"Music isn't as good now as when I was young" -- you hear people utter variations of this phrase all the time. At least I do. And it makes me realize something about the speaker: (s)he pays no real attention to music.
You know, regardless of people's biases, "Saturday Night Live" has always been funny and dumb at the same time. It's had great cast members and duds every single season. And just because someone stopped enjoying music when they set the bong down in their dorm, the music world didn't stop evolving and dishing up quality music.
Two things brought me back to this. One, I heard someone say -- for the 50 millionth time -- that they "don't make music like the old days." To that I say great! That's how it ought to be. If people were still making the same music now as 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago, then music would really be a depressing desert of worthlessness.
The other thing is that with just three months gone, 2010 is already poised to give us some great records.
I love the new Justin Currie and I love the new Monster Movie. The Sade record isn't amazing, but the title track is. The new Josh Rouse is fabulous -- he sings in Spanish and even does that great Barthelona lisp -- and fellow Yep Roc-er Paul Weller's new disc is poised to be amazing (and features his first collaboration with The Jam bassist Bruce Foxton in 28 years).
The latest Massive Attack is something of a return to form and there's a long-awaited Chemical Brothers disc on the horizon.
Add to that some record that came out last year but will still be relevant in 2010, like the Jay Farrar and Ben Gibbard collaboration the The Low Anthem record.
And this is just the start.
If you think there's no good music out there, you've only got to lift your head out of the sand and dial in WMSE or 88Nine or NPR's "All Songs Considered" and pull up Pitchfork on your browser or choice, maybe buy a copy of Paste with a free CD sampler. The music is out there and it's easier than ever to find.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
