Were those the days?

[Bentley Bullet]

Modern music has been in decline since the early eighties in my opinion.
The last successful attempt at something new was the late seventies with the introduction of Punk. Then began the biggest innovation recession in the history of modern pop music, the early eighties. Duran f*ck*ng Duran were the biggest band in the world FFS!
the best ever era of music was without doubt the early seventies....But then I would say that wouldn't I, being of a very young and impressionable age at the time. But it was a period when the infancy of guitar playing was advancing towards playing four chords as opposed to the standard three of the sixties (Only 'super groups' played four then!).
As well as the increased skill in the musicianship, the songs were good too, confirmation of this being the amount of times they are ripped off and re-used nowadays.
Today,the Duran Duran's of this world aren't so bad on reflection. At a time when many bands play neither four or three chords, being incapable of playing any, their 'talent' is to perform karaoke... to an old tune!

[jucyberry]

Every generation has music that is dross, as a counter balance to the real Gems.....The eighties and ninties gave us the dire hit factory....Sonia...............ikk, I'll say no more..

The Seventies gave us TRex and Queen, but it also gave us the likes of St winnifreds choir (or was that early eighties too?)


and lets face it, we as parents are not supposed to like what our kids see as great, if we did the contrary little buggers would go off it straight away..lol

[coventryrover]

Bentley Bullet wrote:

Modern music has been in decline since the early eighties in my opinion.
The last successful attempt at something new was the late seventies with the introduction of Punk. Then began the biggest innovation recession in the history of modern pop music, the early eighties. Duran f*ck*ng Duran were the biggest band in the world FFS!
the best ever era of music was without doubt the early seventies....But then I would say that wouldn't I, being of a very young and impressionable age at the time. But it was a period when the infancy of guitar playing was advancing towards playing four chords as opposed to the standard three of the sixties (Only 'super groups' played four then!).
As well as the increased skill in the musicianship, the songs were good too, confirmation of this being the amount of times they are ripped off and re-used nowadays.
Today,the Duran Duran's of this world aren't so bad on reflection. At a time when many bands play neither four or three chords, being incapable of playing any, their 'talent' is to perform karaoke... to an old tune!

Are you for real???? Or just being \"controversial\"

[Bentley Bullet]

If you find it controversial, then yes obviously I'm being controversial.
If you don't agree with me, why not give a real reason?

[Thinwhiteduke]

Punk wasnt really new though was it? Or any good? I mean, even The Clash tried to distance themselves from that genre.

If were talking fads / trends, you could throw up 80's New Wave, the NWOBHM, New Romanticism, Two Tone, Brit Pop for example.

My favourte artist is Bowie, he's chopped and changed with the best of them - but generally stayed a step ahead. Ironically his worst albums are, by far, his 80's material - even though that coincided with the height of his popularity.

I'll be seeing Iron Maiden at Sonisphere Sunday week, now there's a band with staying power. Been touring since '74, recording since '80, and, believe it or not, their concerts are a real mish mash of teenagers, thirty somethings (me), fifty - sixty somethings. Hey, even my Daughter, six, is coming with me this time.

f you want my honest opinion, the decline in pop music began in the mid to late eighties and is mainly the fault Stock Aitken and Waterman. Though I have a sneaking suspicion that Live Aid didnt help for future quality - with pop stars suddenly feeling they should be all 'understanding' 'PC' and 'Worldly wise'. But like JB says, every generation  decade has its fair share of crap.

[Bentley Bullet]

Punk was new in respect that punk bands admitted that they weren't any good musically, but then some of the better punk bands distanced themselves from 'punk rock', and 'new wave' began.
The rest of your post TWD I more or less agree with.

[coventryrover]

I completely disagree that music is in decline.  Infact there are far more ways that people can access good music rather than having to tune into John Peel/Bob Harris once a week on radio 1.

In the past 15 years or so there have been many many bands that inspire, pull on your heart strings, make you want to dance when you didnt want to. The quality is there, musicianship and lyrically, you just have to stray off radio 2 for a second to find it.  

I'm 35 so I guess my 'era' was the grunge/madchester era but there are many band now that inspire me, i.i. foals, hot chip, elbow, band of horses, fleet foxes, radiohead, laura marling and many many more.


I certainly dont look back and praise the lord for duran duran.

As previous posters say each decade has good and bad.  You are sounding like a dad belittling the modern generations musical options.   \"Eee when i was a lad\" and all that.  You gave a vague reason for early seventies being the best music/musicianship wise but wasnt that the time of prog rock?  I rest my case

[Bentley Bullet]

I'm referring to Pop music, pop chart stuff that the likes of Duran Duran were so successful in.

[BillyStubbsTears]

coventryrover wrote:

I completely disagree that music is in decline.  Infact there are far more ways that people can access good music rather than having to tune into John Peel/Bob Harris once a week on radio 1.

In the past 15 years or so there have been many many bands that inspire, pull on your heart strings, make you want to dance when you didnt want to. The quality is there, musicianship and lyrically, you just have to stray off radio 2 for a second to find it.  

I'm 35 so I guess my 'era' was the grunge/madchester era but there are many band now that inspire me, i.i. foals, hot chip, elbow, band of horses, fleet foxes, radiohead, laura marling and many many more.


I certainly dont look back and praise the lord for duran duran.

As previous posters say each decade has good and bad.  You are sounding like a dad belittling the modern generations musical options.   \"Eee when i was a lad\" and all that.  You gave a vague reason for early seventies being the best music/musicianship wise but wasnt that the time of prog rock?  I rest my case

Couldn't agree more that there are some superb bands around today. As good as there have ever been, if not better. I'm listening to Elbow as I write and they would stand comparison with anyone from a previous era.

But it doesn't change the fact that these are a specialist taste these days, not really representative of a wider Youth Culture in the way that the like of The Specials or The Jam were 30 years back. I don't see any edginess and challenging pop/rock music in the MAINSTREAM today.

[GM-MarkB]

I'll be seeing Iron Maiden at Sonisphere Sunday week, now there's a band with staying power. Been touring since '74, recording since '80, and, believe it or not, their concerts are a real mish mash of teenagers, thirty somethings (me), fifty - sixty somethings. Hey, even my Daughter, six, is coming with me this time.

Ahh Thinwhiteduke....wish I was going to Knebworth. Alas we have an away game......guess i'll just have to settle for my trip to Valencia on August 21st courtesy of Bruce Air   woop woop !!