“Sampling transforms sources by placing them in the new environment of hip-hop lyrics and other samples. Rather than copying the original source, hip-hop producers critique and respond to the original through juxtaposition, parody, and direct commentary.”

Was Foucault a plagiarist? Hip-hop sampling and academic citation Mikey Hess (2006)

The above quote relates hip-hop sampling to academic citation and defines the practice perfectly through a unique view. However, not all saw it so simply, and some started to question whether the artist involved with the first release was then entitled to a cut of the profit made by the use of the sample. This is when sample copyright law came into effect and changed the way a lot of music is produced and perceived. One of the first major legal cases can be seen as far back as 1987 with British dance one hit wonders MARRS with their single ‘Pump Up The Volume’. As the record climbed into the top ten, producers Stock Aitken Waterman filed an injunction lawsuit as a result of the unauthorized use of their number one single ‘Roadblock’. In the end the dispute was settled out of court as the group agreed to remove the sample from the production of the record overseas.

Hip-hop was hit the hardest as a result of progressively more court rulings against sampling, as it is traditionally a sample based genre. Despite this, different hip-hop artists and producers found different ways around the law, altering and playing with the sample so it cannot be recognised which is ‘the skill of today’s hip-hop producer’ according to the Jazz Spastiks’ Michael Dean.

However, not all artists took such a discreet approach to sampling. A perfect illustration can be seen in the form of American producer and artist Dangermouse (Brian Burton) with his album entitled the ‘Grey Album’ released in 2004. The album uses a great number of samples from first of all, Jay Z’s ‘The Black Album’ and secondly the Beatles’ ‘The White Album’, hence the title.

“A lot of people just assume I took some Beatles and, you know, threw some Jay-Z on top of it or mixed it up or looped it around, but it’s really a deconstruction. It’s not an easy thing to do. It is an art form. It is music. You can do different things, it doesn’t have to be just what some people call stealing. It can be a lot more than that.”

Dangermouse (Brian Burton)

Predictably, the album gained Dangermouse a huge amount of notoriety as EMI attempted to halt the distribution of the album, despite both Jay Z and Sir Paul McCartney saying they had no problems with the use of the samples. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the work, this cease of distribution bid didn’t come to fruition. In fact, on February 24, 2004 there was a day of coordinated online protest against EMI’s decision to attempt to cease distribution of Dangermouse’s ‘Grey Album’, in particular, and also against the idea that sampling is an unfair method on the whole. Hundreds of websites took part in the protest with approximately 170 posting the album for download. The online objection was a resounding success with over 100,000 copies of the album downloaded on that day alone.

The risk taken in blatant sampling is there for all to see but, with the right amount of success and support, it can be a risk well worth taking.

Marc Vasmant writes articles about issues in the contemporary music industry.

Some of rock ‘n’ roll’s biggest names are included in this year’s list of nominees, including Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Cure, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and, perhaps most notably, Guns ‘N Roses.

Although some might be perplexed as to why artists with legendary status aren’t already included in the Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation does have rules in place to ensure that any artist fulfills various criteria before being eligible for entry.

Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Ready for 2012

The voting process begins with the Foundation’s nominating committee, composed of rock and roll historians.

Ballots are then forwarded to an international voting body comprised of what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes as ‘more than 500 rock experts’.

The performers receiving the highest number of votes are inducted.

The Hall of Fame is criticised in some circles as being less about rock ‘n’ roll than it should be, with some of the less obvious past inductees including pop heavyweights like Madonna and Abba.

But the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, itself, takes pride in its supporting a variety of musical genres, clearly identifying with the opinion that rock ‘n’ roll is more than just music.

The President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, Joel Peresman, said, “From vocal groups to hip hop, from singer-songwriters to hard rocking artists, this group represents the spirit of what we celebrate at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Successful nominees are represented in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

Next year’s induction ceremony is scheduled in Cleveland on 14 April 2012.

Samuel Agini is the editor of Andrew Apanov’s Dotted Music.

Social expectation is paramount within the confines of the modern-day music industry. This can be widely applied to music’s biggest and brightest stars, as well as the upcoming talent. The aspect in question, and one which is in correspondence to the public’s perception of a record fresh out the studio, is the release itself.

