In recent history I would say that the White Stripes are the closest that a band has come to reaching the mainstream charts.

I think you're forgetting the mainstream successes of bands like the Hives, Black Keys and Black Lips. The Detroit Cobras, Dirtbombs, Reigning Sound and various other bands have had some success, too. Maybe not "mainstream" or household names, but they've definitely sold a lot of records.

I like it the way it is - we got our music and they got theirs. I don't want any part of their world and I don't want to hear (place your favorite band here) on a commercial for cell phones, ipads, viagra or new cars. The first thing I think when I hear something that sneaks in is "Fuck, now every asshole in the world is gonna be in on this." I know, I know its immature, but fuck it.

It's a sad state of affairs. The plebs need to wake up and start listening to bands that are in it to make music instead of being spoon fed crap that just makes money.

Good points! A few random thoughts:

I don't really think the music (movie, etc.) industry gives a shit about what sells as long as it sells. It's not an "entertainment-provider" so much as a $ machine. If people still want to buy shit music, they don't have a problem with providing it.

I don't really think that the masses of top-40 types think about what they could be listening to. As an example, I grew up listening to the Beatles and disco mainly, I didn't even hear oldies 'til after high-school graduation. Someone once told me, "If there are only 3 channels on TV, and 2 of 'em go off the air, you know what people will be watching."

Also, um, hip music is for the hip, the masses will always be a bit clueless.

Demographics are changing too, the kids in the future will likely prefer various types of dance music.

Once in a while, something will pop up in the square world that's like a pale, washed-out version of some type of punk, i.e the Strokes (not saying that 1st lp wasn't fun, but it's not punk) or the White Stripes, etc. That's about as good as they can hope for 'til they wake up (as we did) and realize there's better music out there. I can't see most people I've known rockin' out to the Oblivions or Watchband.

The public has blinders on.

I would have to say that it is a combination of all of those things. The music industry is focused on what sells. For some reason the masses are suckers for really shitty, talentless, music without substance. If you even want to call it music that is. It seems that they target very young teenagers that are very impressionable...between the ages of 12-15, because they know those kids are going to listen to anything.. if the airwaves suggest that its cool to like it or television advertises it as so...it isn't about putting good music out there anymore...it's about making money and not the quality of the music. So basically the cycle goes like this...radio plays shitty music, younger kids are told its cool to like shit music, they listen to it to fit in, those kids that are musically inclined immitate the shitty music they are told is cool on the radio, which exposes the shitty music to other people, and it spreads like a wild fire, until its all over the place, so the record industry makes their money, the promoters promote the shitty music that the record industry puts out, and the kids play this shitty music out at the clubs. the cycle repeats...and its going to keep going that way...until the people at the top are removed and replaced by people that give a damn about good music.

The choice is there and so much better than it has ever been. 

People might be goods at reminising on the 50s and 60s especially those who haven't lived through them but unless they were giving away records in well stocked shops my guess is that both decades sucked compared to now. I mean if I want to listen to a Russian ska band, African jazz, Bolivian garage punk it's possible with the internet in seconds. Neglecting the fact that much of the music we enjoy today wasn't even in existence back then, you would have needed a phd in music studies to find you the choice you now have with the net.

Those that listen to mainstream radio probably treat music in the same way as I treat cars. I couldn't give a crap as long as they do their job. You can't be a coneseur in everything.

I know this is a battered and worn discussion over the years but I am still perplexed at why some fantastic, high energy, cool bands are not even getting a whiff at success over the radio airwaves. I know, I know, some bands want to keep their "cool underground" rep and don't want to be seen as "sell outs" but you would think that at least "some" would surface mainstream. Is our society so lame and bland that Coldplay and Bruno Mars dominate the air waves? I know back in the 50's and early 60's, radio DJ's (Alan Freed, Wolfman Jack etc)  could spin their own records, before the payola scandal. I really wish new DJ's could be given that choice again and depending on the music format, I am sure the general public would be welcome to discovering new music. But alas, that is just a dream. I know that alot of college and pirate radio stations (not to mention this website's GREAT podcasts) that try to get the music buzz out there, but it makes up a very small percentage of the casual music fans who are subjected to the same homogenized radio all the time because they don't know any better.

In recent history I would say that the White Stripes are the closest that a band has come to reaching the mainstream charts. I also know that with satellite radio we are given a bigger choice of radio stations that are not driven by commercials but they are also getting paid by subscribers.  So my question is this.....is it the music/radio industry promoters, the bands/artists themselves or the fans that are to blame?

Like the "Da Bruddahs" once sang..."Do you remember Rn'R Radio?"

Wow, check this out:

Read the story here: http://www.dangerousminds.net/comments/legendary_blues_singer_reality_of_the_music_industry_for_the_99

Lester Chambers, former lead singer of The Chambers Brothers, highlights the hard reality of the record company’s exploitation of its artists. Chambers sang such hits as “Time Has come Today”, “People Get Ready”, “Uptown”, “I Can’t Turn You Loose” and “Funky”, went for almost thirty years without seeing a royalty check, and has still to see the majority of payment due to him for all of his recordings.

Chambers has suffered great hardship over the years through no fault of his own, and was most recently sleeping in a rehearsal room, until Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon offered to pay his rent on a home for him and his son in 2010.

Last year, Chambers was inducted into the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame, which is an honor, but hardly full recompense for all the years of being screwed over by record companies.

