Wonderful reflection and analysis of the musical generation gap.
I was just watching a documentary last night on the early days of Led Zeppelin. John Paul Jones said he made his living as a studio musician recording Muzak tracks before he found his bandmates. I remember getting their first album, and all the points you make describe how I felt then and how I feel now. I loved these turns of phrases:
"I’m watching their future recollections play out in real time. All body, no brain. Reckless because they have yet to be wrecked."
"They eventually hit at some nugget of familial good in the process. Something durable. They are, without trying, building a primeval tribe, with its own language, music, and rudimentary gestures."
"We see that they are the most watched, protected and tracked of any human generation, but are surprised that they want untrackable, disappearing messaging apps. Their potential teen missteps are on permanent record."
"It is not fair to call anything bad art, but it is art only in the same way that tracing is."
Funny you mention Led Zeppelin. They actually were a serious obstacle to me while writing this! It’s hard to say talent was the exception when you’ve got Bonham, JPJ etc all together in one place. I heard Jimmy Paige once say about his own session playing that it was soulless for him. So I love that they went on to be one of the bands that people connected the most deeply with. Further, they are maybe even still, a required developmental stage on the path to manhood! Glad you got in early!
Fun to hear. I still remember holding the album cover of their first record -- the one with the zeppelin on the cover -- listening to the music and thinking, "This is a whole new world." My interest tailed off a bit in the years to come, but I still remember that initial sense of awe. SJ
Brad:
Wonderful reflection and analysis of the musical generation gap.
I was just watching a documentary last night on the early days of Led Zeppelin. John Paul Jones said he made his living as a studio musician recording Muzak tracks before he found his bandmates. I remember getting their first album, and all the points you make describe how I felt then and how I feel now. I loved these turns of phrases:
"I’m watching their future recollections play out in real time. All body, no brain. Reckless because they have yet to be wrecked."
"They eventually hit at some nugget of familial good in the process. Something durable. They are, without trying, building a primeval tribe, with its own language, music, and rudimentary gestures."
"We see that they are the most watched, protected and tracked of any human generation, but are surprised that they want untrackable, disappearing messaging apps. Their potential teen missteps are on permanent record."
"It is not fair to call anything bad art, but it is art only in the same way that tracing is."
Funny you mention Led Zeppelin. They actually were a serious obstacle to me while writing this! It’s hard to say talent was the exception when you’ve got Bonham, JPJ etc all together in one place. I heard Jimmy Paige once say about his own session playing that it was soulless for him. So I love that they went on to be one of the bands that people connected the most deeply with. Further, they are maybe even still, a required developmental stage on the path to manhood! Glad you got in early!
And thanks for the nice words!
Fun to hear. I still remember holding the album cover of their first record -- the one with the zeppelin on the cover -- listening to the music and thinking, "This is a whole new world." My interest tailed off a bit in the years to come, but I still remember that initial sense of awe. SJ
It’s ok if your interest trailed off, it means you reached manhood! I’m not sure where that leaves me though🤣
Love this reflection and your sense of humor - wow, can I ever relate!