Everything regarding a new track is scrutinized to a T by the producers and artist, with increasing attention being given to the medium in which it is released. Some opt for the ‘retro’ vinyl (LP) or the trustworthy CD, while others choose a digital-only release, but the trend for most releases is a subtle combination of the latter two. The media form however, is only the tip of the iceberg with relation to releases, as there are numerous decisions to be mulled over, including the medium in which the waiting public first come into contact with the record. It is not uncommon to witness online retailers such as Amazon.com declaring different release dates for different music mediums.

Image credit: viciada on Tumblr

Although distributors continue to utilize traditional methods such as radio to garner interest in a music artist, there is an increasing tendency to place songs in the hands of renowned DJs who lend their influence to a music artist’s popularity. This can lead to songs becoming identified with an underground movement. Such a decision is based largely upon the genre associated with the music artist in question. It is hard to imagine, for example, Beyonce’s newest single meeting with a warm welcome in ‘Pacha’ Ibiza or ‘Subclub’ Glasgow. It is hard to picture French electro duo Justice, successful but relatively unknown to the general public, being met similar warmth on BBC Radio Four.

It can be restricting to the music artist, but certain genres seem to be better suited to certain release mediums. For instance, a fresh hip hop or house release shares a natural bond with the DJ and underground scene as it seems to propel it further than normally possible, perhaps because of how naturally the consumer identifies with the rags to riches story.

The social perception of a house or hip hop record comes from exactly that: where and when it is heard. If first heard on a popular radio station or on television, it gives the record the image that it is mainstream or commercial which perhaps isn’t the best way to market a hip hop act. It’s about keeping things real, or at least pretending to. On the other hand, if it can be projected that the release was circulated on the underground, preferably by DJs and word-of-mouth, the authenticity of the music artists is less likely to be questioned.

The trend of pop records being heard online before making it big in the charts, for example, is sometimes met with an overly critical eye, as if the music artists behind the success haven’t paid their dues. Online releases are often considered unfinished and seldom thought of as showcasing respectable production values as is commonplace on a radio station, or on a television set which gives the idea that it is a finished article, ready for public consumption.

The procedure of releasing the record to an audience in a specific time and place, and format is the crux of making money in the modern music industry, as it can completely change the recognition and credit it receives due to social perception and expectation.

Alex Gilbert (Dotted Music): Blogs (web-based) and Magazines (print-based) have a lot of similar material. With how technology exponentially increases, how do you see the future for both blogs and magazines? Regardless of technology, both do still spread the good word, eh?

Bill Knowlton (We Love Metal): I agree that both do spread the good word, but in much different ways. For some reason bloggers aren’t taken as “real” journalist as compared to our print market peers. The unusual part of that is magazines are near death. Blogs are free to read and contain the most up to date information. Magazines have a printing deadline so they often get left behind and report old news, which the reader has to pay for.

Magazines will often get the biggest and best interviews which surprises me because We Love Metal and sites much bigger than ours get more readers in the run of a day than the larger magazines even print, let alone sell.

What I will say to the magazine defense is often they have journalists with education and background in written media. Most of us “bloggers” are self-taught fans that get better as time goes on. I will forever find it funny that magazines mock bloggers, but they are all switching over to digital media.

We Love Metal

What are some of your favorite blogs and magazines out there right now?

Two blogs that I read every day are bringbackglam.com with Alyson who is one of the reasons we started our blog. Her honest fan based approach appealed to us and made us decide that being nice to musicians can actually work. She is great at taking the negativity out of the music industry. On the other hand I read metalsucks.net because those guys say things I can only dream of saying.

As for magazines, I will occasionally pick up Revolver, but not as a norm.

The internet is instant international access. With such an abundance of websites out there, it’s hard to get people to click automatically like one would a Google.com. What are some of your marketing methods for WeLoveMetal.com?

We have tried a lot of different techniques for marketing of We Love Metal and we don’t have unlimited money so it’s difficult to pay for constant ads. We went through a time of link building and reading every Search Engine Optimization book out there, but ultimately it came down to writing good stories that people want to read.

We have been around 2 years as of this month, but only started to take this very seriously last year with a new design and constant updating. The results have been phenomenal. We picked some target words and ran with them. We now have the #1 position for “Heavy Metal Blogs” and that has helped greatly. Although not a majorly searched item on Google it’s a great niche market for us.

