Music Alternatives

[Viktoria]

Alright, alright.
This has been bothering me for some time.

When heavy rock and such first came out, all of it was completely clean and decent. Yes, there was some bands that had some sexual type themes in it, but that was rare to find. It was mostly clean and well put together, as well as nice to listen to. You didn't have to worry about explicit lyrics, it was all recorded on tapes and cds, and it must have been much easier to maintain.

Now, you go onto youtube, find a music video or something on the top list, and BAM! theres all sorts of things you never wanted to hear.
For instance. my cousin had been huge into a band called 'My Chemical Romance'. I went and looked up a couple of the songs, and was in for a huge surprise. Yes, the sound quality was good, and the vocals well out together, but the style and way it was done was awful. You had F bombs almost every time the chorus came up. Death. The whole theme was drugs, sex, and everything else immoral. To this day I've found about 3 good songs by them, the rest are not only horribly put together, but are packed full of everything i stand against.

The only good bands i have found out there [so far] would be Nickelback and Three Days Grace [they have about 3 songs i wouldnt recommend, the rest are very, very good].

I've also found that you can now buy the edited versions of these Cd's, however, most of them are far from clean.

</rant>

Has anyone else found alternative hard rock bands that has some sort of morals left in them? im seeming to run out of luck.

-Viktoria.Xx

[wgjones3]

Try Spoken's new album. It seems to be a big step up from their previous work.

[pajarita_deDios]

'My Chemical Romance'

Well not to mention that the name of the band is actually a reference to drugs.

Don't worry, there are a few good bands out there. Angels and Airwaves otherwise known as AVA are on their second album and although the first had an advisory on it, the second is very clean. I can count two curse words on the entire album.

Also Viktoria, there are lots of amazing Christ centered rock bands out there. Try out Anberlin, Upon Beauty Rests, The Classic Crime, Thousand Foot Krutch, MxPx, Run Kid Run, Project 86, Red Umbrella, Pillar, Number One Gun, The Almost...So so so many more out there as well. Check out any of the Myspace pages to get a little listen. Hope this is helpful.

[Ransom v. Unman]

I can't really reccomend too much... My tastes run a bit more gratingly anti-social than your own. I do share your frustration with what popular music has been reduced to. I'm certainly not one to go advocating the polcies of the PMRC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parents_Music_Resource_Center) or going around screaming about how tasteless and amoral everything is (some of my favourite bands could define tasteless and amoral.)

My biggest issues are with how these kinds of music have become mainstreamed and sold in nice, mall-friendly units, not only undermining the greater sense of uprightness and integrity that at one time existed in general American (and Western) culture, but also the truly rebellious, revolutionary and divergent tendencies and movements within society. By marketing this "plastic rebellion" that teens are taught to imbibe through MTV and mall-culture, they are taking the fangs out of the disgruntled and disgusting underbelly of culture, in essence stealing away one of the last things some of the lowest of our society have to themselves, and furthermore making more difficult the processes of change for the times when those voices of cultural dissent are most needed.

I have a very different reason to despise the effect and music of My Chemical Romance, Good Charlotte, and Fergie than most Christians do, but I'm still wholeheartedly with you.

[pajarita_deDios]

I have a very different reason to despise the effect and music of My Chemical Romance, Good Charlotte, and Fergie than most Christians do, but I'm still wholeheartedly with you.

Oh? Share! :) . I only ask because I was really into GC when I was younger.

[Cymrugirl]

I'm still interested in knowing what bands you are referring to when you say there was a time when hard rock was completely clean and decent. For the life of me, I can think of when that was! LOL Even the term "rock and roll" is explicit. There's never been a "decent" era of rock and roll. The entire industry is full of double entendres. Maybe the attitudes and explicit lyrics you refer to weren't as direct? But trust me, they were there.

[Ransom v. Unman]

Oh? Share! :) . I only ask because I was really into GC when I was younger.

My reason in the case of MCR and GC is that they make pretense to be something they obviously aren't. A rudimentary familiarity with either Goth or Punk cultures would show them for the poseurs that they are. They're both two sides of the same whiney, plastic, useless, MTV friendly, emo coin. Punk and Goth? Not so much... Well, maybe the Clash and the Cure. :rolleyes:

Fergie mangles the English language, has no talent, and is only famous because she... Well, no, I can't say because she looks pretty, because I don't think she actually does at all. I guess it mystifies me. If you're not going to have talent, at least have something worthwhile to say, and if you don't even have that much then go out and buy a Hillary Duff CD, read a People magazine, shutup, and stay home.

