I'm really enjoying the new Rival Sons - Feral Roots. It is rock. You can hear their inspirations to some extent, but they sound like themselves. Well worth a spin.
I think one thing that's happened in all of entertainment is that big, broad categories don't always make sense any more. Is there an audience for new rock? Yes, and no. There's always an audience, and there will always be new bands. But the genres have split into many subgenres. New rock in the 80s pretty much meant "college rock" or "classic rock." A few other labels. Now there's dozens of subgenres. Same parallel thing has happened in, say, TV. We used to have broadcasting - broad groups experiencing the same kinds of entertainment. Now we have narrowcasting - literally hundreds of channels sharing much smaller audiences, but audiences that are really into what's being shown. So the audience is there, yes. Does it look like the one from 30-40 years ago? No. But it's there.
Oh...p.s. I'd forgotten all about this band! Figured I'd post from their latest release (even though this one didn't capture me as much as earlier ones; it's leaning very Brian Jonestown Massacre, which makes sense: Peter Hayes) (Re: above, BJM has a scheduled release set for March '19. Love BRMC, but can't listen to BJM.)
It's been a long time since I rock and rolled It's been a long time since I did the Stroll Oh let me get it back let me get it back Let me get it back... baby where I come from It's been a long time been a long time Been a long lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely time (yes it has).
I think that's selling them quite short. They had albums called Their Satanic Majesties Second Request and Bringing It All Back Home (Again), after all.
The Summer Sonic Featival in Tokyo has a day devoted to rock acts - Red Hot Chili Peppers are headlining, but lineup includes young acts like Bring Me the Horizon and my girls, Babymetal (all grown up and ditched the tutus). Fuji Rock Festival looks awesome - The Cure, Chemical Brothers, Sia, Thom Yorke so far. Alternative rock, to be sure, but rock nonetheless.
They got my money to their Simulation Theory Tour in a few months. I was going to pass as just thought the album was ok, but looked at Setlist.com and they are still playing some of their Great Songs from Origin of Symmetry, Absolution and Black Holes and Revelations and Psycho from Drones and Uprising in recent Tour Stops. I am also seeing Spiritualized this Spring and possibly Deerhunter, so my kind of Rock is still being played.
Honestly I don't even consider 'Simulation Theory' to be a proper Muse album, outside writers and hip-hop producers. The whole just reeks of commercialism. I get off with Drones.
That shipped sailed when they started doing Bloated 'Queen' Type Songs starting with 'Knights of Cydonia'(how Bellamy sings that Song without laughing is beyond me as it is so 'over the top' with the opening sound effects) at the end of their 4th Album and carried over onto several Songs on 'The Resistance'-IMO. Then chasing a trend by doing a Few Songs of Dub Step Music on 'The Second Law'. 'Drones' was pretty good except for Song, 'Defector'(Return of the Bloated Queen Sound), which I just skip when I play that album. Speaking of Commercialism, MUSE hit rock bottom with the Song they made for one of the Twilight Movies I assume to try and add the Teen Girls Audience to their Fan Base(no idea if it worked for them, but the Song was forgettable to me).
I take Muse as seriously as I used to take Queen, which is basically not at all. So, their exploring current sounds doesn’t bother me any more than their more bombastic tracks, or pseudo-intellectual lyrical themes. I’ve seen them perform live, and they are very good. They will be playing to 50,000 or so race fans at the Singapore Grand Prix in September. I am wondering how they will be received. I may try to make it - it’s the best entertainment bargain in Asia. Three days of racing and music, all for one ticket price that starts around $150. The race is run on city streets so you are located smack dab in the middle of the city - usually a ten minute subway ride from your hotel, and surrounded by great restaurants where you can sample all of the wonderful Asian cuisine.
Yeah you could argue that when 'Neutron Star Collision' happened in early 2010 that was the real 'end' of Muse.
I think there's plenty of great new rock music being made today. The difference is that you have to look for it. In the 80s, you couldn't miss it. It was everywhere....it was all over MTV, rock radio, rock bars. If you went to a friend's house, he was probably playing some new rock when you walked in the door. It was the topic of conversation among friends ("Are you going to get tickets to see Billy Squier and Ratt?"). Those days are long gone but if you take the time to actively seek it out, there's plenty of gems to be found in today's music. I hear about new stuff from Eddie Trunks show on Sirius, the "New Music Friday" segment of the Feedback show weekly on Sirius and through exploring Apple Music and Spotify. It takes some work, but I've discovered some tremendous new music in the process.
I'm always looking And I find some good stuff here and there. Elder, Stoned Jesus, Howlin Rain. What have you found?
I've kind of been out of the new music scene until the last year or so, so some of these bands aren't exactly brand new. But they are new to me: The Struts From Ashes To New Rival Sons Altitudes & Attitude Chout Gary Clark Jr. Halestorm Last In Line In This Moment The Wrecks While checking out this new stuff, I also discovered new music from Queensryche, Weezer, Overkill, Stereophonics, Johnny Marr, and Jeff Tweedy. In the past, I doubt I would have even bothered to explore new music from any of those artists. I'll definitely check out those three bands you recommended.
Yawn. That bored the **** out of me. three cords and no melody. Here's a band that can actually play.
