Moving right along….

The world of music is definitely moving right along and for some of us the sun is way over in the West.

But who are the real muppets?

It’s ok to look enviously in the rear vision mirror at the great times we have past by. But we can’t always make out our new destination laying somewhere in the distance. Let’s face it, the journey never really ends. We can see how the directions and turns have influenced our current location and reflect on significant landmarks. But we need to also realise that there are many who are only very early into their adventure. There is no doubt that the scenery has changed if we care to glance out the window for a moment.

Is it possible to wake up one day realising we have turned into our parents?

Listening to the Triple J Hottest 100 for 2017 it became very obvious that I am not in their target demographic. It is very easy to criticise a lot of the songs that made that list. No really, it is very easy to poke lots of holes in that line-up. Things like lack of lyrical substance, inability to hold a pure note, endless loop pedals with computer generated beats and the absence of musicians playing actual instruments.
But then I remembered the 80’s and gained a bit more perspective. There was the desire for individuality which led to a total lack of exactly that, in the same way it does now. The music video or film clip became big budget marketing tools after their modest start in the 70’s on shows like Countdown and Sounds. The 80’s was a time of much more choice in music and along with that came more opportunity for instant (sometimes unwarranted) success. The comparisons to now are interesting.

Is the music industry searching for its identity or more so, does it really need a particular label?

There is a lot to choose from when it comes to genre and it’s so much easier for people to be involved in the making of music. The fact that I think a lot of it is crap is irrelevant if more people are enjoying it.
I’m just looking forward to the next big thing.