Wednesday, April 21, 2004
It's only rock 'n roll

But I like it. Like it. Yes, yes, yes.
All this talk about 'meaning' and 'depth' and 'expression' - what about a
three chord riff and a thunderous drum beat? Who cares? That's the way
I like it baby no one wants to live forever...
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I love rock. Driving around with AC/DC blaring out of the car stereo can really
do it for me. Or Aerosmith. Or anything like that. It's great and I won't hear otherwise. However, as a songwriter it's highly improbable that you're going to sit down with an acoustic guitar and write your 21st Century version of 'Highway To Hell'. Or perhaps you will.
Many songwriters who I see posting their lyrics up around the internet are completely detatched from the musical side of what they do. Long rambling poems which no one but themselves can get into waiting for some other long rambling poet to pat them on the head. What's great about rock and roll is it is an ACTIVITY. You have to get into it. Without the music the song is nothing. Therein lies its greatness and its weakness.
Rock 'n roll is the energy of youth, and sometimes that's the only meaning it needs. And I think a lot of so-called lyricists are scared of getting their hands dirty with some real musicians because then they'll have to face the fact that their words have nothing to do with music whatsoever. I love poetry, couldn't some of these people just become great poets instead of wannabe songwriters?
Some of these people should join a rock band. It's all about the music. Perhaps they'd remember not to write so many words in future. Even Pink Floyd had the decency to write a few small poems and construct musical behemoths around them. Thank goodness. Imagine the opposite - a 15 minute poem with a 1 minute interlude?
Sometimes I think that's what some people are trying to write.
Turn up the music, wind down the windows, and ROCK.
It's only rock 'n roll.
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Posted by Bev on April 21, 2004 in Style | Permalink
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