When an Artist’s Music Changes Over Time: Does it make you sad??

[GOS]

Relaxing, listening to Elton John's Madman Across The Water. Just really enjoying each song made me think.....

Does it make you guys sad, when an artist that meant so much to all of us had these absolutely killer releases.....is getting older and just cannot bring anything to the table that is remotely as good as what they did in their prime? It's all part of growing older, but it truly makes me sad. Elton was such a monster artist in his day, and his songs bring me such joy...but as he grew older, his output grew out of touch and I didn't much like it.

Sad......

 

[kap'n krunch]

that is why Maestro Fripp is on the right track; giving his catalog to the best mixers and rereleasing it with all kinds of goodies...

and , I just want to state my philosophy: life is too short for being sad (besides, being sad or angry is the easiest thing, being truly happy is the most difficult thing to be in these trying times)...be happy my dearest Gene!!!

 

[paligap]

What a coincidence. I was listening to Peachtree Road today and thinking, this isn't bad, but it's nowhere near as good as his earlier stuff.

Honestly, though, I find it sadder when artists die in their prime, a la SRV or anyone in the Twenty-Seven Club. I wonder what else they could have produced.

 

[Bill B]

It definitely makes me sad when an artist has been prolific for a stretch and then just can't produce at the same level. It's like they've used up their bag of magic tricks and there is nothing left to say. (The Rush song "Losing It" kind of sums it up)
It also makes me sad when they hang around for so long putting out subpar material, but that is what they love to do and as long as they enjoy doing it then that's what they should do.

 

[marpow]

Not what you meant Gene, but when I saw your thread topic, of course all I could think of was my wife's sister died of Parkinson's this morning and I felt sad and cried, she was a very good soul who got a bad deal, but peace is now.
My wife was fortunate enough to fly out to Philly last Thursday and was able to be there, I think I'll fly out this Thursday.

 

[par4ken]

Relaxing, listening to Elton John's Madman Across The Water. Just really enjoying each song made me think.....

Does it make you guys sad, when an artist that meant so much to all of us had these absolutely killer releases.....is getting older and just cannot bring anything to the table that is remotely as good as what they did in their prime? It's all part of growing older, but it truly makes me sad. Elton was such a monster artist in his day, and his songs bring me such joy...but as he grew older, his output grew out of touch and I didn't much like it.

Sad......

Yes but it goes even deeper than that. All my favorite artists started out doing what they loved I'm sure, producing great music but as soon as they saw a little success most "turned mellow" or "became commercial" producing music for mainstream radio airplay and consumption. Likely at the urging of producers and record company executives.. Then as they grew older the situation worsened but that is to be expected, I guess. You can't expect a senior citizen to belt out something like "Young Man Blues" or "Eighteen" and if they do it can be rather cool but sadly no longer authentic. Yes it makes me sad that they and we are all growing old.

I remember in grade eight our teacher saying that when we grew older we wouldn't like the music that we were currently listening to. Well she was wrong. Now I find myself thinking the very same thing about the kids today and the music they listen to!

 

[JonUrban]

But you have to remember that if "Madman Across the Water" came out today as a new release, hardly anyone would hear it. New stuff, even by legendary artists, never gets played and exposed the way music did when "Madman" came out. We were all young and every album we bought we played to death. The radio stations all played the same thing, and we all heard "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" wherever we went. We love those old albums almost too much in that we left them alone for long periods of time, then came back to them and remembered how great they were and how they remind us of great times when we didn't have all of the crap to worry about that we do now.

Today Elton puts out a new LP to very little fanfare. It gets no global exposure, and his hard core fans play it once or twice, maybe pull a song or two off for their iPhone or digital library, the the album goes into a pile never to be played again.

Songs need to be burned into our heads to be "great". There are a ton of songs that are burned into our heads that are really not great, but because we heard them so much and they became part of us, our minds think they're great. However, if you play them for someone today, they'd shrug them off and say "It's not a great song"

It's a progression of time and repetition. It's easy for a young kid today to say "The Beatles were not that great" as they listen to "Baby You're a Rich Man" and think, what's the big deal.

It's a totally different world, and though their aged voices are not the same, their songwriting might still be very good, it's just that if the songs don't get heard and played with the same frequency as those old songs were, no one will notice.

 

[Sal1950]

It's all part of growing older, but it truly makes me sad. Elton was such a monster artist in his day, and his songs bring me such joy...but as he grew older, his output grew out of touch and I didn't much like it.

