I was scheduling a couple of music logs here this morning, and I come across “Frankenstein” by the Edgar Winter Group and “Jessica” from the Allman Brothers Band, and I’m thinking to myself: Does any radio station that specializes in current music play any instrumentals anymore. And further, does anybody MAKE instrumental records anymore that could be considered worthy or pop, CHR, Hip-Hop, Rythmic, or even Adult-Contemporary radio airplay?
We have instrumentals in our Classic Hits library like those mentioned above and also these:
Green Onions – Booker T. and the MG’s
Fire On High – Electric Light Orchestra
Hocus Pocus – Focus
Classical Gas – Mason Williams
and I’m sure a few more I can’t think of off the top of my head, with the great Emerson, Lake and Palmer probably in there somewhere. Back when I was a kid, Top 40 radio could be counted on to play an instrumental almost all the time. You might cringe now, but many of us remember “Music Box Dancer” and “Nadia’s Theme” making the charts.
But it doesn’t seem to happen anymore. A sad by-product of today’s homogenized music, and a sad by-product of non-music (i.e. “rap”) being disguised as music. Lest I sound like some old fuddy duddy, I can still rock out when it’s good, and still love to crank up country when it’s good, and would love to listen to new music…if it was any good. But today’s music, for the most part, isn’t very good.
Country is in a weak cycle, rock is almost non-existant in my mind, hell, are there ANY bands that have come out in the last five years who will still be around 15, even 10 years from now? Are there any U2’s or AC/DC’s or Rolling Stones out there right now? I don’t think so. And that’s sad, too.
Going back to instrumentals, the dearth of them now makes me appreciate more the ability of a Steve Cropper or Duane Allman or Greg Lake to keep you listening to an entire song without a single lyric. And it speaks to the ability of an Edgar Winter or Jeff Lynne to write these timeless mega-hits that were just based on the music, not the words. Awesome stuff, when you sit down and listen to it.
Hell, even those operatic, long form, multiple-key, changing-tempo rock songs like those made by the Moody Blues, Paul McCartney and Wings, and Pink Floyd don’t get made anymore. Or those 10 minute deep-jams from Yes or Genesis or even Elton John (Funeral For A Friend, anyone?)…where are they? Nope, it’s all 3-4 minute, same tempo, same beat, lucky-if-we-get-a-decent-bridge, hooky crap that gets made anymore. Where is the talent? Where has it gone?
And for those of you who don’t like “long songs”: Hotel California (6 minutes +), Hey Jude (7 minutes +), Twilight Zone, Slow Ride, Let It Ride, Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Abacab, Money For Nothing…so many all-time great rock songs, all over 6 or 7 minutes unedited. Awesome stuff. I miss it.
3 responses so far ↓
1
Cory
// Apr 22, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I agree that most modern rock bands will not have the longevity that bands like the Stones or even Metallica do. However, there are a lot of bands out there that have been fairly successful and can be expected to last 10 or 15 years. Many of them aren’t getting any help from radio. Wilco comes immediately to mind. A few of the Grateful Dead clones, such as moe., can be expected to tour until their legs fall off and sell out every venue along the way.
Another thing to remember is that a few of the radio gods like Led Zep and AC/DC became successful when there weren’t a lot of choices out there, radio-wise. Becoming a radio god in the age of AM, FM, Satellite and internet radio is a daunting task to say the least. Not to mention the change in payola policy over the last ten years.
2
Dan Dermody
// Apr 23, 2009 at 4:00 pm
BJ…I can’t believe I just came to your blog, and you’re discussing this. My brother , who lives north of Chicago, and I were just discussing this yesterday!!! I’m a bit older than you..but, in addition to Green Onions…there was a beautiful tune called Stranger on the Shore, that went all the way to #1 by a German clarinetist in , I think 1962, named Acker Bilk. There was Theme from a Summer Place by Percy Faith. Rockin’ stuff from Duane Eddy…beautiful piano things from the duo of Ferrante and Teicher…even some dixieland by Kenny Ball with “Midnite in Moscow”..and, the Village Stompers. Los Indios Tabaljaras (sp?) with Maria Elena..”Apache” by Jorgan Ingman…and, the list goes on. These tunes sound as good today as they did 40 plus years ago. I can’t imagine being around in another 40 years, and having the kids today, who will be in their 50’s and 60’s then, talking about the GREAT “rap” music (music ?) from back in the early 2000’s. LOL
3
Chef Kevin
// May 11, 2009 at 8:56 am
Two of my “recent” favorites in the instrumental are Journey’s Neal Schon’s “Beyond the Thunder” and the “Thank You” Series by Michael Schenker..yes, hard rockin’ Michael Schenker of Scorpions\UFO\MSG fame recorded several instrumental acoustic guitar CDs with occasional help from brother Rudolf.
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