WTFs in Rolling Stone's updated biographies

[Oracle]

When did the Right Wing take over Rock and Roll?

[bigstickbonzo]

I almost wonder if MTV's behind the scenes pro-Zeppelin influence in the 80s didn't have alot to do with Rolling Stone changing their minds about the band's legacy. That, and a fresh breed of writers. No?

[justawoman]

When did the Right Wing take over Rock and Roll?

I really don't want to get into a political discussion here, but since you asked . . . . .

(also, got to thinking about the above question)

I think it's been the nature of rock and roll since the beginning to be independent individualist's who abhor anyone telling them what to do, think, be, etc. Basically rebels. I think that over the decades the left wing or liberals have become the party of don't and the party of political correctness, i.e. - don't do this, don't do that, don't say that; you should think this, you should think that. You have to think what they want you to think or you're ignorant, Hitler, a fascist, a racist, close minded, whatever. They start the name calling and really don't want to hear anyone's opinion differing from theirs. And I think rock and roll or rock and rollers are like F - YOU, we don't have to adhere to your rules and we don't have to like everything you try to shove down our throats. We're not drinking the kool-aide you're selling.

Also, haven't you heard Zeppelin or hard rock being referred to as 'cock rock'? It's not because of Robert Plant's jeans! It attracts - by what it is selling, sex, freedom, toughness, devil may care attitude - men who like sex, freedom, are a bit tough and have a devil may care attitude. Just my opinion, just my observations, could be totally off-base, but I don't think so.

You had to ask.

[Wolfman]

I never did see what they said when Bonzo died. I heard it was just a small panel in their obituary section. Anyone ever see what they printed or have it to share with us?

So anyone have this issue or a copy of it?

[kaiser]

When did the Right Wing take over Rock and Roll?

A better question would be "When did hippie douchebags think that rock and roll belonged strictlty to them?"

Let's see, rock and roll started in America in the mid 1950's during the first term of a war hero Republican president. The stance & lyrics of most if not all rock stars of that time period was decidely pro-American eg. "I'm so glad to be living in the USA, anything you want we got it right here in the USA" by Chuck Berry from his song "Back In The USA". This is a song from a black man in his early 30's during the real start of the civil rights movement. No moaning, no complaining from a guy who I'm sure had faced his fair share of discrimination before, during, & after those lyrics were written. A song with those lyrics from a guy in his situation simply would not exist today. After the first wave of rock and roll ended, watered down versions of it started to take place like Fabian & Chubby Checker. The self important folk singing douchebags, who were not in the slightest bit rock and roll, moved in during the Kennedy administration. I consider rock and roll to be Little Richard & Eddie Cochran, not Pete Seeger & Woody Guthrie. To continue, the "message" in music starts taking place in the early 60's under the Kennedy admininstration, & if it didn't contain a socially relevant message, it was considered teeny bopper bullshit. The Beatles happen in America, run into Dylan who didn't sell a 10th of what the Beatles did but who had "credability" among left wing pretentious types. Dylan accused the Beatles of being teenybopper bullshit which Lennon took to heart. Soon after The Byrds start covering Dylan's songs albeit in a Beatlesy way musically, & voila, the relatively younger people of the left wing has it's prayers answered musically. Then the floodgates open & every body starts jumping on the bandwagon. It became the hip thing to do. Then when Nixon came into office they finally got what they were looking for: a big bad Republican bully who was looking to bum out their good time.

To this day I don't think there is anything sadder than some old hippie STILL ranting about Nixon. It's as if a part of them died with his being kicked out of office, & they've been trying to manufacture a new Nixon ever since.

