OUR OWN EDDIE TRUNK DISCUSSES PODCASTING, U2’S FREE ALBUM, THE “IS ROCK DEAD?” CONTROVERSY AND NEW BANDS THAT HE LIKES
Juan Hernandez of the Dateline Downtown spoke with Eddie. Highlights from the interview appear below.
DD: You are one of the few personalities that have been in the radio business for over 30 years, alongside Howard Stern and Opie & Anthony. Did you ever think that doing a podcast would help bring in a bigger audience, knowing that you had helped build your own audience for the past three decades?
ET: I resisted a podcast for a long time just because I thought it would be redundant with two radio shows a week that I do. But, the company I am with, Podcast One, really sold me on the idea and fans kept asking. What I liked is that it was free, worldwide and on demand whenever you wanted it. The one downside of so many great radio things I have done over the decades is that unless you caught it over the air (or someone posts it on YouTube) it has a short shelf life. Podcast are archived so many last and grow as people discover them. That is exactly what has happened and the response has been great so far from iTunes and Podcast One.
DD: Living in the digital age, what are your thoughts on how U2 released their latest album Song of Innocence for free on iTunes? For anybody that has an iTunes account, the album was already pre-loaded onto their mobile devices, and was widely criticized.
ET: I love physical format. CDs are still my favorite way to get music. I also grew up working in a record store and miss them greatly. I know things chance and evolve but it sucks how free and disposable music seems to be now. U2 reinforced that with what they did. I get it was a huge marketing thing, but it sucks that a band that could have sold a rock album reinforced the idea paying for music is not a priority.
DD: You recently addressed a comment that KISS Bassist Gene Simmons made stating that “Rock is Dead,” and made it very clear that rock is not dead. Given the state that the music industry is in terms of album sales, touring cycles and the rise internet streaming, do you feel that rock will once again come back to mainstream audiences like it had been in the 1980s? Is social media an important tool now more than ever?
ET: I have no idea what the future holds for rock. But it is not dead. It is not as big as other genres of music but rarely has it been. I am very encouraged by the new bands out there right now with a focus on great riffs and vocals. Hope one breaks through. But the mega rock bands will always draw. AC/DC tours and everyone will still go. The question is when those bands end who fills the void?
DD: What are your plans for the remainder of 2014, going into 2015?
ET: I’m coming off my busiest travel summer ever. So, hopefully, wind down a little toward the end of the year outside of some scattered appearances. I will keep up with my radio shows and podcasts and then start looking at booking TMS end of the year for when we start up in 2015. I also want to develop something new for TV if I get a chance. I will always do TMS as long as VH1 wants to, but need to do more and have many opportunities. Just need the [right} partner to make it happen. Every day is a new adventure so that’s always cool. Never know what will pop up.
DD: Houston has grown into a very diverse city over the past couple of years. Any new bands or new music that you can recommend to our fellow Houstonians that you are currently listening or have listened to?
ET: Farmikos is my favorite new band. It features Joe Holmes who was with Ozzy. Also love this new band called Kyng. Those are two good new things I like.
Read Eddie’s entire interview with Dateline Downtown by clicking here.
source: datelinedowntown.com
I am so sick & F’N tired of hearing “rock is dead”, “they” said the same sh*t back in the late 70’s when disco exploded, but rock didn’t die, did it? No, it just got pushed onto the back-burner, but it never died. Just like today, the popularity of rock comes & goes, yes the last few years it’s been on the back-burner once again, unfortunately, but it’s not “dead”, not as far as I’m concerned, and millions of others. Everything goes through cycles, and someday, hopefully soon, rock will be back in the face of everybody. If nobody cares about rock anymore, then how does a band like Slipknot debut at #1? As long as people like us stay alive, and pass it on, rock will stay alive! 🙂
I think rock is alive in the sense that you have zillions of smaller bands slogging it out. What is clearly dead, are the BIG rock acts. New, big rock acts. They just don’t exist. Where’s the new Van Halen, AC/DC or Black Sabbath? Where’s the new Rolling Stones or Journey? Where’s the new Metallica or Rush? (Don’t say Dream Theater, while OK, the wank factor and cheesy singing make it hard to take them seriously) On a similar note, where are all the new rock guitar gods? Everyone sits in their bedroom wanking off on scales, making youtube videos. There’s no Van halen without Ed, no BS without Iommi, no ACDC without Angus, ets…
The handful of rock/metal bands that might be around that long include the Foo Fighters, and maybe bands like Tool (if they ever are able to put new music out) or Mastodon. We live in a pop culture that values fake reality tv shows that produce instant pop singers.
