This is an interesting thread, not sure how I missed it.
Lots of good opinions, I always feel very convoluted about the subject. I've never really been able to get on board with modern music, and I love the golden oldies! When I was a teen I was very much wanting to aspire to the 'old school' and I had all these faux nostalgic images in my head. As I've grown up I've come to the awkward conclusion; that period of music is gone.
Music speaks of culture and society as much as anything, and the 70s/80s... well it's 2012! I'd even say music's position in society has changed tremendously and irreversibly.
I would like to see a lot of the old bands retire personally, in style if possible
I watched some footage of Ozzy performing a couple of years ago and to be honest, he looked worn out. He still gave the crowd everything, but it just wasn't the same. In just the last five years he has aged a lot. The latest album I own is Black Rain and I'm very 50/50 about it. Ozzy reckons it was the first album to shake off the RR influence, and that shows. Ozzy said that at the end of his time with Sabbath, things had gone full circle, and Sabbath started being a copy of the bands they had influenced. I like BR, but it's not ozzy, it's like a new band, only the front man is in his 60s!
Down to Earth was No More Tears, ten years later imo. Ozzmosis was the last real unique album, and that probably should have been marketed under a new band name (in fact that was the original plan). At least Ozzy has taken a new direction of sorts rather than try to make Blizzard 2. I understand his next album will be his last, I hope he can go out with a bang (no spinal tap reference intended)!
AC/DC's Black Ice was by no means a bad album, but it is their weakest offering, as far as my collection (9 albums) goes. I went to see
Deep Purple back in 2006 and much as I enjoyed the show, I couldn't shake the feeling that they shouldn't be here!?
Journey were god awful and
Queensryche were just plain wierd.
Thunder were good, but much like purple felt a bit dated to me.
Alice Cooper and
Billy Idol are still bad ass far as I'm concerned.
Jeff Beck has ascended to some form of demi god. And
Iron Maiden appear to still have it going on!
I would rather the
Van Halen reunion not have happened, and I'm glad
Zeppelin stayed in the air hanger. Some reunions are good,
Cream at the Royal Albert Hall springs to mind! But perhaps that is because they are something of a blues band, and the blues has a timeless tradition that never seems to get old.
What else
The Eagles are retired right?
Rob