When the members of Whitesnake recorded the band’s 1987 hit “Still of the Night,” they probably weren’t thinking about the lasting impact the signature song would have on the lives of millions.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I wasn’t thinking that a small northern Iowa town would be the place where I would likely get my last look at one of my generation’s most well-known rock bands. Many folks weren’t thinking about Whitesnake in 1987, much less now.
They’ve been written off as “Zep Clones” and as bubble-gum synthesizer pop metal, relying on studio effects to produce catchy tunes. But the type of folks who showed up to hear Whitesnake play in Clear Lake last week don’t seem to care about all that criticism.
Likewise, the crowd that came to see Eddie Money at the Des Moines Art Festival on June 27 probably wasn’t thinking about the singer’s drug history, or how his voice and mobility might have declined, or how he only is known for a handful of well-known hits. That group was dancing and singing and having a great time.
Paul McCartney once asked us what was so wrong about silly love songs. I ask the same question: What’s wrong with fun music, by experienced musicians?
The Eddie Money and Whitesnake concerts my girlfriend, Jacqui, attended — or, as I like to say, participated in — involved seasoned professionals. Having seen all the ways show business has changed over the past 40 years, these guys and their bands and crews know better by now than to take themselves too seriously.
At the same time, Money and Whitesnake singer David Coverdale are serious artists who have taken the time to get better at their craft — Money, perhaps a bit more so, because he plays the saxophone. Without getting into a debate in comparing these guys to modern so-called musical acts, it seems like artists had to put in much more effort to become skilled at their craft before the digital era.
There are undoubtedly some talented artists still rising into the mainstream. Alicia Keys, Adele and Hozier are among those who display both songwriting and singing talent.
However, an artist can rise on the strength of marketing knowledge now, whereas Money and Coverdale had to impress record company executives. That required not simply brown-nosing or knowing the right people, but also getting better at performing, both live and in the studio.
It seems to many of today’s artists are more interested in cash and respect than they are in improving the product. One exception is Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters; it took travels to eight different cities and interviews with musicians, recording engineers, record producers, and others discussing each city’s musical history, to help compose the band’s latest album. Who else is doing that.
Yes, it’s a generational thing. Some of Money’s and Whitesnake’s catchier songs would have had about as much hit power at any other point in the past 40 or 50 years, and it’s important not to give them too much credit for going beyond bubble-gum pop rock and roll.
Whitesnake played at the Surf Ballroom, which is a place every music lover should visit at least once. The photos and the displays remind me of all the hard work that’s gone into the Jasper County Historical Museum in Newton; we will repeat the mistakes of the past if we don’t learn from history.
History also contains a lot of fun. Many people made a huge sacrifice in the serious business of entertainment, and it’s practically our obligation to sing, dance and turn up the volume to honor that freedom.
Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com