The Day The Music Died...

[HarryTheHookaMaster]

I had to help my daughter with a school paper. We came up with the idea of:

What if Elvis, Jimmy, Janis, Jim, etc did not OD and lived out their lives, What would rock & roll be like today?

How did illegal drugs influnce rock & roll? good or bad?

I just thought I would throw it out to you all. Sit back, pull on your pipe and imagine what it would be like if Eddie got to study under an old Jimmy......

[DRainh2o]

Or if Lennon lived and the beatles had more albums, or if Skynyrd was still around, if Freddy Mercury hadn't died, and don't forget Cobain. I am of the opinion that Elvis had contributed all he could have to rock. Jim Janis Jimmy Skynyrd Queen and Cobain are another story though, they had lots left to contribute to the genre and things would be different for sure. Drugs definately took a tole on the genre since all 3 of them died because of drugs. On the other hand there were some amazing albums made by artists influenced by drugs so it could swing either way.

I would hope that there would be more "actual" music today because I don't consider a lot of what is circulating today to even be music at all. Just my two cents. I actually took a history of rock and roll class and wrote a paper on this, it is a very interesting question. Edited March 8, 2008 by DRainh2o

[HarryTheHookaMaster]

Or if Lennon lived and the beatles had more albums, or if Skynyrd was still around, if Freddy Mercury hadn't died, and don't forget Cobain. I am of the opinion that Elvis had contributed all he could have to rock. Jim Janis Jimmy Skynyrd Queen and Cobain are another story though, they had lots left to contribute to the genre and things would be different for sure. Drugs definately took a tole on the genre since all 3 of them died because of drugs. On the other hand there were some amazing albums made by artists influenced by drugs so it could swing either way.

I would hope that there would be more "actual" music today because I don't consider a lot of what is circulating today to even be music at all. Just my two cents. I actually took a history of rock and roll class and wrote a paper on this, it is a very interesting question.

I agree, alot of music today just has no soul.Its just corperate shit...no talent behind it at all.

[anathema]

Iono, I'd be pretty bummed out if Jack White died.

I pretty much assume rock and roll would be pretty much the same, greed wins.

[HarryTheHookaMaster]

Iono, I'd be pretty bummed out if Jack White died.

I pretty much assume rock and roll would be pretty much the same, greed wins.

You are right, greed wins. As far as rock & roll, I don't think it would be the same at all. I think the greed aspect of it would be less, I mean- I feel that the companies fucked over some of the artists because they were stoned out of their minds. I really think that the industry, as a whole, would be compleatly different then it is today. I would hope that the artists would have more control over their art- not the companies. I would like to think that the music would be ,I don't know...deeper?

Go back and listen to the Beatles when they first got off the plane in the US. They were GREAT! then the companies got their hooks into them, the drugs flowed ("I am the eggman, I am the walrus"???) and shit, in my opinion, got off track. What if that amazing talent was left to grow and develop on its own, without the outside influnces? My point is, we would be listening to some great shit on the radio right now!

[Snoopy1966]

I wish Keith Moon the drummer from The Who was still alive also. He is an awesome drummer. I love to watch him play. There are so many music legends that we lost. SRV for another. Man just think of the tunes this man did not release yet, and to think I passed on the concert at Alpine Valley the night he died.

[zeppyrkr]

ouch, no ones mentions bonham very disappointing guys ...

[PhishPhood]

Since no one adressed the drug question I will...

In my opinion, music in the 60s would not have gone the great direction it had without the use of drugs.. The beatles are a prime example. Listen to their first album or 2, then listen to their last few albums. Its night and day.. They progressed from a bubble-gum rock band to creating one of the most influencial albums (sgt. peppers) ever.

During those years I guarantee none of that music would have been the same without all the drugs floating around. From jimi to janis to the beatles to you name em, they were on something. Inevitably there are gonna be ODs as there are with everything. People have died from alcohol, more than have OD'd on even the hardest drugs.

Even today I think drugs get a much worse rap than they deserve. Who cares if someone wants to have some NHT before they hop up on stage for a set, or someone in the audience wants to smoke a bit too. It enhances the experience for them, so let them enjoy themself.

