Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Death to Musicians

This is for all the musicians who have passed on so far this year. There's been a few significant ones. I think we are just reaching a point in time where many of the great music legends are dying out. Musicians that have left their marks in the last thirty to forty years, and some even longer.

So far in 2012 we've lost...

Davey Jones, The Monkees, died this past February after battling cancer. He was in his 60s.

Whitney Houston, died at 48, after what was believed to be as a drug overdose.

Adam Yauch, a.k.a. MCA, The Beastie Boys, died earlier this month after also battling cancer. He was only 47.

Donna Summer, "The Queen of Disco", died late last week from lung cancer. She was 63.

Robin Gibb, The Bee Gees, also died this month after also battling cancer. He was 62.

So what does this mean for the music world? Is it just that we are reaching a point in time where the artists we remember are starting to die out? Are we really left with the Lady GaGas, the Justin Biebers, and the Miley Cyruses of music? Is that what we got left to define music? Is it even music? Love em or hate em, you have to admit music has changed.

The world of music has transformed greatly from Jim Morrison who used to make love to his music to Avril Lavigne who doesn't even know who David Bowie is. It's embarrassing. It used to be that musicians, *real* musicians would write and compose their own music. There are bands that still exist today that began by sleeping on the cold, hard floor of recording studios just to try and get a demo album recorded. What about the artists and bands who once began homeless? Or those that stole music instruments from stores just to try and play?

Today that is all unheard of. The passion for music and creativity no longer exists. Today writers area hired and paid to write songs for other artists. If that's not bad enough, now artists don't even have to be talented to make the big time. Just like computers have the ability to Photoshop a poorly looking photo or image, computers also have software that can enhance or improve wrong or flat notes, or just horrible singing. It's said that one of the ways you can tell if a musician is really and truly talented is to see the person live. If a particular artist or band can put on a great live show then you know they are the real deal.

Today some artists are selected for music careers solely for their looks. What will sell more fake albums and fake magazine covers? And this world has the audacity to wonder why our teenagers groin up with eating disorders or poor self esteem. Also the portrayal of sex in the media involving artists and celebrities is higher now than ever. Who cares about their music, as long as they look good. But that's a blog for another day.

So where's the talent? Where's the art? Music is art, right? Or is music, the real definition of music, dying out with the real musicians that we remember? Maybe the concept of "music" is changing and transforming into the more modern form of business it has already become.

Whether the favorite, then and now, was rock 'n' roll, disco, or hip hop, a crucial member has died from each. So here's to the musicians who have passed on so far this year. Here's to your timeless music, your various contributions to various genres and musical styles. Here's to your memories, both good and bad, and your creativity, and your innate talent. Here's to the passion that once drove you to make it. Here's to your devotion to your fans and your faithful efforts. Here's to your once enriched lives. Thank you for enriching ours.

MUSIC'S SHADOW
© Martha Bayona | Dreamstime.com

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