Henry Rollins on the State of Music Today

[Jahfin]

[Rock Historian]

Although I've never been a huge fan of his music, I enjoy his poetry and I share his same views and thoughts on what the commercial state of music is vs. the underground bands that don't rely on MTV, media or magazines that glorify the mainstream. Thanks for posting this: It gives the unknown bands and fans of their music hope - and Rollins is their voice/leader!!!

[Jahfin]

I agree with much of what he said but not all of it. As for MTV, it stopped being crucial to a bands' career a very long time ago. Even then, there were some bands that were quite successful without it.

[Rock Historian]

I agree with much of what he said but not all of it. As for MTV, it stopped being crucial to a bands' career a very long time ago. Even then, there were some bands that were quite successful without it.

I heard a song from Winger the other day. (talking about MTV) Remember that shit? terrible- but they made their money, like alot of bands from that time.

For a while VH1 was the alternative-then they became another MTV , showing mostly reality shows and whatnot opposed to videos. I think MTV must own them now-same corp?

[Jahfin]

VH1 and MTV have always been affiliated. VH1 (which stands for Video Hits One) was started as a way to appeal to an older audience. As for how they both went downhill, even MTV2 and VH1 Classic have met similar fates. Unfortunately, music programming alone isn't even to garner ratings.

The upside of MTV for me were programs such as 120 Minutes, Postmodern MTV, I.R.S.' The Cutting Edge, The Week In Rock, Unplugged and the Rockmentaries. As I believe I mentioned in another thread recently, I'm looking very forward to reading the new book I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution by Rob Tannenbaum not just for the early history of the channel but for the chapter about some of the alternative programming I mentioned such as 120 Minutes. For those of us that grew up in rural areas, those programs were a musical lifeline. The local AOR station (WQDR out of Raleigh) played what would now be considered "alternative" and "underground" type bands such as the dB's, Let's Active, R.E.M., etc. but 120 Minutes exposed to an even wider range of artists that I'd only read about previously.

[Rock Historian]

VH1 and MTV have always been affiliated. VH1 (which stands for Video Hits One) was started as a way to appeal to an older audience. As for how they both went downhill, even MTV2 and VH1 Classic have met similar fates. Unfortunately, music programming alone isn't even to garner ratings.

The upside of MTV for me were programs such as 120 Minutes, Postmodern MTV, I.R.S.' The Cutting Edge, The Week In Rock, Unplugged and the Rockmentaries. As I believe I mentioned in another thread recently, I'm looking very forward to reading the new book I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution by Rob Tannenbaum not just for the early history of the channel but for the chapter about some of the alternative programming I mentioned such as 120 Minutes. For those of us that grew up in rural areas, those programs were a musical lifeline. The local AOR station (WQDR out of Raleigh) played what would now be considered "alternative" and "underground" type bands such as the dB's, Let's Active, R.E.M., etc. but 120 Minutes exposed to an even wider range of artists that I'd only read about previously.

Yeah, I think I was getting away from TV in general or maybe just MTV when 120 minutes was taking charge, so I never watched alot of that, but it was something that I related too and I thought the few times I saw it, was enjoyable. I still think the old Headbanger's Ball with Adam Curry-(not that poser douche bag) Rikki Rachman, was the best thing around back then.

Your right, VH1 showed older videos for a while. But it was obvious when they ultimately followed in the footsteps of MTV , playing more reality shows than music. VH1 classic feel apart and met a similar fate. What a waste.

[Jahfin]

I was the opposite, I was more interested in alternative (for lack of a better term) music so I never cared much for Headbanger's Ball. Back in the early 90s, when it came to hard rock, I was more into bands such as the Black Crowes than I was Poison, Winger, Cinderella, White Lion, etc. In fact, I was into any of those bands at all.

[Rock Historian]

I was the opposite, I was more interested in alternative (for lack of a better term) music so I never cared much for Headbanger's Ball. Back in the early 90s, when it came to hard rock, I was more into bands such as the Black Crowes than I was Poison, Winger, Cinderella, White Lion, etc. In fact, I was into any of those bands at all.

