R U Stuck in an era?

[road2rock]

Hi all,

this is another Human interest stories, much like

the "inquiring minds want to know section".

The thing is I know lots of musicians, and I find that

some of them can get stuck in time when Their favorite kind of

music was popular. For example I know a few people who are stuck in

the 80's, they have long, permed, and poofy hair, they wear the tight

acid washed jeans, and pretty much look like they just stepped out of

1985. Not that is is a bad thing by all means, I think it is quite cool and

often find myself wanting the 80's to come back in full force...

My Question is: Are you stuck in the era that was the best time of your life *Musically*. Do you still sport the Beatles Mop-top? do you have giant 'Robert Plant' esque side-burns? What is your Fav Music era?

And Tell the Truth! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

Simeon "Mr. 1982"

[DrummerCafe]

No sticking here. My tastes in music are wide and varied; from the dawn of man to the present day.

 

 

------------------

Bart Elliott

http://bartelliott.com

[ian1642605905]

I feel that modern music is changing the role of the drummer from the time keeper/rhythm section memeber to a more prominant role as a lead musician!I welcome this change in that it shows the improved skills and innovation of drummers and the publics acceptance of drummers as musicians and not just time keepers!

I like Bart have a wide range of musical taste but my point of focus is on innovation and keeping up with the times!

And though my hair is not big and poofy, it is down to the middle of my back...It took too much effort to grow it and take care of it all this time for me to cut it off!My hair is an outward manefestation of me!...And the chics still like it!LOL

I'm 35 years young and I still keep up with the kids musically!

ian*

[Steve LeBlanc]

Musically...I try to keep up with the times...even though a lot of what I do gets classified as RETRO...hmmmm...I have done Techno, Rap, New Age all professionally (oh and New Country, whatever that is http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif)

 

As far as my look...well that changes often but I can't bring myself to cut my hair either. Almost all the heros I grew up listening to cut their hair...from my perspective that's when their music went downhill.

 

So it scares the hell out of me...all I've seen is "Cut Hair...Make Suck Music" http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

 

I dunno.

 

Besides...I'm so skinny, I've always thought I'd look like an Ethiopian if I cut my hair.

[djarrett]

Well, if you have been to the "about us" section of Musicplayer.com and gone to the editors profiles, you know that I still am a member of the long hair club as well. Despite being 38, I think I can still pull this look off. I like the others still get more compliments on my long hair that I ever did when it was short!

 

My musical tastes vary as well. I think that as musicians, we need to all keep an open mind to music. I liken different genres of music to speaking different languages. The more you speak, the more folks you can communicate with.

 

Just my thoughts.

DJ

[DrummerCafe]

I'm right with you man. If I cut my hair ... they'd be trying to hire me for some Third World hunger ads.

 

I'm still skinny at 6'1", but I'm finally up to 158lbs. I have thick, long hair so I'm sure that's where the extra weight kicked in (well ... that, and the spare tire). All through college I only weighed 130lbs and couldn't gain a pound to save my life. My metabolism is just too high ... but like most things as you get older, it has slowed or dropped. LOL

[ian1642605905]

Remember the Biblical story of Samson and Delilah?........The hair stays!LOL

[Lee Flier]

Ohhh man, a bunch of drummers with long hair... you guys are torturing me!!! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

 

Anyway, yeah, I'm kind of stuck in the 60's, even though it was before my time. But whatever. To quote Ray Manzarek in an interview he did right here on musicplayer.com:

 

When people say "You're showing your age; you're stuck in the '60s," I think, "Listen motherfucker, you're stuck in the '90s. Where would you rather be, if you had a choice?" I'd still rather be around crazy hippies than obedient consumers.

 

Go, Ray!!

 

But ya know, I'm really not a hippie, and I'm not into the Grateful Dead or anything. I just love Brit Invasion stuff. And I've picked up a lot of that sensibility from those bands in terms of fashion and stuff. And I still think it's cool, so whatever.

 

--Lee

[felix stein]

I would have to say I'm stuck with the 70's fusion thing happening. Trying to get unstuck by pushing technique and displacing the voices and utilizing some of the new sounds.

