Wednesday 15 February 2012

Future Shock

interesting post by a friend of cliftons
he said that CAL is the future of rock n roll
what's not to like about that statement?
i've been thinking about it non stop

i pulled out some old rolling stone magazines from years gone by
the older the artist - the longer they have endured
but if you had a career that launched in the 90s or the 00s
you're already gone
nothing survives
everyone moves on to something new
or something really old

i love the oldies
by that i mean the old rockers who are still out there
remaining vital
performing and still working their instruments
challenging themselves
enduring

i want to be old and playing in a pub
that is a clear and vital part of my retirement plan

the math is sound
the ticking away of moments no matter how dull or exciting is relentless
and one day
all the oldies won't be here
as morbid as it sounds
i plan on attending the funerals of the following people:
bob dylan
mick jagger
paul mcCartney
i've already spoken to my oldest son about this
he said that we'll never get anywhere near the service
i said it didn't matter
he said that i'm nuts

so who's going to take care of their music?
tribute bands and they're ridiculous pandering?
pub singers with drum machines and backing tracks?
one off shows with pooled quasi semi known rock stars
who barely have a connection but are there for the glory of their personal careers?
no
it's us
we're the logical conclusion
CAL is the future of rock n roll

jazz is historical
bluegrass
blues
classical
rockabilly
it's all historical music
and rock n roll is heading that way
the mystery of it is gone

it's easy to write catchy songs
my youngest son's tv watching consists of lots of disney type bands
all of them know how to write a catchy pop song
there's a formula
it's like a how to video
it's the twilight of rock n roll
entropy

CAL is the future of rock n roll
there's something new that will happen
that's inevitable
somewhere in an inner city some young black kid
is plugging something into something
and mixing something with something
and a new music art form will be born
but it won't be rock n roll

and in a few years
all my heroes will be in their 70s
hopefully doing cameo walk ons and special event appearances
but not touring

my life's wish is that they ask us to carry on their torch
hand it down
let us be the librarians
the historians
the caretakers
the documenters
the teachers
the curators
we'll do it with honour and pride
we'll make sure the music and the legacy lives on with grace and cool

i feel like something's rumbling underneath
another changing of the guard
every generation does indeed throw a hero up the pop charts
and every generation grows up - leaving behind a forgotten trail of digital diapers

CAL is the future of rock n roll
spread the word

craig
feb 14 2012
tea and yogurt with honey

3 comments:

  1. CAL IS the future of rock n roll. The archives of greatness. Keep rocking, please!!!!

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  2. Craig -

    This section of your commentary is prosaic and defining:

    ---
    my life's wish is that they ask us to carry on their torch
    hand it down
    let us be the librarians
    the historians
    the caretakers
    the documenters
    the teachers
    the curators
    we'll do it with honour and pride
    we'll make sure the music and the legacy lives on with grace and cool
    ---

    I am with you, brother, and as long as I can afford to support the effort of CAL to make *our* music endure, I will...beautiful sentiment, sir, and spot on!

    Jeff Goff
    Bartow, Florida

    ReplyDelete