I used to really love music when I was younger.  But lately, I've found myself getting rather bored with it.  I cannot remember the last CD I bought.  Where I used to not be able to wait to get to the music store at least once a week.

I remember really liking bands like The Cure, David Bowie, Chemical Brothers, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, Toadie, Prodigy, Primus, and New Order.  Now, I just can't get into anything like I used to.

I don't understand and it's beginning to make me wonder what's going on.  I wonder sometimes if the older I've gotten if perhaps I've just begun to realize how mediocre music really has become.  I mean, I cannot honestly think of a pop band out right now that I could get remotely excited about, much less call talented.

I remember once going to a Primus concert and while I was watching them I was just amazed at how much they had put together on top of the talent that they made look like was nothing but easy for them.  I just stood there in awe.  Same with R.E.M. when I saw them.  Totally incredible.

This might sound weird too, but I also went through the rave scene for a while.  I was really digging that whole thing.  Not only was the music pretty intense, but I liked the whole movement as well.  I know some people might think it was stupid and stuff, but when I went to one of the parties that was not one of the huge commercialized ones, there was a vibe there that gave me goosebumps all night long.  I really felt a neat escape and felt like I was around a cool group of people.  I think on the surface, especially when the scene grew really big, it did look sort of stupid.  But for anyone who was there when it was small and personal, they know what magic I'm talking about. 

I dunno.  I think we're just in a rut now.  Everyone seems to be copying everyone else or standardizing up their work to the point that it sounds like a product instead of a tune.  I'm really overly done with it.

Maybe you should try the new subgenres of metal that were developed in the late 90's and sort of resurfaced over the past 5 years.

I originally was into alternative and similar bands to the ones you listed, but ever since I've listened to Emperor I haven't been able to pull myself away from the black/death/melodic death scene ( although death has it's roots as early as the late 70's/80's).

I haven't bought any CDs since the late 90's. The music is crap now.

I think the last concert I went to was the Smokeout Tour 2000 in North Cali.

Hed (PE) and Linkin Park use to play at a club called Canes in San Diego, but that was way before they were on MTV and had CDs out in mass. I wouldn't call those concerts though, it was just an outdoor bar on the beach with a stage.

It's not the same anymore. Bands are pretty wussified these days and most of them are just whiney crybabies in a college garagebands that puts out 1 song on the radio and never heard of again (thank god). I guess music reflects society.

Oh yeah, there's rap too. But, that's not for me. I like the old school stuff, but I don't own any CDs.

Originally posted by viiiviii

I haven't bought any CDs since the late 90's. The music is crap now.

I think the last concert I went to was the Smokeout Tour 2000 in North Cali.

Hed (PE) and Linkin Park use to play at a club called Canes in San Diego, but that was way before they were on MTV and had CDs out in mass. I wouldn't call those concerts though, it was just an outdoor bar on the beach with a stage.

It's not the same anymore. Bands are pretty wussified these days and most of them are just whiney crybabies in a college garagebands that puts out 1 song on the radio and never heard of again (thank god). I guess music reflects society.

Oh yeah, there's rap too. But, that's not for me. I like the old school stuff, but I don't own any CDs.

 

 

I think it's a reflection of our culture right now too.  Everything is crap so the music is reflecting that too.  And have you talked to any kids today?  They're a bunch of whiney spoiled brats.  They've got no gumption or initiative and expect everything to happen for them and for someone else to take care of everything.  I'm scared for what's coming up in their future.

And funny you should mention rap.  I've always thought of it as toy music anyway.  It's nothing but a novelty for kids to listen to.  Then they grow up and realize it's a bunch of garbage and move on to something else.  After a while the giggle factor of cussing wears off and then you also realize that the people talking on those CD's are about as dumb as you can be.

Originally posted by //\\//\\oo

Maybe you should try the new subgenres of metal that were developed in the late 90's and sort of resurfaced over the past 5 years.

I originally was into alternative and similar bands to the ones you listed, but ever since I've listened to Emperor I haven't been able to pull myself away from the black/death/melodic death scene ( although death has it's roots as early as the late 70's/80's).

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  But I'm just into being mellow lately.  The whole power driven and playing tough routine kind of wore on me after I got tired of Metallica and Megadeth.  I get their talented, I admit that, but I just got really bored of the whole "we're bad and eeeevil" stuff. 

Before you know it, you'll be calling the police on skateboarders and find your lawn the most interesting thing in your life.

Music is generational. The big outlets for it (big retail, big radio, big concerts) are all geared towards the younger crowd. You have to realize you're sounding like a middle-aged person walking into a mall discontent with fashion choices.

