Post by blackjack on Jan 20, 2016 10:14:19 GMT -6
It's very sad that in about a week's time we have lost Lemmy Killmister of Motorhead, David Bowie, and now Glen Frey of The Eagles! Tony Macalpine os very sick with cancer and how long he has left is anyone's guess.
As bad as all that is, I fear it's just the tip of the iceberg. We've reached a time when many of our most classic rockers have passed their 60s and are now into their 70s. An awful lot of our greatest rock legends fit into this age group. To make matters worse, the collapse of the record industry means that we don't have many bands or solo musicians who are poised to fill the void that is certain to be left over the next 10 years. The next 10 years will be absolutely devastating for rock 'n roll. All the musicians who came to prominence in the 1970s are finding themselves either nearing or already past the big SEVEN-0. While it will undeniable be very sad to see our childhood heroes pass away, I am exceedingly grateful that I was born at a time when I was able to go see many of these rock legends in concert when they were still in their primes. I graduated from high school in 1986 so that was a great time for music. Metallica was turning into the biggest powerhouse in all of heavy metal and a band of upstarts from L.A.named Guns 'n Roses were about to start making their mark in a big way! Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, each of whom I went to see in concert numerous times, were the biggest metal bands of the time until Metallica finally overtook them and even then Priest and Maiden remained vital musical forces. In 1988 we saw the most ambitious heavy metal concept album perhaps in the entire history of heavy metal when Queensryche released their "Operation Mindcrime" album! On the more pop side of heavy metal, "Ratt and Roll" had made a big mark in their style of LA pop metal and were perhaps second in their genre only to the mighty Motley Crue who were the most decadent bad boys around and had been since their landmark "Shout At The Devil" album was released in 1983 - tremendous year for metal which also saw the release of Dio's "Holy Diver" and Iron Maiden's "Piece Of Mind" as well as Queensryche's self titled debut EP which included such classics as "Queen Of The Reich" and "the Lady Wore Black." While the classic metal sound of those bands were awe inspiring to say the least and they were ruling the metal world, there was an underground movement afoot also in that wonderful year of 1983. Metallica released their debut album "Kill "Em All" and Slayer released their debut album "Show No Mercy." I hd to buy those latter two albums in a special import record store since the mainstream record stores weren't carrying those releases. So I bought "Kill "Em All" when it was on the Megaforce label!
!983 was truly the start of the golden age of heavy metal and I pray tp God that before I die I'm fortunate enough to live through a year even somewhere near to being as amazing for heavy music in general as 1983 was - the year I turned 15 years old. The next year in 1984 I got my first guitar, an inexpensive acoustic guitar with steel strings and then for my 16th birthday in 1984 my parents gave me my first electric guitar and I never looked back!
As bad as all that is, I fear it's just the tip of the iceberg. We've reached a time when many of our most classic rockers have passed their 60s and are now into their 70s. An awful lot of our greatest rock legends fit into this age group. To make matters worse, the collapse of the record industry means that we don't have many bands or solo musicians who are poised to fill the void that is certain to be left over the next 10 years. The next 10 years will be absolutely devastating for rock 'n roll. All the musicians who came to prominence in the 1970s are finding themselves either nearing or already past the big SEVEN-0. While it will undeniable be very sad to see our childhood heroes pass away, I am exceedingly grateful that I was born at a time when I was able to go see many of these rock legends in concert when they were still in their primes. I graduated from high school in 1986 so that was a great time for music. Metallica was turning into the biggest powerhouse in all of heavy metal and a band of upstarts from L.A.named Guns 'n Roses were about to start making their mark in a big way! Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, each of whom I went to see in concert numerous times, were the biggest metal bands of the time until Metallica finally overtook them and even then Priest and Maiden remained vital musical forces. In 1988 we saw the most ambitious heavy metal concept album perhaps in the entire history of heavy metal when Queensryche released their "Operation Mindcrime" album! On the more pop side of heavy metal, "Ratt and Roll" had made a big mark in their style of LA pop metal and were perhaps second in their genre only to the mighty Motley Crue who were the most decadent bad boys around and had been since their landmark "Shout At The Devil" album was released in 1983 - tremendous year for metal which also saw the release of Dio's "Holy Diver" and Iron Maiden's "Piece Of Mind" as well as Queensryche's self titled debut EP which included such classics as "Queen Of The Reich" and "the Lady Wore Black." While the classic metal sound of those bands were awe inspiring to say the least and they were ruling the metal world, there was an underground movement afoot also in that wonderful year of 1983. Metallica released their debut album "Kill "Em All" and Slayer released their debut album "Show No Mercy." I hd to buy those latter two albums in a special import record store since the mainstream record stores weren't carrying those releases. So I bought "Kill "Em All" when it was on the Megaforce label!
!983 was truly the start of the golden age of heavy metal and I pray tp God that before I die I'm fortunate enough to live through a year even somewhere near to being as amazing for heavy music in general as 1983 was - the year I turned 15 years old. The next year in 1984 I got my first guitar, an inexpensive acoustic guitar with steel strings and then for my 16th birthday in 1984 my parents gave me my first electric guitar and I never looked back!