Excuse me, what the fuck? Nobleman Skrew-Jack, after reading your article What Was And What Will Never Be I was not only offended, but also felt deep empathy towards you and your understanding of Rock ‘n’ Roll—or lack thereof. Your article is riddled with factual errors and ill-conceived opinions on the history and present state of Rock ‘n’ Roll music. I write this not to embarrass and belittle you, though I may, but rather to help you avoid public embarrassment in the future.
I’d like to begin by correcting a couple of you erroneous claims.
“But when the last of the three great guitarists left (Jimmy Page) it would put a silence on The Yardbirds who slowly faded into back up guitarists and low charting albums.”
I’m sorry, but you couldn’t be more wrong. There was no fading away; there were no low charting albums. Yes, a silence would be put on The Yardbirds, due to the simple fact the band did not even exist between 1968 and 1992. In late 1968, The Yardbirds consisted of Keith Relf, Jimmy Page, Chris Dreja, and Jim McCarty. At this time Relf, Dreja, and McCarty would depart due to musical differences. This left Jimmy Page as the lone member of The Yardbirds. Page would then recruit John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, and John Bonham. For a short time they would be billed as The New Yardbirds and then would change the band’s name to Led Zeppelin; officially ending The Yardbirds legacy, until a reunion in 1992. Don’ worry at least your version sounded good; it was just total bullshit.
“Turning to solo careers, Page would go on to release several albums that didn’t turn out great while Plant did the same. Plant stayed a stray from the mic until 2009 . . .”
Honestly? Here’s an idea: rather than pulling facts out of your ass, pull your head out and check out Wikipedia once and a while. Robert Plant released approximately 12 albums between 1982 and 2009. I’m no rock star but it is my understanding that to record those he would have had to be within at least three feet of a mic; or am I wrong?
As for “didn’t turn out great,” that’s fine, that’s your opinion. A very shitty, imbecilic, and ignorant opinion, but hey, nonetheless your opinion. Had you consulted some outside resources you may have noticed that Robert Plant and Jimmy Page would collaborate three times after Led Zeppelin’s breakup. The three albums, The Honey Drippers: Vol. 1, No Quarter: Page and Plant Unledded, and Walking Into Clarksdale, would all chart higher than Led Zeppelin’s final album, Coda. The pair would also win a Grammy Award for the track “Most High.” The Grammy Awards are given to those who make outstanding achievements in the music industry; but, you’re telling me the albums didn’t turn out that great?
Now that I’ve got that out of the way, it’s time for what perturbed me the most, your inability to evaluate the current state of rock music. In your article, after your fictitious history pertaining to Led Zeppelin, you claim that rock “is a struggle to hit it big on the air waves that are controlled by larger corporations.” If you expect to sit back and have great music spoon fed to you, you are an idiot. With the internet the music industry has been revolutionized. While record companies, television networks, and radio stations may try to force feed you over priced, shitty albums, you have the ability to find nearly anything you want on the Internet. It is your right duty as a music enthusiast to seek out great bands and share them with others. As you said yourself in America: The Failed Experiment, “The counter culture makes the news.” You’re right, and they also choose the music. Fuck the radio; now get off your ass and make a difference.
Your greatest mistake was implying rock is dead by saying, “The rebirth of rock is still in the works, who knows when and where it will happen…” This is probably due to the fact that you are unaware of the existence of music other than that on the radio. Breaking into the mainstream and receiving radio play is by no means a symbol of public acceptance, talent, or achievement; and, it is certainly not a fair evaluation of the current state of music. When determining the current state of Rock ‘n’ Roll you should have taken note of the non-stop touring, extravagant festivals, and multitude of fans downloading and trading shows and albums of rock’s leading groups. While there isn’t a band who creates the hysteria and holds the iconic status Led Zeppelin did in the 70′s—besides U2, who can all go fuck themselves—there are numerous bands that have the abilities to self-release albums, host their own festivals, and successfully tour for years on end. Ha! And rock is dead?! Go fuck yourself, you fucking child.
The internet allows for anyone to become established and recognized regardless of record contracts, aesthetics, and popularity; which is exactly what companies like Clear Channel prevent on public air waves. The internet ensures that great music, no matter how marketable, will constantly be created, shared, and available to the masses. For this reason rock has not only been able to maintain its status, but continue to thrive exponentially decade after decade. Much of the success can be attributed to the rise in popularity of Peer-2-Peer programs, such as Napster and LimeWire; and more recently, torrent sharing with programs such as µTorrent and BitTorrent.
So next time you decide to insult a generation’s music legacy, first please consult a website, a true fan, or better yet just keep your mouth shut until you know what you’re talking about. Rock never died. Rock is alive and well, as it has been since the demise of Led Zeppelin, and as it will be for many years to come. Granted ignoramuses like you take initiative in seeking out great new music, rather than accept digesting the nasty soup that is modern commercial rock.
P.S. You did hold onto a shred of dignity, and even gain back some respect, with the random Jack White name drop. But come on man, he alone shows Rock ‘n’ Roll never died and is thriving.
Alright, rant over.
