The Biggest Tragedies in Rock Music

[luciusfunk]

Well, I'm not saying I'd have wanted a full blown reunion tour and album, it just would have been great to see a one-off reunion. They were all friends again at the time of Lennon's murder, if he hadn't been shot, I think we would have seen a reunion before the end of the decade.

[DieselDaisy]

There is an interview with Lennon from, just before he died, in which he discussed a reunion. His words were, something along the lines of, ''we will always get together to do something''. It had been Lennon who had been the biggest Beatles iconoclast understand (''it is just a pop band which broke up'') so this was quite a surprising u-turn. Seems we may have got some sort of a reunion.

[Len Cnut]

Glad we didnt, can you imagine Beatles music in an 80s pop stylee, with the production and shit around then, ugh, they were of their time, shone bright and called it a day in good time, these things aren't bound to go on forever.

[username]

And I'm solely talking about the MUSIC WORLD. I'm not making light of the word Tragedy. Sickness, homeless, wars, etc - those all rank miles ahead of music issues.

But just in terms of music, what do you think the biggest tragedies are?

1. The Day The Music Died.........1959. A plane crash took the lives of 22-year-old Buddy Holly, 17-year-old Richie Valens and 28-year-old Big Bopper. The biggest loss there (musically) was Buddy Holly. At just 22 years old look at what he did and what's been said about his brief career:

*Lennon/McCartney both cited him as being one of the biggest influences of their careers. Everybody from Keith Richards to Bruce Springstein to Bob Dylan have praised him.

* Started the current rock format of 2 guitar, bass, drums. Also changed the way music was recorded in the studio.

* While Elvis sang other people's songs, Buddy wrote his own material, could play all the instruments, and he produced most of their work.

* First all white group to perform at the famous Apollo Theatre

At 22 years old he accomplished more than 99.99% of famous musicians accomplish in their entire careers. If his career would have continued as it had for this brief two years, we'd be talking about him ahead of - or on the same level of - as The Beatles and Elvis. Without a doubt.

2. Axl Rose's lack of released music

I know, people will quote a few other bands that had limited releases.

But imo, Axl Rose is the most talented, interesting, fascinating frontman of our generation. Not only is one of the best rock singers, but he brought an animal magnetism to the stage, a sense of danger, excitement. Going to see GnR was an event - not just a rock concert. He has been, and still is, one of the very select few musicians who could still be a game-changer in the industry. Another album by hall of fame rock acts like Metallica or Bon Jovi is no doubt pleasing to their fans, but what impact will it really have on the rock world? Even U2's new album isn't going to do much to the overall landscape of music. But an Axl Rose or new GnR album?

Now people argue about where he fits in the list of top rock frontmen of all time. Fans will say he is number one or top three. Regular rock fans will put him in the top 10. Now think about this. Jungle. Nov Rain. PC. SCOM. You Could Be Mine. Patience. Don't Cry. RQ. Nightrain. Better. TWAT. Catcher. You're Crazy. It's So Easy. Estranged. Got those songs in your head? Now double them. Imagine if his catalog contained all those songs - times two. If Axl had released those songs (and an equal number again), there would be absolutely NO DISCUSSION at all about who was the greatest rock singer of all time. It would be Axl Rose is number one - without question, and then debate about Mercury, Plant, etc for the 2nd spot.

3. Randy Rhoads.

He died way too young and before his talent was able to really be completely showcased.

Every so often a new guitar player comes around that changes/revolutionizes the way guitar is played. Obviously from my generation, guys like Eddie Van Halen was the 'God' that inspired thousands of young guitar players. Rhoads unique style, imo, would have eventually landed him in the same atmosphere at Van Halen, and his place in history would be on even keel with the rock greats of all time. He was a guy that people would go see a band specifically to hear him play.

OBVIOUSLY I'm making some big assumptions on all three. Nobody knows what they would have created. I'm just basing this on what they did create, and if they could have continued that same level of success forward.

Your choices?

I'm sorry man, but Axl Rose wouldn't even come close to the biggest tragedy in rock music. Not even remotely. I mean.... the deaths of people like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morisson, Kurt Cobain, Cliff Burton, Bon Scott, John Lennon, Brian Jones, John Bonham, Freddie Mercury.... The all easily trump Axl spending most of his time playing Rock Band with Beta on bass instead of making music. And come to think of it, so do the countless examples of people dying at concerts. From the infamous Stones concert with the Hells Angels in 69 to people getting crushed during the Pearl Jam gig at Roskilde in 2000.

Edited September 26, 2014 by username

[DR DOOM]

Axl Rose discovering donuts.

The birth of Nikki Sixx.

The invention of hairspray.

I'm not sure I've ever seen anybody who is more upset about a specific genre of music than you are! Is there more to this story? OMG.......was your biological father really Tommy Lee? That's why you go on-and-on about hair metal in every music topic?

