Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider has responded to KISS bassist Gene Simmons claim that rock is dead.
Snider writes via his Facebook:
Recently, my esteemed colleague, Gene Simmons of Kiss declared that “Rock ‘n’ Roll is finally dead.” Really?
While I have nothing but respect for Gene, he couldn’t be further off the mark. Yes, the rock ‘n’ roll “business model” that helped KISS (and my band for that matter) achieve fame and fortune is most certainly long dead and buried, but rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well and thriving on social media, in the streets, and in clubs and concert halls all over the world. And the bands playing it are more genuine and heartfelt than ever because they are in it for one reason: the love of rock ‘n’ roll.
Spend some time seeing and listening to these incredible young bands and their rabid fans and you will know that rock ‘n’ roll couldn’t be more alive. Yes, it’s not the same as it was for the first 50 years of rock’s existence, but the fire definitely still burns.
And it wasn’t some 15 year old kid in Saint Paul, Minnesota (to paraphrase Mr. Simmons) who killed the rock ‘n’ roll goose that laid the platinum egg…it was greedy, big city, record company moguls who made their own velvet noose to hang themselves with. It was they who took advantage of the consumer (and the artist for that matter) and drove them to use an alternative source of music presented to them.
For example, take the bill of goods the record industry sold the mainstream public when introducing the CD format. “We have to charge more for it, because it’s a new technology and there’s a cost to setting up the infrastructure to produce them.” The consumer believed them–it made sense–so they paid a $18.98 list price for a product they had been paying $7.99 list for previously. After all “you can’t break a CD with a hammer!” (Remember that?)
But when the infrastructure was in place and paid for in full, and the cost of producing a CD dropped to less than a dollar, did the record companies roll back the list price in kind? Not on your life. They weren’t about to do the right thing and cut their increased revenue stream. Those fat cats were enjoying their ill-gotten gains way too much.
So when the general public finally realized they were being had, and the opportunity arose for them to stick it to the man, what did they do? The same thing their Woodstock Nation, baby boomer parents had done when they had their chance…they stuck it and they stuck it good. Does anyone remember Abbey Hoffman’s “Steal this Book”, the massive selling, early 70’s hippy guide “focused on ways to fight the government, and against corporations in any way possible.” Multiply that by a googolplex.
Is it hard to make it rock ‘n’ roll? You bet. Always was, always will be. Will rockers make as much money as they did “back in the day”? Probably not. But that won’t stop them, and they’ll be motivated by a much more genuine love of the art, and great rock will continue to be produced, played and embraced by rock fans.
So in conclusion: Record company executives killed the old rock ‘n’ roll business model…and Rock ‘n’ Roll Ain’t Dead!
Dee Snider/ September 10th, 2014
43 Responses
The music industry did kinda kill itself. Greedy rich old men who wanted to be even richer and didn’t have any respect for the art or integrity of music
I agree with Dee that the antiquated “business model” of rock is dead. Gene’s problem is he can’t figure out how to squeeze every last penny out of it anymore.
If the industry is dead, then the music is dead. There’s no sensible person that’s going to pursue a music career nowdays like back in the 70s and 80s. Just doesn’t happen. And rock music is missing those guys that chose to do other things instead.
Look at the garbage 1980’s Hair Band festivals with the usual suspects. Dee: “Rock and roll couldn’t be more alive”. Dee, yer dreaming. If California Breed is an opener at 2,000 seaters, there is no hope for the young bands bro. Go into Rockaway Records in L.A., the dumping ground of promo CD’s for the industry. Katy Perry $5 sealed. Ace $8. Nobody buys retail.
the record company never cared about the artist. You think elvis’s presleys manager or record company really gave a crap about him? He made them money. They teenagers brought the records and they made money. This isn’t exactly new. Hell, the people in charge back in the 50;s would not even have grown up on rock or pop (as we know it) and proly really really hated it. At least the greedy s–mbags controlling the record industry now (well whats left of it) might have just a once of respect for rock.