Absolutely. It gets me down all the time. Some of the people I used to play music with are (despite being in their mid-late 30's and, on the whole, almost completely lacking in education or marketable skills) actually becoming professional musicians. Most, of course, are complete failures and love on food stamps... But a few are paying the bills with their music.

I read about it on Facebook, and want to cry... As I shamble off to work in the morning; a Minutemen shirt under my button down serving as my one remaining punk statement.

Ugh.

this is my favorite new board member and i keep wondering if nik got by the ip ban

I can only speak for myself but when I was in an all female band we wrote all our own songs. And when I say we wrote all our own songs I mean we did cover versions but changed the titles.

Haha.

I want to go in and edit that, but it's damn funny

bring back ni'k

i'm not sure if he has internet right now but he is permanently ip banned stu should undo that please stu

Oh god. I hate the word swag with a passion.

Pssh. I'm seeing loads of people, north and south of 20, out at shows supporting live music, actually communicating with each other then forming meaningful relationships through 'social media'. The underground (as such) isn't a feeder economy for the mainstream any more. The problem, if there is a problem, is that people can't see 'the underground' because it's not conveniently sending emissaries to the mainstream and doesn't have the platform to communicate. But also, that's a fucking good thing because it means that there's loads of strong local scenes. Sort of. There's a massive economic gripe I have and it can be really short-sighted, but there's plenty going on that you're not seeing because you're looking in the wrong place, in the wrong way. It won't happen the way it did when you were 16 so don't expect it to.

I also get a bit pissed off at teenagers going on about passed generations having it better. They might have done, but you weren't there so meh. There's probably a scene nearby. Unless you live in a rural backwater, in which case I apologise. But generally, there's stuff in most large-ish cities, as far as I can see. Go, find. Or go, make a scene.

I should add: listening to miserable, jaded, cynical old cunts like me is only ever going to prematurely age you.

I too miss the RAWK. All the new music I hear sounds so pussy soft, I blame Air Supply, I mean Arcade Fire... ha!

Aren't you a fan of Codeine though, Rob?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cscHL...=results_video

Arcade Fire is a good band...

Good does not necessarily equal RAWK

when I first went into the record store and put Codeine Frigid Stars LP on the listening station I thought the shit rocked so hard, so awesome, then I got it home, put it on the stereo, and my room-mates at the time said, "Jesus what a fucking depressing record!"

ha! RAWK must be in the eye of the beholder.

Things were more fun in the underground 80s than now.

This is so obvious, I won't even bother to back up this statement.

For a start, you almost never came across people saying the 50s were better. Almost never. They didn't even have an internet in the 80s. What a bunch of losers!

Edit: ok, they had some internets but it only came on at 9pm, in black and white, and was mostly just a picture of YOUR MUM being racist.

sure you did Glice, what you think Happy Days was about? Ayyyyyyy

Gnostic propaganda - The Fonz was mercury Christ, Richie Cunningham was archon saklas - it all makes sense when you think about it.

the gnosis is deep in this one...