Melodic rock/AOR: The new "alternative"?

[Mr Badguy]

Shit, you know, I was reading an article the other day about Frontiers, an Italian record company that dedicated to melodic rock.

You might not have heard of them but their roster includes such one time giants as Journey, Toto and Night Ranger to name but a few.

The label are also in negotiation with Foreigner for the rights to their next album.

These are bands who used to sell a shit load of albums and fill stadiums but got buried by the record companies that they made money for by being made to write more slushy ballad shit per album than even the wimpiest music fan could handle.

The AOR scene has been driven so far under ground that these bands have signed for this small label who give their artists complete artistic control and, perhaps more importantly, a decent amount of promotion for their new products.

Having heard a few of these releases, I have come to realize that this kind of music is far from dead and indeed is very much alive with a few new bands making new music which is probably the most unfashionable in the world right now.

What I want know is, where the fuck did all the fans of this stuff go?

One of the cool things about rock music is that you can consider it "yours" because it exists outside of the mainstream, when you go to a theatre sized concert you relate to the people that are there because they love the kind of music that you do.

Don`t give me the "they`re too old to make decent music" arguement either, because plenty of artists of the same age, in some cases older, still make music as vital as they did back in the day and besides, most of the members on this site are probably over 30. Do they feel like they`re over the hill?

If you`re looking for real alternative rock in 2006 then get that Boston album out and PLAY IT LOUD, MUTHA!

[ThrillsNSpills]

Originally posted by Mr Badguy


What I want know is, where the fuck did all the fans of this stuff go?



To the DLR Army of course...lol.
Old school hard rock never went out for me. The best of it is too good to let go.
We either network or make our own music.
If it's in your blood you don't have a choice...but who's complaining.

[jero]

Originally posted by ThrillsNSpills
If it's in your blood you don't have a choice...but who's complaining.

True! It's in our blood and it will never get away!

[scamper]

Originally posted by ThrillsNSpills
To the DLR Army of course...lol.
Old school hard rock never went out for me. The best of it is too good to let go.
We either network or make our own music.
If it's in your blood you don't have a choice...but who's complaining.

During DLR's first radio show someone called in and mentioned his 8yr old was becoming a good drummer. During Dave's reply he said (can't remember it word for word) something like drummers and guitarist are becoming things of the past and everything will be keyboard in the future. Did I missunderstand him, and if I didn't does anyone think this will really happen.

[Hardrock69]

Journey is GIVING their new album away for FREE at their live concerts. There was an article on them in Billboard a couple of months ago, and their opinion is that they just want people to hear the new music, and they can afford to give the album away.

Of course this is not saying it is free everywhere, but I guess they figure they can give it to fans who actually paid to see them live.

[Mr Badguy]

Originally posted by Hardrock69
Journey is GIVING their new album away for FREE at their live concerts. There was an article on them in Billboard a couple of months ago, and their opinion is that they just want people to hear the new music, and they can afford to give the album away.

Of course this is not saying it is free everywhere, but I guess they figure they can give it to fans who actually paid to see them live.

I`ve got it and it`s a pretty good album.

It runs over 70 minutes.

If they cut half an hour off it would be a great album.

It`s a trap many bands fall into in the CD age, putting too much music on a new album.

I think the optimum length for an album is about 40 minutes.

[ThrillsNSpills]

Originally posted by scamper
During DLR's first radio show someone called in and mentioned his 8yr old was becoming a good drummer. During Dave's reply he said (can't remember it word for word) something like drummers and guitarist are becoming things of the past and everything will be keyboard in the future. Did I missunderstand him, and if I didn't does anyone think this will really happen.

If Dave's VH output happened with Pro-Tools and drum machines it would have sounded like Madonna. (overproduced)
If melodic hard rock wasn't still popular you wouldn't hear it even being underground. why?
because people want to hear music made by humans, with rawness and emotion.
Dave is on the radio..performing..and soap box rants are a part of that.
But to answer the question, rap doesn't use drummers really and look how much more popular it's gotten....hard rock radio has taken a huge hit with many stations turning to talk radio. Programmers are running scared;none of the hard rock happening the last few years is in the timeless category. Guitar solos are disappearing, writing is degenerating into loud angry distortion and screaming or acoustic whining stuff,which is in to a point, but not enough for radio to NOT change formats on a dime.
Unless something radical happens which is always a possibility, then we are heading in that direction.


Now, regarding Journey, are you guys also aware that Steve Perry has released an '81 concert of their original lineup? I'm not sure of the specifics if it was a DVD or a CD release, but did anyone here who heard of that have the VH Oakland blueballs experience that I did? lol