Bah, details.

In my world there's only rock and one other very large pigeonhole for everything else simply labled "Not Rock".

In my experience of my parents, Aunts and Uncles, we're in for an eternity of Charlie Pride, Helen Reddy, The Seekers, Cliff Richard, Neil Diamond. I still the only one in a state of pannic at these prospects?

I don't know about "pannic" but I'd be in a state of panic at such a prospect. This is hardly "Lindsay Perigo music" Rick!

That's better.
Mind you, parenticide does sound like fun.

Lindsay gets that he's playing Dr Richard Kimble in this scenario doesn't he?

Any ideas as to the form of the music of tomorrow?

My suggestion was that the kids are going to grow up enchanted by the resurgent Perigo music and perpetuate it until the end of time. I did say doomsday.

Rick is delusional. It's the classic rock stations that play most of the headbanger/rock music, e.g., Led-Zeppelin, AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Neil Young, David Bowie etc - their target market is over 40.

Sure, over 40. But under 55. That generation wont tip the balance.

Show me the evidence. In my experience of my parents, Aunts and Uncles, we're in for an eternity of Charlie Pride, Helen Reddy, The Seekers, Cliff Richard, Neil Diamond. I still the only one in a state of pannic at these prospects? Contradictions more than welcome, Wayne.

but do they agree on anything else?

Rick is delusional. It's the classic rock stations that play most of the headbanger/rock music, e.g., Led-Zeppelin, AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Neil Young, David Bowie etc - their target market is over 40.
What rock is he under? If LZ re-formed and went on tour they'd pack stadiums all over the world. Even Dennis DeYoung, ex-Styx lead singer, still rocks out when he tours. Heavy music is here to stay ( e.g, see the target market for, "System of the Down") so get over it. I'll be headbanging forever. Btw, that doesn't mean I don't also appreciate classical music.

Np, Titan. It's actually an instructive object lesson for all of us, that we have to be open to something beyond our personal experiences to judge this kind of thing. (And it's not uncommon for a band to be thought innovative simply because their source material is unfamiliar to a younger generation.)

Hmmmm....I see your point and concede Spiritualized's music is not novel in a pure sense, seeing as they do borrow from different genres, and as such maybe it's more correct to catagorize them as a transitional music phase, similar to what jazz and blues did for rock n roll. They just struck me as new and different from anything that I had heard previous.

Jameson, interesting theory...I wonder if the innovation is reflected in the ability to support so much on top on a smaller, more efficient base? Kinda like Reardon Metal: cheaper, but stronger?

Titan,
I have heard it...I thought it was ok, kinda gospelly, kinda Pink Floyd...somewhat melodic, somewhat cheery...but not one that I listen to repeatedly after the novelty wore off. But though much of it is pleasant, it's very repetitive, compositionally speaking, and sonically, I don't hear any innovation. (I don't think music has to be innovative to be enjoyable, and I don't think it has to be "pleasant" to be innovative, but I was expecting more with a title like LAZER GUIDED MELODIES. It's a great title, I'm waiting for music to live up to that idea.) The Wiki entry accurately describes the music:

"The musical style of Spiritualized relies heavily on sustained 'pedal' notes and drones. Lazer Guided Melodies and Pure Phase incorporate elements of the shoegazing style, drones and tremolo. The landmark Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space saw the influence of African-American gospel and blues beginning to show, while "walls of sound" modelled after the production styles of Phil Spector and Brian Wilson also made their presence felt. Such influences dominated Spiritualized's next album, Let It Come Down which included over 120 musicians playing live for Pierce. Amazing Grace favoured a more stripped down sound with the gospel, blues, and soul influences even more dominant than before. Early 2007 will most likely see the sixth official album release by Spiritualized."

Based on this, and what I've actually heard from them, I'm going to argue that they are not ahead of their time, and here's why...

