The Biggest Tragedies in Rock Music

[Apollo]

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.

As far as deaths and losses go, I pretty much agree. Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix and Randy Rhoads (if this guy had more time in the sun I think Nobody puts baby in a corner might not have been so shit) were all profound, early losses.

Never getting a proper Beatles reunion.

I guess, but in a way it's cool that they had 6 years, accomplished everything imaginable and that was it. (unless you count those anthology mash-up songs)

That's cool man, I respect your opinion. Musical preference is just musical preference. You hating a type of music that I love - who really cares in the long run, right? I'm sure you don't lose one second of sleep knowing that I think Kayne is overrated and lame. But that's not my point.

You make negative comments about 80s rock - and its listeners - in pretty much every music topic. Even ones that have nothing to do with 80s rock. If somebody started a topic today about Eminim or Kendrick Lamar or TI or Little Wayne or Kayne or Iggy, you'd have six posts in the topic where you mentioned 80s rock and its fans.

My next 25 music posts won't mention the name Nikki Minaj. Because I think she is the most untalented and unlistenable "popular" singer out there right now. I find her music to be absolutely dreadful. So I won't talk about her. BUT......in your next 25 music posts, you'll mention your distain for 80s rock in probably 20 of them.

It just seems weird that you talk about a genre that you apparently hate so much.

****

Username - did you see my caveat to the topic?

There are a lot more tragic things in life than a musician not releasing music. I already said that.

I guess I should have been more specific, but it seems like most people got the point. In terms of pure music that WASN'T released because of whatever reasons (by choice, by death, jail, etc). What were the biggest tragedies.

In those terms, you still don't think Axl makes the top 5?

Appetite is considered one of the best hard rock albums of all time. Somebody people list it as THE best of all time.

Lies is one of the best rock EPs of all time.

And then to follow those up with both Illusions? They were 1 and 2 on the billboard charts, both sold about 20 million copies, produced a slew of hits and iconic songs. And the GnR touring of those albums BROKE world records in attendance.

That is a five year stretch that is really unmatched in rock music history. Maybe the Beatles touches that, but they were a pop act.

To go from that to releasing one album over the following 21 years....that is a tragedy for music.

Axl could have been the top selling rock artist of all time. And he could have been right up beside The beatles, Elvis, Garth Brooks and Michael in terms of overall sales numbers, diamond selling albums. But instead he basically has just been an occassional touring artist the last 20 years.

[Len Cnut]

Out of interest Groghan, where do you tend to hear these new artists? I ask because I don't think I've heard a single Nikki Minaj song, i don't really watch telly or listen to the radio and so i only really hear music when i seek it out, say a gig or a...y'know, whatever. And being that you got kids etc i can't imagine you get much time to watch TV, is it radio or...?

This question has really come about from talking to my ex the other day and she's mentioning all these songs that i never heard of and she's like whaat, this is like, THE thing right now.

[username]

Username - did you see my caveat to the topic?

There are a lot more tragic things in life than a musician not releasing music. I already said that.

I guess I should have been more specific, but it seems like most people got the point. In terms of pure music that WASN'T released because of whatever reasons (by choice, by death, jail, etc). What were the biggest tragedies.

In those terms, you still don't think Axl makes the top 5?

Appetite is considered one of the best hard rock albums of all time. Somebody people list it as THE best of all time.

Lies is one of the best rock EPs of all time.

And then to follow those up with both Illusions? They were 1 and 2 on the billboard charts, both sold about 20 million copies, produced a slew of hits and iconic songs. And the GnR touring of those albums BROKE world records in attendance.

That is a five year stretch that is really unmatched in rock music history. Maybe the Beatles touches that, but they were a pop act.

To go from that to releasing one album over the following 21 years....that is a tragedy for music.

Axl could have been the top selling rock artist of all time. And he could have been right up beside The beatles, Elvis, Garth Brooks and Michael in terms of overall sales numbers, diamond selling albums. But instead he basically has just been an occassional touring artist the last 20 years.