Why is it OK to whine about grunge and 90s rock but not 80s rock?

I feel the way about 80s rock as its fans do about Nirvana and the like. I consider its birth a legitimate musical tragedy.

When was the last time someone whined about grunge and 90's rock around here?

I understand you have your panties in a bunch because of the whole Broski thing and it's up to you to carry the torch while he's not here, but it's really only the pair of you that go on with that kind of rubbish.

Hey, I've got one: Trent Reznor starting to date Robin Finch, thus creating haircut rock.

Am I doing it right?

[DieselDaisy]

If you rephrase it as ''the biggest, wholly intentional and self-inflicted, waste of talent'', W. Axl Rose might be up there.

[Len Cnut]

What whole Broski thing?

[DR DOOM]

What whole Broski thing?

Suspended.

[wasted]

Kurt Cobain

Richey Edwards

Big Pun

Michael Jackson

Tupac & Biggie

Edited September 26, 2014 by wasted

[Len Cnut]

Why?

[luciusfunk]

Glad we didnt, can you imagine Beatles music in an 80s pop stylee, with the production and shit around then, ugh, they were of their time, shone bright and called it a day in good time, these things aren't bound to go on forever.

Nobody's talking about them reuniting permanently or recording new music.

[DieselDaisy]

I see Len's point as most of the old rockers from the 1960s and '70s had an awful time in the 1980s. The Stones put out some dreary albums - so did Dylan.

[spliff]

invention of the internet

[wasted]

Lennon would do a deal with iTunes to ruin music. Oh, wait he'd have to fight Bono for that job.

I see Len's point as most of the old rockers from the 1960s and '70s had an awful time in the 1980s. The Stones put out some dreary albums - so did Dylan.

I like 80s Stones more than them pretending to bohemians anyway. Black n Blue was lat 70s so that's ruin my theory. Tattoo You is pretty awesome.

Why?

Because Big Pun was the future of rap.

[Len Cnut]

Glad we didnt, can you imagine Beatles music in an 80s pop stylee, with the production and shit around then, ugh, they were of their time, shone bright and called it a day in good time, these things aren't bound to go on forever.

Nobody's talking about them reuniting permanently or recording new music.

Was just extemporising.

Edited September 26, 2014 by Lennie Godber

[CheapJon]

I don't think I've seen the deaths of Big L or Jeff Hanneman mentioned,

[Rovim]

Ian Curtis.

[Len Cnut]

I didnt know rappers counted, thread title says 'rock'.

[CheapJon]

Forgot about that, there's rappers in the rock n roll hall of fame though.

[J Dog]

I didnt know rappers counted, thread title says 'rock'.

Slick Rick. Such a promising career ruined right as it got started.

[Len Cnut]

Thats creepy, I'm listening to him right now

[wasted]

I see them as the same just more or less pigmented.

[DieselDaisy]

Lennon would do a deal with iTunes to ruin music. Oh, wait he'd have to fight Bono for that job.

I see Len's point as most of the old rockers from the 1960s and '70s had an awful time in the 1980s. The Stones put out some dreary albums - so did Dylan.

I like 80s Stones more than them pretending to bohemians anyway. Black n Blue was lat 70s so that's ruin my theory. Tattoo You is pretty awesome.

Why?

Because Big Pun was the future of rap.

Yes, and it is no coincidence that Tattoo You is, old material that has been dusted off. Emotional Rescue, Dirty Work and Undercover are the albums I implied; terrible '80s synth driven pap. Dirty Work is the same album with them all looking like a bunch of Yuppies from Miami Vice:

Steel Wheels had much better material however, you still had Charlie sounding like a drum machine.

[dalsh327]

Lennon would do a deal with iTunes to ruin music. Oh, wait he'd have to fight Bono for that job.

I see Len's point as most of the old rockers from the 1960s and '70s had an awful time in the 1980s. The Stones put out some dreary albums - so did Dylan.

I like 80s Stones more than them pretending to bohemians anyway. Black n Blue was lat 70s so that's ruin my theory. Tattoo You is pretty awesome.

Why?

Because Big Pun was the future of rap.

80s Bowie (1984-1989).

Tattoo You was a bunch of leftover songs from Some Girls, Black & Blue and Goats Head Soup.

Steve Lillywhite said that what you saw on Metallica's Some Kind of Monster was nothing compared to the Dirty Work sessions.

[Len Cnut]

I like 80s Stones more than them pretending to bohemians anyway.

Nah fuck that, that was their best era, flitting around the English countryside, off their tits on acid, dressed like gypsys and playing music that left you wondering what they were gonna do next as opposed to that settled formula they got into post the late early 70s where they just gave in and capitulated into self parody.

For as long as they had that spark in them, that quirky something that came out with songs like Ruby Tuesday and like, y'know, just something that set them apart from the pack, that was when they were on point.