Something is missing...

I won't write one of those moany, cliched rants of "music nowadays is shit". Because saying something like that would not only be totally wrong, but also unfair and ignorant. Instead I just want to mourn the passing of true musical geniuses. Not to say that there no longer remains any musical geniuses. But... oh fuck it, I'll just get to the point.

Why are there no more Lou Reeds? No more David Bowies? No Jim Morrisons? As an obsessed music fan, I like to think that I am reasonably up-to-date with the art form. Which means that I'm fortunate to breathe the same air as some fantastic men and women, who release superb albums that can make a person's day, week, year, or life.

But times are hard. Everything is compared to something that once was, something that has been done before. Obviously people are influenced by others, that goes without saying. But I lust for that moment when something completely fresh, something revolutionary comes along and blows my mind.

I wasn't around in 1967 when "The Velvet Underground & Nico" came out, but even in the 21st Century, you can play it and still be in awe of the beautiful yet raw handful of tracks performed by the band. It was said that when the album came out, not many New Yorkers bought it. But the ones that did all formed bands. Its this kind of inspiration that music is missing today. Yes, a band may be brilliant. But gone are the days when a frontman is seen as a God, an almost otherworldly being, like Morrison was in the 60's (and I doubt that was just because of LSD!)

It sickens me to listen to the garbage in the charts for even a few seconds. I served someone the other day at work and as I put "NOW That's What I Call Music! 73" through the checkout I felt like smashing the CD over the thick cunt's skull. I wanted to summon a copy of "Diamond Dogs" from thin air and hand it to the customer, like a teacher handing over extra homework to an underperforming 10 year old after a good bollocking in the classroom.

This will likely be percieved as a pretentious argument. The truth, it probably is. But I know in my heart of hearts that this music means the world to me. Its real, its raw, its soulful.

As a student in the school of life I still have a lot to learn about music, and lots of other things for that matter. This is a pleasing thought, as I will never stop loving that feeling of discovering a new band/album/song, whether its from 50 years ago or a week ago.

I just swell with pride at the fact that my parents blessed me with some truely amazing musical education as I grew up. N-Dubz? Erm, nah, you're alright thanks mate...