Songwriter's Corner|

From Austin Ross on Fb., 3/24/18: WARNING RANT: Kids, rock and roll is dying. Dance music has finally won the war, and we are the dinosaur underground. Major labels won’t touch Hard Rock, and it’s our own fault. Most bands are still stuck in the down-tuned Tool wannabe progressive rock of the 90s. While it’s challenging to play and interesting music, it’s already been done. I’m sorry your band is not going to be better than Tool or Alice in Chains in their prime. So what’s the solution? How do we get Rock, Hard Rock, or Metal back? One word. Songwriting. Most bands just jam on a riff while the singer blurts out inane melodies with no set lyrics. That’s not songwriting, kids. Instead of writing your Tony Iommi guitar riffs first, try starting with a tempo and vocals. Once you have a strong verse and chorus vocally the music almost magically fills itself in. Don’t worry guitar players — you can still write catchy intros, bridges and solo sections to satiate your six string egos. But if you start with a strong vocal line and lyric I guarantee your song is better than just jamming until your singer finally comes up with something. Just give it a try on one song and see what happens. Maybe you’ll write something that’ll get you on the radio. RANT OVER.

Comments:
Sean Beeson: So one thing I would say is that, due to a lack of funding , schools no longer offer music programs. That’s one problem. Music does not have the impact it did on us. Mostly because there are too many digital distractions. I know younger people who seldom even leave the house let alone go and see a show. Most of them just play video games … or watch people play. LOL. All the music in top 40 is really written by very few people. It all sounds the same. But to kids – they don’t know different or even care. So to me it’s a multifaceted problem. No easy answers. But those reasons will never prevent me from playing and continuing to write tunes and enjoy music.

James Beam: NICELY SAID, Sean Beeson. We are the lucky ones… being exposed to music, even at a young age, funding for the schools… more music programs … Hey, even a place where kids can hang out and make music…. State funded….”HEY… ya want to keep kids off of the bad streets? Let’s fund some motherfucking music programs for these kids that just need a little love and direction.

[Editor’s note: Just watched a program the other day where a young man took up bass in prison and it changed his life. Now he’s making a living playing in a major band.]

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