Is Rock truly dead? Yes and no, it depends on how you look at it.
Two things: one, I don’t know that you are going to know the “big band” while it’s happening; it’s hard to have any context in the moment (for example, can you honestly say you KNEW – without doubt – that Kiss or Crue would still be here, and still filling arenas when Kiss was doing konventions, and John Corabi was in the band?) Two, as for “who is the new one”, it isn’t something that one person can really say. DT is a “wankfest” to you, but perhaps not to someone else. For me, DT isn’t in that category simply because they don’t have the pull to do arenas WITH an album, let alone without a new album (like Kiss, Crue, Leppard, Aerosmith, etc).
I don’t really like them much and have none of their CDs, but for me, Foo Fighters are in that category.
As for U2, I think that is overblown. They STILL released a hard copy, with bonus songs (mine has a bonus disk). To me, having the release electronically is no different than having the album play on radio and me taping it, like I used to do when I was in high school. Mechanism has changed, but the idea is the same. I think Eddie hit the answer right in his blog abuot “supergroups”. It’s not the piracy, even though that is the easiest target (because it allows bands to not look at themselves in a critical light), but rather that I have about the same $$$ to spend, but about five times the options. I just can’t buy every CD I used to, and with deluxe editions and super deluxe editions and DVDs and Blu-rays, where I used to buy three CDs every other Tuesday, now I can only buy one or maybe two.
Really? Wank factor? Metallica couldn’t even qualify as roadies for Dream Theater.
Yeah, that’s why Metallica sold out every single place on earth where there is electricity, while DT is only reserved for music “experts” like you.
Gimme a break!
You’re absolutely right! I think Gene simmons talking sh*t, he confuses “rock is dead” with kiss is dead! Kiss don’t even sell millions of records that’s why he think rock is dead but he has to admit that kiss is dead lol
Doug, you’re back!! I’m also sick of people saying rock is dead. There’s tons of great bands out there for us rock fans to listen to and support. So there’s not multi-platinum mega albums like there once was, but that’s across the board for music. One reason for that is bands don’t have industry support they once had. They pretty much have to work twice as hard for half the results they would have had 20-30 years ago. But that still doesn’t mean the scene is dead, otherwise there would never be any more new bands popping up. Another obstacle is we live in a society that has younger generations growing up with music on iPods they’ve downloaded instead of going and buying a physical album (cd) taking it home, putting it on a stereo system and listening to the entire thing like we did. They’re in their own world with their earbuds in and skipping through songs like it’s nothing. It’s just the sign of the times. Everyone has A.D.D now it seems and that’s because multi media has made people have way to short of an attention span. But I have hope rock will return in a big way and I always will. One great example that there’s young people out there who can discover rock music and get excited for it is I threw a party/bbq recently and my niece came home from college for the weekend and she came to the party and she was extremely excited: Stereo was blasting, people were slamming beers and having a good time getting into the music the only way we know how to, by putting albums on a stereo, cranking it up all the way and rocking out. She kept asking “Wow! What’s the name of that song?” Or “Who’s that band that’s playing right now?” When she went home, she had an arm full cds of mine she asked if she could borrow, which included Van Halen’s first album, Airbourne Runnin’ Wild (I jokingly told her that if she loses that cd I’m taking her out of my will) Alice In Chains Facelift and Pantera Cowboys From Hell among others. So I believe hard rock and metal has the chance to become huge again. All we need is that one new band that just comes out of nowhere and causes a frenzy, like Van Halen did in ’78. In the meantime, I don’t care if I see a great band in a sold out arena or in a club with 100 people or less: if they rock, if they show they have passion for what they’re doing then I’ll raise my fist, throw the horns and headbang until I need a neckbrace.
