Bill S
Thread Killer
That's what I'd call Gene and Kiss. No virtuosos there either.
"Grunge is Why Rock 'N' Roll Music is on Life Support, if not Dead."...hmmm
- Thread starter Natasha Bell
- Start date
Natasha Bell
The Adcom Girl
That is so true: GenXers are often mistaken for "Baby Boomers". My parents were baby boomers, born in 1945 and 1950 respectively. GenXers are so different from Baby Boomers... for the Boomers it was all about themselves. They basically left their children (GenXers) to themselves. They barely cared for them when they were sick. "Get out of the house, and don't come back until the street lights come on" my mother-in-law told my then 7 or 8 year old husband (must have been around 1975 or so). That made GenXers very self-reliant, driven, and innovative. I was born in 1984, and although I am technically one of the &(%$)#@#$ Millennials, I consider myself to be an honorary GenXer. 
GenX, is in fact, in so many ways: "The Greatest" generation (but also the one that spawned "helicopter" parents! 
)
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I met Gene Simmons once during my college years when I was a cocktail waitress at the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi. He was really sweet to me, and gave he a sizable tip too ($100 bill) although he has a reputation for being somewhat of a tightwad. While it is undoubtedly true that Kiss did influence many grunge bands, there is a reason why Simmons "dumps" on them. He spelled out the reason himself in many interviews: He calls it a "bastardization" of the rock music. Quite frankly, like or hate him, it is exactly that - a bastardization. This is not just his opinion, but that of other Rock "greats", like Ian Gillan, Jon Lord, and Stevie Nicks. They have said or hinted at similar, but are not as blunt about it as Simmons. At Gene's age, considering his 50+ years in the industry, in my view he has earned the right to have his own opinion. I do think, he can be more "diplomatic" about voicing it.
Older generation musicians bitching about how the next generation fails some musical purity test is just not a good look for them. They should all just be happy that they had their day in the spotlight and leave it at that.
But they won't, and this will continue to happen to (some members of) each generation, pretty much forever.
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tomlinmgt
Lunatic Member
You sound just like my wife (who was in her mid teens when grunge hit), Natasha. She friggin' despises grunge...just absolutely hates everything about it. She was totally into the late 80's hair band scene and says grunge "crashed the party and ruined everything". I can't disagree with her entirely...attitudes changed. Carefree living and the perpetual party themes gave way to a more dark, jaded and cynical outlook in the music. Nobody cared to dress to look hot any longer (gotta admit., I'm a sucker for the hot rocker chick look), and crowd behavior at concerts was more punk out than party on. Not sure I agree with your assertion that the musicianship was superior from the hair band camp. I'm a drummer of four decades and a music enthusiast for just as long. I like lots of different genres (but it has to be real music...which means instruments are being played) and play close attention to the playing from all the instruments. Hair metal didn't really produce a healthy crop of stand out players. There were some damn good ones, but not many that get serious respect from musicians in other genres.
cpt_paranoia
Addicted Member
But they abused that talent to produce anodyne, over-produced, formulaic pap. The 'poodle rock' epithet accurately describes the laughable state that genre of rock had descended to, both in terms of looks, and music. Long, permed blonde hair, bare, oiled chests, open denim shirts, usually with some sort of fire going on around them. Blork.
There are good reasons that genre died out.
i just had a vision of kip winger
Bill S
Thread Killer
There are always exceptions to the rule. Im a later boomer (1958) but I don't relate much to them. I wasn't left alone to my devices and my kids weren't either. Had them later in life. 26 and 23 now. Well adjusted and successful. My wife was a stay at homer.
Natasha Bell
The Adcom Girl
OMG!!! OMG!!! She RULES!!! Now I know why you married her!!
I was 9 in 1993 (arguably the peak of grunge)... OMG yes - My older sister loves grunge. She too, probably inspired by grunge, is a tomboy to this very day - very sloppy. In comparison, I was always a girly-girl. You can't get her into a skirt or dress, let alone stockings, hose, or heels... I love wearing all those things!! 
I never thought of it that way - the NEGATIVE influences of Grunge!
While I'll admit to being somewhat of a "metalhead" myself, I gotta say there have been certain songs from all genres of music that struck a chord with me (pun intended). Raw energy is what attracts me, and this can be found in some songs across the whole musical scene..... 
tomlinmgt
Lunatic Member
OMG!!! OMG!!! She RULES!!! Now I know why you married her!!
We met online, and when we were talking about what to do on our first date, I casually mentioned that Night Ranger was in town the coming Saturday night. When she enthusiastically said "YES! Let's GO!!!" I knew I was barking up the right tree.
tomlinmgt
Lunatic Member
Hair, glam...the lines have always been a bit blurry there.
Went and had a look at albums from the 80's that I've listened to in the past couple years.
A couple from Van Halen
Ozzy - Blizzard of Ozz
A couple from Metallica
Not saying my tastes are the end all / be all but I was in my teens in the 80's and listened to a lot of glam rock at the time so you'd think music from that decade might have stuck with me. I listen to more stuff from almost any other decade now though.
A couple from Van Halen
Ozzy - Blizzard of Ozz
A couple from Metallica
Not saying my tastes are the end all / be all but I was in my teens in the 80's and listened to a lot of glam rock at the time so you'd think music from that decade might have stuck with me. I listen to more stuff from almost any other decade now though.
My parents were older and from what is known as the Greatest Generation. Sending you out until the streetlights came out was normal parenting for most boomers.
90's music in general is my goto music...in my 20s, living in daytona beach...i paid more attention to music than any other period of my life
Redtide
Super Member
Oh Gene Simmons. Kiss is the Costco of rock.
This thread made me google what Kiss has been up to - and they haven't put out a studio album in 11 years. This is the single from their last album. Formulaic schlock like this sure isn't helping keep rock alive.
Kiss - Hell Or Hallelujah
This thread made me google what Kiss has been up to - and they haven't put out a studio album in 11 years. This is the single from their last album. Formulaic schlock like this sure isn't helping keep rock alive.
Kiss - Hell Or Hallelujah
I'm retiring at the end of the school year after decades of teaching. My Middle School Choir is doing a salute to Grunge as part of my final concert ever at the end of May. I'm 64 and cut my teeth in music on Funk and Jazz bass in the 70's and early 80's. I majored in performance in bass. At the end of a long career I've ended up as a choir teacher.
I'm working on medley of tunes right now. I know Peaches will be part of it. The rest is still in the works. The kids will be wearing Grunge-style apparel for that part of the concert (duck behind the screen and put on the plaid, most will already have boots, and they will grab the inflatable guitars). I think it will be fun.
I'm working on medley of tunes right now. I know Peaches will be part of it. The rest is still in the works. The kids will be wearing Grunge-style apparel for that part of the concert (duck behind the screen and put on the plaid, most will already have boots, and they will grab the inflatable guitars). I think it will be fun.