Is There Hope In ANY NEW MUSIC For Aging Gen-Xers\Grungers ?

DriftingByTheStorm · May 2006

I know that I am patheticaly uncool.
When I go bowling at our local lanes (hey there's nothing better to do, and you can drink and get blazed while throwing heavy objects!) I see "kids" and they are at times making fun of stuff I grew up on ...

Once Soundgarden came on, and this girl starts headbanging like it's Motley Crue (oh, ok. I know we used to bang out to the SG, but still) and acting like it's some trumped up 80's revival for them to be playing it ...

The kids behind the counter are always digging on me for my PJ love,
and then they start playing Emo crap (and yes some of it is legitimately Emo, once they even put on Hawthorne Heights!) ...

Anyhow ...

I'm just wondering if there is ANY HOPE of finding new music that seems to mesh with the apparently out-of-style tastes of the late Gen-Xers and Grungers ... you know I LOVE the hardstuff, and a few soft ones thrown in there ... but I can't take all this MMJ style drawn out winey-ballad rock ... yeah, sometimes it's catchy, but it just sounds stale coming out the gate to me ...

Since the start of the new millenium I would have trouble getting past one hand counting the bands I can tolerate listening to...

At the top of that list, despite the derivitative sound which reminded me of like 3 or 4 other female-led bands would probably sit

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs (hey it's catchy, but it actually ROCKS ... HARD)

recently I started listening to

Wolfmother (and they are "alright". A bit too-much Sabbath meets White Stripes for me to stomache, but at least it isn't Emo)

then I would have to give a nod to

Drive-By Truckers

for desperately trying not to sound like everyother goddamn whiney band out there that i've been told i should check out ... but somehow I still wouldn't say they make me enjoy listening ...

and finaly,
sheerly for being capable of proving that you can rock with out making Michael Stipe sound like a Death Metal God ...

The White Stripes (even though i only listen when my friend plays their CDs)

So, is it utterly hopeless? Am i a fucking dinosaur rocker from a bygone era who has maintained zero cred, and has no chance of ever thinking anything rocks ever again? Or are there others out there who are equaly depressed trying to find loud rocking music with a decent message?

CAN SOMEONE RECOMMEND SOME GOOD STARTING POINTS?

BANDS?
WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT?
REFERENCES\MAGAZINES OR ANYTHING THAT IS A RESOURCE FOR NEW MUSIC THAT ISN'T FOR PUSSIES?

Look, I like my share of Violent Femmes and REM and such ... but this new breed of rock just hurts ...

Most of what i hear, sounds like
Music for kids to whine about their mothers with:
"Mommy wouldn't let me watch sunday morning cartoons, and she never let me eat Fruity Pebbles, either!"

musicismylife78 · May 2006

I dont have an answer. But just wanted to respond to tell you I am in the same position. I remember as a kid, on my local radio station, they used to play grunge all the time in the early 90's. They even had a rock countdown show, I remember clearly PJ was number one for 13 straight weeks. I remember crying when they lost, they lost to Bush Everything Zen.

Anyways, I know EXACTLY what you mean. In 1994, when Kurt died, the music died for me. It was never the same. In the last few years, after years of waiting for a new musical movement, something that made an impact on me, music with a purpose, I sort of said to myself, their will never be another grunge movement. I kind of gave up hope.

So I am right here with you! We need another grunge movement, and we need it immediately frankly.

Someone here posted that they were a teacher and they played pj for their class of middle schoolers, and one kid said "whats a pearl jam". I mean it looks kind of bleak, I agree. Its not good when kids not only don't know good rock music, but think Pearl Jam is something like a shoe or some tv or something.

That said this year 2006, I have been most excited about music since the 1990's. Ben Harper has a new record, so do the red hot chili's, Neil Young does as well. So does Pearl Jam of course, and Tool. I dont know if you are into them. Audioslave although they dont have a new record, I like their stuff. Sleater kinney too. Mars volta seems to really have alot of amazing music out as well. Alice in Chains are back together. As are smashing pumpkins. The Strokes are a great band, who remind me of Pearl Jam, in that they do what the hell they want, not what fans want or record companies.

I just wanted to say, I feel completely like you, but have loosened up a bit, as this year really surprised me. I was under the impression I would never feel about music the way I did in the 90's. This year seems to have changed that. Their is some real special music out right now.

So my advice to you is, dont give up hope, and check out the stuff I mentioned if your into it.

I think those of us who grew up on grunge were spoiled. That music was so powerful, and special. Everything else then needs to be compared to it, and thats a tough task because Soundgarden, and Alice and Nirvana and Pearl Jam, in the 90's created some of the best music I have EVER heard, period.

I am hopeful this years music will continue to inspire me. And I am hopeful a new musical movement will start. We need one.

porchdweller · May 2006

Man I'm 26 and I can't stand most of the new shit. Most of the stuff I listen to is PJ, Ben Harper, My Morning Jacket, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Neil Young, Death Cab, Steve Earle, Bloc Party, The Arcade Fire, Audioslave, Bad Religion, Queens, Jimmy Eat World, Modest Mouse. Those are some that I like that don't necessarily fit in EMO.

