Music, no matter what genre, has forever been one big ass carousel. Once it passes you it’s only a matter of time before it comes right back around to you again. Now I’m not one to consider myself “old” by any means but at the age of 37, I’m already starting to see a 2nd cycle of some of the great classic music that I grew up listening to. Hell, in some instances, people are seeing a 3rd cycle of some bands but I digress. So why is it that some of these new bands that are emerging are choosing to do things the “old” way? The answer is simple. Kids are getting tired of hearing the same old shit done the same old way so it’s time for a change to keep things interesting. It’s just that the change that is coming isn’t anything new but music that has already been done.
Now don’t get me wrong. While I’m just stating the truth, I mean this in all respect to the bands that are bringing back that classic sound of rock & roll/metal from days passed. In a recent interview with Zebra lead singer Randy Jackson, he told me that he had yet to hear a band that blew him away like the first time hear heard Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix or the Beatles. He went on to say that there’s a lot of great bands out there but they’re all doing something that was already done before. I totally agree with this and I can totally understand where he is coming from. In my generation, I have yet to have a band blow my mind like Dio, Iron Maiden or that classic Metallica.
Ever since I started doing this blog full time a couple of years ago, I have had the pleasure of getting turned on to some really amazing bands out there. Bands like Taddy Porter and Rival Sons came forward restoring and resurrecting that classic rock that was forged by bands like Led Zeppelin, Free and Bad Comapny before them. On the metal forefront you have Holy Grail bringing back that shred heavy classic New Wave of British Heavy Metal stuff while fellow Californians Gypsyhawk boasted a sound reminiscent of Hawkwind and Thin Lizzy. Another California band called KYNG brought back that hard hitting power trio sound yet reached back to capture the spirits of bands like Black Sabbath and early Soundgarden while across the country on the East Coast, Virginia based Municipal Waste made thrash fun again with their Stormtroopers of Death, DRI and Nuclear Assault inspired music. These bands were all welcomed changes for this old schooler. In a music world filled with screaming boy bands with really bad haircuts, it was a welcome change to once again see bands that not only played like real rock and metal bands but that actually looked like rock and metal bands as well.
I know for a fact that these guys aren’t here to do something new or something that had never been done before. These bands have simply found a calling to restore and keep alive the spirit of truly great written and performed music. Tony Foresta from Municipal Waste once told me “People who write good songs and good music lasts. That shit comes back around and people love it. All the bullshit just goes to the wayside eventually and the kids will figure that out one day.” I totally agree with this statement because at some point all the kids that listen to these screamo emo bands will grow up and realize just how silly that shit really is. When they do grow out of it and start looking for something different, they’ll start to stumble upon these great new bands and then because of them discover a whole new world that awaits them. Just as a Holy Grail fan. Ten bucks says that they’ll say that they discovered Holy Grail and because of them discovered classic bands like Saxon, Iron Maiden and Venom and were in turn turned onto a whole new world of music. The same could probably go for any of the other listed bands. A young fan of Taddy Porter’s might discover Bad Company and Free for the first time and once again find an open door into a whole new musical universe.
I’m sure there are many more new bands out there that are bringing back this classic sound but the ones that I listed above are the ones that have come to my attention and seem to be doing it better than anyone. The bands aren’t inventing or even attempting to re-invent the wheel. They are basically stripping all of the crap from the wheel that had been put on it by new generations of bands pretending to re-invent it. These bands are just here to “restore” rock and metal music. They’re here to sand it down, strip it down and expose it to be seen the way it was originally meant to be seen.
I have been running this blog since 2009. AKA as the Great Southern Brainfart, Southeast of Heaven is my baby now and forever. I’ve had my ups and downs with bands over the years but they are all great experiences and memories. My Swedish friend Charlie said once, “Don is known for being one of the meanest bastards in American rock journalism.” It’s nice to be loved.
I also once took a shit in Anthrax’s dressing room toilet and didn’t flush.
Music, no matter what genre, has forever been one big ass carousel. Once it passes you it’s only a matter of time before it comes right back around to you again. Now I’m not one to consider myself “old” by any means but at the age of 37, I’m already starting to see a 2nd cycle of some of the great classic music that I grew up listening to. Hell, in some instances, people are seeing a 3rd cycle of some bands but I digress. So why is it that some of these new bands that are emerging are choosing to do things the “old” way? The answer is simple. Kids are getting tired of hearing the same old shit done the same old way so it’s time for a change to keep things interesting. It’s just that the change that is coming isn’t anything new but music that has already been done.