I AM the former Lead Singer of a 60’s BAND. I performed before thousands at Atlanta Pop 2, Miami Pop, Newport Pop, Atlantic Pop. I did NOT squander my money on drugs or a fancy home. I went from 1967-1994 before I saw my first Royalty Check.

The Music Giants I recorded with only paid me for 7 of my Albums.

I have NEVER seen a penny in Royalties from my other 10 Albums I recorded. Our Hit Song was licensed to over 100 Films, T.V. & Commercials WITHOUT our permission. One Major TV Network used our song for a national Commercial and my payment was $625. dollars. I am now 72, trying to live on $1200 a month. Sweet Relief, a music charity is taking donations for me.

Only the 1% of Artist can afford to sue.

I AM THE 99%

The Chambers Brothers perform “The Time Has Come Today”.

Anyone know of any other sordid tales of "the music industry" like this?

Just posted "Tralier 2"... check it out:

Also I would particulaly want either a large hollow body with single coils and a trem preferably or a 12 string preferably thinline or solid bodied with single coils and well designed for lead work.

Also any one got any words to say on the new fender pawn shop special amps regarding voluma and tone

Billy Childish and Bo Diddley I believe.

I got like 8 Sepultura cd's

THEM and early Rolling Stones, I would have to say.

Apparently, my Vox Continental used to belong to The Damned, & came out of their studio... (at least thats what the woman who i bought it off told me... & it was just a sidenote to the sale, so have no particular reason to disbelieve her...)

 But that's nothing to do wit this thread so i'll mention that ive probably got more Skatalites stuff than any other band, cos i like ska.
 
Mike said:

The Damned followed by the Ramones. Mostly because they both have released so many damned (get it?) records and 7" sleeve variations etc etc that sucker a collector nerd like me to buy. No picture of me, but a set a photos I'd snapped for another forum. I have to give credit though to an old friend who sold me his entire Damned 7" collection back in the 80's. I knew it hurt him, but he knew it was going to a good home. That's where a good chunk of my Damned and Capt. Sensible singles came from.

Elvis ,  Jerry Lee . 2/3rds of the $750,000 Trio. Of course , I have a lot on Carl and The Man who made like Elvis and left the building......Cramps , Roky , Iggy. Other stuff, I forget.

The Damned followed by the Ramones. Mostly because they both have released so many damned (get it?) records and 7" sleeve variations etc etc that sucker a collector nerd like me to buy. No picture of me, but a set a photos I'd snapped for another forum. I have to give credit though to an old friend who sold me his entire Damned 7" collection back in the 80's. I knew it hurt him, but he knew it was going to a good home. That's where a good chunk of my Damned and Capt. Sensible singles came from.

I own more Billy Childish stuff than any other artist. He is not necessarily my favorite artist, but the sheer volume of releases over the years, and the fact that any B.C. record is a "safe bet", is the reason I have amassed such a huge collection of his work. 

It's funny- the first thing that came into my head is a Dead milkmen song, "Lets get the baby high". I see that the first person, Ken, to respond with a DM song as well haha! No surprise I guess. I can think of  a few others though too. How about Ween's HIV song or Spinal Meningitis. Also, we have to include the Descendents Pervert!

I'd have to go with "I'm not a loser" by the Descendents. I sang the song with ALL in the 90's and just mumbled through the homophobic part. I've heard it was supposed to be tongue in cheek or some shit but it sounds pretty bad to me. :)

Hi Bunt,

If you can give my a critique (your opinion) within a few days, yeah sure.  Just PM, and I will give you the download link.

Thanks

I'll help out. Is there still time?

Looking to book an Evil Eyes' mini tour this summer (June/July). Like to play Nashville, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Louisville, Memphis, Murfreesboro, Huntsville, Birmingham, Chattanooga, Atlanta. Will consider almost anywhere so don't hesitate to ask! Would prefer to start in Nashville (my hometown!) and work out from there and finish in Detroit. I mean, what's more pleasant than the South in the middle of summer?

You can check out The Evil Eyes on our Hideout page:

http://garagepunk.ning.com/profile/TheEvilEyes

Murder City Nights #14 Available Now!!

Just Head! Pure punk rock action in the spirit of '77.

http://garagepunk.ning.com/profiles/blogs/murder-city-nights-14

SET LIST:

• Hillside Strangler - Hollywood Squares
• Stab You Dead - Angry Angles
• Meet the Sadist - Destruction Unit
• Porno Queen - Peter & the Test Tube Babies
• Fuck It - New Bomb Turks
• Thinking of Suicide - Social Unrest
• Just Head - Nervous Eaters
• Gary Gilmore's Eyes - The Adverts
• Suicide in a Bottle - Evil Idols
• The Loser - Vains
• Pale Horse - The Catheters
• Suspect Device - Stiff Little Fingers
• Give In - Pistol Grip
• Cranked Up Really High - Slaughter & The Dogs
• Music School - The Nosebleeds
• Teenage Depression - Eddie And The Hot Rods
• Next in Line - Lord High Fixers
• Destroyers - Plasmatics
• Time Machine - The Undertakers
• Hate to Say I Told You So - The Hives
• Urban Guerilla - Mudhoney
• Lust For Life - Iggy Pop

Personally I HATE when bands bitch about being famous or being on tour. I've been on tour a lot and it's been hard but at the end of the day I would never complain about it, cuz I love it. The WORSE offender at this is BOB SEGER complaining about being a rock star in "turn the page". Boo Fucking Hoo BOB, we all feel sorry for you for having to play your tunes in front of hundreds of fans. And screw Metallica for covering that song as well...they are just as bad. Everytime I hear that song I get pissed.