[r1v3th3ad]

Don't forget Syd Barrett, founder of Pink Floyd. He was always so screwed up on acid they had to hire Dave to cover him on stage...Syd's album Piper at the Gates of Dawn shows what drugs to ya. Also inspired a lot of Floyd's stuff since he spent most of the rest of his life in a mental hospital. Without LSD, Pink Floyd would not have affected the world the way it did

[ryno]

Don't forget Syd Barrett, founder of Pink Floyd. He was always so screwed up on acid they had to hire Dave to cover him on stage...Syd's album Piper at the Gates of Dawn shows what drugs to ya. Also inspired a lot of Floyd's stuff since he spent most of the rest of his life in a mental hospital. Without LSD, Pink Floyd would not have affected the world the way it did

Syd didn't live in a mental hospital, he moved back home with him mom and other relatives..

I think the drugs (lsd and pot mainly) had a positive influence on the music of the 60s. What made those 2 drugs great for rock and roll was you can't OD on either, but when hard drugs hits the scene (heroin, speed, coke), people became depend on drugs, and lost their will to make music, and just wanted to get loaded. I dont think the drugs are a bad thing until they control the person using them.

[r1v3th3ad]

After PF, he did a short solo career, then mental hospital till the beginning of this century...all in the biographies

[ryno]

After PF, he did a short solo career, then mental hospital till the beginning of this century...all in the biographies

hmm.. I saw in the dvd "Pink Floyd and the Syd Barrett Story" that he moved back home.... never know, cause about any source you find says something different

[r1v3th3ad]

Yup
everyone has a different story to tell...
lets agree on this one that its not fully known what happened to poor ol' Syd

[HarryTheHookaMaster]

I wish Keith Moon the drummer from The Who was still alive also. He is an awesome drummer. I love to watch him play. There are so many music legends that we lost. SRV for another. Man just think of the tunes this man did not release yet, and to think I passed on the concert at Alpine Valley the night he died.

Dude, I was at Alpine Valley that night.....we were sitting in the car, waiting in traffic when we heard the news on the radio. It was surreal, we JUST saw him perform. Total shock... Edited March 8, 2008 by HarryTheHookaMaster

[ryno]

Yup
everyone has a different story to tell...
lets agree on this one that its not fully known what happened to poor ol' Syd

agreed. But it would have been great to see how the floyd would have been with him more.


zeppyrkr- yes it was very sad that bonham had to go also, it would have been great to still see the original line up of zeppelin.

[St. Goodypants]

Barret walked out on stage and emptied an entire tube of brylcream on his head. He kind of lost it after a while.

Floyd couldn't have withstood it too long and remained intact in my opinion.

He did live at home. He spent a little time in a mental instituion during the 80's, but he did not stay there until the start of the century. Edited March 9, 2008 by St. Goodypants

[J-thehookaholic]

I had to help my daughter with a school paper. We came up with the idea of:

What if Elvis, Jimmy, Janis, Jim, etc did not OD and lived out their lives, What would rock & roll be like today?

How did illegal drugs influnce rock & roll? good or bad?

I just thought I would throw it out to you all. Sit back, pull on your pipe and imagine what it would be like if Eddie got to study under an old Jimmy......

Interesting Eddie and Jimmy..... I think their OD-ing was untimely. Would have been nice if any of those had not gone quite so soon and we had more of their music to enjoy. Even though He didn't OD Would have been nice if John Lennon was still around, wonder if The Beatles would have ever gotten back together. As for whether the drugs are good or bad... I don't think Hendrix would have sounded like Hendirx without it... with some artists its always going to be tied to their legacy. I think the better question to ask is: "would they have been as good, the same, better had drugs not played a role?"

[Snoopy1966]

I wish Keith Moon the drummer from The Who was still alive also. He is an awesome drummer. I love to watch him play. There are so many music legends that we lost. SRV for another. Man just think of the tunes this man did not release yet, and to think I passed on the concert at Alpine Valley the night he died.

Dude, I was at Alpine Valley that night.....we were sitting in the car, waiting in traffic when we heard the news on the radio. It was surreal, we JUST saw him perform. Total shock...

I remember that night all to well also, would have been more devastating to hear that as you are leaving the concert. We all partied that night in remembrance of SRV.

John Bonham zeppy I forgot about, great drummer, but I really am not a big Zofo fan. The Song Remains The Same is a great movie. I went to see it all the time for the midnight movie in IL.

[ryno]

I had to help my daughter with a school paper. We came up with the idea of:

What if Elvis, Jimmy, Janis, Jim, etc did not OD and lived out their lives, What would rock & roll be like today?

How did illegal drugs influnce rock & roll? good or bad?

I just thought I would throw it out to you all. Sit back, pull on your pipe and imagine what it would be like if Eddie got to study under an old Jimmy......