Sorry man but for me personally, not by a long shot. Axl did that to himself. I see a lot more tragedy in cases of people that could have given us so much more great art if it wasn't for their untimely demise than in a guy who just couldn't be arsed and his revolving door band. Mind you, the actual Guns n' Roses had already imploded by then. Axl took the GnR name and used it for toilet paper. That's all very frustrating, but in the grand scheme of music not really important.

[WFA]

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?

So when Finch got a bj from Marilyn Manson onstage was he cheating on Trent?

[Apollo]

Out of interest Groghan, where do you tend to hear these new artists? I ask because I don't think I've heard a single Nikki Minaj song, i don't really watch telly or listen to the radio and so i only really hear music when i seek it out, say a gig or a...y'know, whatever. And being that you got kids etc i can't imagine you get much time to watch TV, is it radio or...?

This question has really come about from talking to my ex the other day and she's mentioning all these songs that i never heard of and she's like whaat, this is like, THE thing right now.

Youtube mainly.

I get up an hour to 90 minutes earlier than I need to during the week so I can have some quiet time to write and do personal things.

A couple times a month I'll go on Billboard and check out songs that are in the top 20 - and then go listen to them on youtube. Sometimes you can discover a great new up and coming band that way. As for rock songs, the little suggestion box on the side of the page of youtube is a great way as well. It will list other songs by the artist you are listening to, but then usually will throw in 2-3 other songs by artists that sound similar to the band's video you are watching. It's easy to spend an hour watching videos from bands you've never heard of. You weed through a lot of crap, but occasional come up with some random band that you end up loving.

So my free music listening time is between 6 and 7:30 AM!!!

[wasted]

Undercover is one of my favorite albums.

[DieselDaisy]

Undercover is one of my favorite albums.

Well you are always stoned and like Chinese Democracy. Of course it is your favourite.

[wasted]

Undercover is one of my favorite albums.

Undercover is a cool song and a great video, influence on Estranged video maybe.

What album is She was Hot on?

[DieselDaisy]

The one with dwarfs on it, sailing in a mushroom cloud.

[wasted]

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.

I think that's it it kind of conjures up images of Chelsea or all the stories you read. Whereas hot Stuff is just a fun song to listen to. Maybe I just over familiarised myself with early stuff. But when I saw them live it was Miss You that got people going. Paint it Black and Ruby Tuesday are great songs though. I put on Black n Blue or Undercover or the Scorsese doc sountrack live record has a nice blend. I don't put on LIB or EOMS to be honest. I like Flashback GH album to.

Too Much Blood is awesome too.

[AdriftatSea]

Not exactly rock but I shed a tear, Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopez and Aaliyah

[Broskirose]

The biggest tragedy in rock music is Randy Rhoads's death. Dude was a genius.

Beyond that I wouldn't say anything else was a tragedy. I mean there were personal tragedy's but as far as the genre goes, no not really.

Perhaps the biggest tragedy is that people still think their favorite 70s/80s band is relevant and that that type of music will once again take over the world. It won't. It just fucking won't. I'm sorry. Bands try to sound like "classic rock" and it always comes off as terribly cheesy and dated. It's dead and it isn't coming back. Ever.

[The Sandman]

Robbin Crosby too - wasted.

[Len Cnut]

The death of Johnny Thunders, they found him curled up like a pretzel under a table with a heroin needle in the toilet and his room ransacked, having met two unknown men earlier that night and been chilling out with them. Receptionist recalled a ruckus from the room at night but didn't follow it up, next morning the true king of rock n roll was found dead upstairs...turns out Johnny had undiagnosed lymphoma, which he knew he had, or rather had something but just didn't wanna go to doctors. Sad.

There are three albums that define 70s rock n roll, one is Raw Power, the other is The Dolls debut and the third is L.AM.F by The Heartbreakers...no others touched them throughout that decade.