But no there is no hope for kids as long as they watch MTV. If someone can honestly say they like Hawthorne or Good Charlotte, or that fucken one band that sings "Dance, Dance" they like bad music.. They're terrible.

There are good bands out there, you just can't listen to the radio. This msg board is a great way to check out new bandss. I've found a few on here I like that people have suggested.

long road walker · May 2006

i feel your pain, im int eh same position as you also. cant type alot casue im at work, but i am with ya, & ill discuss more later

musicismylife78 · May 2006

jerry cantrell (guitarist for Alice in Chains) his solo stuff has the feel of old alice cd's but is new nonetheless. I would check him out. Queens of the Stone Age arent bad either.

porchdweller · May 2006

Man hang out with potheads, they/I always find good music.

harmless_little_f*** · May 2006

As for 'new' music, I tend to go for Incubus if I want a post-grunge fix. Other than that, the Raconteurs contains hints of grunge. To me. But hey, I was 11 in 1991, so never got into the Pixies and the other forerunners of grunge. So I'm starting now, and man am I loving it

Backwards is the new forwards.

All the bands you mention are pretty cool. I also love Counting Crows (but then they are a 90s band, so hey...).

Deeve · May 2006

I am with ya. almost all new music blows.

I have decided to be stuck in the 90's. I never listened to this kinda music at the time so it is all new to me. Good music these days seem to be samey and just plain bad.

I grew up in the 80s but I can't stand the music from the 80's.

The 90's I had an unfortunate brush with techno.

2000's I realised how much I like rock.

markymark550 · May 2006

I feel like this as well. I have gotten to the point where I only listen to grunge bands with some REM, Chili Peppers, Rage Against The Machine, Incubus, Sleater-Kinney, and Ben Folds Five mixed in for some variety.

There will be another music revolution, as the mainstream always tends to grow stale, but who knows when and who knows if it will be any good? I'm not going to hold my breath waiting though.

HoorayForHumans · May 2006

DriftingByTheStorm wrote:

Most of what i hear, sounds like
Music for kids to whine about their mothers with:
"Mommy wouldn't let me watch sunday morning cartoons, and she never let me eat Fruity Pebbles, either!"

Hey man, you'd like the following bands:

engine down
http://www.myspace.com/enginedown

q and not u
http://www.myspace.com/qandnotu

ris paul ric
http://www.myspace.com/rispaulric AND http://www.myspace.com/academyfightsong

wolf parade
http://www.myspace.com/wolfparade

rogue wave
http://www.myspace.com/roguewave

sufjan stevens
http://www.myspace.com/sufjanstevens

i listed the myspace pages so you can just go there and check out their music. hope you find something you like. I've gotta admit that soundgarden makes me cringe, as well as real early pearl jam stuff, but hey, there's much better stuff out there for ya to listen to.

Yefa · May 2006

I'm a huge Drive-By Truckers fan. Go see them live - you won't be disappointed.
Here are some other recommendations...

Centro-matic
http://www.centro-matic.com

Slobberbone (broke up last year but 3 members are in The Drams)
http://www.slobberbone.com

The Drams (see Slobberbone)
http://www.thedrams.com

Southern Bitch
http://www.southernbitch.org

Opeth
http://www.opeth.com

Enslaved
http://www.enslaved.no

Magnolia Electric Co.
http://www.magnoliaelectricco.com

Sathogwa · May 2006

I'm kinda in your same boat, I loathe almost everything that is popular in rock music right now. But I don't really let it get me down. I explore music from other genres and styles. That to me is so much more satisfying now days.

I listen to lots of world musc (stuff from EVERYWHERE), blues, jazz, folk, (real) country and classical. If a new band comes along that I dig it is like a cherry on top.

gibbits · May 2006

Dude, I'm only 21, too young to go see all the bands I loved of that era [most, anyway], and I'm wondering the same thing. My generation are lame asses who like rap or fucking emo shit, bunch of morons.

enharmonic · May 2006

Oceansize
Porcupine Tree
Eleven
Gov't Mule (not new, but Warren Haynes wrecks shit)
Radar Bros. (if you like lazy, dreamy, Atom Heart Mother style psych pop)
Wellwater Conspiracy
Mars Volta
The Black Keys
Ian Love / Cardia
The Flaming Lips
The Fire Theft
Mark Lanegan

Echoes · May 2006

Man whoever said Enslaved/Opeth/Magnolia Electric Co., great fucking call.

As for the thread poster - I don't know. Your tastes are your tastes. Is blues-influenced heavy distortion drenched rocked going the way of the dodo? Possibly. It will never fully go away, of course, there'll always be someone playing it, but it might not be on the radio/mainstream/whatever. Just as there are still bands playing hair metal today, there will probably still be bands playing grunge or whatever people called alternative rock when it stopped being alternative.

