I really like that type of attitude. Some artists chafe at no longer being current. Probably the most famous example of that was when Rick Nelson played Madison Sq. Garden in the early 70s, and the fans booed his newer music. It inspired him to write the song Garden Party, which ironically, made him current again. It's always good for these artists to remember how hard it is to achieve success in show business. I remember reading an article about singer "Little Anthony", who became successful during the doo-wop era, and who after a dry spell, became popular again in the mid 60s. At some point after the hits stopped, he was booked to do Vegas, and it was successful. At this point, although he still wished he was current, he realized that he had been successful enough that there would be no 9-5 in his future, and he appreciated that. Like McGrath, many of these acts come to terms with their situation, and embrace it. They play the hits that 90% of the audience want to hear. One exception is George Clinton. Clinton plays the hits, but then he'll have his granddaughter out there rapping. He'll then go to the other extreme, playing the loud guitar rock Funkadelic was known for, back when they were an underground band with a cult following. Not everyone wants to hear this stuff, but he doesn't care. Most artists aren't that bold.
OT: When does a rock band, "expire"?
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The nice thing about the 60’s is that for the most part, we were limited to AM radio. Most AM stations played a variety of music, so we could be exposed to Little Richard, Elvis, Doris Day, the Drifters, Bobby Vinton, Dionne Warwick, and Hank Williams - all in the same hour. For many of us, it provided a richer experience, and broadened our listening horizons.
I kinda feel sorry for younger people of today, many whom are limited by niche listening. There’s a lot of great music that they’re probably not going to hear.
One of the longer-lived artists that never "expired" was Johnny Cash. He was still writing and recording new music at the time of his death, almost 50 years after he started. "When the Man Comes Around" was pretty popular for its time, and Cash had success covering "Hurt" and "Gonna Cut You Down" which was a Christian folk song.
I think part of Cash's late-career success was that he found a producer that was very different from him and helped push him in new directions. Rick Rubin is a genius and probably one of the top 5 producers of the last 30 years with acts as varied as the Beastie Boys and Adele. And maybe Cash is the rare artist that wanted to keep recording into his 70s as a way to experiment with the religious and folk songs of his youth?
Anyway, I'm kind of rambling. You posed a great question. But I think the answer is that it doesn't matter when they expire. Because when you listen to a band they take you back to a special time and place that you can never revisit: driving across West Texas to your first military assignment, a concert with your dad or your best friend, maybe your wedding. Whether your favorite band makes new music or not doesn't really matter because it's that special time/place/feeling that you'll always compare it to and can never be recaptured.
I think part of Cash's late-career success was that he found a producer that was very different from him and helped push him in new directions. Rick Rubin is a genius and probably one of the top 5 producers of the last 30 years with acts as varied as the Beastie Boys and Adele. And maybe Cash is the rare artist that wanted to keep recording into his 70s as a way to experiment with the religious and folk songs of his youth?
Anyway, I'm kind of rambling. You posed a great question. But I think the answer is that it doesn't matter when they expire. Because when you listen to a band they take you back to a special time and place that you can never revisit: driving across West Texas to your first military assignment, a concert with your dad or your best friend, maybe your wedding. Whether your favorite band makes new music or not doesn't really matter because it's that special time/place/feeling that you'll always compare it to and can never be recaptured.
Rick rubin is in a class by himself. No one else is in the same category
Yeah, of course there was. They just don't play any of them on 60s on 6.
Tonight on 60s on 6 we are debuting a new show. It's the "All the songs you didn't like back then" show. Hosted by an artist from back then that no one liked. Don't miss it!
Wow. I remember Belly. Man, it has been a loooong time since I heard them. What is weird, SiriusAM 34 never playes their songs, which is music from that era/genre.
Yeah. Their stuff I loved. I enjoyed the female voices of that day. Natalie Merchant, Letters to Cleo, Mazzy Star, etc.
The lead singer from Belly was in The Breeders and Throwing Muses with her step sister, and that band was awful for me. Then she goes off and forms her own band (Belly) and it was fantastic.
My point though is it’s like striking oil when an old band you enjoy actually puts out quality stuff decades later. It almost never happens. Imagine how you’d feel if the Cure or REM or someone you enjoyed that expired decades ago put out a record today with 8-12 really good songs?? It almost never happens.
And then there's this one -- from 1966. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 popular music singles chart, No. 1 on the Cash Box Top 100 charts, No. 2 in Canada, and reaching No. 4 on the UK singles chart.
