Placing the Blame for the Condition of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Hilburn appropriately targeted radio programmers, older performers and, finally, the audience. However, I am concerned about his failure to assign responsibility to the current practitioners of the art. It is one thing to plead with our older rocking role model to steer a truer course (although it may be improbable to look to the Dylans and Jaggers for leadership), but what about this current crop?

Time was when rock ‘n’ roll attracted an intelligent, literate, perceptive crew of art students, university dropouts and creative souls who were drawn to the music as a medium for effecting social change and commentary, as well as for the good fun. The pioneers of the form were infused with the creativity of being “marginal” people-- outside the social order, in artful ways.

The current crew of jock music monkeys and heavy-metal monsters are cartoon characters designed by company casting departments and used as puppets for an industry of lawyers and accountants.

I fear that unless we have more artists drawn to the urgency and vitality of rock as a vehicle of dynamic change--artists from the creative fringe--the music is indeed doomed.

TIM McHARGUE

Redondo Beach