Tuesday, May 24, 2005
From: Paul Cox
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 11:28 AM
To: Thomas A. Inskeep
True or false: U2 are and will be the last great rock star band in history. Perhaps Guns N' Roses could have taken the title away if it weren't for Axl's neuroses.
Why do I bring this up? Bands now are anonymous, with the occasional exception of the lead singer. Do you know the name of Coldplay's bassist? Do you have any idea whether or not the drummer for Evanescence is married? Nope.
The public just isn't interested in idolizing groups anymore. Just idolizing songs.
*
From: Thomas A. Inskeep
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 11:38 AM
To: Paul Cox
All too true. I'd add that the public will idolize singers, not just songs, but certainly not groups. It's almost surprising to me to see Coldplay garnering all of these magazine covers which then feature the whole band; who cares about anyone but Chris Martin, if even him? Oasis have never been more than the sum of the Gallagher brothers, and no one but hardcore Blur fans knew Graham Coxon until he left the band. The closest anyone came in the past decade-plus (post-GNR), I think, was Radiohead, but going avant-garde doesn't make you rock stars.
Whereas even my mother knows who Keith Richards is, if not Larry Mullen, Jr.
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From: Paul Cox
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 11:46 AM
To: Thomas A. Inskeep
Right, I was teetering over whether or not to include Radiohead, and I think the title applies in some aspects, but they're still not massive on the scale of a U2 or a GNR.
REM is made up of very distinct individuals, but I wouldn't exactly call them rock stars.
But yeah, my mom might not recognize Larry Mullen, Jr., but I guarantee she knows who The Edge is.
If anyone tried to name himself The Edge these days, he wouldn't be taken seriously.
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From: Thomas A. Inskeep
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 12:14 PM
To: Paul Cox
I think R.E.M. were very, very close, but they never went all the way in terms of stardom, especially not in the U.S. (how odd that after taking so long for them to take off in Europe, they're now bigger there). Same thing with the Chili Peppers - they're awfully close, but they're not quite on that same scale. With what they've done with 'American Idiot' on a global scale, I think Green Day have a shot in one or two more albums, but I'm not betting on it (I think theirs is likely more a
zeitgeist moment than anything).
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From: Paul Cox
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 12:27 PM
To: Thomas A. Inskeep
What began with the Beatles ends with U2. And that's probably how it should be.
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 11:28 AM
To: Thomas A. Inskeep
True or false: U2 are and will be the last great rock star band in history. Perhaps Guns N' Roses could have taken the title away if it weren't for Axl's neuroses.
Why do I bring this up? Bands now are anonymous, with the occasional exception of the lead singer. Do you know the name of Coldplay's bassist? Do you have any idea whether or not the drummer for Evanescence is married? Nope.
The public just isn't interested in idolizing groups anymore. Just idolizing songs.
*
From: Thomas A. Inskeep
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 11:38 AM
To: Paul Cox
All too true. I'd add that the public will idolize singers, not just songs, but certainly not groups. It's almost surprising to me to see Coldplay garnering all of these magazine covers which then feature the whole band; who cares about anyone but Chris Martin, if even him? Oasis have never been more than the sum of the Gallagher brothers, and no one but hardcore Blur fans knew Graham Coxon until he left the band. The closest anyone came in the past decade-plus (post-GNR), I think, was Radiohead, but going avant-garde doesn't make you rock stars.
Whereas even my mother knows who Keith Richards is, if not Larry Mullen, Jr.
*
From: Paul Cox
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 11:46 AM
To: Thomas A. Inskeep
Right, I was teetering over whether or not to include Radiohead, and I think the title applies in some aspects, but they're still not massive on the scale of a U2 or a GNR.
REM is made up of very distinct individuals, but I wouldn't exactly call them rock stars.
But yeah, my mom might not recognize Larry Mullen, Jr., but I guarantee she knows who The Edge is.
If anyone tried to name himself The Edge these days, he wouldn't be taken seriously.
*
From: Thomas A. Inskeep
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 12:14 PM
To: Paul Cox
I think R.E.M. were very, very close, but they never went all the way in terms of stardom, especially not in the U.S. (how odd that after taking so long for them to take off in Europe, they're now bigger there). Same thing with the Chili Peppers - they're awfully close, but they're not quite on that same scale. With what they've done with 'American Idiot' on a global scale, I think Green Day have a shot in one or two more albums, but I'm not betting on it (I think theirs is likely more a
zeitgeist moment than anything).
*
From: Paul Cox
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 12:27 PM
To: Thomas A. Inskeep
What began with the Beatles ends with U2. And that's probably how it should be.
# posted by Thomas : 6:05 PM