Gene, it all boils down to the one big truth.

Life's a bit-ch
And then you die.

Don't let it get you down. LOL

 

[mandrix]

But you have to remember that if "Madman Across the Water" came out today as a new release, hardly anyone would hear it. New stuff, even by legendary artists, never gets played and exposed the way music did when "Madman" came out. We were all young and every album we bought we played to death. The radio stations all played the same thing, and we all heard "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" wherever we went. We love those old albums almost too much in that we left them alone for long periods of time, then came back to them and remembered how great they were and how they remind us of great times when we didn't have all of the crap to worry about that we do now.

Today Elton puts out a new LP to very little fanfare. It gets no global exposure, and his hard core fans play it once or twice, maybe pull a song or two off for their iPhone or digital library, the the album goes into a pile never to be played again.

Songs need to be burned into our heads to be "great". There are a ton of songs that are burned into our heads that are really not great, but because we heard them so much and they became part of us, our minds think they're great. However, if you play them for someone today, they'd shrug them off and say "It's not a great song"

It's a progression of time and repetition. It's easy for a young kid today to say "The Beatles were not that great" as they listen to "Baby You're a Rich Man" and think, what's the big deal.

It's a totally different world, and though their aged voices are not the same, their songwriting might still be very good, it's just that if the songs don't get heard and played with the same frequency as those old songs were, no one will notice.

Yes. I played LA Woman 8 track so much the heat from the unit warped the case! Lot's of repetitive listening back then.

But so many great memories of a lifetime of music listening, I wouldn't trade it for anything! I tend to remember the joy of music listening throughout. Although saddened by each passing of the ones that contributed to that joy can at times seem bittersweet, I prefer to let the good times (in music) just keep filling my head & rolling on.

 

[fredblue]

this should cheer you up





fwiw Elton's latest album (The Lockdown Sessions) and single (Cold Heart) both made it to Number 1 here.. and he had the latest UK Christmas Number 1 Single, well both (!) actually, one with Ed Sheeran and then with the Sausage Roll guy!! brilliant!

so even though he's quite a different artist now from the young man who made the Madman album and all those other 70's Classics, he's still making popular music that folks young and old enjoy!

so don't be Sad, be happy for the old stuff and even if you don't embrace the change at least there's all that great music he made from the past!

(lord knows after he did things like Victim of Love and Leather Jackets, i had to come to terms with the 'evolution' of one of my most cherished artists, it ain't easy baby but its never sad!!)

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I haven’t even gotten to Blue Moves yet.

let’s see, carry the 1, another sip of brew, then carry another 1… whew 46 years to catch up on!

These life problems are a real bitch!

They were Blue huh, gah maybe it was something he ate?

 

[Tornado Red]

You'd think as I age, my musical heroes would have the courtesy not to.

 

[Quad Linda]

Jon, as a EJ completist, I'd love to say you're wrong. Sadly, you are not. If he were to have come up today, he likely wouldn't have received (a)contract(s). This despite already having releases as part of Bluesology. Even though he received a contract, his records didn't exactly set the charts on fire in UK initially. Today, it would be a dead-end soon thereafter.

Adam's a bigger EJ fan than I. He has a great point about artists changing, EJ no exception. Do you truly want any artist to stagnate? Then, it becomes stale/old. Possibly worse are the "here's the last chance at resurrecting my career, but I didn't want to record this crap" album. I have several dozen of those as a completist for many artists.

Many years ago, I met Terry Callier, a local jazz artist who had become a cult favorite with OOP LP's from his "previous career" in music. I don't recall what his career was in the intervening years. His "resurrected" career in music finally became full time.

Recently, Toronzo Cannon. a Chicago bluesman quit his job as a busdriver to finally be a fullltime musician. He's been gigging for years evenings and weekend and getting wider recognition. Sure, a common entertainment industry scenario.

Despite being supremely talented, Reg might have had the same fate. Perhaps he'd be living some approximation of the person described in "Someone Saved My Life." There but for fortune and a longtime friend named Long John Baldry. Elton John, as many of you may know, is derived from names of Reg's pals Elton Dean (Soft Machine, etc) and Baldry.

 

[MidiMagic]

I remember in grade eight our teacher saying that when we grew older we wouldn't like the music that we were currently listening to. Well she was wrong. Now I find myself thinking the very same thing about the kids today and the music they listen to!