Right on James, that’s what I like to hear! It also makes me feel good when my Niece or Nephew ask me about a song, album or artist from our generation, I love to see their reaction the first time they hear Eruption! Or Highway To Hell, or Sammy’s Heavy Metal, it’s like, wow, this is awesome, and then they would say, can’t believe I never heard this song before, and I would just look at them and say, me neither! Unfortunately like so many other younger people, they grew up being brainwashed with rap sh*t, and talentless fake plastic idiots like Justin Beaver & Shitney Spears. Sometimes I feel like it’s our duty/responsibility now to educate the younger folks on REAL music! And there are a lot of great new bands out there, like Airbourne! But unfortunately because of the “times”, a lot of especially younger folks have never or will never hear of them. But we can at least help a little to change that, take matters into our own hands and educate as many people as we can with real music, Rock & Roll! Take care James, watch that neck, we’re not 17 anymore, LOL! 🙂
Beaver and sh–tney spears nice. I never listen radio any more but shocked when one weekend I listened to Eddie’s old station 105.5 DHA play a winery dogs song and a few songs later one Priest song from Redeemer of souls.
Again people seem to miss exactly The Demon’s point, and his point was accurate. He didn’t state that rock music was dead. He said the industry was dead, and how a rock band could ‘make it’ in the previous 4-5 decades was now just a dream. That is very true. Unless you can sing a song like Katy Perry or dance like Beyonce and post on Youtube or one of the reality shows, you’re not getting ‘discovered’ as it were. I doubt we will ever see a new artist of any genre now have the longevity of KISS, Maiden, Bob Dillan, Madonna, etc. etc. Music is disposable now. Older rock/metal personalities that can’t sell on their past name are now forming so-called supergroups to try and reclaim some old glory. George Lynch has like 75 bands going right now and Carmine Appice is just behind him. Its like I always say, you can bitch about bands like KISS going on or AC/DC without Malcolm, Priest without KK, or Slayer with just King and Araya. But your other choice is nothing, absolutely nothing. And when these bands are gone, there is absolutely nothing to replace them, unless you like the Biebs.
Thank God someone else has a brain and remembers Genes comment…industry and outlets for rock are dead people, NOT the genre…Gene says plenty of stupid shit, but this was not one of them…
This can’t be the real George, because the real George is a lot smarter than that!
Nothing? Nothing? I am so sick of this old man, get off my lawn, nothing is as good as it was in the 70’s mentality to rock music. There are tons of bands that have formed in this millennium that are just as good if not better than the old stuff. Mastodon, 3 Inches of Blood, High on Fire, Valient Thorr, Baroness, The Sword, Skeletonwitch and Red Fang just to name a very few. And as long as you old guys refuse to get behind and support modern rock/metal the “rock is dead” mentality will persist.
Travis,
As a fan who is admittedly stuck somewhat in a time warp, I can tell you, you cannot force people to like newer bands if they don’t, it’s as simple as that. What one hears has to sound pleasant to ones eardrums, and what works for one, does not for others. Music, like food, art, movies, etc. is not a one size fits all type of thing.
I hate to say this, but if rock, God forbid, has to die in order to reinvent itself, then so be it. What rises from the ashes maybe a much better product that what is being offered today. Just my humble opinion.
Dana from ET.com 🙂
Dana,
I could accept your argument if the members of the old guard were willing to give modern bands a fair shake. But most of you simply dismiss them as hipsters or other derogatory terms and stick your fingers in your ears.
You say that rock may need to die in order to “reinvent” itself, but it already has. What really needs to die in order for rock to progress is the idea that AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden and other bands of the past (though undeniably great) are not the pinnacle of what rock has to offer.
Travis,
I have never dismissed the newer metal bands as hipsters (lol). Some of the nu metal has an industrial, poppy feel with a new wave undertone, not my thing. As for the other genres, I was never a fan of thrash, death metal, etc. So, those newer bands that fall into the vein, wouldn’t be for me either. I am looking for the next great, dirty rock band. I haven’t really heard anything mind blowing yet, outside of Airbourne, and we all know who they sound like.. 🙂
Cheers,
D 🙂
Pardon me for saying so Dana, but if your idea of newer metal bands are nu metal, thrash and death metal then you’re a little behind the times. I’m talking about metal post 2005, so called “stoner” metal/rock (a stupid term that does nothing to quantify the diverse collection of bands that fall under the category.)
