Three historical events that killed live music

Mike Winter · Post by **Mike Winter** » 11 Oct 2006 4:48 pm

I was thinking of three historical events that had an adverse affect on live music: the jukebox, disco and karaoke. (In a dream one night I thought about making a movie with the same people (cast) in a band...in three scenarios: the fifties, seventies and the nineties, and how they were put out of business by the jukebox, disco and karaoke...but that's another story. And, I'm not sure axactly when the jukebox came into vogue.)

It's weird, but I used to tape off of the radio when I was a kid...make my own "mixes" on tape, and nobody ever said anything...it wasn't an issue Now it's this huge ordeal with downloading digital...copyrighted... mp3's...legal action, lawsuits, etc. Seems a shame.

Anyway, just wondering what you thought of the big three: jukebox, disco and karaoke?

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Mike
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Blue Moon Highway
(Country Music...and then some.)
www.bluemoonhighway.com

ZB Custom S-10 (#0509)

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 11 Oct 2006 5:09 pm

Ticketmaster killed live concerts for me.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 11 Oct 2006 5:20 pm

Jukeboxes have been in clubs and bars since even when live music was everywhere so I don't they killed live music as much as some other things, but I'd add to those three; stiff drunk-driving laws with cops sitting in the parking lots of clubs stopping people as soon as they get into their car, I began to see this mostly in the mid-80's which I'd also say was when live music really seemed to die off, plus as you already mentioned, copyright hassles with BMI and ASCAP.[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 11 October 2006 at 06:25 PM.]

Webb Kline · Post by **Webb Kline** » 11 Oct 2006 5:29 pm

Karaoke definitely had its repercusssions. But, I would say that the advent of the VCR and the crackdown on drunk driving had more to do with it than anything.

Oh yeah, and the onset of shallow music.[This message was edited by Webb Kline on 11 October 2006 at 06:29 PM.]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 11 Oct 2006 6:08 pm

I would have to say that the seminal event was the invention of the Victrola.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 11 Oct 2006 6:28 pm

The ability to record live music to a degree that the recorded audio was good enough to replay and the average listener could not tell it was recorded played a big part in the demise of one segment of live music--live radio musicians.

This was first done on a commercial level by Bing Crosby using the German Magnetaphon tape recorder bought back from Germany after WWII to record his radio broadcast so that he would not have to do the show three times a night for the different time zones in America like he had been. The Ampex tape recorder was finally finished and put into production and afterwards many live radio musicians lost their jobs to recorded music. The number of musicians needed in the recording studio to produce recorded music was tiny as compared to the number of musicians formerly employed by thousands of radio stations across America.

And that's the rest of the story.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 11 Oct 2006 7:40 pm

the crackdown on drunk driving certainly has taken it's toll on live music, but even so, we are better off because of it.

Clarence White was killed by a drunk driver. Many of us want to follow in his footsteps, but not that way.

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Warning: I have a Telecaster and I'm not afraid to use it.
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Cliff Kane · Post by **Cliff Kane** » 11 Oct 2006 8:53 pm

I heard that the driver that killed him was a fan leaving the club who hit him while he was loading his gear. I don't know if this is true, but it's a weird sad irony if it is.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 11 Oct 2006 9:46 pm

Around here it was M.A.D.D. - Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. They got the cops to watch the bars at closing time. People stopped going to the roadhouses to hear bands because they were afraid of getting pulled over.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 12 Oct 2006 1:31 am

40,000 seat arena's killed it for me..along with $10 parking

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 12 Oct 2006 2:09 am

MADD killed far more live gigs than jukeboxes.

While drunk driving should be deplored,
the new laws for controling a few,
have made the many just stay home and party.

Jukeboxes, actually got people exposure
and opened touring to much larger areas
for popular aritsts.

Radio was supposed to kill live gigs.
TV was supossed to kill theaters.

The need for communal responce
to large entertainment events,
is undiminished.

But if there is drinking involved then drivers have become more circumspect.
And that often means staying home more.

Though as a movie idea I like it alot.
3 period peices in one with the same cast,
even better as fathers and sons etc.
Tieing the generations together around the theme.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 12 October 2006 at 03:10 AM.]