It has been my experience that most people love the music that was new when they were teenagers and in their early 20s.

It holds within my own family.
- My great grandfather had a collection of 78s from about 1908 to 1930. He also had one of the first record changers (you had to wind three cranks periodically).
- All of my grandparents had records from the 1920s and 1930s.
- My parents had mostly big band and 1950s easy listening records. I now have some of them.
- I started collecting mostly rock and pop from 1965 and slowed down after 1980 with disco and ABBA.
- I have no children, but some of the children of relatives collected hop-hop and punk.

Various friends I have also followed these patterns.

 

[Bill B]

It has been my experience that most people love the music that was new when they were teenagers and in their early 20s....

...Various friends I have also followed these patterns.

That is definitely the pattern. The reason is because most people in their teens and early twenties actually have the time to seriously care about and follow music. By the late 20's careers, families and the other responsibilities of adulthood consume disposable time and income. For most music gets put on the side. And then there are people like us. I can't think of anyone in my family or circle of close friends that has devoted as much time and money to music as I have, and I'd wager that most of the people here could say that as well.

 

[GOS]

I can't think of anyone in my family or circle of close friends that has devoted as much time and money to music as I have, and I'd wager that most of the people here could say that as well.

100% true on my end, for sure. None of my siblings even listen to music. Don't own any, nada...zip. Amazing. On a side note, they don't drink beer either. Oh the shame....LOL!

 

[par4ken]

It has been my experience that most people love the music that was new when they were teenagers and in their early 20s.

It holds within my own family.
- My great grandfather had a collection of 78s from about 1908 to 1930. He also had one of the first record changers (you had to wind three cranks periodically).
- All of my grandparents had records from the 1920s and 1930s.
- My parents had mostly big band and 1950s easy listening records. I now have some of them.
- I started collecting mostly rock and pop from 1965 and slowed down after 1980 with disco and ABBA.
- I have no children, but some of the children of relatives collected hop-hop and punk.

Various friends I have also followed these patterns.

Somewhat true but there have always been "kids" that love classic rock (our classic rock). I think that the boomers have perhaps been the most loyal to "our music". Led Zeppelin. Black Sabbath The Doors etc. seem to still be timeless!

I'm always put off by those Adult Contemporary and Classic Rock stations that only play a handful of "hits" instead of exploring the vaults!

 

[jimfisheye]

Had a classic rock station around here for a while that had both volumes 1 AND 2 of Freedom Rock! So sometimes instead of hearing the 1st song you'd guess from an artist you'd hear the 2nd one.

A band or artist having more than one round of doing something interesting is the exception. What can you say? Someone does something truly special and you kind of want to get more!

There might be a couple exceptions to the exception to the exception though.
ELP Love Beach makes me sad, for example.

I still think one of the best skits SNL ever did was Songs That Ruined Everything.

 

[jefe1]

This is a good thread and I have enjoyed reading the posts above

My son thinks it funny I have so many stacks of records cds etc. He even knows what cassettes are
Yet at age 13 he is discovering what we know as classic rock thanks to the wonders of the internet and spotify and is always asking me to name that song. As long as it doesnt veer into the 80s or hair band music he never stumps me.
I have made time all my life to listen to and buy music as Im sure most people here do.
It does take time to listen absorb and appreciate it.
No matter how much older I get....and I hope I will have that gift....I cannot conceive of not being interested in and listening to music. If I lose my hearing well you can always feel the vibrations.
Artists like us age and change and with some old age brings productivity. Just look at Haydn with 104 symphonies or Stokowski conducting into his 90s.

I tend to agree that rock is a young mans gig and the best is produced in ones 20s but there are always exceptions.

 

[mandrix]

I may be an exception. My musical roots may be in the 60's and 70's but i have openly embraced such groups as Porcupine Tree, The Pineapple Thief, Riverside, etc. I was a little late coming to them but enjoy them much now. Of course touch my Traffic, Moody Blues or Steely Dan and you'll be missing a digit.
Also still an "old school" Country Music fan. Give me some Merle, Willy or Conway and I'm good to go.
My Mother had records from Fats Domino, Chuck Berry and others like th;em and that's what I grew up on. Sadly my Father was not much into music listening, but he did write poetry & song lyrics-go figure! He sent a song to a national Country Music artist who made it a hit...without attribution to my Dad. If he had just credited Dad with writing the lyrics he would have been overjoyed.