Re: Free Music
U2, intentionally or not, certainly gave the impression of music being devalued. And I don’t think the public’s collective mind was changed at all. Then again, its their album so if that is how they want to run U2 Corp., by all means go. I like having a collection to organize and sift through. I am not deeply concerned over the death of the CD, et al, because most or all the bands I listen to will be retired (or worse) within a decade.
Speaking of dead, rock as a genre may never quite perish, but as a musical relevancy its done. Parents at one time hated RnR, now we are those parents. It doesn’t sell the way it used to, partially because of the aforementioned worthlessness of music to the people, plus its all been done. Whether one realizes it or not, rock is not as fresh and vibrant as it was during the first 25 years. Anything you like “new” these days, on a subconscious level, sounds like an old favorite.
My sentiments exactly. The “rock is NOT dead” flag bearers are waving nothing but a pole. I feel bad for them. I WISH THIS WAS NOT THE CASE, but it is. Hip hop and urban inspired culture has killed anything remotely close to what we once had. Take a look at the kids. They are not bringing back rock so please stop living in an illusion….and my friend just responded to me with the “but Slipknot has the #1 album in the country”…..thats great – but check out where it will be next week and in the weeks that follow, while everyone we hate have indulgent, long lasting careers that STAY at the top. We are now the minority. Sucks. With the world going through one of the most tumultuous years ever, angry rebellious youth should have turned to all the bands Eddie keeps mentioning – they don’t anymore because they are no longer angry. They are no longer rebellious. They would rather make a song called “HAPPY” a plaguing success. Rock’s dead guys. All you can do is listen to all your classic albums, celebrate them, listen to Eddie, don’t mock and criticize new stuff from our once revered stars but listen and go see new stuff from them until they slip into oblivion.
U2’s latest album was rejects from the last one…..they knew it was their worst and just dropped the turd free. How bout that cover…..
You mean the drummer in an embrace with his son? Wow, harsh…
I would rather go see Ritchie Blackmore and the Hobbits than see U2. I am not a fan.
I miss and like the 80’s U2 a lot better.They were bad now they suck sorry everyone but it had to be said
Rock is not dead. It’s like a fish on a boat that’s flapping around to breathe. The evidence are these “supergroups” that are springing up left and right. (Fish bounces up, lands, gasps). Whatever their motivations are, it comes across as panicking. Kiss at Vegas. In the 70s, 80s and 90s that was considered the morgue. (Fish flips over, gasps). The package tours, and the audiences with iphones. (Fish now flopping around, gasping)…I am glad Slipknot can still make a ripple, but chart positions are a laughing stock now. But these 90s bands are still in their prime physically. Godsmack and Limp Bizkit are still great live.
Doug R the great thing about disco was it sold a lot of records and it poised rock to make a comeback. In other words, movements bolster counter-movements. We don’t have that now. The market has been reduced to everyone at their satiated point all the time. All markets die when there is too much supply….it drives down prices to nothing. Creating the kind of demand needed for music again is a fading proposition. Like someone else said on here, it’s the kids who keep fresh stuff coming in, and they are completely apathetic. Talk to most young people about the craft that goes into music and they look at you blankly, and then go back to texting. That’s no exaggeration, trust me. Without them, I mean, the fish is dead, it’s just on its last breaths. And who cares anyway? F those dumb kids if they don’t appreciate great music, and don’t want to pay for it. They get what they deserve. So here’s a heaping dose of self reflexive smug. In other words, when they look up from their ipad, I have already left.
I am getting a new turntable and some new speakers. People criticize the drummers and guitarists from the 70s for being too loose. Well, that type of playing is not 100% perceptible in the digital realm. Put those records back on, you can feel, not just hear, the massive pocket of those drummers, and the precision in the guitar playing. What is musicality in the analog realm became sloppy in the digital.
Standing Hampton is Sammy’s best record. 1981, and he’s getting big, but no so big that he is pressured to adopt a formula. Those are the best records.
I am getting a new turntable and some better speakers, did I tell you that? I’ll be on my “island” with my records when that fish finally croaks.
