Has it all been done?

Without knowing it at the time I was born at the right time when it came to music.

Thanks mum and dad.

My formative years were plonked right in the middle of a period where contemporary music was exploding with new ideas, directions positioned on a bedrock of Top 20 artists.  

Punk, Disco, Ska, Glam, New Wave, Electronica, Heavy Metal etc all had their history bound in some way to the 70’s.

During this period bands actually tried to differentiate themselves in a crowded market place.

If you were a record company you were after the next ‘new’ thing, the ‘new’ being a band that was unique and exciting.

Split Enz is the best example a Kiwi can provide to epitomise this ethos.

Internationally the influential, ground-breakers include the likes of say Devo, Wire, Talking Heads, Eno etc.

Complete musical genres came and went, their flame petered out as the public moved on to the next wave. Think say disco and glam.  

So where are these ‘unique’ bands today?

In 2011 where is the teenage rebellion, desire to create a sound for today’s generation?   

What is the next new thing in music business today that is not going to draw immediate comparisons to a band which has members who are old enough to be their parents?

In short: has it all been done?