I make no allusions to youth on my end because I truly am not young but I think that stigma can be a boon or a complete discounting factor when people see what I listen to. I grew up at a time in the '70's and '80's where rock music was as much about "eye candy" if you will as was the music of the band. When I was growing up music, rock music was still very much split from the cultural "norms" where it still wasn't 100%, heck 40% acceptable to see men with long hair, or facial hair for that matter. Musicians were looked to be "potheads" and "dopers" that had few redeeming qualities other than to briefly entertain us then go away.
It was such a tumultuous time to begin with, our parents simple "rock and roll" was being fractured and replaced by disco, punk rock, acid rock, hard rock, anthem rock, etc., but it was clear what was "rock and roll" under the care of Elvis was becoming an afterthought and blurb in music history. Bands began to emerge that didn't fit that diminutive Elvis look of a suit or sport jacket, greased back hair and a tie. The look was being replaced by long hair, tight jeans, attitudes and in your face music that quite frankly scared some into the bomb shelters they built when the Cold War began. While the parents of the era were still fans of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra some were thawing toward Elvis but much beyond that was a deep chasm, a deep void of what became acceptable and contemporary.
When the band the New York Dolls emerged on the scene with their androgynous look and in your face music, the Nation as a whole couldn't have been more fragmented. Long gone was the issue the of Elvis shaking his hips and now MEN were dressing up in an effeminate way, wearing makeup and acting "strange" was becoming more commonplace. On the flipside were those bands that were emerging like the Ramones that came out looking like hoodlums with black leather jackets and playing music so fast that they were immediate pariahs and should be feared. Punk rock became something even worse in the eyes of the "establishment" than rock itself but the genie was out of the bottle and music would never be the same because of the Ramones and the New York Dolls.
Bands began to use "shock value" to help their popularity either through lyrics or volume of music but also appearance. Often times before a band had their music even heard they were judged because of how they looked. One has to look no further to the band KISS for immediate confirmation of that fact. Four grown men dressed up in costumes that reflected strange subject matter (for the time), spitting fire and blood, with screaming guitars and sexually fueled lyrics that spawned countless protests by every church group and every Tom-Dick-and-Harry that was offended by their message and decided they needed to protect US from them. The first KISS album I ever received was "ALIVE II," I got it for Christmas even and I remember to this day the things that my own Dad said about the band that were reflective of the acceptable norms of the time.
Even at that age I was chastised by him and even kids I went to school with because I listened to those "weirdos" and I think in a way much like every other kid in the world I was then drawn toward bands that had the ability to shock the masses. By the time the '80's hit, heavy metal was established as a real force and to succeed bands seemed to have to dress the shock and awe part just to maintain their chance at success. The "look" of the band seemed to fade away for a time but there were always those that tried to push the envelope a little further, people like Rob Zombie and Marylin Manson for example. Often times bands that do push the envelope are mere gimmicks, with little redeeming musical value other than a little shock but when I went to Rock USA on July 13th, 2017 I found one that is much, much more than a gimmick.
I love music,and I love finding out about new bands that I haven't heard before and when I looked at the schedule for Rock USA 2017 there were a few bands that really intrigued me. Take the band Avatar for example, I knew NOTHING about the band. When I saw they were at Rock USA I knew nothing about them (obviously) and I decided to not learn anything about the band before I went. I did that for a specific reason, I wanted to see from a completely fresh perspective how they were live so I could ascertain how I liked them before I heard any produced music. I have argued for years that one of the best ways to learn about how good a band really is one has to see them perform live so you can cut through the post-production work done and see what they are really like. Heck before I went to Rock USA I hadn't even seen a picture of the band so I was going in as blind as could be and I was excited.
I really was excited and I didn't know what to expect so as I watched the stage setup I was intrigued by a little yellow and red platform that made its way onto the stage and I began trying to discover what it was I was actually seeing. I was confused because atop of this platform was a large shower curtain looking thing and the stage was bare of musicians so when the curtain dropped and a tall doll looking person stood in the middle of the platform a strange smile began to form upon my face.
In front of the crowd stood a man dressed like an evil ringmaster from a circus complete with a walking stick and painted face and as the music started a massive grin went across his face, it really was the harbinger of what was to come. I had never seen the band before, not a single picture and as the band came out dressed like this figure before us I was immediately reminded of characters like Alice Cooper, Manson, and KISS but this was different, much different.
