*Chris Sutton*
Finally, our music industry is becoming a force.
For years Australia tried to mirror successful regions such as America and Europe, utilising a sound that just didn’t reach the audience the way it should.
We couldn’t find our own place. But now it’s their turn to take notice of what we’re doing.
While embarrassing acts (Pitbull, how do you have a career?) ruin the airwaves with poorly written lyrics of utter crap, acts such as Gotye, Iggy Azalea and Lorde (yes, we’ve claimed her) are being invited to American music awards to outperform the apparent ‘superstars’.
The way our artists conduct themselves is respectful, appreciative and in love of music.
Can the same be said for the bickering, whinging pop stars who are more concerned with social perception than the latest tune?
Rihanna wants a new song released every time her current song has been flogged to absolute death, Pitbull needs a verse on every song the radio plays, Katy Perry wants us to think she’s deep and independent, Beyonce wants female dominance despite being married to the man who doesn’t believe a ‘bitch’ figures in his 99 problems; do they even care about what we have to listen to anymore?
What’s the difference between a busty Kardashian and these ‘stars’?
This is just the start of our movement; there’s a depth being uncovered, and the greatest part is that every genre is accepted.
Garage rock is making a comeback with Violent Soho and British India, raw tracks of heavy instruments and voices made for the strain.
The Amity Affliction are bringing the screams, dominating with energetic albums and introducing many people to hardcore rock without preaching.
Rufus, The Presets and Peking Duk pump out the dance tracks to hordes of partygoers, Bliss n Eso and Hilltop Hoods are showing that our brand of hip hop has an appeal that widens through pop and rock, while 360 and Illy have the attitude to challenge the popular international acts that prefer to promote their illegal lifestyles.
They love the music more than they love themselves, and that creates success.
If in doubt, listen to the lyrics.
Here is Pitbull’s verse from one of his 2014 ‘hits’:
The bigger they are, the harder they fall, These big-iddy boys are dig-gidy dogs, I have ’em like Miley Cyrus, clothes off Twerking in their bras and thongs, timber Face down, booty up, timber, That’s the way we like to–what?–timber, I’m slicker than an oil spill, She say she won’t, but I bet she will, timber
Compare this to a verse from Allday’s Claude Monet:
I remember racking at the shops once a day, Pocket full of dreams, that’s just a phase, Another year passed I don’t wanna cut the cake, My old man telling me ill see tougher days, Just lights whizzing by try catch the number plate, Keys in the slot still trying to pump the breaks, We are just animals, we are just some apes, The city is a jungle so it’s all fun and games, And me I swing around like a wind chime, Look all of our looks will fade in time, Despite magazines and what you think right now, Beauties only really on the inside, They tell me all it is is a big ride, Things get really dark before it hits light, One day I’ll make kids of my own, And I’ll tell ‘em stay a kid when your grown
This is an experienced ‘man’ compared to a kid, yet in the kid’s verse we see an admission of mistakes, a poetic acceptance of the world around him and the lessons learned.
I could analyse Pitbull, but I don’t think there is any need.
For so long we relied on Silverchair, Powderfinger and The Living End to promote our work to the world, even though their time in creation was clearly up. Silverchair’s move from grunge to pop (what the hell happened to Daniel John’s voice?) and The Living End’s White Noise (perhaps the worst ‘rock’ song to ever come out of this country) signalled disaster.
Not any more; there are so many small bands on the verge of breaking through that competition has replaced the fear of being overlooked on the musical map.
This is the reason why we are able to attract so many international acts to our shores.
They see the appreciation, they see the respect and necessity of music in the lives of Australians and they bring their A game.
So next time you’re going for a drive, replace the David Guetta track with a Waveracer tune, swap the Gaga for the Iggy, pause the Metallica and run the Affliction, kill the Pitbull for Allday, and give Violent Soho the chance to replace the dying rock bands of yesterday.
Switch from the apparent ‘hits’ to Triple J, the hub of it all.
Show your support for the Australian acts, because they’re doing it all for you.
