogenous Rock culture there were now a number of them (warring with each other).
Punk was a British thing - but it spawned good rockers like Idol. Oz came into prominence with a style of its own ranging from Dire Straits to Crowded House and other great acts.
In the 60s there was one kind of Rock - after the Mid70s Weird Out there was a growing number of kinds of Rock, and you can find something in any genre (except Disco that was NEVER Rock of any shape or form; a sterile Mule) to rock your plimsoll.
Man I can kick to the Offspring and even liked some Eurythmics - all of the Motels Stuff was good - the B52s? Rock, Lobster!!! Even for a dedicated Yardbirder like myself the 80s were a hoot.

The problem was the late 70s not the 80s.

[eberg15101]

I agree wtih that to an extent, because disco did spark some really great rock n roll in rebellion against the corporate sounds, listen to the first two tom petty records, then the whole punk rock thing, how raw and rebellioius and just "rock n roll" then you also had some of the more experimental pushing the line by 78-79 like blue oyster cult was becoming more prominent, foghat started having a heavier metal sound, I think by that time there was probably as much crap as there was gold, also I think the diversification of some of rock n roll was good, but also the mid 80s had horrible music
glam was at a stand still, the sex drugs and rock n roll thing just got old, thne the soft stuff, god just ew, and by the late 80s the new wave was pitiful, it wasn't rebellious or new at all, even the cars were sucking by the mid 80s, then in like 86-90 even good artists were putting out crap, tom petty (my favorite band next to the dead) put out a few really horrible albums, and I don't think rock really rejuvenated on a significant level was probably untill the mid nineties
and after 2001 rock n roll has died, we have nothing of substance or new, some of it sounds good, but all they did was copy the old guys

[zoose]

Every decade had horrible stuff.
If I wanted to put you to a merciless death of agonizing madness I'd lock you in a room with Freddy and the Dreamers playing until your brainpan exploded.

I have no doubt that somewhere in a garage some kid is working on something that will set it all off again.
The problem is that the recording/broadcast industry is in disarray and run by mindless toadsuckers - if that swamp ever gets a good draining then RocknRoll will rise again.

ain't nothin but a flesh wound

[eberg15101]

Originally Posted by zoose Every decade had horrible stuff. If I wanted to put you to a merciless death of agonizing madness I'd lock you in a room with Freddy and the Dreamers playing until your brainpan exploded. I have no doubt that somewhere in a garage some kid is working on something that will set it all off again. The problem is that the recording/broadcast industry is in disarray and run by mindless toadsuckers - if that swamp ever gets a good draining then RocknRoll will rise again. ain't nothin but a flesh wound

every dacade does have th horrible stuff, but we have only horrible stuff, nothing that has been done in the last 7-10 years has been anything to close original, and I hope that kid is me, but I jam in my basement haha

[zoose]

no mas - someday you'll move up to a garage

Rock took off with Alan Freed - a visionary working from a radio station ignited an entire new industry

takes another Freed to see what is possible and get it rolling - the one who sees what nobody else does and has the stuff to make things happen

all it takes is one
keep rockin and gettin those chops amigo

[eberg15101]

hahahah, th eonly other thing is that, with the internet and connections that were not there before is that with these things you can find independent and unknown acts with out someone in the industry searching them out, I can go on youtube and see a random unsigned band from the middle of no where arkansas jamming in their garage even though I live in pittsburgh pennsylvania, and even the unsigned./unknown acts are garbage too, the signed ones are and the unknown ones are, there is no originality, I'd like to think some of my originals at least have some originality, I think so, maybe you wouldn't I really don't know

[Zombeels]

Originally Posted by eberg15101 every dacade does have th horrible stuff, but we have only horrible stuff, nothing that has been done in the last 7-10 years has been anything to close original, and I hope that kid is me, but I jam in my basement haha

The only people who say this are those who still only listen to mainstream radio.

[zoose]

truth of the matter is we're all just a bunch of dumb cattle looking for a patch of grass somebody hasn't pooped on yet
there's some like it that way and poop as much as possible (see Rap and Hip Hop and _________ <viewer choice>)
fortunately there's Muses that take pity on the herd now and then and drop something that makes life a little more than cow crap and grass from on high

throwing open the gate of every pasture was great for a while but now all pastures are covered with the same old crap

this is a job for Muses and they seem to be on vacation
or someone with the nads to go hungry rather than eat crap
go figure

[eberg15101]

Originally Posted by Zombeels The only people who say this are those who still only listen to mainstream radio.

no.. I never listen to mainstream radio, my classic rock station plays nickleback, metallica, and one song from the new acdc album they used to have really good djs that would play more obscure stuff, also now with this new beatles craze, not to say (most of) these are bad bands, and make bad music, but theres still more, and I'm always looking to friends, or local bands, or going through myspace music or youtube looking for something good that is new, and some of it is good, but its been done before, many many times, and it all sounds very generic. Perfect example.... The Racentours(sp) - old enough, I'm not sure if they even wrote it, but its a great song, it just sounds like any generic early 70s folk rock tune, its like if crosby stills and nash and the byrds joined and lost all of their originality, anything that makes you say, "oh thats csn"

EDIT: also, if you look at my other post I even said that I'm not just looking for mainstream sources

Originally Posted by zoose truth of the matter is we're all just a bunch of dumb cattle looking for a patch of grass somebody hasn't pooped on yet there's some like it that way and poop as much as possible (see Rap and Hip Hop and _________ <viewer choice>) fortunately there's Muses that take pity on the herd now and then and drop something that makes life a little more than cow crap and grass from on high throwing open the gate of every pasture was great for a while but now all pastures are covered with the same old crap this is a job for Muses and they seem to be on vacation or someone with the nads to go hungry rather than eat crap go figure

and this has to be one of the most interesting analogies I've every heard