To really answer the question: you have to write to get fans, those fans will bring fans and so on. When we first started I hated people saying the only way you can get ahead is with solid, original content, but it’s true.

What advice do you give for aspiring music journalists out there?

Two pieces of advice:

1. Expand your horizons and don’t be scared to ask what seem like stupid questions. A good example would be when I first started covering harder metal I asked a musician flat out what a “blast beat” was and apologized for not knowing. He gave me the definition and explained that most writers use the term, but really have no idea. People can see through you faking it, so get your facts and knowledge down. Write, write, and write.
2. Don’t be an asshole. It seems that the negative guys get ahead, but when you are black balled by every major label and musician because you act like a smart ass; you’re not going to get ahead or be much of a respected journalist. Every artists who puts their music out there deserves a form of respect, you don’t have to like it, but finding some merit in someone’s passion is worth investigating.

When we come to party out with you in Canada, where would you say some good places to catch a show, grab a bite to eat, party it up, and get a good grasp on the area would be?

You would need to hit two places. Montreal is the mecca of metal in Canada. You could hit shows of all nature in Glam, Hard Rock, Death, Black, or a bunch of Cores. The drinks are cheap and the music rules the streets. Doesn’t matter where you eat because your ears are going to be bleeding from the bass. Montreal does have a couple of booty clubs as well. Just a couple!

Than you would have to head over to Halifax because that’s where I’m at and we would be tearing up a city that has the most bars per capita in the world. Mix that with local bands like Black Moor, Orchids Curse, and Broken Ohms and you are in for one hell of a party.

Bill Knowlton with Dan Donegan

If you were to create a dream tour, who’d be on it?

My dream would be a one day festival show with tickets sitting in the $60.00 range. The line-up would consist of 10 bands and leave you speechless at the end. In order:

The Worshyp – Mastodon – Black Label Society – Motley Crue – Testament – Anthrax (Belladonna) – Guns & Roses (Original) – Megadeth – Metallica – Black Sabbath (Dio)

There are others, but these 10 on one day would be the day I could die. I think we could have an after party with Quiet Riot (Dubrow) as well.

On the promo side for We Love Metal, are you looking for any more writers (of course one’s that know how to handle the digital pen)? If so, how can they get in touch with you, send you some samples, etc.?

I’m always interested in new writers and their take on things. I can’t imagine why people want to hear us over and over again… lol! Anyone can submit samples to me, but must realize that payment can be low. Sometimes very low. They can send it to blknowlton@eastlink.com with a PDF attachment.

Bro, thanks for your time, and I always enjoy reading WeLoveMetal.com! Any last words?

Only last words would be keeping the metal alive to all. We need to teach the mainstream of the talent and charisma Heavy Metal stars have. For me personally, media pushing music that is played with a machine corrupts real music and real musicians. Kids thinking they are musicians by putting samples together not only degrades Metal and Rock stars, but also people ranging from classical musicians to someone’s grand pappy playing the fiddle in the kitchen.

It’s about real music with real instruments. Just like real metal news on welovemetal.com

Thanks for doing this man; you’re a class act and a pleasure to work with.

Interview by Alex Gilbert.

You can be the first to:

• You can meld several musical genres. Garth Brooks brought a heavy rock influence to his music, resulting in his becoming a crossover phenomenon. Lyle Lovett‘s music is a unique mixture of country, jazz, swing, blues and more! Josh Grobin’s operatic voice broke the pop barrier, and Freddie Mercury’s operatic voice (Queen) broke the pop/rock barrier.
• You might use an instrument that no one else has used (at least not prominently) in your genre of music, just as The Beatles introduced the sitar to pop music in Norwegian Wood. On the other end of the spectrum, Zamphir became a household name when he introduced the pan flute to millions via his infomercials. The prominent saxophone solo in ‘Gerry Rafferty’s hit, ’Baker Street’, led to a resurgence of the instrument’s popularity, known as the ‘Baker Street Phenomenon!’

