Reply #51: When Led Zeppelin first appeared.... [View All]

[RandomKoolzip]

A lot of the critics said the same things about THEM that you do about "Idol." Soulless, manufactured, cynical manipulation; no subtlety, lowest common denominator crap, etc.

One COULD argue that it's just one generation's condescension applied to another's. However, those critics who lambasted Zeppelin did so since there was such an embarrassment of musical riches circa 69-70 that anything that didn't meet their rigorous standards was dismissed...plus, Zeppelin was apolitical (a big non-no for the crits of the day); all of these points ignore, however, that at Zep's core was an advanced musical mind and imagination, and that the musicians involved were master stylists who all had unique voices on their respective instruments. They were doing something new with the rock process. To boot, Page 'n' co. were so anti-image that they refused interviews, didn't have too many pics taken of them, and didn't even release singles.

So...one COULD argue that it's one generation's misunderstanding of the next, but they'd be wrong, since there is no musical imagination at work at "Idol." It actually IS soulless, manufactured crap. The future deterioration of the pop sphere will bear this out.