singemonkey wrote
We have very few rock/pop bands that have a shot at being successful - that despite the small numbers of potential players, have brought it all together. And bands that can inspire us at the same time? It's fine to say that a band makes enjoyable music on a par with English pop bands. But it makes it more painful in some ways that we don't see inspiring bands making a splash. We don't have an AC/DC, let alone a Crowded House. We have had a Johnny Clegg, a Miriam Makeba, a Ladysmith Black Mombazo, a Vusi Mahlasela, a Hugh Masakela, an Abdullah Ibrahim, and a Lucky Dube. These are (or were) all amazing, inspiring artists. But nothing that I think is a landmark band in the international rock/pop/metal/punk-rock/folk-rock (if you discount Johnny Clegg's hybrid style) styles have ever made a splash internationally.
Sure, but in the UK or the USA there are THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of bands, and most of those will never make any sort of significant artistic statement. Many of the bands that make it big don't amount to musical landmarks.
What we see coming from the USA or Europe are bands that have worked hard, got their schtick worked out, signed a deal with a label.... the seraration of wheat from chaff has already happened, we don't see the multitude of pointless, derivative and not very good bands that are gigging on the club circuit in the USA.
"Circuit".... there's a word for you. They have
circuits in the USA and Europe. Many of them. They overlap in various ways. They have circuits for folk, for metal, for singer-songwriters. For experienced acts and for newbies. They are well developed too and that's important for the artists as well as for audiences. Guys like Bruce Cockburn, Loudon Wainwright, Martin Carthy and Richard Thompson can get regular work, without appearing at the same venues over and over again, and make a good living without ever getting near stadium shows.