Quite simply, if you're stuck hating this or that and believe everyone and everything surrounding you is dumb, then you're remaining in a place you shouldn't be. You've grown up, so make your surroundings match (i.e. not expect to like music on TRL, the top ten on evening local radio and etc.)

And these aren't the signs of any time, the grumpiest of every generation always believes the most visible of the next is for sure going to destroy the planet. Why over matters as trivial as a new generation's music and mannerisms? Who knows? But if you've grown up, grow up your surroundings and there won't be a problem.

Originally posted by sepher

Before you know it, you'll be calling the police on skateboarders and find your lawn the most interesting thing in your life.

Music is generational. The big outlets for it (big retail, big radio, big concerts) are all geared towards the younger crowd. You have to realize you're sounding like a middle-aged person walking into a mall discontent with fashion choices.

Quite simply, if you're stuck hating this or that and believe everyone and everything surrounding you is dumb, then you're remaining in a place you shouldn't be. You've grown up, so make your surroundings match (i.e. not expect to like music on TRL, the top ten on evening local radio and etc.)

And these aren't the signs of any time, the grumpiest of every generation always believes the most visible of the next is for sure going to destroy the planet. Why over matters as trivial as a new generation's music and mannerisms? Who knows? But if you've grown up, grow up your surroundings and there won't be a problem.

Nyah, I think the music and the attitude of today really does suck.  I think you'd not have to look too far to find some teens that agree with me on that either.

And why would I call the cops on skateboarders when I used to skate?  Hell, I imagine the skater kids are the only ones still listening to anything decent.

And what makes you think I'm grumpy?  I'm hopeful actually.  If I were grumpy I would have given up and not participate in the political process that goes on around me.  I'm banking on these kids today.  I'm hoping they wake up and change things.

Originally posted by gnomexxx

Originally posted by sepher

Before you know it, you'll be calling the police on skateboarders and find your lawn the most interesting thing in your life.

Music is generational. The big outlets for it (big retail, big radio, big concerts) are all geared towards the younger crowd. You have to realize you're sounding like a middle-aged person walking into a mall discontent with fashion choices.

Quite simply, if you're stuck hating this or that and believe everyone and everything surrounding you is dumb, then you're remaining in a place you shouldn't be. You've grown up, so make your surroundings match (i.e. not expect to like music on TRL, the top ten on evening local radio and etc.)

And these aren't the signs of any time, the grumpiest of every generation always believes the most visible of the next is for sure going to destroy the planet. Why over matters as trivial as a new generation's music and mannerisms? Who knows? But if you've grown up, grow up your surroundings and there won't be a problem.

Nyah, I think the music and the attitude of today really does suck.  I think you'd not have to look too far to find some teens that agree with me on that either.

And why would I call the cops on skateboarders when I used to skate?  Hell, I imagine the skater kids are the only ones still listening to anything decent.

You're older, you're supposed to think it sucks. Not all teens aresupposed to like the same thing either, but they probably won't have the attitude of "I don't think I like music anymore", they enjoy music today as you did when you were their age.
 

And there, you've solved your problem, hop on a skateboard and find some local hangouts and ask what music is good nowadays. Not sure how well that'd fly but you could give it a go.

If you used many recreational chemicals popular at raves you may have left yourself with a permanent seratonin deficit making everything seem bleh...

HOWEVER... you are correct in your assessment that almost all music now is mediocre SHIT.

This is because of garbage like american idol and every jacktard band being able to burn their own CDs and sell their drivel on facetube and youbook.

We had stellar music (with a few highs and lows) from the 50's to the mid 90's... then the bottom fell out.

I'm just glad I was able to see concerts when rock and roll was real, hip hop before it became a marketing scheme, and country before the "boot in your ass" guy turned everything into a weepy, melodramatic morality play.

Heart, Tom Petty, Prince, Alan Jackson, Lyle Lovett, Cheap Trick, Jimmy Buffet, Kiss, AC/DC, U2, Dave Matthews, Indigo Girls, Dwight Yoakam, R.E.M., the Cult, the Cure, Aerosmith, Nirvana, Patty Griffin, Bruce Hornsby, the Dead, the Neville Brothers, Clint Black, John Hiatt, Dave Grisman, BB King, Taj Mahal...

Man when I think of the great concerts I was lucky enough to see when things were real...

Now some halfwit singing karaoke on a TV show.. that's what the young people are gonna thing music is.  Sad.

A caveat: there are a few bright spots out there like this brilliant songwriting:

Falling Slowly

it isn't surprising - music you hear on the radio or MTV is mass produced as a cash flow for producers and publishers, it isn't about music and it is all just noise. there are a few that still produce great music (radiohead for example, they're without a doubt one of the greatest musicians to every come together) that reach a mass level like that,

but what you can do now is go on the internet. you don't need the producers and publishers to find that music anymore when you can go directly to the musicians themselves and that's what is so great about it. you just have to search the internet and you can find some great real music out there that you will never hear on the radio or TV.

on the other side you also probably are hitting a generational gap somewhat, you want the music you grew up to but that isn't the music of today's generation so you're becoming removed from it.

