Redstreak 6,653 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Gene Simmons is making headlines again, this time for burying rock ‘n’ roll. The outspoken artist says “Rock is finally dead,†in an interview conducted by his son Nick for Esquire magazine. The Kiss singer-bassist also shares his thoughts on the failing record business and how he would not want to be an up-and-coming artist today. “The death of rock was not a natural death,†Simmons offers. “Rock did not die of old age. It was murdered. Some brilliance, somewhere, was going to be expressed, and now it won’t, because it’s that much harder to earn a living playing and writing songs. No one will pay you to do it.†Simmons also offers sobering advice for young musicians and songwriters saying, “Don’t quit your day job is a good piece of advice. When I was coming up, it was not an insurmountable mountain. Once you had a record company on your side, they would fund you, and that also meant when you toured they would give you tour support.†He adds, “There are still record companies, and it does apply to pop, rap, and country to an extent. But for performers who are also songwriters  the creators  for rock music, for soul, for the blues  it’s finally dead. Rock is finally dead.†He continues on about how he feels for this lost generation of kids who will not have the same opportunity that he had with Kiss. “It’s very sad for new bands. My heart goes out to them. They just don’t have a chance.†Simmons remarks. “If you play guitar, it’s almost impossible. You’re better off not even learning how to play guitar or write songs, and just singing in the shower and auditioning for ‘The X Factor.’ And I’m not slamming ‘The X Factor,’ or pop singers. But where’s the next Bob Dylan? Where’s the next Beatles? Where are the songwriters? Where are the creators?†Simmons added that he is not being simply being cantankerous offering, “I’m not the guy to be pouting and complaining about stuff. I make a decent living. I’m very, very lucky. But that’s because we started before the chaos, in the days when people had to buy records. If you didn’t like a band, you didn’t buy their albums, and the people decided.†http://loudwire.com/gene-simmons-rock-finally-dead/ The comments though Take a moment to think of just flexibility, love, and trust~ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Didymus 34,379 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Hmm. Definitely interesting. Then again, I'm kind of glad that rock music isn't in the spotlight anymore. I mean.. I love KISS but their albums were not good A lot of mainstream rock bands just weren't great at all. I think there are definitely bands out there who Simmons could call "creators", but maybe they're not globally known anymore. Maybe that's not necessary. Maybe that's even harmful for music in the first place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromatislaps 34,759 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 I need the next Jimi Hendrix Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gov Hooka 8,008 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 thank god rock may have won the battle in 1980 but Disco won the war. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staryu 6,162 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 It's definitly not. Yes, it's way less common now, but I mean... things change. I'm not surprised. And music-wise, current Rock music > KISS Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kermit the frog 1,860 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 It died when John Frusciante quit RHCP. Nothing new. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaney 5,515 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Gaga doing a rock album Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderson123 35,822 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 It's definitly not. Yes, it's way less common now, but I mean... things change. I'm not surprised. And music-wise, current Rock music > KISS No. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsterdreams 1,529 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 I get his points but... Haters gonna need more than a flashlight for my shade Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarfall 3,723 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Hold on Gene, Gaga and ha rock album are coming Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runway 27,876 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Gagas rock album will resuscitate rock music like Jesus did in the third day Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cersei 56 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Rock never dies but it goes into areas of dipping. If you've never listened to Royal Blood (new band) listen to them now! Just gone #1 in the UK, ROCK IS BACK BITCH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 680 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 He's basically right. Rock is about where jazz was in 1970 - no longer a dominant form of popular music after dominating the 1920's-60's.No Beatles can emerge now, for the same reason no new frank Sinatra could emerge in the rock era. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASTROVEGA 108 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Arctic Monkeys BYE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FameHookah 4,574 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Imagine if gaga made rock popular again as she did with electronic dance music back in 2008 :giveup: WTF is MDNA Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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