Rock 'Til You Drop: The Decline from Rebellion to Nostalgia [Hardcover]

John Strausbaugh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 9, 2001

Strausbaugh's acid commentary accuses a generation of once-idealist artists of becoming the empty purveyors of a new tune: colostomy rock.

In the 1960s and early 70s rock and rebellion went arm in arm. This was the generation that angrily refused to grow up, to settle down. The Who captured the zeitgeist with precision: 'I hope I die before I get old.'

Yet, thirty years later, many of the icons of rock and roll's angry childhood are not only still alive but continue to haul themselves up on stage, limping through old standards with performances that have lost all edge and meaning. As the grizzled old men of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young undertake yet another tour, Cher makes her umpteenth comeback, and Yes grind out their old standards to punters at gambling resorts, John Strausbaugh reflects acidly on the declining charm of colostomy rock.

Strausbaugh interleaves acute reflections by commentators such as Ellen Willis, and legendary figures such as John Sinclair (manager of the notorious MC5) and Tuli Kupferberg of the Fugs, with his own take on the business of rock and roll. Intemperate and savvy, he rails at the timidity of Rolling Stone's hipster capitalism, the sterility of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the appalling prospect of the Stones heading out on the road again after live appearances that were dubbed the 'Steel Wheelchairs' tour. He talks to the engaging Giorgio Gromelsky, manager of the Yardbirds, about the early days of rock and roll in London, and to Soul Coughing founder Mike Doughty about how a younger generation of musicians see the business today.

Impassioned and opnionated, Rock Til You Drop is a rousing indictment of a musical generation which started out with pretensions to be world changers and ended up merely as short-changers of their original ideals. The publishers disclaim responsibility for any further medical deterioration of aging rock and rollers who read this book.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Clever, angry and articulate, New York Press editor and longtime music critic Strausbaugh collects and expands his writings on "colostomy rock," 1960s-era rock music and its current milieu: "Rock simply should not be played by fifty-five-year-old men with triple chins wearing bad wighats, pretending to still be excited about playing songs they wrote... thirty-five years ago . Its prime audience should not be middle-aged, balding, jelly-bellied dads." Calling rock a music of "youthful energies, youthful rebellion, youthful anxieties and anger," Strausbaugh says, "Colostomy rock is... the antithesis of rebellion: it's nostalgia. And nostalgia is the death of rock." He skewers some easy targets: the Rolling Stones' "Steel Wheelchairs tour... was a stadium spectacle... more like a football game"; Jefferson Airplane and the MC5 "made the media look and sound more cool, the better to market their products and their advertisers"; Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner "seems to have stopped liking or understanding the music by the mid-'70s"; and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "is a multimillion-dollar monument to the sad fact that my generation has completely forgotten what makes rock cool or fun or even `important.' " Like other angry music writers Lester Bangs, Nick Tosches Strausbaugh never bores. But his opening and closing chapters on general pop-culture issues and his abiding love for the music elevate this above mere anti-baby-boomer ranting. He differentiates himself from boomer critics like Robert Christgau and Greil Marcus: "I don't consider my liking or not liking new rock music relevant.... A man approaching fifty is far out of the context in which new music is made and received." This intelligent, entertaining book should infuriate nostalgic boomers and delight anyone who cares about pop music. Photos.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

It's perplexing that Verso squandered tons of tree pulp on this monomaniacal shriek, full of falsehoods and contradictions. Surprisingly, this was produced by the author of two outstanding books: E: Reflections on the Birth of the Elvis Faith (LJ 11/15/95) and Alone with the President (LJ 1/94). Here, however, New York Press editor Strausbaugh abandons his earlier wholeness and balance to rant against music "recently" produced by "colostomy-rockers." Their music, he argues, is de nature incapable of being sincere, meaningful, or artistically valid. And although time is his primary obsession, Strausbaugh curiously fails to state the cut-off dates crucial to his argument. On the up side, pivotally influential rock impresarios Giorgio Gomelsky and Malcolm McLaren, have never before been treated with the perception, gestalt, and succinct clarity shown here. To his credit, Strausbaugh also addresses the intimate, symbiotic relationship between rock and pop fashion. Nonetheless, this is not recommended; instead, keep hold of your copies of Angela McRobbie's Zoot Suits and Second-Hand Dresses (o.p.). Bill Piekarski, formerly with Villa Maria Coll., Cheektowaga, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Verso; illustrated edition edition (August 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1859846297
• ISBN-13: 978-1859846292
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,239,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good read, but lighten up a little..., December 17, 2002

By 

Christopher Wild "Citizen of The Earth" (Wauwatosa, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rock 'Til You Drop: The Decline from Rebellion to Nostalgia (Hardcover)

I read "Rock Til You Drop" initially with some degree of amusement. Nobody enjoys a boomer rant more than me, and Mr. Strausbaugh equals author Joe Queenan ("Balsamic Dreams" available on Amazon) in his disdain for the lamness of boomers everywhere. But after finishing the book and considering it for a while, I realized that I never quite "got" what Mr. Strausbaugh would rather have us listen to.

