Wolfgang Van Halen defends Billie Ellish for not knowing Van Halen

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Grant, Dec 3, 2019.

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  1. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    That's ridiculous. I knew nothing of music from the 30's/40's when I was 17 in 1974. If somebody had asked me who Lester Young was I would have shrugged. All I cared about was Aerosmith, the NY Dolls, the Stooges, Bowie, Mott, etc etc.
     
  2. Frangelico

    Frangelico Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Agreed that it isn’t quite the same and I’m not surprised, although somewhat saddened - but the, seemingly, willful ignorance extends beyond the arts to history, literature, general knowledge, etc. Furthermore, science, literature, history and other fields have influenced the arts and vice versa - at the very least on an inspirational level. Unfortunately, this lack of “knowing” is being manifested in some pretty subpar stuff (film and music, for example) today relative to the past, IMHO.
     
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  3. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    I saw it as neither a joke or an attack. It was my first thought too - because I simply have no idea who Billie Ellish is or why I should care that he/she hasn’t heard of Van Halen.
     
  4. Rockin' Robby

    Rockin' Robby Gettin' down so low I'm below ground!

    Location:
    Winnipeg
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  5. dubious title

    dubious title Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario
    The question is who pouted and preened for the camera more, Billie or Dave? I'm not so sure Billie sees the irony in the pout however.
     
  6. Bluesman Mark

    Bluesman Mark I'm supposed to put something witty here....

    Location:
    Iowa
    Another thought here, to most of the world, Van Halen really hasn't been relevant musically since 1994 or so, some seven years before Billie Ellish was even born.

    And for the record, 58 year old boomer here that has heard of her & found her music interesting.
     
  7. jwb1231970

    jwb1231970 Ordinary Guy

    Location:
    USA
    The new Amy Winehouse
     
  8. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Make that 1984. DLR forever, Sammy never.
     
  9. MikeManaic61

    MikeManaic61 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia
    I didn't know who Prince, Led Zeppelin, ELP, Nick Cave, Van Halen, David Bowie and many other artist until I was in my 20's.

    It's no big deal that she doesn't know because not everybody knows them either.
     
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  10. WLL

    WLL Popery Of Mopery

  11. Gaslight

    Gaslight ⎧⚍⎫⚑

    Location:
    Northeast USA
    I think that's more of a sweeping generalization, and not necessarily accurate. Music is fine (imo), film is fine (mostly...I could live with a few less reboots and superhero movies though), and as for arts and entertainment in general there's plenty of ignorance but plenty of knowledgeable young people. The sciences as well...there's a lot of people in this world, all different.

    This is the case for the older generation as well. Age and knowledge doesn't always go hand in hand.
     
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  12. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    So she should smile more?
     
  13. Frangelico

    Frangelico Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Really ? No jazz, Christmas songs, show tunes, American Songbook, various vocalists ? Sure I was mostly into rock, but I knew other stuff.
     
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  14. HotelYorba101

    HotelYorba101 Senior Member

    Location:
    California
    She doesn't make music that is rock oriented and if she listened to non-rock music growing up, why should she know Van Halen? Plenty of rock bands with people her age and in their 20's do know VH though, it is still about what scene and style you listen to and play.


    This whole story is a non-entity in my opinion. Wolfgang gets it, there is no reason why articles like this should exist, but they do because older folks love complaining about younger folks and vice versa
     
  15. dubious title

    dubious title Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario
    Yes. A bit predictable for a cutting edge artist.
     
  16. Roland Stone

    Roland Stone Offending Member

    It's like taking offense that I didn't know who, I dunno, Eddie Cochran was when I was 20. Yeesh, Van Halen were big but not crazy big, like Madonna or Michael Jackson.
     
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  17. rnranimal

    rnranimal Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    The world was appalled when I was 17 and didn't know who Pat Boone was.
     
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  18. Exile On My Street

    Exile On My Street Senior Member

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    The good news here is...….Guess what?

    Now she has finally heard of Van Halen, all before her 18th birthday, so you angry people with the balding and greying heads can relax now. :D
     
  19. Exile On My Street

    Exile On My Street Senior Member

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Confession!

    I had never heard of Elvis Presley until I was 7 years old, and that was only because he died.
     
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  20. kaztor

    kaztor Music is the Best

    The one useful thing I learned now is that Eddie and Wolfy dig Tool. :cool:
     
  21. TheIncredibleHoke

    TheIncredibleHoke Dachshund Dog Dad

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    No, I don't. The point is that old men are trying to tell young people who to like and who they should know. Nope. And further, VH is not the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, or Bowie, and especially not Miles Davis. Please.

    She's a teenager. Grown men should know better, but again they are embarrassing themselves.
     
  22. Victor Martell

    Victor Martell Forum Resident


    I think that is the gist of the controversy - it plays to the idea that this generation is *generally* uncultured/uninformed. Is it true? well, I do not know.

    But I can say this - I am assuming that Van Halen is to Billie Ellish what Sinatra, Crosby, etc were to me - that is, not comparing styles, but thinking artists beloved by a previous generation. Guess what? I could then and can now answer general trivia about them. Is part of being generally knowledgeable.


    v
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2019
  23. kaztor

    kaztor Music is the Best

    Besides that she doesn’t look a day older than 15.
    Give the girl a break.
    Some people get a bit too pent up about rock’s ‘coolness’ factor and start to act like preachy bullies.
    As long as people got their own taste in culture there’s nothing wrong.
     
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  24. brimuchmuze

    brimuchmuze Forum Resident

    Most Ameicans of any age probably could not name a member of Van Halen.
     
  25. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    I think it's always been that way.

    When I was her age my knowledge of 1950s music was minimal. I knew Chuck Berry and I dug Buddy Holly, but that's just two artists - notably two artists who had already transcended their era. To this day I probably couldn't name a "Van Halen" equivalent for the mid '50s.
     
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