If you have any familiarity with the history of rock it will be pretty clear that it's history is formed by one type of rock being killed of by another, in an endless cycle of mutual influence. Psychadelic rock lead to the death of folk, gave birth to Prog, which was killed off by Punk which was taken over by New Wave, ect.
Kevin Dettmar's book deals with this phenomenon it an incredibly interesting way. The central idea is that baby boomers, who hang on to their golden era of 60's and early 70's rock (thats us) are mistaken. He calls them Rock Curmudgeons or Boomer Triumphalists, people who, when they claim rock is dead, are actually saying that their own taste in music died when they bought their last album in 1975.
"These critics pretend to be upset about the death of rock, but in fact I would argue they are involved in trying to kill off rock; they would rather see it dead because then it's theirs forever"
"A lot of those people now are writing about the death of rock; it's a sort of mid-life crisis – an inability to deal with their own ceasing to be at the cultural center of what is going on"
Kevin Dettmar is a Professor at Southern Illinois University and provides quite a challenge to us as lovers of 60's and 70's rock.
Let's hear your opinion on this ?
Image: Courtesy Routledge
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