The last time I was actually into video games was in the early 80s when Atari was the rage. I was a Space Invaders addict for a brief period of time. It was new and the challenge of what is new is always seductive. I can remember finally closing my eyes at 2:30 in the morning a lot of nights with rows of marching invaders descending in my head.
I no longer am a gamer but I have seen the kids playing in stores and various places. Call of Duty doesn't have much in common with those olden days. With the right gear to play on it is a virtual war game that pretty much puts you there.
It strikes me that most entertainment experiences have evolved in amazing ways in our lifetimes. Watching a football game may have started out with one camera on a 17 inch screen but it is now, in many ways, preferable to actually being there. Watching a game on a 60" flatscreen with onscreen markings where the first down marker is, overhead camera shots, color commentators and no dead air at all is pretty awesome. Going to the games themselves is also great- huge audio systems, fireworks, closed circuit fancams and cartoon character races all fill the moments that used to be boring to the ticket buyers.
I continue to go to movies and walk out saying "That was the greatest fx movie I've seen". Acting is no better and neither is writing but the technology of going to see Avatar in 3d as opposed to a sci fi flick from the 60s is laughable.
In every way the competition for our disposal entertainment dollar has made the products better- except in recorded music. Sonically, listening to inferior sounding mp3 files of stale, programmed music on earbuds or over cheap car stereo systems with so much bass the rest of the music is obscured is 10 giant steps back from the days when we all saved our money and bought great stereo systems and actually sat and listened to the music.
The value of music to consumers is now almost nothing. Only 10% at most universities (according to surveys) is actually paid for. People give it to others because they didn't pay for it themselves. It is legally free to hear on YouTube and many other sites. And in the meantime, the actual experience of hearing it is not better. While movies, cable choices, video games, sporting events and everything else has gotten bigger and better, hearing new music has not.
Nevermind the songs, musicianship or artistry. I tend to think there are great examples of all those out there. I just don't think a new record coming out is an event to not be missed like it was when I was younger. We knew the release date of the new Stones record and went there to buy it- the same way people lineup when a blockbuster movie comes out or go and preorder the new Guitar Hero music pack.
Yesterday I went to the Barnum and Bailey's circus that came to town. The ticket, with an easy to find discount, was $11. They no longer are "under the bigtop". It is now a huge and elaborate production that plays big arenas from town to town. There was all of the charming stuff I saw when I last went to a circus (probably 20 or 25 years ago) like elephants and tigers and trapeze and highwire acts. But the whole thing was made more spectacular by huge video screens running with big music and amazing, colorful acrobats, clowns and ringleaders. The effect is dazzling and spellbinding to "children of all ages".
It is easy to sit and cast blame for the stagnant music industry state today: radio is bland, record companies are unimaginitive and artists all play it too safe. To me, the truth is that we have not kept up with the technological evolution other industries have used so well. I have seen films and tv series and video games and now circuses that were new, exciting and spectacular. Meanwhile, kids go buy Led Zeppelin as frequently as they do new music because the new stuff is just not sonically or artistically better.
If someone out there knows how, please make a record that makes our jaws drop like Call of Duty or a Ringling Brothers' circus. I guarantee people will pay for something that amazes them.
