Published: October 23, 2008 03:15 pm      

GARY'S WORLD: Rock wasn't meant to be commercial

Oh how the times are changing.

I can remember a much simpler time in life. A much simpler time in the world. A time when rock 'n' roll music was associated with a lot of the bad things in the world. Rock music was associated with taboo subjects such as sex, drugs, violence and disrespect. Mom and dad didn't want to hear about Freddy Mercury's boyfriend, or where Joan Jett wanted to be touched.

Rock 'n' roll.

Groups such as Black Sabbath, AC/DC and Led Zeppelin were always associated with demonic influences, drinking, drug abuse and the Devil. The bad stuff.

After all, this was the music of the counter culture in our society. The group of youth who wanted to stick it to the man, disrespect authority, proudly show how cool it was to smoke — and I'm not just talking about cigarettes.

Don't trust anyone over 30. If you remember that, I guarantee you're way over 30.

And the '70s. Wow! What a different world that was. I survived.

I guess it's hard for me to equate these classic, party rock 'n' roll figures such as Jimi Hendrix, Robert Plant and Ozzy Osbourne with good old-fashioned family values and fun.

As the baby boomers inch closer and closer to retirement, TV and radio commercials have been changing. There has been a movement brewing for a long time in our society that somehow is promoting these rock and rollers and their anti-establishment music as pure, classic, retro and just plain cool. And it's being associated with commercial products.

It's misrepresentation.

I must admit that I love this music. As a guitar player and a youth of the '70s, this vintage rock 'n' roll music is among my favorite. I grew up on the stuff. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, KISS, Aerosmith, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Who, Cream, Eric Clapton, Black Sabbath, Bad Company, AC/DC and dozens more are staples in my music collection. Heck, I was a proud member of the "Disco Sucks" era in the late '70s in Chicago. That's a column for another time, though.

Anyway, I guess I really started to notice the change about 10 years ago.

I was kicking back in the recliner as the kids were playing with their toys, rolling around on the floor and off in the distance I heard Jimi Hendrix coming from the TV. "Wow, what's on?" I wondered.

When I looked at the TV, I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Let me stand next to your fire."

It was a commercial for the Chevy Camaro?

Now I can just about guarantee that ol' Jimi wasn't talking about any car when he was referring to "fire."

Yeah, he definitely was referring to something else.

From there it went downhill. Led Zeppelin promoting Cadillac.

AC/DC "Back in Black" for a Razor cellphone? Aw, come on guys. That song was their comeback hit in 1980 after their lead singer, Bon Scott, was found dead from drinking himself to death. These guys weren't angels promoting the American dream.

Imagine my surprise earlier this week when I discovered AC/DC has an exclusive agreement to sell its new album "Black Ice" through Wal-Mart. I was a bit shocked to see displays being erected in America's number one retailer. Displays complete with T-shirts, "Highway to Hell" hoodies and other accessories. The new album was released earlier this week.

Good Lord. You can't tell me the fat cats in the upper echelon of Wally World don't know what 90 percent of AC/DC's music is about. You guessed it — sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Are we showing it off?

I don't think it's intentional — it's a marketing ploy to get the young and old to buy, buy, buy.

It's all about money.

I mean "Whole Lotta Rosie," "The Jack" and "Heatseeker" aren't really fit for full family consumption. These live AC/DC songs are also being released on the new smash hit game RockBand II.

Don't get me wrong — I had dreams about games like this when I was a teen in the '70s. Guitar Hero and Rock Band have given a new life to vintage rock music. I love it. I love that it's exposing our youth to classic rock music that was an important part of the culture of our country in the '60s and '70s.

The music is historically important in that aspect.

But to take that music and commercially apply it to a mini van, credit card, investment banking, tennis shoes or newest taco salad available at a fast food restaurant is just WRONG!

Not only that, it makes me feel really uncomfortable and old. It must do that to others my age as well.

Hey, Jimi Hendrix is not cliche music. The man died at 27 from taking barbituates, drinking alcohol and choking on his own vomit. I loved his talent and his music, but there's nothing glorious to that lifestyle. Do I want to associate that with the car I'm driving?

This vintage rock music is also being used as backdrop music in large retail stores, grocery chains and restaurants. I was in Shoney's one time and heard Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" being played over the sound system.

I couldn't believe it! Ah, hello, that song is about Roger Waters being injected with tranquilizers and performing on stage — not something to hum along with while eating a "Slim Jim" sandwich.

Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever" doesn't need to be played while I'm purchasing cheese and a loaf of bread. I guess my problem is that it seems like our retail, commercial society is gradually using more of this music and ignoring more and more of what used to be considered taboo subjects. They're putting a positive spin on the music to make them look cool and acceptable to our youth and associate it with their products. Joan Jett wasn't thinking computers when she sang, "Do you want to touch me there?"

I'm afraid it won't stop, though.

So in about 25 years, when you're walking through the store to purchase a loaf of bread for $9 and gallon of milk for $15, you'll probably be listening to something like uncensored Eminem and Dr. Dre songs being piped over the sound system.

And Jimi Hendrix music will fill the hallways over the intercom at the nursing home, soothing the patients off to sleep.

Gary Nelson is a Crossville Chronicle staffwriter. His column appears periodically. He may be reached at gnelson@crossville-chronicle.com.