Death Of Hard Rock: The Future

EC
Well, hard rock has a borderline future in my opinion. It could really go either way. If the label execs finally get tired of the stagnant, muddy situation that the rock genre has become, then things could look up. There could be a bright light at the proverbial "end of the tunnel".

Slowly we have seen older, established stars like Tesla, Skid Row, Britny Fox, and a host of others hitting the studio for another shot at superstardom. Big tours like last year's successful Poison caravan, with guests such as Warrant and Ratt give hard rock a good shot in the arm. This year we've seen the reformation of Whitesnake, LA Guns (original members), Winger, Stryper, and Judas Priest, which certainly seems promising to other acts like Van Halen and Guns N Roses. We've even heard those "off the wall" rumors that Motley Crue is going to hit the strip one more time. Can all of these teasers really pay off, or will the rock fan base turn to newer acts for their hard rock cravings?

Perhaps someone in the record business will sign the big contract for a Pink Cream 69 or Pyn Siren band. I think sometime in the next two years, hard rock will try a comeback. Someone in the record industry will try to find the next big thing. Maybe Pyn Siren. Maybe a reformed Winger. Maybe even bite on a few soundtrack songs to test the waters. But it will happen.

I am really surprised that we haven't heard more out of the hard rock scene. With the demise and fall of hardcore, punk, and even garage rock these days, the world is searching for something new to grab onto. They are tired of the Nickelbacks and Godsmacks, and have started to reject that money making "Creed/Alice In Chains/Pearl Jam" type poor-mans rock that has been around for so long. They aren't looking for folk. Country is no more. Nu-Metal is sluggish. Grunge is gone. Punk is dead. Hardcore has become empty. Garage rock wasn't the revolutionary savior that we were all told it would be.

Just imagine a world filled with reunited rockers like Priest, Van Halen, Guns N Roses, Whitesnake, Warrant, Tesla, LA Guns, Motley Crue, Ratt, Winger, and White Lion. The possibilites are endless.

Hard Rock is the answer. Hard Rock holds the key. Hard Rock....could be the future.

Nailer
I can only say that I think the near future of hard rock looks pretty bleak currently, but there is hope. The record companies seem more interested in similar sounding, easy-on-the-ears chord-based rock from bands like Puddle of Mud, Saliva, Nickleback and Creed than anything that could knock you for a loop. They will blame anything they can on loss of sales from file trading to gaming to the economy without considering that it may be the product itself. Rap and hip hop is simply the musical choice of this generation.

But even with the dreary outlook, I'm reminded of the tale of King Arthur who is supposed to come back from Avalon whenever his land and peoples need him. He is the perpetual savior-figure of myth. The established bands like Disturbed, Manson, Godsmack, Korn and Limp Bizkit have been running the show for about the last half-decade and on the horizon there seems to be no usurpers with gleaming armor and volitile weapon in hand ready to storm the towers.

When we most need it, rock will see the return of the charismatic figure to the fountainhead and musical bliss will spring forth from their attitude, finese and bravado. Roger Daltry, Robert Plant, Steven Tyler, David Lee Roth and Axl Rose showed us all what a good frontman could do. They replaced angst and complacency with aggression and raw energy.

Do some research on the Internet. Check out your local bands. Check for cheap Indy releases and free sample. Check websites for free MP3s.

The market is ready to be shaken up.

It all starts with you.