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Thread: I Am So Out of Touch

  1. #1
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    I Am So Out of Touch

    I heard the sad news this evening that a suspected terrorist bombing cost the lives of 19 people, with another 55 or so injured. This happened in England at an Ariana Grande concert.

    Who?

    Really. I had to Google the name 'Ariana Grande,' as it registered not at all on my radar of current events and people.

    According to Wikipedia, Ariana Grande was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list. And to think, I've never heard of her. I've never heard that her debut album in 2013 debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200. As did her second album in 2014.

    I must have been in a coma.

    I've never heard the songs, "Problem", "Break Free", "Bang Bang" and "Love Me Harder" and couldn't identify them if they were aired over the grocery store's speaker system. I know I'm getting old, but where have I been these past four years?

    When I heard of the attack, I wondered to myself, "Why a concert by this person named Ariana Grande?" Now I know. She's obviously the hot property of the moment. My heart goes out to the people affected by this senseless act, which obviously was targeted at a younger audience.

    And yet, I was so clueless about the name Ariana Grande, that when the news hit, my first reaction was, "Huh?"

  2. #2

    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    You are not out of touch. Rather you have fortunately been able to maintain integrity in your musical selections. She got her big break on a tv show called "Victorious". She was cute and quirky and had quite the attention-grabbing voice. She ( like all the main cast members) sang, danced, acted, etc. The buzz surrounding her was hotter than that of the shows star. She was picked up quickly and with the help of an ambitious agent, soared very quickly into the teen-idol music/ acting/ modeling scene. She seems to have a decent singing voice although I've never heard her raw/ live. Anyway.. I believe that she has already peaked unless she has some more untapped talent left that hasn't been harvested yet. Anyway... You haven't missed much, OS.

    Thoughts and prayers to the victims of this latest terror attack.

  3. #3
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    HPD, that was a bit harsh. I'd say if the purpose of music is to make people happy she's doing a hell of a good job. Just because its not "your" music doesn't discount the talent. You sound like my parents did when R&R became popular.

    I try to be good musician, and that for me, means being open-minded, trying new things and respecting fellow performers. I'll bet most of the people here have no clue as to how hard it is to go on a big stage and do a great show. Wardrobe, blocking, sound, lights, it's all part of what the performer is doing and thinking about while performing. And you need to do it from a base of a different hotel room every night. It's a far cry from standing at the local watering hole staring at then neck of your guitar.

    YMMV,

    Chuck
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  4. #4

    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    HPD, that was a bit harsh. I'd say if the purpose of music is to make people happy she's doing a hell of a good job. Just because its not "your" music doesn't discount the talent. You sound like my parents did when R&R became popular.

    I try to be good musician, and that for me, means being open-minded, trying new things and respecting fellow performers. I'll bet most of the people here have no clue as to how hard it is to go on a big stage and do a great show. Wardrobe, blocking, sound, lights, it's all part of what the performer is doing and thinking about while performing. And you need to do it from a base of a different hotel room every night. It's a far cry from standing at the local watering hole staring at then neck of your guitar.

    YMMV,

    Chuck
    Fair enough. Although I'd say that every one of us in this world is fairly critical of musicians, performers, actors, etc. I never said that she wasn't talented nor did I make any personal attacks on her as a person or as a performer. I could be way off base but I still believe that there are a ton more young artists that possess far more integrity in their musical offerings than what she does but it's all just a matter of opinion anyway so we can certainly disagree. I think that she has peaked because that's very much the norm regarding young pop-stars. If she has staying power then good for her and good for her fans. I could definitely be mistaken... meh. Regardless... It's not hard for me to understand how Old Strummer has missed hearing/ seeing much about her since that's likely not the type of music that he enjoys. I too have respect for most other performers and musicians but me being open-minded doesn't necessarily afford me the blissful luxury of feeling that they're all great, talented, etc. I will say that I've never performed on a "big stage" so in that regard I'm sure that you have a better perspective on what that's like. Anyway... peace to you and I hope that you understand that my intent was not to discredit nor disrespect anyone.

  5. #5
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by HighPlainsDrifter View Post
    Fair enough. Although I'd say that every one of us in this world is fairly critical of musicians, performers, actors, etc. I never said that she wasn't talented nor did I make any personal attacks on her as a person or as a performer. I could be way off base but I still believe that there are a ton more young artists that possess far more integrity in their musical offerings than what she does but it's all just a matter of opinion anyway so we can certainly disagree. I think that she has peaked because that's very much the norm regarding young pop-stars. If she has staying power then good for her and good for her fans. I could definitely be mistaken... meh. Regardless... It's not hard for me to understand how Old Strummer has missed hearing/ seeing much about her since that's likely not the type of music that he enjoys. I too have respect for most other performers and musicians but me being open-minded doesn't necessarily afford me the blissful luxury of feeling that they're all great, talented, etc. I will say that I've never performed on a "big stage" so in that regard I'm sure that you have a better perspective on what that's like. Anyway... peace to you and I hope that you understand that my intent was not to discredit nor disrespect anyone.
    So, if I may (well, I started the thread, so I guess why not?)...

