Self Entitled Parents are Ruining Rock N' Roll
I have noticed a trend recently in rock n' roll, it is the injection of
FAMILY into the rock n' roll scene. I think I can pinpoint it back to
around 8-10 years ago with the emergence of The Osbournes on MTV. The
Ozzfest pits used to be filled with angst riddled teenagers and 20
somethings looking to find friends and camaraderie with others through
Ozzfest. But thanks to The Osbournes tv show, 9-12 year olds and their
"cool" parents started flooding the Ozzfest dates. I would contend this
brought about the destruction of Ozzfest because those parents can
afford higher ticket prices and Ozzfest priced themselves out of their
demographic. (It isn't the sole cause of Ozzfest's downfall, but it
didn't help).
Last week Roger Waters brought The Wall stage production to the Wells Fargo Center here in Philadelphia for three nights. I refused to go because Roger Waters is my least favorite Pink Floyd member and refuse to support him. But I did catch a segment by a local radio station where a 12 year old lead a crowd of drunken slobs in Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2. The DJ thought the 12 year old was "so cool" because he could recite all the words to the classic Pink Floyd song. I can just see his mom or dad gleaming proudly as their child sings this song from the halcyon days of their youth. Guess what, no one cares.
I don't think it is awesome that you thrust YOUR music on your child. I could recite Metallica's One at age 12, but all I got from my father was a smack on the head for listening to anything past Master of Puppets. Part of being a child is rebelling against what your parents listened to. I listened to Guns N' Roses because it was the antithesis of The Beach Boys. You forcing Pink Floyd on your child will force them to turn to Nickelback, Adam Lambert, or some other corporate swill (Disturbed) just to spite you. Plus your child shouldn't be singing songs about loving heroin or fucking groupies. If I went up to your child and talked about snorting lines off coffee tables and fucking some dirty snatch, you would kick my ass. But because Mr. Brownstone is a song of your youth, you want your child to sing it. Wise up assholes.
Another trend in this "family friendly" atmosphere is the addition of "meet and greet" packages that cost upwards of 200 or more bucks for a quick picture and a fake tour laminate. It doesn't cost you 200 bucks to meet your favorite rock stars. You know how I used to meet my favorite rock stars, besides honing my oral skills in back alleys in Washington D.C, I hung out by the band's tour bus. I also talked to the roadies, the road managers, the opening acts, etc. I got to know a lot of great people and bands because of it. Try it, you will gain a greater appreciation if work hard to meet your favorite rock stars.
While I am on this whole trend, the Guns N' Roses onesie for babies is another asinine product. Your one year old does not listen to Guns N' Roses. They do not like Guns N' Roses. YOU like Guns N' Roses and want other parents or friends to think you are cool because your child has a Guns N' Roses onesy. You are not longer cool because you have a child. Get over it, accept it, and move on. Kids should be wearing cute animals not the rape scene from Appetite for Destruction or guns wrapped in roses. Link to Onesie
Last week Roger Waters brought The Wall stage production to the Wells Fargo Center here in Philadelphia for three nights. I refused to go because Roger Waters is my least favorite Pink Floyd member and refuse to support him. But I did catch a segment by a local radio station where a 12 year old lead a crowd of drunken slobs in Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2. The DJ thought the 12 year old was "so cool" because he could recite all the words to the classic Pink Floyd song. I can just see his mom or dad gleaming proudly as their child sings this song from the halcyon days of their youth. Guess what, no one cares.
I don't think it is awesome that you thrust YOUR music on your child. I could recite Metallica's One at age 12, but all I got from my father was a smack on the head for listening to anything past Master of Puppets. Part of being a child is rebelling against what your parents listened to. I listened to Guns N' Roses because it was the antithesis of The Beach Boys. You forcing Pink Floyd on your child will force them to turn to Nickelback, Adam Lambert, or some other corporate swill (Disturbed) just to spite you. Plus your child shouldn't be singing songs about loving heroin or fucking groupies. If I went up to your child and talked about snorting lines off coffee tables and fucking some dirty snatch, you would kick my ass. But because Mr. Brownstone is a song of your youth, you want your child to sing it. Wise up assholes.
Another trend in this "family friendly" atmosphere is the addition of "meet and greet" packages that cost upwards of 200 or more bucks for a quick picture and a fake tour laminate. It doesn't cost you 200 bucks to meet your favorite rock stars. You know how I used to meet my favorite rock stars, besides honing my oral skills in back alleys in Washington D.C, I hung out by the band's tour bus. I also talked to the roadies, the road managers, the opening acts, etc. I got to know a lot of great people and bands because of it. Try it, you will gain a greater appreciation if work hard to meet your favorite rock stars.
While I am on this whole trend, the Guns N' Roses onesie for babies is another asinine product. Your one year old does not listen to Guns N' Roses. They do not like Guns N' Roses. YOU like Guns N' Roses and want other parents or friends to think you are cool because your child has a Guns N' Roses onesy. You are not longer cool because you have a child. Get over it, accept it, and move on. Kids should be wearing cute animals not the rape scene from Appetite for Destruction or guns wrapped in roses. Link to Onesie
Posted by Craig Wettner at 11/15/2010 3:32 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Blogs N Roses Commentary Blogs N Roses Editorial
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Blogs N Roses Commentary Blogs N Roses Editorial
Whereas I do agree with some of what you said I don't think you are blaming the correct people. The real problem is these older people trying to relive a youth. They spent their twenties at home and work while people like us did too but we also lived. We went to shows and meant people sometimes we were in the show and other people were meeting us. We liked good music then just as we like it now. This other crowd did what their parents wanted them to do and now they are doing the same as their parents. Their problem is these people don't have any real music appreciation but they have money. They are the kind of people who measure success by the size of your bank account. The problem is those people who yes sometimes bring their kids. I bring mine when she wants but she does have taste. She likes a lot of stuff that isn't what I like but she does like a lot of what I like too. I however cannot afford to take her sometimes too. I would not take her to ozzfest simply because I would want to drink and do things she might shouldn't see me do. Those other twreps are just trying to look cool. I still have long hair and I did when I was a kid. I still like the same music too. She likes it too so that shows she has a real appreciation just like u and I did. I would go see u2 although they are not one of my favorites because I'm sure they are good but the tickets are outrageously priced because they are trendy. It is a socially acceptable band by the mainstream just like ozzy has bcome as well as other greats like Floyd. Great bands but now trendy and acceptable by lame assess with money. Bringing your kids is great if you want to have a good relationship with them. I did not with my parents and would like her too. Harleys are proof of this. Look at how the yuppies all bought bikes and leather and now they are bikers. We all know their posers. They are just raising little posers but Harleys are not affordable like they were when real bikers only had them. The same is true with tickets. My kid knows words to lots of songs I know but by her own choice. However I went and got some STP tickets at a booth when kiss was playing a couple of months ago and looked around and thought look at all these yuppy posers. The next day after school my little one came home saying how like three kids in class had gone with their parents, mine was the only one who saw STP. The problem is lame ass posers not cool parents. They are present at lots of shows without their kids too. The greed of the venue, label, band are too blame ass well but as long as lame ass posers will buy these over priced tix people like me and you will only be able to afford lower priced shows.
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Well said dave and you are right, there are a lot of poseurs in the rock world whether it is in the audience or on stage. This has lead to a sharp decline in viable musical acts out there with teeth, balls, and a back bone.
I shouldn't have been so harsh in my wording, kids should gain a greater appreciation of the classic artists so they can appreciate other music.
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I really thankful to you for this great read!! You did a very great job, keep it up.
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