COUNTRY MUSIC RANT Growing up in the Phillips household, we were inundated with music blasting through the AM/FM radio (yeah radio, not stereo, folks; that was for the up-towners). At the time, our radio played both kinds of music; country ANY western. That was a time where you could move the dial a few notches left or right and could tell within the first two notes of the song what the genre was. We grew up listening to great country music from the likes of; Eddie Rabbit, Willie Nelson, Farron Young, Earnest Tubbs, Porter Wagoner (the original bedazzler), Dolly, Tammy, Merle, Hank, Hank Jr., Waylon, Vern, Keith, Buck, Alabama, George and George, and that is just a drop in the bucket of what we had the pleasure of listening to. Did all these folks write their own music, heck no. But what they sang, was country. In the 70’s we were introduced to “outlaw country”, and it definitely had an edge to it that was a departure from earlier strains of the style. Over the next couple of decades, we witnessed a change in the sound of what was coming over the country airwaves, but it was still recognized as country, by both radio, as well as the listeners. There was a distinct song-writing that took place in country music, there were familiar licks, and lyrics, and stylings that made us all nod in agreement and say, “yep, that’s a country song” One of the things about country music is that it not only influenced other genres, it took influence from them as well. However, there was an originality to country music, there was a sense of pride knowing that we were “country when country wasn’t cool”. Unfortunately, my favorite genre to listen to, and play, has slowly become the one that I can’t stand to hear anymore. You know why? Originality. Instead of being that style of music that held its head up high and apart from the pack, and prided itself on its distinct sound; it is now trying to sound like other genres. THAT is why I’ve lost my respect for country music. It wants so bad to sound like a pop song, or a rock song, or a rap song, that it’s totally and completely lost its own identity. The tall buildings in Nashville still slap that sticker on the album that says “country”, so the dumb masses believe it instead of opening their ears and trusting their own taste. “Pop” music has always been designed and written to be fun to listen to. A lot of the time, the lyrics haven’t been very meaningful or deep, but they’ve been fun. They’ve been easy to shake your ass to, and yell the repeating chorus from the top of your lungs; but they usually haven’t been songs that made you say, “Damn, I FEEL what they’re saying”. That being said, today’s “country” music isn’t BAD music per se, it’s just grossly mislabeled. A good country song will make you cry until you don’t have a tear left in your body. A good country song will make you tap your foot, and scoot a boot. A good country song will make you smile at the quirky way the lyrics have been arranged. A good country song will make you…think. Today’s new country (for the most part) doesn’t do that. It’s good at makin’ your speakers go boom boom, and wanna get a taller lift kit for your truck, but they don’t really have songs that make you cry because you messed up a good thing with the love of your life, or make you miss your grandpa, or wish you could see your dad one last time. This is why I love Red Dirt and Texas music. It’s not really bound by the constraints of a label. True, it’s steeped in country influence, but it doesn’t say, “Hey we’re country music”. And it sure isn’t trying to sound like anything else. For example, our new album coming out has a variety of styles on it. There are songs I would consider country as hell, but there are also bluesy songs, rocking songs, ballads, and tear jerkers. Your speakers will go boom boom, but not because I’m trying to convince them to. Every song is an original tune, with one co-write. I respect other artists for writing their own music, and I respect my fans enough to write my own as well. There are a few folks out there who sermonize from the mountaintop that “good music is good music, we shouldn’t have labels”. Those are probably the same people who think Italians should be able to vote, or that Canadians and Jews should attend the same school. CARAZZZZY! Seriously people, sometimes, I’m in the mood to run through a wall so I pop in a rock song, sometimes I’m in the mood to shake my ass to a pop song, sometimes I wanna gun a buncha people down, so I throw in some rap. Point being; labels are necessary so that we can easily find what we’re looking for, not to separate and create animosity. Only time will tell if the shelf-life of today’s music will be anywhere near what songs of our youth are. My vote is no, and the reason is intent… Back then, they were trying to make music. Today, they’re just trying to make money. I don’t care what you call the label… just please don’t put the wrong one on my music.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Jan 2014 21:30:03 +0000