Interesting Eddie and Jimmy..... I think their OD-ing was untimely. Would have been nice if any of those had not gone quite so soon and we had more of their music to enjoy. Even though He didn't OD Would have been nice if John Lennon was still around, wonder if The Beatles would have ever gotten back together. As for whether the drugs are good or bad... I don't think Hendrix would have sounded like Hendirx without it... with some artists its always going to be tied to their legacy. I think the better question to ask is: "would they have been as good, the same, better had drugs not played a role?"

Thus the reason I don't like yoko. John and Paul wanted to get the band back together, but yoko got it in john's head that he was better off solo.

[HarryTheHookaMaster]

I had to help my daughter with a school paper. We came up with the idea of:

What if Elvis, Jimmy, Janis, Jim, etc did not OD and lived out their lives, What would rock & roll be like today?

How did illegal drugs influnce rock & roll? good or bad?

I just thought I would throw it out to you all. Sit back, pull on your pipe and imagine what it would be like if Eddie got to study under an old Jimmy......

Interesting Eddie and Jimmy..... I think their OD-ing was untimely. Would have been nice if any of those had not gone quite so soon and we had more of their music to enjoy. Even though He didn't OD Would have been nice if John Lennon was still around, wonder if The Beatles would have ever gotten back together. As for whether the drugs are good or bad... I don't think Hendrix would have sounded like Hendirx without it... with some artists its always going to be tied to their legacy. I think the better question to ask is: "would they have been as good, the same, better had drugs not played a role?"

Thus the reason I don't like yoko. John and Paul wanted to get the band back together, but yoko got it in john's head that he was better off solo.

Yoko is the Anit-Christ!

[r1v3th3ad]

Barret walked out on stage and emptied an entire tube of brylcream on his head. He kind of lost it after a while.

Floyd couldn't have withstood it too long and remained intact in my opinion.

He did live at home. He spent a little time in a mental instituion during the 80's, but he did not stay there until the start of the century.

ya, he lost it...
but what would Floyd have been without him, he came up with the name and the start to the band. Waters et. all had a few other bands before and they were going nowhere. After Syd, a lot of the music was influenced by him and about him. If Floyd somehow existed/started without Syd at all, that they never knew him...just imagine.

[booya]

ah, drugs and music... my favorite subject.

alright... first, i strongly agree that drugs make artists make better music, as long as they are intelligent enough to take the knowledge one gains from drug use and integrate it with sound. thats what jimi did. jim morrison did, tho he was a drunk way before he was a druggy... morrison reminds me of the romance associated with good writers and drinking.

john bonham was a drunk. cobain was a speed baller, and had he not been such a fiend, his music wouldn't have that stinging pain dripping from every single lyric. lane staley is another example where hard drugs made music better, this guy was on the same level as cobain for sure. how about scott wieland? hard drugs definitely made that music good.

so even though in the 60's, drugs may have had a huge influence on music, drugs in the 70's/80's (coke) influenced the sound, heroin in the 90's, ecstasy in the new millinium...

so to end this completely disjointed post, i would like to say that music would be no where with out drugs. at anytime... look back to the golden age of jazz... the vipers and their tea... john coltranes battel with heroin... drugs and music go hand in hand... and one is never the same without the other.

[HarryTheHookaMaster]

ah, drugs and music... my favorite subject.

alright... first, i strongly agree that drugs make artists make better music, as long as they are intelligent enough to take the knowledge one gains from drug use and integrate it with sound. thats what jimi did. jim morrison did, tho he was a drunk way before he was a druggy... morrison reminds me of the romance associated with good writers and drinking.

john bonham was a drunk. cobain was a speed baller, and had he not been such a fiend, his music wouldn't have that stinging pain dripping from every single lyric. lane staley is another example where hard drugs made music better, this guy was on the same level as cobain for sure. how about scott wieland? hard drugs definitely made that music good.

so even though in the 60's, drugs may have had a huge influence on music, drugs in the 70's/80's (coke) influenced the sound, heroin in the 90's, ecstasy in the new millinium...

so to end this completely disjointed post, i would like to say that music would be no where with out drugs. at anytime... look back to the golden age of jazz... the vipers and their tea... john coltranes battel with heroin... drugs and music go hand in hand... and one is never the same without the other.

Very good point...

[thecoalition]

the beatles are over rated. period. end of discussion.

[HarryTheHookaMaster]

the beatles are over rated. period. end of discussion.

SO TRUE!...the early shit was good but......I really don't think they are the GODS that most people think they are.