    I'm the first to admit that my musical tastes lie in two distinct arenas: 60s/70s rock, with a focus on the "San Francisco Sound" and the "British Invasion," and 1990s - present "post rock," which falls into the "techno/ambient/new age/chill" category. Modern "pop" music is not found on any preset on any radio I own. I am also fully aware of the "manufactured" stars that the music industry tends to build and market. This is not new: The Monkees, New Kids on the Block, Milli Vanilli, etc. The money is where the music industry finds it. During my days as a music critic, I found way too many talented musicians who never got their "break" because the suits couldn't figure a way to make money off them. Heck I know and still communicate with a Canadian musician who plays 50 instruments, has self-produced nearly a dozen CDs, has all of the "hooks" to make the charts, and still works full-time as a massage therapist because he can't get any airplay.

    In my opinion, manufactured artists may have some talent, but the industry tends to bleed it out of them. Dues-paying artists tend to stretch, evolve, and grow as they continue to perform and produce. Just my $.02, of course...

  6. #6
    Forum Member redisburning's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    HPD, that was a bit harsh. I'd say if the purpose of music is to make people happy she's doing a hell of a good job. Just because its not "your" music doesn't discount the talent. You sound like my parents did when R&R became popular.

    I try to be good musician, and that for me, means being open-minded, trying new things and respecting fellow performers. I'll bet most of the people here have no clue as to how hard it is to go on a big stage and do a great show. Wardrobe, blocking, sound, lights, it's all part of what the performer is doing and thinking about while performing. And you need to do it from a base of a different hotel room every night. It's a far cry from standing at the local watering hole staring at then neck of your guitar.

    YMMV,

    Chuck
    +100

    side note if you want to keep more current with music Spotify's music discovery algorithms are EXCELLENT. Tidal's are ok too. I highly suggest signing up for a music streaming service and looking at the "what's new" categories.

  7. #7
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    HPD, that was a bit harsh. I'd say if the purpose of music is to make people happy she's doing a hell of a good job. Just because its not "your" music doesn't discount the talent. You sound like my parents did when R&R became popular.

    I try to be good musician, and that for me, means being open-minded, trying new things and respecting fellow performers. I'll bet most of the people here have no clue as to how hard it is to go on a big stage and do a great show. Wardrobe, blocking, sound, lights, it's all part of what the performer is doing and thinking about while performing. And you need to do it from a base of a different hotel room every night. It's a far cry from standing at the local watering hole staring at then neck of your guitar.

    YMMV,

    Chuck
    Seriously- we need a "Like" button!

  8. #8
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    It's really just the same thing as it's always been... New Pop music is made for young people, period. All the stuff that you grew up listening to was the same way. Your parents didn't know who the groups were that you listened to, and they "didn't get it either". Not being a jerk, I'm just stating a fact. Same thing goes for me and the 90's Alternative Rock I listened to when I was a youngster. My parents hated it, and now some of it is on the classic rock station.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  9. #9
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by chuckocaster View Post
    It's really just the same thing as it's always been... New Pop music is made for young people, period. All the stuff that you grew up listening to was the same way. Your parents didn't know who the groups were that you listened to, and they "didn't get it either". Not being a jerk, I'm just stating a fact. Same thing goes for me and the 90's Alternative Rock I listened to when I was a youngster. My parents hated it, and now some of it is on the classic rock station.
    QFT! I remember my parents laughing and deriding The Beatles when they first appeared on the scene. They thought the haircuts were funny, as was the "yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus. I'm not sure how they felt about Elvis (my other early musical inspiration).

  10. #10
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Had to look up "QFT"! LOL 😂

    I was watching TV with my Dad the other day, some new Pop singer was on. He starts going on and on about "who listens to this crap!?! I don't understand what they're singing about..." Had to tell him that there's a vast difference between being 71 and 17, as I'm pretty sure the song was written for lovelorn teenagers, NOT someone on MediCare! ROFLMFAO

    The old argument of "music these days isn't as good as it used to be" always cracks me up. While I'm not saying that there's a new band these days that's equivalent to The Beatles, there WERE plenty of record company cookie cutter acts back then too. Same thing with "boy bands"! I mean, thanks to Menudo we were "blessed" with Ricky Martin in the early 2000's 😜 And if you read any history of classical music, there were Rockstars even then!
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  11. #11
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    I must confess that I find it real hard to find something post-90s that's worth listening

  12. #12
    Forum Member redisburning's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by OldStrummer View Post
    QFT! I remember my parents laughing and deriding The Beatles when they first appeared on the scene. They thought the haircuts were funny, as was the "yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus. I'm not sure how they felt about Elvis (my other early musical inspiration).
    on the site dedicated to Ted Greene's playing, Ted hand outlined a bunch of Beatles chord changes. some of them are unreal. I just don't get how you could listen to the changes on Penny Lane and not be blown away but oh well.

    if your parents listened to crooners, The Beatles were actually significantly more sophisticated from that perspective than what most of those band units were playing.

