 |
| http://www.rdio.com/artist/Kid_Rock/album/Born_Free_(Bonus_Track_Version)/ |
As some of my close friends know, I am a major Kid Rock fan. As a matter of fact, I think Kid Rock is one of the best, well-rounded, musicians walking God’s green earth. Though this piece is not about the Kid, his latest album Born Free sets the stage for this post. Born Free is nothing, like the Hip-Hop albums of the 1990’s that put Kid Rock on the map. Frankly, this fact displays Kid Rock as a music powerhouse and a man of amazing talent.
Now, what gets me is that artists (including myself) are criticized for sticking to their sound, but if they dare change it, it usually means they've lost their touch – this is a falsehood. I’ve been writing songs for a decade (I’m no Kid Rock) but if I were still writing the same stuff I was at the age of seventeen, I’d never grow as a musician. People ought to be allowed to change and evolve their art to fit a new canvas. I ran across some old Blues Traveler tonight and got curious to see if they had released anything since their 90’s hits (they’ve released several albums over the last fourteen years). Upon reading a review of their latest album (while sampling it of course) I felt that the critic slammed them for being more subdued than in the past. Honestly, no band should spit out the same album for nearly two decades.
Furthermore, a perfect example of why change is good, lies with the Rolling Stones. After a near fifty year run as a band they are still creative giants. Personally, I love spinning their new tunes right next to the hits that made them famous. The lives of music fans change throughout time, why shouldn’t the music of the artists they love? I hope I’m still creating music in another decade and I hope that it’s bigger, better, and on another planet from where I’m at today or where I’ve ever been before – art is about creating something and creation rarely comes in the form of re-creation.
Now, what gets me is that artists (including myself) are criticized for sticking to their sound, but if they dare change it, it usually means they've lost their touch – this is a falsehood. I’ve been writing songs for a decade (I’m no Kid Rock) but if I were still writing the same stuff I was at the age of seventeen, I’d never grow as a musician. People ought to be allowed to change and evolve their art to fit a new canvas. I ran across some old Blues Traveler tonight and got curious to see if they had released anything since their 90’s hits (they’ve released several albums over the last fourteen years). Upon reading a review of their latest album (while sampling it of course) I felt that the critic slammed them for being more subdued than in the past. Honestly, no band should spit out the same album for nearly two decades.
Furthermore, a perfect example of why change is good, lies with the Rolling Stones. After a near fifty year run as a band they are still creative giants. Personally, I love spinning their new tunes right next to the hits that made them famous. The lives of music fans change throughout time, why shouldn’t the music of the artists they love? I hope I’m still creating music in another decade and I hope that it’s bigger, better, and on another planet from where I’m at today or where I’ve ever been before – art is about creating something and creation rarely comes in the form of re-creation.
No comments:
Post a Comment