Music makes the world go round, isn't that the saying?
Oh, no. That's money. I don't know if I agree. I think it's music.
Oh, and love, of course, but I'm a hopeless (hopeful?) romantic.
If I didn't have money - and I don't, much (lol) - I'd still have music. There'd still be songs to make me smile, emotional or upbeat.
But...
Do they make songs like they used to?
I saw, on Facebook, that an author friend of mine (hi Kathleen Barker) had posted a link to the Vancouver Sun website. Now, I've never been to Vancouver but I assume the Sun is a newspaper there. Or a news website. Time limits my ability to research this fact, so my apologies.
Actually, I just had a quick peek. It's your online source of news for Vancouver, British Columbia and more. So, hi to the people who run it, report for it and appear within it.
Anywho. This link caught my interest. Kathleen commented that she was proud to be a part of a generation that could produce such rock songs. The link was to an article talking about a tribute to Led Zeppelin in the presence of President Obama. Heart, the classic pairing of Nancy and Ann Wilson, were performing Zeppelin’s superb Stairway to Heaven. The Sun was reporting how the performance, particularly one part of it, brought tears to the eyes of Robert Plant.
Now, I love this song. For a long time, it was the only Led Zeppelin song I knew. I am also a fan of Heart and their powerful rock ballads. On the Sun’s page is the video of the performance, and I can easily see why Plant was moved. There are, however, artists still touring now from the 80s (when music was music?) who can’t quite cut it.
One of these, unfortunately, seems to be Jon Bon Jovi. I’ve wanted to see Bon Jovi since being young. They’ve released some truly iconic songs, though their later work doesn’t quite match their earlier classics. My wife has seen them a good few times and booked for us to go in June this year at the Manchester Ethiadstadium. I was sooo excited! James Walsh (@jamesstarsailor), one of the support acts, was excellent for a start.
Bon Jovi, however (with the absence of Sambora) were good but not brilliant. The concert didn’t really kick in until they sang Status Quo’s ‘Rockin’ All Over the World’ and there were times Jon appeared to struggle with the more powerful bits and pointed the microphone at us, the audience, to help him along. Of course, he’s been going a long time. He can still do the do. It’s just not so DO as it was.
I saw Howard Jones a couple of years ago at a small venue in Sheffield and he was very good. Similarly, Cyndi Lauperin the same year proved she still has the voice (and the slightly tapped mentality) to put on a great show. I saw Mike Tramp, of White Lion, doing an acoustic set at a local rock club, the Yardbirds (@YardbirdsRock), and he was superb.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not all about the 80s! The last Snow Patrol concert I went to was easily the best I’ve seen. There’s 30 Seconds to Mars in November and Foxes (@iamfoxes) in about three weeks (see my previous blog post). I’m desperate to see Bastille (love their album), and my iPhone is stuffed with everything from Dizzee Rascall to Sia to Little Monsters to Adele to Coldplay to Tired Pony to... Well, you get the point. All sorts. If I like a song, I’ll whack it on there.
My wife and I are massive music fans. When my daughter, now ten, was five years old, she would sing Kate Bush’s Babooshka to me down the phone. My two year old regularly stands singing and dancing to herself, making up songs (usually to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). It really does make, or help, our world go around.
Today, we have some superb artists. Real musicians who create ‘proper’ music. We also have manufactured conveyor belt pop that will likely be forgotten in a couple of years.
But, are there still groups like Zeppelin and Heart and the ‘old’ Bon Jovi? Groups with staying power who will be remembered as heroes and icons? I hope so. In a few cases, I think there are, definitely. Who do you rate, nowadays, in this vein? Who do you think is going to either still be here or at least remembered for a lasting (positive) mark on the music world?
Will any be the Bill and Ted of the world – their music bringing everyone together in harmony – though without the time travel? Who knows?
Anywho-be-do. Heart and Zeppelin. This is a performance worthy of the standing ovation it received. Enjoy.
To see this wonderful performance, please go to:
The Rolling Stones and The Beatles are already icons, and I believe they will endure. On the folk music side, Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger are some of my favorites. Motown gave us The Four Tops, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Martha and the Vandellas. Linda Ronstadt and Carole King. James Taylor....so many voices and songs.
ReplyDelete