Image credit: ache.tumblr.com

• Try introducing a new or distinct sound in your music. This is easier now than ever with the advent of synthesizers, guitar effects etc. Brad Paisley‘s guitar sound and playing style are instantly recognizable. The same holds true for Jimi Hendrix.
• Introduce a new production technique, as Phil Spector did with his infamous ‘Wall of Sound’, and Les Paul did by recording ‘sound on sound’. The Beatles were the first to use multi-tracking.
• You might try to invent a new instrument, as Dr. Robert Moog did with the Moog Synthesizer. Although he wasn’t a famous artist or musician himself, his invention enabled keyboard players to create totally unheard of sounds.
• Try using a special effect, such as Peter Frampton’s infamous ‘Talk Box.’
• Can you write or sing songs mostly about a particular subject, as Taylor Swift does about life as a teenager? What do you love that no one has become famous for singing about?
• You can be the first to use unique lyrical content, such as Bob Dylan did with his vibrant imagery.
• Be the first to take a specific song style to the masses, as Weird Al Yankovic has done with parodies.
• Be the first to use your unique vocal sound or range within a genre. Joe Cocker’s gravelly voice and bluesy style are unmistakable. Celine Dion’s vocal power and range enable her to sing songs many artists can only dream about.
• Revive a sound that hasn’t been heard in a long time, as Asleep At The Wheel does with western swing.

Done effectively, doing something first can actually start a trend. You can accomplish this in many different ways:

• You can be the first to present your unique overall image. The Rolling Stones became known as the ‘bad boys of rock ‘n roll’.
• You can wear something unique, such as Michael Jackson’s white glove, Elvis Presley’s jump suits, Elton John’s sunglasses or Liberace’s entire diamond-studded wardrobe.
• You can pioneer a completely new sound as the Beach Boys did with surf music.
• You can put a geographic location on the map. Owen Bradley established Nashville as a music capital by building a first class recording studio in the middle of an emerging city and recording such icons as Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty and many others. John Denver often sang about life in Colorado, and Jimmy Buffet brought attention to the Florida Keys and ‘Margaritaville’.
• You can become known for who or what you champion. Bruce Springsteen has become known as a champion of the common working man, and his sound has been branded as ‘Heartland Rock.’
• You can be the first to relate to a specific demographic. Taylor Swift is the first person in country music to write for, sing about and appeal to pre-teens and teenagers.

There are an unlimited number of ways that you can stand out from the crowd. It just takes imagination and creativity. Open your mind to multiple musical influences. Experiment with every aspect of your songwriting, sound and image. Introduce the world to something they’ve never seen or heard before.

Read more tips in the original Vinny Ribas‘ article from the August issue of Indie Connect Magazine.

I read on Ultimate-Guitar.com once that Gerard Way refuses to allow his band to be known as an emo group, which is fair enough. It’s not his fault, after all. I read another article in Kerrang! ages ago about a girl who claimed that “MCR Saved My Life“. That’s a prime example of what I’m talking on about. How can a band save your life? It’s not like they ran into a burning building to save her… Anyway, I’m losing track of my point.

A band is never really emo, are they? Sure, they can be depressed/depressing, but so was Kurt Cobbain, he wasn’t classed as emo and never will be classed as emo. He will always be classed by many (but not by me personally) as a rock god who dressed and acted like an everyday American citizen.

Now you may say “What about the music?“. If you listen to “emo” bands and compare them to a punk band, the structure and musicianship are essentially the same. Power chord rock, fast agressive guitar solos, hard-hitting 4/4 drum beats… Where’s the difference? What they’re singing about? Maybe. An “emo” band sings about hating themselves and the people around them, punks bang on about hating the establishment and wanting to destroy various things (I’m sterotyping, I know, but these are just examples). Essentially, both are about hating things, both are negative… There’s a pattern forming here.

Tokio Hotel, often called an Emo band

Anyway, onto another thing; Dress. I like some of the dress sense that comes with “Emo” (I wear black a hell of a lot and swear by Converse – I’ll never proudly wear guy-liner though), but how can your dress sense be set into a class of fashion that ultimatly decides your taste in music? Is it because your favourite band dresses like that or because you want to make a statement? Probaby both…

With punk, most people dressed the way that they did because they wanted to rebel and make a statement with it. Others just did it because they thought Johnny Rotten (or whoever) was a God, and thought that following his beliefs was the way forward. With emo, they dress like they do mostly because they want to copy the band they love so much (these bands have no real stature or oppinions that the fans follow – they just want to be copied – big difference) but when they do it, they emphasise one little thing called ‘emotions’, most of which include them crying in a corner somewhere, usually over the most trivial things. This really reflects onto the band (or bands) that they’re following. They may love the band, but they’re killing their reputation without even knowing it.