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    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by redisburning View Post
    on the site dedicated to Ted Greene's playing, Ted hand outlined a bunch of Beatles chord changes. some of them are unreal. I just don't get how you could listen to the changes on Penny Lane and not be blown away but oh well.

    if your parents listened to crooners, The Beatles were actually significantly more sophisticated from that perspective than what most of those band units were playing.
    I've been reading this massive 1600 page bio of The Beatles (it only goes up to the end of 1962). George studied Chet Atkins and just about anybody playing guitar in the 50s to early 60s. He painstakingly learned everything he could--the book stresses over and over how hard he worked at it. Although he was never into jazz, they covered all kinds of stuff that stretched beyond rock and roll. And then when they started doing originals, he brought that knowledge to their tunes. In short, he knew complex chords and inversions, etc, and he applied them to those originals.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  14. #14
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by Sérgio View Post
    I must confess that I find it real hard to find something post-90s that's worth listening
    Mid nineties was a pretty high watermark time for guitars! Ian Moore was giving us Bar Line 99 and Muddy Jesus, Robben Ford was everywhere and Sonny Landreth on slide made all of our jaws drop.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

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    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by Sérgio View Post
    I must confess that I find it real hard to find something post-90s that's worth listening
    Same. Although I've liked the odd album here and there, the last album that I consider a "masterpiece" (such a subjective thing) is Radiohead's OK Computer. But this is only my age and tastes talking.

    I'm not really into the great guitarists out there today. I know they are fantastic players, but I just can't connect to any of it. I admit that I've become like my generation's parents who shook their head at The Beatles while praising Frank Sinatra. I'm particularly turned off by singers who have to bring out a bunch of dancers around them.

    I'm open minded when it comes to music, and I appreciate what's being done, but the new stuff just doesn't speak to me.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  16. #16
    Forum Member dirtdog's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    I know the name and music of AG as well as a bunch of similar artists. I have a 13 year old daughter who controls the radio in the car! But she's also into other halfway decent quasi rock stuff like Green Day, 21 Pilots and the like so all is not lost.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sérgio View Post
    I must confess that I find it real hard to find something post-90s that's worth listening
    Give Blackberry Smoke a try. Stellar band. These guys aren't young, but the band has only been around 10 years or so and have a whole bunch of great albums and tour relentlessly.


  17. #17
    Forum Member melody's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    I think these cat's are doing it up proper...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkSOEcg44oc

  18. #18
    Forum Member redisburning's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    there is more good music now than ever before, but for a simple reason; the cost of recording has dropped dramatically.


    there is great guitar driven music:



    you have hip hop artists bringing in jazz musicians en masse, bringing in dub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLG10604Cig


    there's been an absolute explosion in independent folk artists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7_AaCTfpJU


    pop music is great too, but yes I agree it's not the same as it used to be. but Grimes man, Art Angels is as good an album as anything I've ever heard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqa9xx2vBQc

  19. #19
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    Mid nineties was a pretty high watermark time for guitars! Ian Moore was giving us Bar Line 99 and Muddy Jesus, Robben Ford was everywhere and Sonny Landreth on slide made all of our jaws drop.
    Yeah, that was one hell of a good decade

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    Same. Although I've liked the odd album here and there, the last album that I consider a "masterpiece" (such a subjective thing) is Radiohead's OK Computer. But this is only my age and tastes talking.
    I liked OK Computer a lot when it was released. Too bad it always felt like a "dated" album to my own ears. I just don't dig it anymore.

    Quote Originally Posted by dirtdog View Post

    Give Blackberry Smoke a try. Stellar band. These guys aren't young, but the band has only been around 10 years or so and have a whole bunch of great albums and tour relentlessly.

    Whoa, those guys are GOOD!!! Thanks a lot, I'll listen to them on Apple Music!

    Quote Originally Posted by melody View Post
    I think these cat's are doing it up proper...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkSOEcg44oc
    Very good too!!

  20. #20
    Forum Member Ayns's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    I also had never heard of Arianna Grande until last Monday

  21. #21
    Forum Member Ayns's Avatar
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    Re: I Am So Out of Touch

    I *have* seen Blackberry Smoke live a couple of times though, and have all their albums :)

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