@ Rufus, Yes. The posing, posturing, ritualized rebellion of drugged up, and by that point obviously moronic and mentally unbalanced nihilists, comes to seem completely pointless.

Re musicianship and “story”

There are those who can endlessly mine the oeuvre of a favorite band and delve into the details of their work with an appreciation born, I think, of affection, and an emotional resonance or felt simpatico that goes beyond tbe music per se. This seems to me to be especially the case with Steely Dan, and the earlier Grateful Dead. Perhaps as per this thread, The Eagles, too.

I’m either too shallow or too disengaged for that. Other than early Fleetwood Mac, or Steve Miller, or Led Zepplin albums, I cannot think of many mid era rock releases offhand that had more than a couple three tracks worth repeated listening and “exploration” for me. Others would surely include the Beach Boys, The Byrds, CSN&Y, and mention various others producing “groundbreaking” albums. I would have to agree, I guess. But by then we are off into the weeds. And how many good cuts did you really get from the average Steppenwolf, or Deep Purple, or Clapton album.

Fast forward to The Clash. Did anyone really like more than about 4 of their tunes? Maybe The Pretenders had half a dozen. Billy Idol 4 or 5?

I think that that’s another reason why at 21 or so we all start migrating into classical, jazz, and even country. With some branching off into fusion or …. Steely Dan.

In fact, I think that what made the Beatles, like them or not, such a unique band, was the consistent high standard, innovation and variety of their hit making output, which has never been really equaled by any similar group so far as I’m aware. The key is that you didn’t/don’t have to be a Beatles fan or loyalist to see it.

Rufus, Steely Dan remains one of my fav bands – especially Pretzel Logic. Born in ’56, I’m a clear middle boomer, early retirement (with a 14 y.o. son, get money for him, too.) They had a long rep as a great studio band, NOT touring – with perfectionism and great musicians. Studies show that classical musicians which are hidden are judged differently than those who are watched, with the ones watched being judged better when they give a better performance.
Part of live is the musician’s relationship with the music; torture, agony, joy, exuberance.

I liked punk, too – and often saw the Ramones in CA/ Silicon Valley and other punk/ new wave bands. Energy! Drinking! Falling asleep after a few (too many?) beers on the table during the headliners’ – more than a couple of times.

Caribou Ranch? Reminds me of the Elton John album I hated/ was quite disappointed with. Barely remember Pinky & I’ve Seen the Saucers, so I’m listening to them on YouTube as I type. Still mediocre. (Bagel Radio has lots of new alternative music, much of it mediocre. The gems are brighter then.) Genuinely did not like “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”, and still don’t.

I’m with Jeff Goldblum about good late 60s music – the 60s sort of ended with Jim Morrison’s death (OD drug? alcohol almost suicide heart attack). Love that ’72 LA Woman (plus Riders on the Storm!); was listening to it today while making Chicken Korma & Tikka Masala. (-Madman Across The Water)

I like Jethro Tull, who still tours and wasn’t long ago in Bratislava; but I don’t go to concerts nowadays. Locomotive Breath! Bouree! Best rock flautist, by far. Rhamphal and Bolling have a great pop–jazz flute – piano album. But Blackwyn, the Eagles started out as a back up band to Linda Ronstadt.

One of their early songs was Take It Easy, with the line: “Well I’m a standin’ on the corner in Winslow, Arizona”. (Someone Saved My Life Tonight) I remember driving thru Winslow around midnight on my way back for Christmas in So. Cal, from Annapolis. 3 of us; 36+ hours of constant driving. We got one ticket. In Winslow. (With much less traffic thanks to Wuhan virus, the Cannonball rally just had a new 26 hr record set! Illegal, unsafe, but fun.)

My favorite version the Fleetwood Mac band was the middle, with Bob Welsh, and their best song: Hypnotized. (Listening now! Came up from 50+ Elton John songs; I’m skipping many). (… and if any man’s hand, ever made that land, then I think it would have showed.)

Lots of folk love Joe Walsh, but I’m not one of them. Art Deco doesn’t mention him, and all those mentioned are fondly remembered, including jazzy pop Weather Report. So I jump to Birdland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqashW66D7o

Not as intense as those last great minutes of Stairway to Heaven, but cool. Very different from Eagles’ Desperado. (Queen of Hearts is better than Queen of Diamonds).

Mikloss (Miklos is common in Slovakia), thanks for reminding me of great late 70s early 80s punk / new wave songs – usually in my mind a lot.

Now I’m often listening to “alternative” (there’s a new station The End, 97.2 in Bratislava!), which today played one of my newish alt-pop favorites, with great whistling:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iArXv64tCJA
Young Folks.
Great song, amateurish (VERY) video, yet fitting the song:
“We don’t care about the young folks, talkin’ about the young style…”
Also fits the teens of “this” generation.

In 1946 Gerry Cunningham set up Gerry Mountaineering in Ward. My best high school friend and climbing partner were among his first customers. Gerry was one of the few places in the U.S. where you could buy pitons, carabiners, and nylon climbing ropes at that time. I knew Ward before Ward and Gerry became well known. 🙂

I have also used the term “onanism” to refer to a lot of rock performances. Like you, I also find anthem rock lacking, and, like you I loathe folk music.

I saw Donald Fagen recently touring as “Steely Dan.” Fagen and his deceased partner, Walter Becker always had a reputation for hiring top notch studio musicians and Fagen’s backing band here was no exception. It was some of the best musicianship I have heard out of a live rock band. The musicians were incredible, but they either didn’t understand, or didn’t care to fake the difficulty of performance stuff; bending at the waist, closing eyes tightly, grimacing… It was interesting to watch the audience. Folks who knew music were blown away. Not only were the musicians great, they were so great they didn’t even have to struggle to be great. But a lot of the crowd seemed a bit bored. Without the visual cues that the musicians were struggling they didn’t recognize the brilliance.

Goldblum: You know, there’s been some good music written since 1968.
Kline: Not in this house, there hasn’t!

Gerard Vanderleun — I believe I qualify for membership on the Boomer Board of Elders, as I was born nine months and three days after my father was demobilized — December 29, 1946. (He didn’t have enough points to come home right after V-E Day, and thank God for Harry Truman, he wasn’t sent to the Pacific.)