So, I will ask again, do you still think there’s a viable reason for creating a new style of music for something that is just Punk but… dressed up? Sure, you may think that MCR or whoever you happen to worship deserve a whole catagory to themselves just because they’re gods in your eyes, but they already have a catagory, and it’s called pop-punk.

That’s all the emo is. Dressed up punk, or (as I said) pop-punk for short. I know that an article like this one isn’t going to really effect the minds of the masses a great deal, but I just want people to take heade of the fact that emo isn’t (and should never be) a style of music. It will only ever be the dress sense that a group of fans have adopted – nothing more.

Let’s take a look at two iPad apps released this week: Korg’s iELECTRIBE and GrooveMaker from IK Multimedia.

iELECTRIBE

Korg‘s popular among electronic musicians hardware Electribe Series is now also available as a dedicated iPad musical instrument app – the Korg iELECTRIBE virtual analog beatbox.

iELECTRIBE

“Korg Electribe products have been popular due in part to their interactive, easy-to-use front panel controls. The iPad’s 9.7″ multi touch display offers an intuitive layout that will be familiar to previous Electribe users. Just as on the original Electribe, users simply choose one of the eight parts (or sounds) and touch the 16-step sequencer to quickly build patterns and grooves.

The iELECTRIBE faithfully recreates the historic Electribe’s entire sound engine – including analog synthesis modeling and PCM synthesis, along with virtual Valve Force tube modeling. The sequencer can record instrument parts as well as advanced Motion Sequencing – the recording of knob movements as part of a pattern.”

The iELECTRIBE is currently available from Apple’s App Store. Regularly priced at US $19.99, a special introductory price of $9.99 is being offered until June 30, 2010.

GrooveMaker for the iPad

The infamous IK Multimedia‘s GrooveMaker series of remixing apps is now released as an iPad version as well.

GrooveMaker for iPad

“Released for the iPhone and iPod touch in August 2009, GrooveMaker has become one of the most popular mobile loop remixing apps. The GrooveMaker Free version has consistently been in the top 100 music apps with over 600,000 downloads, and the entire GrooveMaker family features 11 style-based apps for the most popular genres of music.

GrooveMaker for the new iPad offers the same smart features and streamlined workflow as the iPhone/iPod version for making music with loops, but also takes advantage of the new larger multi-touch surface to provide enhanced operation with an integrated, advanced controller.

Also, GrooveMaker for iPad adds even more control when working with loops, providing a new level of creative flexibility. Users can now switch “snapped” grooves with a single touch, plus control the number of loops that are automatically combined during a random mix. GrooveMaker iPad is the perfect addition to a DJ set, providing unlimited creative flexibility in live remixing and DJ applications.”

There are 4 GrooveMaker packs for the iPad available now: Free (a 120-loop pack with a mix of House and Hip-Hop), House, Hip-Hop, Drum & Bass. GrooveMaker House, Hip-Hop and D’n’B contain over 300 loops each and are $9.99 from the iTunes App Store.

Check out the demo video below:

I’m wondering, will we ever see Ableton Live on a tablet?

During the week, I have discovered three brand new movies that I take the liberty of describing as “inspiring” even before actually watching them (yet). Here they are, for your consideration:

72 Musicians

72 Musicians asks the question, “Why the hell do we chase this music dream, anyway?” The film was made and released by Topspin’s VP of Product Design Bob Moczydlowsky, so the creation, pretty obviously, uses Topspin platform for marketing and distribution (which is a unique and a promising collaboration on its own).

The documentary chronicles the struggles of 72 Kansas City musicians, “speaking with a single, anonymous voice about art, poverty, booze, lies, class, hardship, food and failure. Oh, and day care. And rock ‘n’ roll.” It features interviews and/or performances from members of Spoon, White Whale, The Architects, Coalesce, The Get Up Kids, The Republic Tigers, Mac Lethal, The Life & Times, Roman Numerals, SSION and more.

The movie has been released in a variety of formats, from an $8 iPhone version to HD downloads and DVDs with T-shirts and posters, to 50 DVDs in bulk, all the way to a $400 version which comes on a hard drive with all the assets, Creative Commons-licensed to edit and release your own version. Go read more at Topspin’s Ian Rogers‘ post here.