[pajarita_deDios]

My reason in the case of MCR and GC is that they make pretense to be something they obviously aren't. A rudimentary familiarity with either Goth or Punk cultures would show them for the poseurs that they are. They're both two sides of the same whiney, plastic, useless, MTV friendly, emo coin. Punk and Goth? Not so much... Well, maybe the Clash and the Cure.

Definitely the Cure! GC definitely wants to "look" like rebellious punks, but look at who the twins are both dating. Not that there is anything wrong with those girls, but it goes against the image that they're putting out. I still have a fondness for some of their music, probably nostalgia. I don't really get into MCR, anyone who brags about their drug use through the name of their band doesn't get any cool points with me. We've got enough problems with kids turning to drugs these days without the "cool" kids showing them how great it is.

I think a better example of a punk band (recently) who pretty much lived what they sang would have to have been Blink182. Now the Sex Pistols...Whoa, can we say Sid Vicious? (P.S. Benji of GC claims the nickname Kid vicious)

Fergie mangles the English language, has no talent, and is only famous because she... Well, no, I can't say because she looks pretty, because I don't think she actually does at all. I guess it mystifies me. If you're not going to have talent, at least have something worthwhile to say, and if you don't even have that much then go out and buy a Hillary Duff CD, read a People magazine, shutup, and stay home.

At least Hilary Duff hasn't been arrested.

[Ransom v. Unman]

Definitely the Cure! GC definitely wants to "look" like rebellious punks, but look at who the twins are both dating. Not that there is anything wrong with those girls, but it goes against the image that they're putting out. I still have a fondness for some of their music, probably nostalgia. I don't really get into MCR, anyone who brags about their drug use through the name of their band doesn't get any cool points with me. We've got enough problems with kids turning to drugs these days without the "cool" kids showing them how great it is.
Yeah... But again, their drug referencing isn't even the reason I can't stand them. I like bands like Gang Green and Bad Brains – not to mention the Velvet Underground. They weren't exactly ashamed of promoting drug usage.

I think a better example of a punk band (recently) who pretty much lived what they sang would have to have been Blink182.
I'll say they definitely did more the debased, nihilistic, punk rock lifestyle thing better than any of their less-genuine, poppy counterparts, but I still can't stand their music. I find in my heart that "pop punk" is an oxymoron, but I know there's a good deal of debate about this, so I'm not going to stand too strong on the issue.

About the closest thing to a "real" punk band I've seen in the public eye (i.e. popular on a more mainstream scale) is Rancid, and even then there are caveats. I definitely like Lars Fredriksen and the and Operation Ivy much more than I like Rancid, but I'll give 'em props for at least keeping it real on a mass level while the rest of the subculture's gone to the pretty-boy, emo-kid dogs.

Now the Sex Pistols...Whoa, can we say Sid Vicious? (P.S. Benji of GC claims the nickname Kid vicious)
I'll quote Jimmy Gestapo from Murphy's Law regarding Benji and all his ilk (mind you, the following was addressed to a CBGB's crowd filled to the brim with hardcore punks and skinheads...)

"Shouldn't we be throwing bricks in these [expletives] faces?"



At least Hilary Duff hasn't been arrested.

I actually has an [I]inkling of respect for Hillary Duff just because she hand't given into the Babylonian, depraved image that seems to be the sure-key for lasting attention in Hollywood and pop-culture these days.

Sadly, it seems that's beginning to change ever so slowly. But whatever. It's all gonna' burn, and I'll dance on its ashes.

[pajarita_deDios]

Yeah... But again, their drug referencing isn't even the reason I can't stand them. I like bands like Gang Green and Bad Brains – not to mention the Velvet Underground. They weren't exactly ashamed of promoting drug usage.

Well, that's true. I can't deny I'm a Nirvana fan. *Pops foot in mouth*


About the closest thing to a "real" punk band I've seen in the public eye (i.e. popular on a more mainstream scale) is Rancid, and even then there are caveats. I definitely like Lars Fredriksen and the and Operation Ivy much more than I like Rancid, but I'll give 'em props for at least keeping it real on a mass level while the rest of the subculture's gone to the pretty-boy, emo-kid dogs.

Absolutely. The Fall Out Boy disease is spreading fast. Although that plastic image didn't start with them, they seem to be the most willing carriers of the image right now.

I actually has an [I]inkling of respect for Hillary Duff just because she hand't given into the Babylonian, depraved image that seems to be the sure-key for lasting attention in Hollywood and pop-culture these days.

Sadly, it seems that's beginning to change ever so slowly. But whatever. It's all gonna' burn, and I'll dance on its ashes.

I'll say. It's probably one of the sadest aspects of mainstream America.