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Greetings! Have you noticed over the past six to ten months that when you read a review about, or listen to for that matter, a new album on the market, that descriptions are something like "alterna/pop" or "pop/punk" or "rap/metal" or "metal/punk/pop" or etc., etc., etc.? Now, I'm the first one to say it's not really fair to try and fit any kind of music into a neat little slot with a category slapped on it that will insure that fans of other kinds of music will never take the opportunity to listen to what may be a great album they would be interested in. Whew! Long statement, huh? I do agree with the hundreds of bands I've spoken to, in person or on the telephone, who are very hesitant to say exactly WHAT their particular music is, for fear it will cut them off from potential album buyers. But at the same time, has music become such a mish-mash of styles that there's nothing really clear about any of it? Except maybe opera and classical of course. And sometimes even that ends up as "elevator music" and is almost non-recognizable for what it was originally. (Don't you just hate it when you hear some of your favorite songs "symphonized" into "elevator music?") Anyhow, to get back to the original subject, with as much music that arrives on the doorstep of this magazine every month, it seems as if there are only a few bands that stick to to the grass roots level of the genre they chose, and the rest are just a buch of everything mixed together. This isn't necessarily a BAD thing, but I know there are certain types of music that I prefer over others (although I do like a litle bit of everything) that have become a real dissapointment lately. I won't mention band names or particular albums, but when metal becomes pop/metal, or hardcore is mixed with rap and punk, or R&B ballads are crossed with harsh rap lines full of language that really isn't necessary I wonder what direction the music scene in general is headed in. Then, when you add all the comebacks, retro, and disco on top of it all, where has all the really great genre music gone? I really hope it's underground, because I'd hate to think I'll never here a true heavy metal and only metal album again. Or a punk band that hasn't sold out to lightweight lyrics and a pop Top 40 sound. Personally I think a lot of this has to do with the power that radio stations have over promoters and labels, who in turn force the bands signed with them to conform. The few bands out there who are really trying to achieve a certain sound or style never make it to the radio air waves, which means they don't sell albums because nobody hears them. The practice of music stores playing albums so the customers may pick up on something new they like is great - except half the time they get one copy of a new album from a new band so they don't have a copy to play in the store and these talented bands fade away without ever being heard. MTV can also make or break a band these days. To get on American MTV, rather than M2 or Latino or European MTV, you better have a powerhouse label behind you and somebody that knows somebody. I've seen bands who really deserve to be seen and heard relegated to what amounts to the MTV Black List, while ones that should never hit the air waves play at least once an hour. To me, MTV has sold out right along with the rest of the industry. Everything sounds basically the same any more. What happened to "Headbangers Ball" and "120 Minutes" and other shows that focused on a certain kind of music, or introduced new music? It's no wonder all the bands are recording the same basic combinations of several styles on an album. If they move outside that circle they're dead in the water! We do some categorizing in this magazine, but if you notice, if it's not clearly Country, R&B, Urban or New Age, it ends up as a New Release. Of course we ARE always introducing new releases and new bands, but if I HAD to set up a section for other genres like Metal, Punk, Pop, Easy Listening (not the same as New Age), Jazz, etc., I'd have a tough time figuring out just exactly where to put all these albums coming in. I've heard from several sources that Metal is dead, Alernative (even if the band bills themselves this way) is now Modern Rock and real Alternative is dead, and true Rap is heading for a slow death. You notice you don't hear about Rap music any more. It's now called Urban or sometimes Hip-Hop. Pretty soon all bands will be playing the same combination of everything, and the only distinction will be what little of their own style they can manage to get past the labels, radio stations and MTV. Not a very bright outlook for the consumer is it? Or for the true fans of a particular genre. For the people in charge, who are not necessarily the bands, give us back some good, clean genre music that hasn't been commercialized or bastardized or homoginized. There are a lot of fans of the different genres who would really like to see music back the way it was! The comments on this Editorial Page are soley mine as Editor of this magazine. I call things as I see them. Any reader, band, producer, record label, P.R. firm or anyone else out there who disagree with me, write to me I will print your replies to my editorials. Just click on the link below, and let me know what YOU think! Please send your comments, questions, or anything else you can think of to ACCESS to the MUSIC ZONE at marellg@music-reviewer.com See You In Cyber Space! Mary Ellen Gustafson, Editor

 

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