Don’t Quit Your Daydream

Don’t Quit Your Daydream was created by Los Angeles-based musicians Clark Stiles and Nathan Khyber from the band The Good Listeners and was produced in association with JLoar, Inc and Adrian Grenier’s Reckless Productions.

“It is a story of two musicians approaching their 40th birthday unwilling to relinquish their love of music. Not wanting to give up the dream of being rock stars after hitting 40, the duo set off to do what most said they couldn’t – record the album of their dreams on the road and document every second creating this film. Leaving their day jobs behind, they set off on a 24-day cross-country road trip in an RV recording and filming both the album and documentary, Don’t Quit Your Daydream, while spanning 12 cities across the heart of America.

“Stiles and Khyber were on a mission to find the answer many musicians search for: why risk it all for a pursuit in music? To answer this question, Stiles and Khyber set up their recording studio in each city, collaborated on a song with a local musician and asked them why, like themselves, were they drawn to do what they love most… which is to play music.”

The Runaways

The Runaways is the music-fueled story of the groundbreaking, all girl 1970s rock band, with Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning starring as Joan Jett and Cherie Currie. The film is written and directed by Floria Sigismondi, and Apparition will release it on March 19, 2010.

“The two teenage valley girls with punk in their blood, meet and become the heart and soul of the seminal all girl band, The Runaways. Floria Sigismondi brings The Runaways to the big screen in this story of a group of extraordinary young women as they rise from rebellious Southern California kids to rock stars of the now legendary band that paved the way for future generations of girl musicians. Under the Svengali-like influence of rock impresario Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon), the group evolves into an outrageous success and a family of misfits. With its tough-chick image and raw talent, the band quickly earns a name for itself — and so do its two leads: Joan is the band’s pure rock’ n’ roll heart, while Cherie, with her Bowie-Bardot looks, is the sex kitten.”

The Runaways is produced by John Linson, Art Linson and Bill Pohlad. Joan Jett, Kenny Laguna and Brian Young serve as executive producers.

Have you had a chance to watch any of the movies? (Or have you decided that you should go to The Runaways premiere?) Share your thoughts in the comments!

There are a few things that will be different this year. First, there are no single-day passes; you must purchase the full 3-day pass, which costs a hefty $269 plus fees. Second, onsite camping is available by renting out 300-square feet areas where you can also park your car.

A few lesser-known acts that are worth mentioning

Jonsi

Jets Overhead: This Canadian indie rock band has yet to receive the commercial success it deserves. Their first album was released as a “by donation” download over a year before Radiohead applied a similar strategy to “In Rainbows”.

Portugal. The Man: The band has slowly been gaining popularity, all while continuing their experimental yet pleasant indie rock sound.

Jónsi: He is the lead singer of acclaimed Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, which has been on hiatus since earlier this year. His first solo album is to be released this April.

De La Soul: This hip-hop group sang in “Feel Good Inc.” by Gorillaz, and are also featured in “Plastic Beach”, the latest upcoming Gorillaz album.

Sia: Lovely-voiced Australian pop singer Sia has sang for Zero 7 but has also released three solo albums, with a fourth to be released this April.

A few of several artists (and reunions) that we would have liked to see in the lineup

Lady Gaga: Let’s face it, she’s one of the hottest artists in pop culture today, and certainly would have been able to attract a myriad of concertgoers on her own.

System of a Down: Although it could be too soon for a collective return to the stage, Coachella would be the ideal event for a reunion of the Californian band.

Lady Gaga. Photo credit: »grahamblackall on Flickr

Dr. Dre: With an upcoming (and allegedly) final album due to be released this year or the next, Coachella could have been a natural event at which Dr. Dre to perform, also due to Coachella’s close proximity (100 miles or so) from his hometown of Compton.

Pretty Girls Make Graves: Also would require a reunion, this unique yet underrated post-punk revival band played at Coachella in 2004. They broke up in 2007.

Interpol: New York based indie rock band Interpol have reported working on a new album, and although they are set to tour with U2 this summer, Coachella 2010 could have been a good starting place beforehand.

Yes, it will be crowded. As one person worryingly wrote on the event’s message board about how having a large camping site with cars and alcohol could prove to be dangerous if someone were to decide (rather stupidly) to drive their car on the camp grounds after consuming too much alcohol.