I'm one of those youths of today.  And I raid my parents music collection all the time!!!  There are wonderful treasures in there.  I gave up on the music of my generation a long time ago.  And it is not so uncommon.  A lot of us have.

I like some of the bands my parents have in their collection like The Clash, Erasure, ZZ Top, The Smith's, R.E.M., Love and Rockets, Duran Duran, Dead or Alive, Depeche Mode, Cyndi Lauper, Howard Jones, Human League, Violent Femmes, Pet Shop Boys, Men at Work, and the Go-Go's just to name a few.

They have a huge collection and everytime I go over I ask them to show me something new.  I bring it back to school with me and my friends can't wait to hear some of the songs.  They're fun, cool, and you can tell the bands who made the music were doing something different.

I guess you can all those 80's bands.  That's when my parents were kids.  I wish I were a kid back then.  It looks like they had a lot more fun. 

Originally posted by gnomexxx

Originally posted by //\\//\\oo

Maybe you should try the new subgenres of metal that were developed in the late 90's and sort of resurfaced over the past 5 years.

I originally was into alternative and similar bands to the ones you listed, but ever since I've listened to Emperor I haven't been able to pull myself away from the black/death/melodic death scene ( although death has it's roots as early as the late 70's/80's).

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  But I'm just into being mellow lately.  The whole power driven and playing tough routine kind of wore on me after I got tired of Metallica and Megadeth.  I get their talented, I admit that, but I just got really bored of the whole "we're bad and eeeevil" stuff. 

Try the Dave Mathews Band, they're good for a mellow mood.  I really love Marilyn Manson's 2 newest albums, very toned down stuff.

Originally posted by War_Eagle

  It looks like they had a lot more fun. 

We did : )

That's very cool man- when I was your age I was raiding my dad's Hendrix/ Zeppelin/ Jeff Beck reel to reel tapes he brought home from Vietnam : )

Slightly Stoopid will cure your blues, i promise.

edit: Enkindu hell ya for the John Hiatt mention ^_^

here's a mix I made... maybe you can stream it in the background next time you surf the web. granted it is the opposite of power-driven music. I tried to make the songs flow nicely throughout and did a bit of editing and added some radio static.

www.divshare.com/download/6843599-b08

The Album Leaf and Bright Eyes - Hungry For a Holiday (edit)
Steve Tibbetts - One Day
Belle and Sebastian - Pocketbook Angel (demo)
Robert Wyatt - Moon in June (excerpt)
Red Red Meat and Tim Rutili - June Rat (demo)
Midlake - Roscoe
Badly Drawn Boy - Cause a Rockslide (edit)
CSN - Cathedral
Alastair Galbraith - In the Taieri
Jim Guthrie - Thousand Songs
Red Red Meat - I'm Not in Love (cover)  <---there's a couple volume glitches I need to fix here :(
The Grateful Dead - Rosemary
Archer Prewitt - Tell Me Now
King Creosote - Counselling
Jim Guthrie - Sexy Drummer
Adventure Time - Whetting Whistles feat. pigeon john (edit)
The Beach Boys - Let The Wind Blow
Robert Fripp and Andy Summers - Painting and Dance (edit)
Genesis - A Child's Song
Andrew Bird - A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left
Thingy - Nod

In general, I would say that if you think that "I don't like music anymore" then you are probably just discouraged because finding good music is a chore since it doesn't tend to play on the radio anymore (except the same old classics).. some great music you'll just never hear on the radio.

If you're up for trying out some art music which is something like neo-folk avand garde prog doom metal (impossible to define) try to listen some Agalloch. They mix clean almost ethereal vocals with growling. Clean acustic guitars strumming over heavy riffs from overdriven guitars. It is metal, yet not metal. It is sinister yet benign. Abrasive yet sinuous. Simple yet complex.

This is one of their great songs, it's 10 minutes long, but give it a chance. Also check out In the shadow of our pale companion to see what I think is their best song. It's roughly 15 minutes long

www.youtube.com/watch

You're getting older...

Your taste in music will change.

The hair on your head will turn grey.

You will find teenagers extremely annoying.

You will get nose hair extending beyond your nostrils.

The barber will start to trim your eyebrow hair.

Your lover will find a grey hair in your pubic area that will come as a shock to you.

You will become more conservative.

Your ear hair will extend beyond your earlobe.

You'll start to look for a comfortable place to sit down and nothing will be right in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ae4KVudRns&feature=related