Anywho, the right wing didn't take over rock and roll as they were there from the beginning, the left wing did. This is why I love the first wave of punk, they brought a balance to the music scene. The Dead Kennedy's (the name itself is a giveaway) wrote "California Uber Alles" comparing Jerry Brown to Hitler. Now what people here may not know is that the Dead Kennedy's then singer & leader Jello Biafra is a homosexual man from the Bay area who was/is extremely left wing & disliked Brown as much as he disliked former Governor Ronald Reagan. Jello Biafra wasn't partisan in his dislikes, say like Green Day. It's very easy for Green Day to write a whole album like "American Idiot" bashing the Bush administration, but do you think they would ever say a negative thing about the Obama administration? I don't think so because then they'd actually be offending their target audience, allegeded punk rockers who let the media outlets like Rolling Stone & MTV News do their thinking for them. It's hysterical. Funnily enough it was an interview in Rolling Stone a few years back that I saw the punkest quote in some time from Trey Parker & Matt Stone, the creators of "South Park". To paraphrase, they said the punkest thing anyone in America could do at the time was to walk into a Hollywood party & say that you were a Republican & loved George Bush because that's the only way you could offend anyone & not be a part of a clique lol. I believe they were absolutely right on that account.

To end, the single greatest political moment in rock and roll history was when Pete Townshend bashed Abbie Hoffman's head in with his guitar at Woodstock. Now how's that for peace & love.

Edited June 9, 2010 by kaiser

[Janet]

I'm sure people of all political persuasions love rock and roll for different reasons. In future, can we leave these discussions out of the Main Forum?

[kaiser]

^The discussion is about Rolling Stone & it's inaccuracies. It devolved into the "I hate Rolling Stone because of their treatment about Led Zeppelin" thing, which if you haven't noticed, just popped up again in another thread as if this one & the hundreds before it weren't enough. If it's fair enough to have countless threads about that then I'm sure discussing Rolling Stone & their political slant to some effect in one of those threads, which half of everyone of their issues is dedicated strictly to politics on top of politics relationship to artists in their music coverage, is hardly out of place & surely less redundant than "I hate Rolling Stone because of Zep" posts that are repeated over & over & over again. At least this political part of the conversation taking place gives an opportunity to voice other reasons why someone may not like Rolling Stone. I didn't even bother posting in the other thread because, really, what's the point. It's the same old, same old that I've read countless times before without one truly original complaint.

[justawoman]

Thank you Kaiser for your informative history lesson on rock & roll and the politics surrounding the music. I really enjoyed your post.

Also, Janet, differing opinions and dialog of said opinions is a good thing. How boring would life be if everyone thought the same or were too timid to express those differing opinions. Debate is healthy.

[Janet]

Thank you Kaiser for your informative history lesson on rock & roll and the politics surrounding the music. I really enjoyed your post.

Also, Janet, differing opinions and dialog of said opinions is a good thing. How boring would life be if everyone thought the same or were too timid to express those differing opinions. Debate is healthy.

I agree, I quite enjoy these discussions but usually they belong in the General Forum. I realize this one came about as a side track to the general "RS stinks" topic.

[Oracle]

Hey yeah, thanks for the info Kaiser!

[Gospel Zone]

I think Rolling Stone is basically an non-credible pop magazine. I would not be surprised if their current practice is to give good reviews as a favor for the artist.

[EarendiltheEVENINGSTAR]

I'm not saying that 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is a better song than Stairway, it doesn't come close. But when SLTS came out, it was a pretty huge song and changed the music scene.

Stairway as said before was a much more iconic song and raised the bar for rock and songwriting in general.

[Gospel Zone]

I'm not saying that 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is a better song than Stairway, it doesn't come close. But when SLTS came out, it was a pretty huge song and changed the music scene.

I don't even remember what "Smells Like Teen Spirit" sounds like.

Edited June 14, 2010 by Gospel Zone

[justawoman]

I don't even remember what "Smells Like Teen Spirit" sounds like.

Great point!!!!!!!!

I bet if you played "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to 100 random people on the street, then played "Stairway to Heaven" and asked them to name the songs, a large majority would be able to name "Stairway" but not be able to name "Teen Spirit". And to boot, they probably could name the band.

[Mangani]

I don't even remember what "Smells Like Teen Spirit" sounds like.

Just think of Wild Thing....but faster.

[zdr]

indeed!

[zeppphead]

indeed!

Yeah, and the holy trinity of British rock, according to Rolling Stone is Beatles + Stones + Who

Besides that, so much effin' bias in the updated material.....