THE GREATEST MUSIC GENERATION EVER

The Greatest Music Generation Ever

How the “Music Generation” was spawned from bastardizing all of its predecessors best intentions and why they are the root of everything that is music since. By g. anastasios gikas

The generation began in the late fifties with its King Elvis, and ended by the early eighties with the boy who would be King of Pop, Michael Jackson, poised to release the biggest record album in the history of the music industry. The twenty some year bridge between wholesome innocence and a need to place Parental Advisory Labels on everything was, is and may always be The Greatest Music Generation Ever.

The controversial statement made by the late John Lennon “we’re bigger than Jesus”, marked the first time a generation held its music as much or more important than religion or politics. Today even the Vatican has forgiven the remark with praise over the Beatles body of work. The sound, lifestyle and significance of music during the glorious season of this generation, was woven into the fabric of our life. In December of this year we will memorialize the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s death, the questions raised from his lyrics in the song “Imagine” remain unanswered without much change expected around the corner (maybe).   

No other generation has had its own anthem cast so definitively in two simple verses and a chorus, than the one from the Sixties & Seventies with the Who’s, “My Generation”. The descriptive narrative of each verse has a directly personal meaning for everyone in this musical fraternity. Its words have held true today, where infinitely the meaning of “I hope I die before I get old” is more a state of mind, than a number of years. 12 lines, 104 words, repeated just once because it felt so good the first time around, cemented a generational gap that would take nearly three decades to manufacture its rival, the internet and placed an exclamation point on one clear message, music matters to us and don’t screw with it.

People try to put us down (Talking about my generation)

Just because we get around (Talking about my generation)

Things they do look awful cold (Talking about my generation)

I hope I die before I get old (Talking about my generation)

This is my generation

This is my generation, baby

Why don't you all fade away (Talking about my generation)

And don't try to dig what we all say (Talking about my generation)

I'm not trying to cause a big sensation (Talking about my generation)

I'm just talking about my generation (Talking about my generation)

This is my generation

This is my generation, baby

PREFACE

My Generation: The Why?

Mostly known as the “baby boomers”, the importance of music has never been so galvanizing than that of this generation. Possibly an attribute to the nature of our existence, the post World War elation of our parents may have somehow been passed down into our genes. Every conversation, regardless of the subject involves music when speaking of this generation. Car radios became car audio systems with tape decks and amplified sound, adding the amount of time we could listen to “our” music during the day. It was in the forefront of our minds and we didn’t apologize for it, we welcomed it with open arms.  

Our political and social consciousness was heightened through the music we listened to and the artists that provided that erudition. The racial divide was crossed first at the musical demarcation as rhythm & blues, country and gospel came together to form rock n roll. Throughout the generation, color mattered much less and the content of the music like the Motown Sound broke down the barriers amidst the Detroit riots of ‘67.

Politics became very much a part of the music during this generation, as the Vietnam War raged on The War Protest Song became a popular theme, “I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag” by Country Joe and the Fish was the anthem and Woodstock, 3 Days of Peace & Music was the Super Bowl. Labeled as “moral pandemonium”, the new wave of punk rock challenged authority once more to finish the seventies with its own anthem by the Sex Pistols, “God Save The Queen”.  

Intertwined with the musical transformation during this period, the acceptances of other sacred ground topics were reassessed. Although separation of church and state was provided in our constitution, there was no more sacred place than religion that was so widely challenged since the formation of our nation and it continues today as more people are exploring their spiritual options. John Lennon opened the wound with his comment about being bigger than Jesus and then later poured salt in it by singing, “and no religion too”.

Our lifestyle was tied so closely to the music it was hard to separate the distinction between the two. Did we go from cruising to muscle cars because Detroit made bigger engines or because the music was bolder and faster? Was surfing popular because it was so great or because the Beach Boys made it sound greater and would there have been a renewed interest in the woody? Everything seemed so cool, everything had to be cool and cool is still living on today.

Today’s employees of what used to be stuffy corporate lifestyles have executives that were part of this music generation to thank for “business casual” and the “Best Places to Work” mentality. Sound like a bit of a stretch, how about Steve Jobs, he was a “baby boomer”; after his first big thing the personal computer, he brought the world music in a cool new way with the iPod, which led to iTunes, the iPhone and the iPad. Pretty cool.

Even the politicians are becoming cooler as this age has grown into political power. Bill Clinton may not have inhaled, but he did bring his band with him during the campaign as Fleetwood Mac’s, “Don’t Stop” is forever tied to his presidency (well and that other thing too), talk about “Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll”. Barack Obama had Bruce Springsteen tour in support of his campaign on college campuses across the country in 2008. As a leader, Barack Obama (a late boomer) has challenged America like our generation did to imagine hope and make change. These words are the message within most of the songs of our generation and how their universal message inspired so many to vote for him, against all odds.

So where’s the why, for all you business rationalists. Here’s the why, much like Tom Brokaw saw the need to pay tribute to a generation that made this nation great. I believe through music this generation learned how to confidently break all of the rules, embrace the chaos and may become the most significant generation in modern history. This generation still has a passion for music, spends money on music and values the importance of integrity in an artist.  Most of us still hold onto the idea that we will live forever by not growing old in our hearts and minds.

The truth is we won’t live forever and we have set aside these great stories of amazing times, placed them in shoe boxes, up in the attic or down in the basement left to be taken for granted. Our kids are in college or have moved on to start their own lives and we are finding ourselves with time to relive those memories. Its time to open those memories, reflect on what we said we would always do and revive the spirit of our generation.  

This series of essays is about preserving this historic past through the stories from everyday participants and significant members of The Greatest Music Generation Ever. This isn’t only about reliving the past; it is about passing it along to inspire the next music generation.