Having come of age in the 1960s, I can say from
personal experience that it was the most vibrant cultural flowering of my
lifetime so far, and it is not likely that it will ever be matched for breadth
and depth. But it was as much a deep spiritual movement as it was artistic. The
Beatles music began as highly romantic ballads and became increasingly
spiritual as they innovated and grew into a world phenomenon. Other rock groups
followed suit. Folk artists such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez made social justice
and political reform their first priority over selling records. Yoga was
popularized in the US during that period, which taught American youth how to
begin searching for greater self awareness and, ultimately, greater enlightenment.
And so on. I don’t need to elaborate as most of this historical information has
been discussed in the media for quite some time.
A few weeks before the death of David Bowie I
started thinking about when and how the movement came to an end. This aspect of
the issue hasn’t been given due consideration as far as I know. My impression
is that the decline began in the late 70s and gave out its last gasp in the
early 1980s. Since then, we’ve had a mass entertainment culture that is more
and more shallow and profit-driven. Anything that makes money seems to be the
MO of Hollywood, the television networks, the record industry, and the major
book and magazine publishers. Ironically, the emptiness of contemporary culture
has driven the younger generation back to the 60s for inspiration. That’s a
good thing. But the negative side is
that commercial interests on a mega scale are cannibalizing the 1960s counter
culture movement for whatever will sell.
I believe there is general agreement that artists
such John Lennon, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Glenn
Frey (of the Eagles), David Byrne (of the Talking Heads), and Frank Zappa, to
name only a few of the best, were dynamic forces who had a far-reaching and
deeply lasting influence on popular culture, an influence that is unmatched by
contemporary rock musicians. They all came of age and into their own when the
music industry served art, rather than what it is today – art serving the
for-profit industry. Today music videos and web streaming predominate, and the internet is an overheated, overhyped breeding ground for mediocrity.
Is it possible to reverse this trend? Is it possible
for serious musicians to gain a foothold somewhere on the huge mountain of the
pop culture media without compromising their artistic integrity? I’m doubtful,
but I hope so.
"My impression is that the decline began in the late 70s and gave out its last gasp in the early 1980s. Since then, we’ve had a mass entertainment culture that is more and more shallow and profit-driven. Anything that makes money seems to be the MO of Hollywood, the television networks, the record industry, and the major book and magazine publishers." Amen to that. It's become even worse now in the Age ofThe Selfie. Singers are infected by American Idol-itis, equating loud vocal histrionics with "depth". Is there anything more painful and banal than halftime show at the Super Bowl? Not to say that there are not good musicians and vocalists out there. There definitely are. The mainstream "pop" we hear today is manufactured, targeted and void of sincerity.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very complicated and layered problem in the US. The intellectuals of my generation look to the decades before us, because they were pure, and anti materialistic. The music and culture that comes out of the 60's, 70's and 80's has always made a huge impact on my writing and the person that I am today. Cat Stevens was one of the most talented musicians from that time because his music was full of spiritual enlightenment and depth. His song "Peace Train," was one of the most impactful he ever wrote. He wanted people to love each other, and he wanted to share his spirituality with people. It was no surprise that he left Hollywood in the seventies to become a Muslim, and today does an enormous amount of charity work. He is inspiring to me in a musical and poetic sense, but also as a person because his messages are so simple and thoughtful. The Beatles are iconic, and loved by all. The same with others. the problem is that people commercialize the hell out of everything. If we spent more time thinking about how to help others and developing ourselves intellectually (or spiritual if that is what you decide for yourself) then we would have less of this insatiable greed. Instead of obsessing how to make a dollar, you could use that time to write a book that could help people through its message, or volunteer at a homeless shelter. These lost decades are there to remind us of what we can be if we shut out the harmful mass media.
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