Instead of Allison, you get Patty. What is this "Zeppelin" you refer to? Patty Griffin: Raisin' Zen

What you need is a soothsayer or clairvoyant. There is no link because the album hasn't been released yet. Perhaps it's time to live dangerously and take a chance.

Jimmy Buffett Bob Dylan Joni Mitchell Crosby, Stills & Nash

How did the fantastic ZZ Top end up at a hair metal festival?

The above posts comparing rap and rock are a fine example of the ignorance that runs rampant at this board, not to mention the racist overtones that are somehow allowed here.

Perhaps one of the funniest things I've ever read on this board is all the slander aimed at Plant for the Raising Sand record. People started throwing terms around like bluegrass, hillbilly, etc. which all proved they hadn't listened to even one note of the album. Meanwhile Jones is off working with nearly every progressive bluegrass band out there whether it be the Duhks, Nickel Creek, Sara Watkins, Uncle Earl or whoever but not one person here (at least that I'm aware of) aimed any of their vitriol towards him. On top of that, look at the myriad of genres that influenced Led Zeppelin. To slam Plant, Page or Jones for their various endeavors into all kinds of other music is proof positive that these detractors have little to no knowledge of the very broad palatte Zeppelin drew from. It's one thing to have an informed opinion of the music when critiquing it, it's quite another just to outright slam it because it's not the direction you'd like to see Plant, Page or Jones follow.

All music? There's more to like (and love) out there now than ever before and even better, there's more ways to access it. There's been more new music released this year than I can afford to keep up with.

Since there have always been so many at this board that consider rap not to be music, I wonder what other widely accepted forms of music they also don't consider "music"?

Thankfully, that's not true. While the majority of what you hear on commercial country radio may sound like watered down Eagles/Southern Rock from the 70s, it's not indicative of country music across the board. There has always been a counterpoint to commercial country. In the 70s it was the "Outlaw Movement" and "country-rock", in the 80s it was "cowpunk", in the 90s/00s it's become known by a variety of terms: Americana, No Depression, alt.country, y'allternative, etc. The clip below is from the Gram Parsons special on Sessions at West 54th that aired on PBS back in the late 90s/early 00s.

I fail to see how music is stagnating. From my experience it's quite the opposite.

The "art" aspect of music is alive and well. What changed is the industry. Labels no longer invest the time in artists for them to develop like they used to. Artist development is a thing of the past. Now the labels expect a hit right out of the box and if that doesn't happen, they'll drop the artist like a hot potato. This is not true across the board for all labels but it is certainly the case with very many of them. Eventually the labels will fail (which is already happening) and the industry will collapse upon itself. Once that happens artistic control will be back in the hands of the artists, where it has always belonged anyway. MTV makes an easy scapegoat but they were never the cause of anything, they were a symptom of something much, much larger.

They're out there too. Why do so many folks here seem to have so much trouble finding new music they like? What sources are people using to seek out new music? Surely with the innerwebz at nearly everyone's disposal these days it shouldn't be that hard to find something worth listening to. Personally, I can't keep up with all of the new music I'd like to listen to (and/or purchase) whereas, when I visit this board people seem to be having a very hard time finding something they like.

I never said they did, what did I say is that derogatory terms were used towards women and that cars, violence, sex and drugs were glorified. Rap isn't the only musical form within which women have been degraded. Rock n' roll has a long standing tradition of being about nothing but sex, drugs, violence and established a reputation for treating women as mere sexual objects. In the early days of rock n' roll it was considered "the devil's music". There were record burnings and some radio stations refused to play it. The same weak argument was made back then that rock n' roll wasn't "music". Such as?

Yep, I always hated those old rock n' roll songs where all they sang about were fucking, girls, drinking, fucking, cars, girls, drinking, fucking and cars. Especially that one the Stones did, Under My Thumb, that was so very respectful to women.

Can't say I hear any Eagles at all in that but yeah, they were recently on a rerun of Austin City Limits which was taped when they were out in support of the record Impossible Germany comes from (Sky Blue Sky). The clip I posted comes from their Ashes of American Flags DVD. Highly recommended if you like what you've heard so far. Best thing though is seeing them live. Hopefully they'll be through your area soon.

Indeed it is, they just don't assemble soundtracks like Top Gun anymore: 1. Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins 2. Mighty Wings - Cheap Trick 3. Playing With the Boys - Kenny Loggins 4. Lead Me On - Teena Marie 5. Take My Breath Away [Love Theme from Top Gun] - Berlin 6. Hot Summer Nights - Miami Sound Machine 7. Heaven in Your Eyes - Loverboy 8. Through the Fire - Larry Greene 9. Destination Unknown - Marietta 10. Top Gun Anthem - Harold Faltermeyer/Steve Stevens 11. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay [*] - Otis Redding 12. Memories [*] - Harold Faltermeyer 13. Great Balls of Fire [Original Version][*] - Jerry Lee Lewis 14. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' [*] - Righteous Brothers 15. Playing With the Boys [Dance Mix][*] - Kenny Loggins 16. Playing With the Boys [12" Version] - Kenny Loggins

Yep, that one is top notch from start to finish. I especially love Danger Zone. One can never get enough Kenny Loggins soundtrack music. This isn't rock but it's definitely classic:

It's "stagnating", how is that? I'd also love for someone to explain why we supposedly need a guitar "hero", especially when there's folks like Nels Cline around (see clip below).

Unfortunately, I have. Yet another reason I went to satellite.

Perhaps you do but I'm perfectly content with the direction of current music. Then again, I'm not one of those in search of another Led Zeppelin. Not saying you are, I'm just saying I'm not.

Yes, and it's a fine line. Someone's definition of "rock n' roll" may include Madonna but mine doesn't. Neither does Donna Summer.

Blondie most definitely belongs in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. They were a huge part of putting post-punk/new wave on the map along with Talking Heads, the Ramones, and most every other band that played CBGB's back in the day.

Tina sang it best, we don't need another hero. Particularly a "guitar" one.

I was going to post it here when the news broke but I figured that aside from a few folks, it would fall on deaf ears. I was a latecomer to Big Star myself and it took years for me to finally fully appreciate them. Many of my favorite bands from R.E.M. to Wilco have often cited Chilton and Big Star as an influence over the years so I had always wanted to check them out. When I finally did, I didn't understand what all the fuss was about. From time to time I would break out #1 Record/Radio City and give it another chance. For whatever reason, those records finally started to click with me about a year or so ago. Sadly, Alex (along with Big Star) is one of those people that belong in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame but will most likely never be nominated, much less inducted. That right there is a cryin' fucking shame.