I watched Headbanger's Ball for Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Dio, the ocassional Zeppelin and Sabbath they would show. That kind of stuff. You can take the Winger, Trixter, Firehouse, Warrent, Poison and Motley Crue and burn it. I still despise those bands. I also really got into the early 90's stuff, like STP, Soundgarden, etc. Black Crowes.......I liked them way before they probably even met Jimmy Page. Very good song writers.

[FireOpal]

VH1 Classic is doing a LOT of heavy metal and hair band programming now. I can't decide whether that's an improvement or not. I suppose it's better than not having anything to do with music at all, such as VH1 which only seems to do reality programs about hoochies married to basketball players and D-list celebs with drug problems.

P.S. Props to Jahfin for mentioning The Cutting Edge. I still remember Rollins (with long hair, looking uncomfortably like Charlie Manson) reciting his poetry on that show, also tons of I.R.S.-label bands. I also videotaped 120 Minutes every week; that was a lifeline, musically.

[Jahfin]

VH1 Classic is doing a LOT of heavy metal and hair band programming now. I can't decide whether that's an improvement or not. I suppose it's better than not having anything to do with music at all, such as VH1 which only seems to do reality programs about hoochies married to basketball players and D-list celebs with drug problems.

I enjoy That Metal Show, even though I'm not much of a fan of metal, the subject matter is just broad enough to pique my interest. Plus, I'm a sucker for most any program about music. As the tagline used to go for VH1's Behind the Music, "even we can make Tony Orlando sound interesting" (or something to that effect). I'm not particularly a fan of their hair metal marathons but it's pretty obvious who their target audience is so I'm sure those folks love it, just not me. In their favor, I do have to give VH1 Classic some pretty major props for the Heavy: The Story of Metal documentary and for airing The Seven Ages of Rock documentary. The second one was originally shown on the BBC but Heavy was something that was done in-house. If I'm not mistaken, I believe they won some awards for that one.

P.S. Props to Jahfin for mentioning The Cutting Edge. I still remember Rollins (with long hair, looking uncomfortably like Charlie Manson) reciting his poetry on that show, also tons of I.R.S.-label bands. I also videotaped 120 Minutes every week; that was a lifeline, musically.

By the time cable came to my neck of the woods in '89, The Cutting Edge was on it's last legs but I did manage to catch one of the last episodes MTV aired which was a rerun featuring R.E.M. (in a stellar, career defining acoustic performance), the Fleshtones, Morrissey and others. Years later, when one of our local Blockbuster Music locations went out of business I was able to score an old VHS tape from the show (which also included the R.E.M. performance). Agreed on 120 Minutes, I rarely, if ever stayed up to watch it on Sunday nights. I would set the VCR and watch it back during the week. Another favorite program to watch back in those days was Night Flight which used to air on the USA Network. It wasn't all music but occasionally there would be a feature on some artists that weren't in the limelight or they'd show cool movies like Countryman.

[FireOpal]

Ah gawd I remember Night Flight! I still have the U2 episode on VHS. That was a very edgy show when it started around '83, '84. They featured a weekly punk rock show from L.A., extremely low budget, that had guests such as The Plugz (pre-Cruzados, remember "Motorcycle Girl"?) and Black Flag (Rollins again! Cripes, he was everywhere).

[Jahfin]

Ah gawd I remember Night Flight! I still have the U2 episode on VHS. That was a very edgy show when it started around '83, '84. They featured a weekly punk rock show from L.A., extremely low budget, that had guests such as The Plugz (pre-Cruzados, remember "Motorcycle Girl"?) and Black Flag (Rollins again! Cripes, he was everywhere).

I'm a Cruzados fan but I didn't discover "Motorcycle Girl" until recently when looking up some of their old videos on the innerwebs. A friend of mine recently ordered some old episodes of Night Flight online on DVD. If I'm not mistaken, this is the site he ordered them from.

[FireOpal]

Thanks for that web site. "New Wave Theatre" was that edgy punk show I was referring to. http://night_flight1...avetheatre.html

Sad that the host's murder has never been solved.

OMG! That guy (Peter Ivers) wrote In Heaven (The Lady in the Radiator Song) from the David Lynch film "Eraserhead." I love that song; sing it all the time.

[dazedcat]

Wow, I haven't thought of "Night Flight' in years now. That was a great program, you never knew what you were going to see on it from one week to the next. Free form television almost.