But Coachella is bound to be an entertaining weekend to say the least. It certainly is a bit of a financial stretch for those who are on a tight budget and/or don’t live within a 60-mile or so radius (and thus cannot drive back home at the end of each night), but this festival has brought together a myriad of talented artists and is one of the few times and places that one will be able to see supergroups Them Crooked Vultures (John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin, Dave Grohl from Nirvana and Foo Fighters, Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age), Atoms for Peace with Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Joey Waronker (R.E.M., Smashing Pumkpins); as well as The Dead Weather which includes Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs), Alison Mosshart (The Kills), Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age), all of those in the same weekend!

So think twice before dismissing attending this unique and promising musical activity.

Taking numbers from the top forty groups, there are a grand total of eleven groups that are categorized as “rock” of some variety, and looking further down the list the trend continues, with a grand total of 26 of the 100 top-earning artists coming from rock groups. The aforementioned list covers a variety of rock groups, from the easy rock of Coldplay to the harsh metal of Metallica, but the singles list is even worse, with only 13 of the top 100 songs originating from the rock artists.

This news spells trouble to those looking to make rock a creative vehicle. Rock has been a driving force behind much of the creativity of the past decades, its influence omnipresent throughout the close of the century. The majority of pop music of the seventies fell under what we would classify as “rock”. Even pop music of the eighties was strongly indebted to this phenomenon. The emergence of grunge, post-grunge, and nu-metal seemed to ensure the commercial viability of the rock n roll genre, but those genres have slowly shriveled to only a few musicians still making a living. Nickelback, Three Doors Down and Creed have all experienced disappointing album sales over the past two years, and newer bands with smaller fan bases (Three Days Grace, Hinder, AFI and others) have also failed to match previous sales.

Photo credit: tamako sato

The challenger to the rock throne seems to be electronic-oriented music. Strongly influenced by the funk/disco branch that evolved from R&B opposite Rock n Roll, electronic music has dominated the charts over the past year. 70 of the top 100 singles trace their success to electronic hip-hop beats or dance music. Critically electronic music is enjoying increasing popularity, as three of the top album nominees from this year’s Grammys came from these genres and a club-driven single won “Song of the Year” for the first time ever.

Not only electronic, but country music appears to have sucked away some of the life from rock n roll. Many of the same people that were drawn to earlier forms of rock n roll have been lured in by the crossover appeal of country. Since the success of Garth Brooks, country music has increasingly crossed over to poach many of the easy rock buyers. Country music has had no qualms about emphasizing pop-rock guitars in order to bring in would-be rock consumers. This, coupled with a willingness to substitute pop instruments for more traditional country instruments in radio singles, ensures that country is enjoying a strong, cross-sectional appeal to consumers.

Rock itself is struggling. No new genres have emerged to revitalize the rock scene. Metal is successful, but consumers of metal have little love for the more radio-friendly rock genres. A few pop acts embrace aspects of guitar-based rock, think Cobra Starship and their hit “Good Girls Go Bad”, but by and large rock finds itself at a crossroads. Will it be able to reinvent itself in order to survive? Or will it linger as a genre that has its occasional practitioners but little mainstream presence? One thing is certain: if there is no new creative force to revitalize rock n roll, it will slowly fade into a shadow of its old self.

So this is where the challenge emerges to anyone wishing to be successful in the rock genre: how can you grow as a musician to make your music something more than a tribute to heroes gone by? How can you invigorate new energy into an old brand of music?

Now, more than ever, it’s time to break the box of the past. What’s necessary is a new way of thinking, a willingness to experiment and have fun. One quote that has stuck said something to the extent that rock and roll is the music of the people; they could sing along with it, and dance with it. It stuck in their heads, its rhythm made you move. That is what is lacking more than anything else in rock. No longer the music of the people, rock has become dominated by seizure-inducing guitar-play or mass-produced ballads. Either rock will find its rhythm, or lose it entirely to another genre that willingly embraces it. The upcoming years are crucial in the development of rock, as it deals with the twin forces of electronic and country music. Rock needs to recast itself if it wishes to stay above water in the riptides of the music industry; I hold out hope that it can be redeemed.

Ben Histand is a fourth-year Business student with an interest in finding out how pop culture works, and has spent entirely too much time finding out how Marvin Gaye is the same as Led Zeppelin, and why Led Zeppelin sold a whole lot more albums.