True, "colostomy rockers" as he puts it, are pathetic caracatures of thier former selves. True, dopes like the the Jefferson Airplane and the Rolling Stones screamed revolution and then became the very thing they "rebeled" against (Did it really require a whole chapter for this foregone conclusion?). But Mr. Strausbaugh's blatant dismissal of the importance and influence of people like David Bowie is just plain incorrect.

Rock music is art. Yes, in the truest sense of the word, it is "white R&B" or electrified blues. But many people listen to and create "rock music" for reasons other than to rebel or to espouse some youthful rantings.

I would challenge Mr. Strausbaugh as to why we can't just enjoy rock music for the fun of it? For those who want to merely appreciate rock songs because they are pleasing to listen to, are catchy, and make us feel good, the message is often secondary. (Perhaps there needs to be a really good definition of "rock music" because perhaps some artists have been incorrectly identified as such).

As for being too old, there are mountains of great bands making music currently, especially on the indie scene. But there are also some long established artists such as Peter Gabriel, The Flaming Lips, The Jayhawks, Neil Finn, Elliot Smith, Robert Pollard and Guided by Voices, and yes, David Bowie, to name a few, who continue to make fresh, vital contributions to "rock" music's arsenal. Many of these people are in their mid-forties and fifties and have never stopped making great music.

I agree with Mr. Strausbaugh; there is nothing more comical or irrelavant than another CSN&Y reunion; nothing more ridiculous than watching the Eagles limp through yet another rendition of "Peaceful Easy Feelin;" nothing more ludicrous than the current state of Keef. But there is plenty of new ground being broken by artists who have fresh ideas and heads full of catchy pop songs. And more of them are being born every day.

Mr. Strausbaugh needs to lighten up a little--what took a whole book to say would have made a great essay, or even an article in "Harper's" or "The Atlantic" if he wanted to stay away from rags like "Rolling Stone" (whose pathetic state of affairs I couldn't agree more on). He even looks angry on the back flap--like he's someone who stopped having fun long ago. And who wants to do that? That's what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is for.

Rock is dead. Long live rock.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some of these things needed to be said, October 31, 2001

By 

"k-java" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rock 'Til You Drop: The Decline from Rebellion to Nostalgia (Hardcover)

You've got to love the book for no other reason than finally, finally someone is willing to say that Lenny Kravitz is 'the lamest rockstar of all time'.

This book is not a balanced, well-thought, and comprehensive argument, nor is it meant to be. It is the voice of an angry fan writing about music he obviously cares about. This is not a scientific study, it is unfair and impulsive and energetic, just like the music. There is no doubt that you'll disagree with some of what he is saying, and sometimes Strausbaugh seems determined to incite the readers for no other reason than promote argument (he never makes a great case for the 'Rock should End at Age 30' proclamation beyond citing a lot of rockers who, indeed, should have stopped at age 30). There are also some huge omissions (I don't believe Bob Dylan is mentioned even once) that he would have had a difficult time explaining away with his argument.

The most convincing writing is when he vents on institutions like the Stones and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that are generally, weirdly, beyond reproach by the popular press. I have myself always felt that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was the death knell for the joy and rebellion that rock music had inspired and promoted, and I've always been surprised that so many bands and performers that I otherwise held in esteem would buy in wholesale to such crassly commercial venture. Even Mr. "The Note's for You" Neil Young wouldn't dare criticize the place too fiercely. Finally someone has the courage to ask just what the criteria for getting into the Hall of Fame is supposed to be. The chapter when he relates attending a Hall of Fame induction ceremony is excellent and very funny.

On the down side, Strausbaugh concludes this book with a reverent bow to The Fugs. He would like you to believe that somehow they represent the antidote to all the dire Rock Is Dead rhetoric he has been espousing. Unfortunately, this comes off as nothing more than a slightly bizarre homage to some friends of his. I mean, there's no way that anyone is going to believe that a 70 year-old playing "Slum Goddess" or the complete "Peace Wars" is the way Rock and Roll should get old. I don't think there's very many people who think The Fugs had a lot to do with rock anyway.

Still, the book is a kick. It won't change your life and it won't stop Mick from shaking his well-weathered behind, but, as I mentioned, someone finally had the nerve to diss Lenny "Hilfinger" Kravitz.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the rebel yell as marketing pitch, August 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Rock 'Til You Drop: The Decline from Rebellion to Nostalgia (Hardcover)

Maybe Strausbaugh [made] a few diehard Stones fans [mad]. The point he makes is much greater than a mere provocation on the expense of aging rock fans. Mainstream's adaption of the rebel pose, especially in advertising and marketing, did indeed take the wind out of subculture's sails. When the spirit of counterculture becomes a fashionable pose to sell compact cars and dorky pants, whilest the whole generation of baby boomers still claims the authority on youth and pop culture, it's no wonder that nihilism found it's ugly way into today's sub- and counter cultures. "Don't trust anybody over 30" is still a valid battle cry for youth. Today's Mick Jagger is an icon of an era past, just like Sinatra songs still carry the nostalgic aura of the wonderyears just after WW II.