I tend to think of innovation in the terms Rand lays out in her notes for ATLAS SHRUGGED (which appear in the paperback anniversary edition). She was referring to fiction writing, but I think her argument is valid in the larger scheme of things:

"...if creative fiction writing is a process of translating an abstraction into the concrete, there are three possible grades of such writing: translating an old (known) abstraction...through the medium used before for that same purpose, that same translation)-this is most of the popular trash; translating an old abstraction through new, original fiction means- this is most of the good literature; creating a new, original abstraction and translating it through new, original means...(A fourth possibility-translating a new abstraction through old means-is impossible, by definition; if the abstraction is new, there can be no means used by anybody else before to translate it.)"

The reason I don't see innovation is because they are translating old abstractions through old means, treading in ground paved by Pink Floyd. Compositionally, they are using those African-American traditional styled-songs with a modern instrumentation, but Pink Floyd have had their biggest commercial successes with this formula. And many experimental "shoegazer" bands like the early albums of The Verve played with electronics and atmosphere, but when it came time to craft something more structured, they also adapted either blues structure or something more country-westernish.

The other reason I don't consider it "innovative" is because I'm skeptical of defining hybrids as innovative. It's like a compound versus a mixture; does it become a new element or just juxtaposition? This argument was played out in THE FOUNTAINHEAD in Eric Snyte's collection of architects, among them "the eclectic." Snyte's idea of innovation was to "combine" disparate styles (and architects.) Roark's work was an integrated whole; while not above learning from other styles, he did not simply appropriate elements and graft them onto others. His buildings were new abstractions though new mediums (or new mediums giving birth to new abstractions, i.e., steel and skyscrapers.)

My personal theory is that new abstractions in music will grow from new mediums, i.e., electronic sound generators, digital recording techniques, etc. But those mediums will require vision (give a hundred monkeys a typewriter doesn't equal Shakespeare. Give a hundred Varese's a siren and you'll get cacophony.) Combining old styles of music (i.e., blues patterns) with electronic instruments is taking an old abstraction and dressing it up. You don't build the Parthenon with wood, and you don't build the Empire State Building with marble. Maybe the closest we've had in this regards is some of the better "progressive rock bands" who attempted a synthesis with electronic instruments, classical composition, but this project was aborted by the rise of punk. The other contenders, the Cages, Stockholms, Vareses, etc, abandoned classicism, but also abandoned the mind, violating the need of the mind for integration (the post-modern revolutionaries.)

I'm curious...without attacking your appreciation for Spiritualized, and lyrically aside, what about the music do you find "ahead of its time?"

JoeM, have you ever heard music from the band Spiritualized? It's like a mix of rock, classical, and ambient. Awesomely beautiful music. I think that this band is way ahead of their time. Me thinks people will look back someday and literally say,'Whoa, these guys were really ahead of their time!'

From the looks of them it would appear that the evolution of the population pyramid is following in the footsteps of architecture -- from Angkor Wat to the cathedral and finally the modern skyscraper.

Scientists reckon that within the next 20 years life expectancy will increase to 120 years!

"...a renaissance of "Lindsay Perigo music" is indeed imminent and that any attempt at reactionary rearguard action to stave off the inevitable is doomed."

I'd like to think this was true, at least in spirit...If it were, I'd be more curious about the form it would take...we're obviously not going to go back to Vienese operettas and turn-of-the-century "tiddlywink" music. (I don't think that would be progress, and such an attempt would be mere classicism.)

Any ideas as to the form of the music of tomorrow?

It would appear everyone here accepts that the days of headbanging caterwauling are indeed numbered, that a renaissance of "Lindsay Perigo music" is indeed imminent and that any attempt at reactionary rearguard action to stave off the inevitable is doomed. So, headbangers—enjoy the thumping, screeching and rasping while you can. It is not long for this earth. Heh, heh!

Love-song Linz

Mind you, parenticide does sound like fun.

What's the matter with you people? Fail school statistics? Don't you know prophetic profundity when you see it?