Guest Column: Have any recent bands lived up to The Beatles’ fame, talent?
"Across The Universe," with all its sexy men and (less importantly) artistic brilliance, has me questioning whether my generation has produced an artist influential enough to be worthy of a movie musical 50 years down the road.
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
The movie-musical “Across the Universe” featured 33 Beatles songs, which highlighted the band’s social impact on the 1960s.
The musical, with all its sexy men and (less importantly) artistic brilliance, has me questioning whether my generation has produced an artist influential enough to be worthy of a movie musical 50 years down the road.
The Backstreet Boys had a long run of melting the hearts of 13-year-old girls. The band’s song “Larger than Life,” later became the tune for Viagra commercials.
The Backstreet Boys’ greatest hits could be written into a musical rendition of Brokeback Mountain (as hinted by the band’s song titled “I Want It That Way”).
Still, there is something to be said for this boy band and the way the members shamelessly coordinated matching outfits.
And that something is “Tom Cruise.”
Simple Plan’s soon-to-be greatest hits could be integrated into a movie filled with outcasts, self pity and razors.
Actors for this potential musical would have to be recruited from the underground society of emo boys, also known as the women’s jean department at Macy’s.
Needless to say, the audience for the film would be reduced to the small population of boys without circulation in their prostates.
Sublime may have a shot at a trippy stoner musical, where the audience gets to explore life on the reefer.
Unfortunately, Sublime’s songs are valued by kids across the United States and Canada (where the weed is better) who are too chemically and herbally messed up to remember the lyrics.
But all is fair because Sublime was too chemically and herbally messed up to write the songs in the first place, hence the lyrics “I’m too stoned to write this song.”
But what about Say Anything or other musicians of the indie rock persuasion who have provided my generation with the most awkwardly awesome ringtones with the lyrics like “I called her on the phone and she touched herself”?
I am not sure there exists a general movie theme amongst songs influenced by phone sex and a skinny, mean man. Could this be a song written in reference to members of Simple Plan?
Britney Spears, who has continued to surpass new artists on the musical charts, and like Madonna, will most likely remain timeless.
Although with songs like, “I’m a Slave for You,” “Hit Me Baby One More Time” and “Gimme More,” her greatest hits are inspiration enough for a high-class musical porno starring her younger sister, Jamie Lynn Spears.
But this psychotic, previously bald vessel of talent may surprise the media.
After all, it’s Britney, bitch!
Sincerely,
Emily Gilley, Louisburg freshman
Discussion
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THE MAGNETIC FIELDS
or
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN
or
YO LA TENGO
or
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
or
THE FLAMING LIPS
or
STEREOLAB
or
THE LEMONHEADS
or
NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS
I really hope this was written satirically as it seems just like a pointless article taking pot shots at emo, drug use, and pop stars/starlets.
There will never be another Beatles due to the diversity of music channels now. There isn't a major label force anymore. Radiohead, arguably a band that will have generational relevance, released In Rainbows independently at first.
Oh and s77white, while you named a number of good bands none of them is valid for this argument due to a dedicated, but not huge, fan following.
That is your opinion empire, just as the list is mine. But, for the record, every band listed does have a HUGE and worldwide following.
Okay, someone just has to say it: The Beatles are overrated.
What HUGE and worldwide following. What percentage of the 6 billion people in the world listen to those bands. It's not 1 percent. Those bands can't even claim 1 percent of the US population as fans. I say this even as I am a fan of 4 of them.
But you are comparing The Beatles, whose album sales and career are astronomical and whose fans span the globe, to acts that barely have enough draw to headline concert festivals (excluding the Flaming Lips).
I think empirelucas is right on the money.
The one comparable group, in my opinion, is Radiohead. Just like the Beatles began with pop and went psychedelic, Radiohead began with rock and went electronic. They were fairly popular at their start and exploded in just a couple of albums.
And if you want another comparison, take Apple Records vs. Radiohead's latest release.
And for another comparison, look at who produced Paul's 2006 grammy nominee: Nigel Godrich!
What about The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Kansas and The Eagles? Sure some members of these bands are ready for Social Security but they still rock on! They each are unique in their music but are comparable in their longevity. Their appeal crosses generations and has endured for decades with no stopping in sight. Most music groups have their 15 minutes of fame but the true test is listening to these groups from 20, 30 or 40 years ago and you still want to get up and dance.
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