Shannon, it’s like I mentioned to James earlier, I think what would really help ROCK music, AND the industry, is if all of us who grew up in the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s, (the greatest days of Rock N’ Roll) taught the younger folks a lesson by educating them on REAL music, because of the fact that they really don’t listen to radio, especially classic radio, they need us! Because of me, my Niece & Nephew have now become fans of Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Scorpions, AC/DC, JP, just to name a few. And they’re not listening to them on the F’N computer, they are actually buying the CD’s, and listening to them on a stereo, the way music (ROCK music) was/is supposed to be listened to! So don’t give up and buy into that “rock is dead” bullsh*t, if we can open the ears of the younger generation, we can help to keep Rock N’ Roll alive forever! The music, AND the industry. 😉 Red Rocker rules! 🙂
Doug R, I really appreciate your enthusiasm. But as a guy living in Berkeley, who goes to UCBerkeley, and is confronted with 30,000 plus youngsters for the last year and a half, bro…they could care less. They do not care about these classic bands. They snicker at the very idea of paying for music. They are fans of youtube videos, not songs. An artists shelf life is maybe six months now, and they move on. I am taking a music media class this semester, and the teacher is a young woman (Majel, her name means beautiful and majestic!) and she actually kicked me out her class for trying to explain to the class the reason why Beyoncé was teaming up with Lady GaGa (reason being, Beyoncé is from the field of manufactured pop groups, Gaga is the serious artist who writes her own material, Beyoncé wants to be in Gaga’s world) . She kicked me out of her class. They don’t care bro. They have no appreciation for the history of rock and roll and its evolution. Me, I’m fascinated by macro trends in society. They would much rather talk about sociology, like did Gaga proving she is a real woman offend the transgender community? Like, who freaking cares, let’s talk about the music. Like, get out of my class (she was yelling at me)….So, they sure as hell are not going to listen to me. And from here I have stopped caring too. F ’em. Seriously, if they think they are so smart that they are not going to pay for music and that a video of a toy car going up a snow bank while a woman sings a quasi-pop song is cool, have at it. Me, I will be spinning my rock records and watching my Devo videos, while pondering how this trend supervened on the one previous. Doug R, it’s great that you educate your youngsters, but that is not going to stem this mass tidal wave of apathy. And, those dummies are not worth my time and energy.
Shannon, I agree, and I know exactly what you’re saying. I know most young people just don’t get it and never will, even though there are some exceptions, most of today’s youth will never know what they’re missing, and what they’ve missed. I only go out of my way to educate someone if they really show an interest in a particular song or artist, otherwise, yes, unfortunately it’s just a waste of time. The great music we grew up with will be around forever, even after we’re all long gone, and maybe sometimes I’m too optimistic, but I’ll always hope that someday in the future, everything that’s old will be new again, or at least be remembered & respected for it’s greatness. Believe it or not, I recently discovered some songs from the 50’s that I never heard before, or never really paid much attention to, and now, at 48, I can honestly say I can’t believe it took me so long to realize how great this music really is, better late than never! I guess maybe that explains my eternal optimism. Good luck Shannon, let’s hope history repeats itself, in this case, the history of Rock & Roll! 🙂
I just caught Weezer in S.F., Their show is so much fun. It fosters repeat attendance. They are really fun. They’re seasoned now, so they have Blue Oyster Cult like telepathy, and their chops are at a high level . I don’t care if kids don’t get this stuff anymore. It’s their loss. Muse, that’s another great band. Kids don’t even get them anymore. The difference between now and even eight years ago is huge. Then, there was still some hope, some pulse happening. That’s gone now.
In fairness to Majel, I think her resentment towards me had been brewing for a time.
An example:
Youtube video shown in class of that group that does those cover songs on one instrument, each person’s hand doing something different. I mean what a colossal waste of time.
Majel: “That is such a cool video, I love that.”
Me: “That video sucks.”
Another time, this was a video of those guys running in those hamster contraptions, they’ve made a bunch of these. Another is where they make pyramids out of those flower pot things and do pet tricks…
Majel: “A very interesting concept, what do you think of this?”
Me: “Those guys should be lined up and shot.”
So, I have to take some responsibility here for her attitude towards me. But then again, I am not in class texting and looking at my facebook page like other kids. I come prepared ready to engage the material.