Posted on 03/05/2021 6:29:29 PM PST by nickcarraway
Alice Cooper argued that Gene Simmons’ famous comment about rock being dead applied only in a business sense and that, artistically, the genre was “where it should be.”
Kiss member Simmons made headlines in 2014 when he claimed that rock music had been “murdered” by technology and attitudes in the modern world. “Some brilliance, somewhere, was going to be expressed, and now it won't, because it's that much harder to earn a living playing and writing songs," he said at the time.
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In a recent interview with NME, Cooper countered Simmons’ statements. “I would like him to do my taxes," he explained. "He's a businessman, and business-wise, it’s valid. But I guarantee you, right now, in London somewhere, in garages, they're learning Aerosmith, they're learning Guns N’ Roses – a bunch of 18-year-kids are in there with guitars and drums, and they are learning hard rock.”
He added that he believed the same thing was taking place in the U.S. “In some ways, rock ’n’ roll is where it should be right now," he noted. "We’re not in the Grammys, we're not in the mainstream. Rock ’n’ roll is outside looking in now, and I think that gives us that outlaw attitude. And I think that’s very good for rock ’n’ roll, ‘cause that’s how rock ’n’ roll started. We were all outlaws at the time, and then we became mainstream.”
You can watch the interview below.
Alice Cooper on 'Detroit Stories' and why rock and roll isn't dead Subscribe to Ultimate Classic Rock on
Cooper asserted that the rock genre “started and never ended” and that the roots of newer styles of music could be traced back there.
He said that, through all those changes, “the Rolling Stones were still the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith was still Aerosmith, Alice Cooper was still Alice Cooper. We survived those things because guitar-driven hard rock is the only thing that will still be going 30 years from now, 40 years from now. And I think music will go all over the place, but you're gonna find those hard-rock bands still there.”
Read More: Alice Cooper Says Rock Is Not Dead, It’s Where It Should Be | https://ultimateclassicrock.com/alice-cooper-rock-not-dead/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
Ping
He’s right. Rock never was about the money for most of the best performers, it was about the music. Then it became about the money and that worked for awhile, but then disco was the money maker, now it’s hiphop and modern country (whatever they call that crap).
But it’s become increasingly difficult to make money selling music in the digital era, so Alice is right, it’s back to where it started and that’s when we had all the great songs and innovative performers. Not driving for commercial success and the highest rate of return is probably the way to get some decent music again.
Planned parenthood : dead babies can’t take care of themselves
WRONG
Rock and rollers stayed home and for the most part didn’t even work on craft or songs in this past year.
They certainly weren’t rebellious staging underground events or flaunting rejection of global lockdowns.
It’s like “Footloose” around here.
Country bands toured. David Allen Coe. Asleep and the Wheel. Reverend Horton Heat. I don’t recall if Mickey Gilley has been doing public shows or not.
Pretty much everything else has been local cover band shows with little enough fanfare as not to trigger Karen to complain to the authorities.
The Flaming Lips have been doing bubble rock stoner shows. Have they been touring these or just holding them for their hometown audience?
Japan has been staging some rock and roll shows in basements for about 4 dozen spectators and a webcam.
Where is the life in Rock today?
“ALICE COOPER SAYS ROCK IS NOT DEAD, IT’S WHERE IT SHOULD BE”
As long as people like her continue to support Biden, Rock will be fine, at least for now, until it no longer serves its purpose.
>>Rock never was about the money for most of the best performers, it was about the music. Then it became about the money and that worked for awhile,
It all changed after Woodstock. Bill Graham went from doing 2 shows a night at a venue with a big name to sports arena shows.
I’m a rock/jazz/blues/country musician with loads of on stage exp. My opinion is there hasn’t been a decent rock song produced in over 20 yrs. Don’t get me wrong, there has been many good pop songs and other genres, but really no great rock tunes at all.
Rock isn’t dead, it just smells funny.
Damn straight.
Mind you, I personally will certainly be long dead in 40 years, and likely in 30 (I'll be 99 in 30 years). But rock will just have to carry on without me.
Ping.
Alice Cooper is a her???
Wow, that’s big news to me.
Rock? Hell all music is dead. Rock, Country, you name it. Its all Simon Cowell, image looking crap over substance. In the 70’s there were so many great original bands. Now, its Greta Van Fleet doing a poor mans Led Zepplin.
Better talk to Alice. Last I heard Alice was an XY he.
Big news to him too!
“My opinion is there hasn’t been a decent rock song produced in over 20 yrs”
I agree
I watch those Glastonbury events on MTV every so often. Every group sounds alike. Back in the old days every rock group had distinct sound..Kiss, Aerosmith, REO, Doobie Bros.
Rare today to catch a catchy tune the first time your hear it know it’s going to be a hit.
Led Clones have been around for decades, remember Kingdom Come?
I’m not really into that kind of music, but I always thought Alice Cooper was the name of the band, not the singer.
Sadly, I have to agree. There just isn't the interest and support for what we call rock-n-roll (to borrow a line from Dire Straits).
Lots of stuff called music, and some stuff that actually -is- music, but a negligible amount of great rock produced in this century so far. Why do you think everybody with any taste listens to "Classic Rock" stations?
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