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 12 Oct 2006 2:54 am

I would say that the advent of television and the effects of the 2nd world war helped kill live music. Before the war, there was enough demand for live music that big bands could be financially supported. Post war, people wanted to stay home and television kept them there as well. No more big bands. Things went downward from there.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 12 Oct 2006 3:15 am

I get mad anytime I hear MADD. Thats why I started DAMM ( drunks against mad mothers).

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 12 Oct 2006 4:34 am

The "Whitesnake" gig didn't help matters much either...

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 12 Oct 2006 5:20 am

In shrieking contrast to everything that is known about human neurology as it evolved over the eons, there is a prevailing notion that every American's life should be a non-stop barrage of overstimulation, from wire to wire. Our electronics are designed to blast us with excitement from rising until sleep, they even make "sleep learning tapes" to listen to while you're passed out from all the excitement. (They now make speakers that mount to expectant mother's stomachs, to blast Mozart at the fetus too.)

With all this stuff available at the touch of a remote, why ever go anywhere, at all? Hopefully they'll soon develop video/speaker/massage pods that mount over a toilet, with feeding tubes attached, so we'll never even have to move again.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 12 Oct 2006 5:37 am

From the days before the invention of the walkman/discman/iPod:

Steinar

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"Play to express, not to impress"
www.gregertsen.com
Southern Moon Northern Lights

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 12 Oct 2006 6:03 am

Thats a pretty sad philosophy C.C., getting behind the wheel drunk is no different than taking a gun out and shooting an innocent person. If you lost someone close to you because of a drunk driver, surely you would have a different attitude.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Robert Leaman · Post by **Robert Leaman** » 12 Oct 2006 6:08 am

Some years ago, I worked for a corporation that piped loud, insipid music into restrooms. When the personnel manager (human resource technician) was asked why is this music so loud? He replied that he was offended by repulsive sounds. It was noted that when he used the facilities,.... no one else went in.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 12 Oct 2006 6:12 am

Well said, Darvin, and I know exactly where you are coming from...

Ken Thompson · Post by **Ken Thompson** » 12 Oct 2006 12:19 pm

In Montana the bands took a big hit with the clubs when limited gambling was passed. Instead of live music to attract the folks they just put in a bunch of electronic poker machines.

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 12 Oct 2006 1:35 pm

The thing about MADD is, they have to continue to fight a new battle to justify their existence. Once the legal limit was .010, they went for .080. When drinking is outlawed anywhere except in your home, I guess they can quit.
Earlier this year the TACB was going into bars and busting people for appearing drunk. If you were loud or rowdy, or just having "too good of a time", IN THEIR OPINION, you were taken to jail. Even if you were in a hotel bar and staying in that hotel, you were arrested.

Chris L. Christensen · Post by **Chris L. Christensen** » 12 Oct 2006 3:34 pm

Live music survived player pianos, the phonograph, radio and even television, but seems to be in deep trouble in our present time. Not only is it a technological reason but I think it's a societal thing as well. As an earlier poster said, the saturation of entertainment choices, along with the busy and high stress lifestyles of today and perhaps due to just plain laziness have made people choose the most easy and non-commital entertainment option. In the 19th & early 20th century more people as a whole actually made their own music and perhaps had more respect and appreciation knowing the discipline, practice and effort that goes into makeing it. Also, I think that people want and are used to a huge amount of choices when they stage an event and a DJ is equipped with a huge variety rather than sadly being content with the one or two styles that a band may have.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 12 Oct 2006 4:11 pm

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 12 Oct 2006 7:31 pm

I'd go along with the change in the limits of what's called driving under the inflence. The crowds fell off as soon as the law was passed.

Second thing was karaoke, when people found they could be somebody just like the musicians.

The third thing is people who used to frequent country bars as we know them, just got old and now stay home.

Richard Bass · Post by **Richard Bass** » 12 Oct 2006 8:56 pm

I've done my share of drinking, learned my lesson yrs ago, DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE. That being said, I do feel that MADD and the alcohol level laws did kill the club business.
Richard