Was that Catherine or Kim Deal? And if this the correct sisters, you got to give me some big props because I didn't look it up, I am just going from memory. But Kim Deal was also in the Pixies.
OK, it was Tanya Donnelly who with Kim Deal formed the Breeders. On a related note, I actually saw Throwing Muses as I believe they opened up for REM in one of their stops in Pittsburgh.
No. Kristen Hirsh was the founder of Throwing Muses. She was the primary songwriter and lead singer. Her stepsister was Tanya Donnelly who left amicably to form Belly, but not before they did 3 or so albums together. Hirch’s music didn’t appeal to me at all. And even the occasional song that Donnelly wrote and sang while with the Muses wasn’t very good. Although, Donnelly did write and sing one really good song while with the Muses called “Not too soon”. I’ll link it at the bottom here. You may know it. It’s really good. But it’s the only Muses song I liked. But when she left and formed Belly, just about every song was really good for me.
Btw. When I listen to my “Belly” channel on Pandora, Pixies songs are often Played within. They had a lot of good stuff.
Oh Please don’t start me on tanya’s politics. Lol. And I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have much in common with me or have much use for me. But I still love her.
Back in hs some friends went to a belly concert - I passed because they weren’t my style .
The opening act was a folk singer nobody heard of - and was jeered openly by the crowd -
Jewel
I was there for the Pittsburgh show at Metropol. I don’t remember any jeering. Not saying there wasn’t though. It was just her on a stage, on a stool, with a guitar. I really don’t remember much else about her set.
Again, I am not saying some of these bands don't continue to put on great performances, or even put out some good music, I am just saying their relevancy is over. When you look at say the Billboard Top 100 Albums, you will find Queen listed in 2019, but that was for the Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack. But let's face it when and if Queen tours, (with a different lead singer) and say they would put out some new music. 95% (or more) of the concert goers are going for We Will Rock You or Bohemian Rhapsody. And that's my point. Stones may put an new album and tour, but most people are going to hear them play Satisfaction and Sympathy. I went to a U2 Concert where the first half of the entire concert was their Joshua Tree album. Many people could care less from some of the songs from "Innocence".
This is what I mean. Billy Joel was mentioned as still a great performer and I don't doubt it. When was the last charting Billy Joel song? And if you are going to see Billy Joel, you are going to see him play Piano Man, and Big Shot, etc....not anything new. That's my point. At some point, especially these groups or individuals who have been out there for 20+ years, especially those who's first 3-5 albums contained many hits, after awhile, they essentially become their own cover bands.
This is what I mean. Billy Joel was mentioned as still a great performer and I don't doubt it. When was the last charting Billy Joel song? And if you are going to see Billy Joel, you are going to see him play Piano Man, and Big Shot, etc....not anything new. That's my point. At some point, especially these groups or individuals who have been out there for 20+ years, especially those who's first 3-5 albums contained many hits, after awhile, they essentially become their own cover bands.
When record sales mattered, I think charts like billboard mattered. The artist can go directly to the consumer now through a slew of platforms. I am not sure how you tell who is making relevant music. Some hip hop artists are constantly making collaboration singles and never make an actual album, but they are extremely popular because they get played at parties and clubs and people like the way the music sounds.
As I said before, I am a byproduct of the 90s alternative era. To me music has to have a message. I am much more into analyzing the message lyrically when combined with the sound and mood it creates rather than if I can sign along with it or dance to it.
I love bands that still produce liner notes so when I take a few listens to an album, I can read along with the lyrics. I also never skip a track on an album. Never. And I know I am in the minority there.
Aerosmith might have had the longest expiration date in terms of commercial relevance. RHCP is treading in those waters too. Both reinvented themselves too.
Billy Joel hasn't even written a new song in a long time. I believe he last released a song in something like 2007. He last released an album in 2001, and it was more of a classical album than a rock album. His last "real" rock album was released in 1993.
I heard him talk about it before, and he is basically where you are on all this. He thinks that he's said all he has to say, and he thinks that most (if not all) acts that continue on year after year generally don't have anything new or interesting to say. And for him writing and recording music was always difficult, and he's just not interested in putting in all the work to do something that he's already done before.
And if the virus disappeared tomorrow and he announced a big arena tour starting soon, he'd sell tickets like crazy at very high prices.
In the late 70's, people started complaining that it didn't compare to the 60's. Little did the know that the following decades would be progressively worse. The number of popular genres that caught on then was impressive. Metal, Southern Rock, Country Rock, Prog, Hard Rock, Punk, Disco, New Country, New Wave, etc. But all genres eventually play themselves out.
This is a good topic for Mike412