I don't think there will be a second coming of grunge. I'm sorry, but you probably feel the same way that hair metal fans felt when Nevermind dropped or Beatles fans when the 70's rolled around. The damn younger generation and their awful music. Granted, the landscape of how music is presented to the masses has changed, but you hopefully get the gist of it.

DriftingByTheStorm - there's no such thing as 'cred' really. You might be out of touch with music now, and your listening habits are probably a little antiquated (Soundgarden released their last album a decade ago!), but that doesn't mean you have to stop trying to listen to new music. There are probably hundreds of bands making music today that I like, but I can't guarantee the same for you, I don't really listen to a lot of blues based rock anymore. I know the rock and emo stuff you hear on the radio is crap, but just ignore it. The alternative and metal stuff I hear on the radio is crap too. I would honestly advise throwing out your radio, or at the very least abandoning it as any source of new music at all. I have maybe seen 2 or 3 decent bands get widespread radio play on any clearchannel top 40 bullshit stations. Alternately listen to something like WFMU.

So if you want me to list bands, I will, but you really would have to go into it with an open mind. Don't discount genres because of what you have heard on the radio.

allornone · May 2006

I'm with you all the way. I just turned 30 and it has been a struggle to find music that I like. I hate the shit that is on commercial radio - Sum 41, Yellowcard, Nickelback, Fall Out Boy, etc.

Last year and so far this year I think were good. Last year we had stuff from Weezer (although not as good as their old album), Foo Fighters, Beck, and NIN. And this year I think has been amazing.

Two recommendations that haven't been mentioned yet - The New Pornographers and The Black Crowes. The New Pornographers don't rock as hard as Wolfmother, but they sound great, their Twin Cinema album is superb, and they don't have that whiney sound that you can't stand.

The Black Crowes are nothing new, but now that they are back together they are on fire. If you weren't into them before, I recommend picking up their CDs. I never cared for them until they got back together last year, and have seen them twice since they reunited. It's pure, straight up rock n roll.

One more suggestion - Satellite Radio. I bought a Sirius receiver for my car in February and I love it. You'll be introduced to all kinds of things, old and new, and your faith in great music will be restored.

Good luck!

red mos · May 2006

Sadly, I don't think there is hope for us Gen xers. People rag on me hard core cause I still listen to the"grunge" bands. Yeah, I realize that most of the bands I listen to (except for Pearl jam and foo fighters) have disbanded. I listen to alot of different classic rock bands, but in our generations music I also listened to Toadies, Bush, Green day (still do) AIC, STP, and anybands that were big in the 90's. Many bands have formed new projects: Vaden Todd lewis of Toadies has the Burden Brothers, Chris cornell/RATM have Audioslave, Scott Weiland and members of GNR have Velvet Revolver, Gavin Rosdale have Institute. These projects are great, but I think we were drawn to them more because of the fact that we were fans of their prime bands.

I swear to you that the only newer bands like 2000+ that I got into and are or a big fan of are the white stripes, QOTSA, and Eagles of Death Metal. I also have become a fan of a blues-rock guitarist named Joe Bonamassa. Todays music is god awful. Oh and yes, I still dress "grungy" I still wear the flannel shirts, the kakhi pants, and docs. I love the grunge era, it was our musical revolution.

Gary Carter · May 2006

i mostly listen to hardcore music. the strokes is the only band i could think of that you might like other then that today music sucks. yes i do like some emo bands

Echoes · May 2006

metsfan531941 wrote:

i mostly listen to hardcore music. the strokes is the only band i could think of that you might like other then that today music sucks. yes i do like some emo bands

some emo in its hardcore iteration is pretty good. ALl the way up to the late 90's I like, anyways

wolfbear · May 2006

There is always hope. I didn't realize that back in the late 70's and early 80's. I went back to the 60's for good music to listen to. Then came PJ, Soundgarden, etc., etc. It will come back around, trust me. Good rock is hard to keep down.

Thank god PJ is still making music. There are always some good bands out there, but a real wave will be coming soon, at least I hope.

7 Kettles · May 2006

there's SO MUCH GOOD MUSIC out there these days, you just have to put in a little more effort in order to find it. just because the good bands now aren't the ones that are on the radio, doesn't mean they don't exist. music in the past two years has been at it's most respectable since 1996. i'm not taking anything away from the era of 1990-1995, but the music coming out now is just as great, it's just in a different form, and not every band is from seattle.

and you will know us by the trail of dead
arcade fire
broken social scene
built to spill
band of horses
bloc party
the decemberists
doves
hayden
iron and wine
metric
the polyphonic spree
radiohead...still kickin'
smashing pumpkins...soon to be still kickin'
tool
sun kil moon
wilco
the shins
red hot chili peppers
stars
sufjan stevens
wintersleep
wolf parade

at least one of those may tickle your fancy.

if not, you may have a completely different musical taste than that of my own.

Is There Hope In ANY NEW MUSIC For Aging Gen-Xers\Grungers ?

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