GREENMUSE is a regular reader and fan contributor at antiMUSIC, the views expressed here don't necessarily reflect those of antiMUSIC or our sponsors, but we are sure you will enjoy what he has to say! 

Ahoy droogs, hope all is well and things are going your way, unless your way calls for my immanent demise. In that case I hope things aren't going your way. The recent passing of one of music's legends Ray Charles, got me thinking of my 11th grade American History class(it was actually a 9th grade class, but the first go round I didn't like the teacher I had and failed miserably), now I know what your thinking, "what the heck does Ray Charles have to do with history class? ", as this was exactly what I was thinking when we were listening to the music of this man in the classroom. I don’t remember the name of the album, but it was the one with Ray singing country tunes. This teacher was one of the rare breeds who actually taught instead of just getting the class to parrot back the dates of certain events. He used music as a way to give people an idea of what was going on in a particular time in history, an excellent concept in my opinion. We even did a few weeks lessons on why the Beatles are so important to music. Like I said, this teacher was a good bloke. Another good lesson was on Marvin Gaye’s "What’s Going On” album, but enough reminiscing. 
 
All this thinking of that time which is a lot longer ago than I would like to admit, led to the thought that music really is the voice of generations in a certain time, and a certain place, though admittedly a lot, and I do mean a lot of music since rock n roll’s birth as we know it, is forgettable fluff. If you want proof of this, look at any list of inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, sure you will see your Elvis Costellos and Stings, but then there are always these 3 or so names that I swear the aged hippies who run that thing make up. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some guy locked in a room that makes up names and they pick the best ones to induct just to make up numbers (I’d suggest Freddie and the Bean  Counters, unless that does happen to be a real band name) after all, there are only so many bands that are decent in any stretch of the word out there. 
 
The 50s had rock n roll in its infancy which seems tame by our standards today, but remember this is the time when conformity is the order of the day, young people didn’t want to be the stodgy folks their parents were, no siree, they wanted to Rock Around the Clock with Bill Haley and his Comets, and perhaps go to a party in the county jail with Elvis. The 60s had its peace and love movement, though not all were content with this sort of thing, Alice Cooper for one. The 70s gave birth to heavy metal and punk rock as an answer to the good time music of disco to give the idea maybe everything wasn’t all right, maybe some didn’t want to be dancing queens. The 80s gave a return to good time music in the form of hair metal, the 90s went back to gloom, which brings us to today, (that short history of music brought to you by the color green, and the letter a). What is the message music is trying to say today? Are people today all about the bling bling and girls with ghetto booties? No, I don’t think this is the case.  Or perhaps we are all a bunch of self loathing losers who can’t get girls so we make up rap metal songs about this? Again, I don’t think we are, some might be, but I think the nation as a whole isn’t. Or perhaps this music really is the glimpse into the mentality of the world we live in today. Perhaps the world really is full of ultra materialistic butt holes who are quick to cash in any sense of self for a quick buck, the large crop of reality shows is certainly proof of this. Though the other day I did see a bright spot in this weary genre of TV, this was possibly the best thing I’ve seen on TV. . . Ron Jeremy in the same room as Rick James. Now if that isn’t a recipe for greatness, I don’t know what is. [written before Rick’s passing – ed]
 
For the time I think music has stopped being the commentary of a given time in life. There is some heavy shit going on and we get Jessica Simpson "singing" about how she never felt so beautiful with nothing but a t shirt on? In the 80s we even had Phil Collins critiquing the Reagan administration, Phil frickin Collins! Has the art of music really devolved to the point where its just pointless entertainment, even Bono has been pretty quiet about things, and you know times are bad when that Irish ex mullet is quiet. Maybe I’m just taking things way too serious, but I don’t want to be sitting with my grandkids years from now (if we even live long enough to think about a future) and have to eat my bran flakes while some documentary about the turn of the 21st century is on the TV and I’ll have to face that music failed in my lifetime. Well that’s all for now, I now must go and chase the leprechauns off my lawn. Keep looking askew. 
 

Greenmuse loves to hear from you, post a message below or send him an email at greenmuse@antimusic.com (he does get some rather strange emails from time to time... there was this one from a 14 punker girl who asked him if he wanted to... and then Tom Kattfukker asked him to borrow his pussycat...) 
 

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