 

Unfortunately it is very hard to get a band to play something new. We are working in the odd times- we are also experimenting with the odd groupings.

 

"Take care of your hair and it will take care of you"- we used to say. When I cut my hair a few years ago it was liberating! Really cut my bathroom time down and conditioner costs LOL. Plus the snide remarks from rednecks also stopped. One time I was in a bar fight and some MF grabbed me by the hair and was throwing me around like a rag doll. I also would also get hit on sometimes before the weiner boy realized I was a guy. I don't miss it in my face when I play either. Oh, I don't believe long hair makes one a better player either. Look at Steve Smith! LOL

[ModernDrummer]

Yeah felix, Steve Smith and that drummer hippie from Rush. He doesn't have hair anymore, either! LMAO! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif I lost most of mine years ago, LOL. So other than the occasional ponytail, I just keep it military short. Less headache.

 

Yeah, I'm stuck in an era. The current one! And it stinks! I want that '70 - '90 era back. IMO it made for some of the best music in rock 'n' roll. Bands were free to do basically about anything they could think of musically, thanks to Elvis, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, et al. cutting the pathways for us all. Technology was just beginning to catch up with those "wild, hallucinogenic hippies" of the 60's, so we were getting music thrown at us through our stereo speakers that actually SOUNDED like the trips people said they were experiencing.

 

Stuff like progressive rock came into being. Techo, Disco, Pop. How come Disco was the only music that was so popular 'cause everyone hated it?? How does THAT work? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif Synthesizers (remember the first Moog album?) and guys like Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman were about to show us just how far you could push those rather limited (by today's standards) keyboards, if you could PLAY.

 

Drum sets started growing for rockers. Darn that Keith Moon. Can't find a collectors set of Keith Moon drums. He destroyed 'em all! LMAO! They got bigger, and bigger. And out of nowhere some cats like Neil Peart came along and showed that a big kit cant be a wonderful MUSICAL as well as time keeping instrument, WHEN the drummer can PLAY it. Sure you can use orchestral chimes, xylophones and temple blocks in hard rock. Just make it make sense to do so! Ah, new concept. THINK about what you're playing. Make it creative, make it interesting, serve the song. M.U.S.I.C. Hmmmm...

 

Kids carried pot to school (I graduated in '74). They'd sneak out behind the high school and cop a cigarette or toke on a joint. VERY bad http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/mad.gif as we all know and agree, so no lectures, please. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif Today, my same high school has metal detectors at all the doors, a full time cop patroling the hallways and the current kids tote knives & handguns to the same school. They get their crack fix before school now, 'cause mom leaves for work early and dad split years ago. Much better now that we're all so much more sophisticated and well informed about the bad side of the 70's, eh?

 

You used to show up at home suspended for a couple of days 'cause you brought a joint to school (Yeah, I know. Wasn't you. You're 'buddy' asked ya to hold it for them, right? Shaddup... ). NOW, YOU have to worry about YOUR teenage kid comin' home at all. And HOPEFULLY, without bullet holes. Yeah, MUCH better now.

 

So I not only long for the music, which I believe was a bit more interesting, and certainly more musical (Sorry, I can't get into the 'rap rock' stuff. Or the growling into the mic for a whole song. What ever happened to having a lead singer that could SING?) But, I also long for the days when kids in high school didn't have to hit the floor every time some idiot got a bad grade on their report card.

 

So, I live in the present, long for the past, and work on the future. Hmmm, I guess the more things change, the more things stay the same...

 

J.B.

 

This message has been edited by ModernDrummer on 08-02-2001 at 11:51 AM

[DrummerCafe]

If I could play like Steve Smith by cutting all my hair, I wish I had shaved it a long time ago.

[Gaddabout]

I recently shaved head, and I can testify it does not make one play like Steve Smith.

 

I love all music (and I would never change my hair for ANY gig!), but if I had to pick a musical era to get stuck in, I think hanging out in New York in the late 50s and early 60s would be a rousing good time for any drummer.