Before the crowd at Rock USA in Oshkosh, Wisconsin was a man that without speaking had immediate control of the crowd and he stood true. This looked like it could have been another gimmick band but it was far from it. It wasn't merely face paint and some choreographed movements on the stage like many others before them, there was an intelligence to this scene. As they hit that first song "Hail the Apocalypse" their abilities as songwriters and musicians became immediately apparent. That one song haunted me for DAYS after I first heard it, its beat is infectious and powerful. Hail the Apocalypse is the title track from the album "Hail the Apocalypse" which met with success on the Billboard US Top Hard Rock Albums in 2014 when it reached #6 and it is truly one of my favorite songs now. I listen to the song over and over and over because of it power and domination of the crowd, it is an INCREDIBLE song!
 | |
| Johannes Eckerström @ Rock USA 2017, July 13th, 2017 ©musicallead.blogspot.com - 2017 |
As musicians this band is as intense as they are above their contemporaries. Take Henrik Sandelin (bass) as an example. Sandelin abused his bass right in front of the audience and people cheered, and I don't think he ever stopped moving for a moment. From whipping his head about and performing at such a high level I didn't want to see him stop performing, he was simply superb. Henrik Sandelin is a real talent on bass, he is truly the driving force of the power of Avatar.
 |
| AVATAR - Rock USA - July 13th, 2017 ©musicallead.blogspot.com - 2017 |
Avatar is stacked with talent and look no further than to guitar playing Tim Öhrström for confirmation. Öhrström was that bright shining moment on stage that caught my eye and really never let go. What a treat watching Öhrström, he was dynamic, intense and in command to such an extent that it became almost a distraction. Like his bandmates this man never stopped moving, and while the chaos erupts around him through the music and the fans he remained steadfast and professional and he was performing at a level that should be the bar for others to follow.
In 1986 I was in a horrendous car accident that caused serious injuries to myself and four others that were in the vehicle when we struck a tree at an exceptionally high rate of speed and why is that important you ask? Why am I talking about such things while writing about the band Avatar? It's quite simple actually and I think it has to do with a paradigm shift that occurred in the universe just two days before that accident. On February 14th, 1986 a boy was born into this world that today beats the skins off of drum sets worldwide causing loud thunderous crashes that emotes the greatest crescendo of beats that fuels the music of Avatar, and that boy was John Alfredsson.
It goes without need for further comment that a man that destroys the drums that he plays so masterfully with such violence must have been the cause for such an abomination of a traffic accident and not the fact that the driver did something he shouldn't have (no it wasn't me either). Alfredsson plays with such abandon and power that the driving force of Avatar is no doubt this man. Seriously though this man is a monster on the drums and I can think of no other that would have not only created this band but this masterpiece.
When I traveled to Rock USA in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in July 2017 there were quite a few "knowns" for me. I knew what the food would be like, I knew what day would be best and I knew what bands would be a success. There really weren't that many variables for me nor were there many areas that I thought would be a massive surprise but I was seriously mistaken. I had no idea what I would be experiencing when the band Avatar took the stage that afternoon because I deliberately avoided knowing anything about the band beforehand. I suppose the entire idea of NOT wanting to know anything about the band was a bit risky but the potential reward outweighed the risk.
What I saw on the 13th of July was a performance by a band that completely blew me away! Avatar is not a gimmick, they are one of the premier metal bands today. As I listened to their live set I wanted to hear more and I began to inhale their music on YouTube as a result. I have been amazed at the intelligence behind their music and the talent to not only perform it but also the vocal skills that are mesmerizing. At a time in music where what passes for "rock" music let alone "metal" music of any form being is obscured by talentless performers that are poured forth by record labels at a pace like that of the '80's and '90's metal scene, Avatar is a breath of fresh air.
Avatar was one of the highlights of Rock USA (more to come on Rock USA later) but not only that they have become one of my favorite bands. The are brash, intelligent, high level performers that are simply better than almost everyone else without question. I have made it a point to find another Avatar show because this band is extraordinary and you should too! Take the time and find the music of this band, see them live and be prepared to be blown away by a band that seems to be doing everything right. Avatar is incredible and just like I was blown away by this band at Rock USA you too will be in whatever capacity you choose to listen to them.
This performance could be the highlight of my entire year! What an incredible band!
#Johannes_Avatar #avatarmetal
No comments:
Post a Comment