Cool rock musicians - are there any these days?

darthed1981

Philly_Q said:

darthed1981 said:

Philly_Q said:

But of course it's entirely subjective.  People I regard as cool would be regarded as the 180-degree opposite, by most.

<pic>

Who's that?

I don't know if that was a serious question or not, but it's Uli Jon Roth.

Genuine serious question, sorry easy to confuse today

Philly_Q

Philly_Q said:

Offset said:

That one exception is Jay Buchanan, who aside from having one of my fave rock voices and being in a brilliant band, is absolutely sub-zero.

I didn't know who he was - but now that I've looked him up I know his band.  I'd have to say, from my point of view this is anything but cool....

Just to clarify, because I don't want to sound like I'm pissing on your chips...  Looking at pictures, he dresses in a very attention-grabbing way which, on most people, would appear extremely studied and self-conscious.  But maybe, for him, that look comes entirely naturally, and he does sort of radiate that vibe so - if there was an such thing as objectively cool - perhaps he really is cool.

I suppose if we asked for an AI image of someone "cool" they'd be well-dressed, wear shades indoors, they'd perhaps be a bit aloof, they'd never have a bit of spinach stuck in their teeth and they'd never do goofy things like tripping over a paving stone or dropping their keys down a drain.  Lenny Kravitz, or Prince.

But personally, I don't think that's cool.  Cool to me is nice, polite, humble, intelligent, funny, self-deprecating.  Most of the people I'd consider cool would be generally regarded as nerds, I think.

Timcito

I think the phenomenon of the 'cool rock star' was a brief phase that blossomed and then fizzled out quite quickly, probably sometime in the early 80s, apart from a few stragglers (J.J. Cale springs to mind). The 'coolness' that emanated from many rock stars from the late 50s throughout the 70s and early 80s (maybe) was bound up with an excessive and subversive lifestyle offstage. By the early 80s, this aura was largely fake, reduced to silly clothes and haircuts, piss artistry, and snotty expressions.

JerkMoans

Nick Cave

Offset

darthed1981 said:

Jonathangus said:

Noel and Liam?  

Took the words out of my mouth...

It must have been while you were kissing me.

Offset

Philly_Q said:

Offset said:

That one exception is Jay Buchanan, who aside from having one of my fave rock voices and being in a brilliant band, is absolutely sub-zero.

I didn't know who he was - but now that I've looked him up I know his band.  I'd have to say, from my point of view this is anything but cool....

He has the vibe.  And he's cool if you're an old feck like me :-)

Offset

Philly_Q said:

darthed1981 said:

Philly_Q said:

But of course it's entirely subjective.  People I regard as cool would be regarded as the 180-degree opposite, by most.

<pic>

Who's that?

I don't know if that was a serious question or not, but it's Uli Jon Roth.

I admit I wouldn't have recognised him...

* EDIT - I can't agree he's cool but WTF is that guitar?!

darthed1981

Offset said:

darthed1981 said:

Jonathangus said:

Noel and Liam?  

Took the words out of my mouth...

It must have been while you were kissing me.

That was pretty intense bud...  

ewal

Angel Olsen

mrkb

Philly_Q said:

darthed1981 said:

Philly_Q said:

But of course it's entirely subjective.  People I regard as cool would be regarded as the 180-degree opposite, by most.

<pic>

Who's that?

I don't know if that was a serious question or not, but it's Uli Jon Roth.

Ah, I thought it was David Crosby. Old rockers look similar.

Philly_Q

mrkb said:

Philly_Q said:

darthed1981 said:

Philly_Q said:

But of course it's entirely subjective.  People I regard as cool would be regarded as the 180-degree opposite, by most.

<pic>

Who's that?

I don't know if that was a serious question or not, but it's Uli Jon Roth.

Ah, I thought it was David Crosby. Old rockers look similar.

Well they certainly look old.

manicguitarist

Uncle Ted

Winny_Pooh

JerkMoans said:

Nick Cave

Agree, but like Grohl, PJ Harvey etc he's been around since the 90's.  

Penn

Rhian and Hester from Wet Leg. 

Bezzer

"Are there any cool musicians nowadays?" follow by a list of septuagenarians (minimum) who's best work is clearly far behind them suggests you're asking the wrong audience (in the main).

Yes, there are an absolute bucket load of very cool musicians out there. Just no necessarily if you're looking for the "new CSNY".
 

thumpingrug

Brett Anderson

merlin

Me.






Wait, did you say "cool" AND "rock star"?

Offset

Bezzer said:

"Are there any cool musicians nowadays?" follow by a list of septuagenarians (minimum) who's best work is clearly far behind them suggests you're asking the wrong audience (in the main).

Yes, there are an absolute bucket load of very cool musicians out there. Just no necessarily if you're looking for the "new CSNY".
 

You're slightly missing the point.  I listen to a fair bit of contemporary music and not many people stand out as 'cool', regardless of whether I like their music.  Those septuagenarians (minimum) seemed cool to me back in the day when their best was either current or yet to come.  I don't see much of that these days - but my world view might be more limited than others.

I suppose we could endlessly debate the definitive meaning of 'cool' when it comes to musicians, but the thread would end up overtaking "Emp's New Car" in length :-)

Incidentally, CSNY were never cool.  I liked them, and I love Neil Young - but cool?  Nah!

* EDIT - I didn't say there weren't any cool contemporary musicians - I said hardly any sprang to mind.  Feel free to put some forward.

HAL9000

Gary Clark Jr

Bezzer

Offset said:

You're slightly missing the point.  I listen to a fair bit of contemporary music and not many people stand out as 'cool', regardless of whether I like their music.  Those septuagenarians (minimum) seemed cool to me back in the day when their best was either current or yet to come.  I don't see much of that these days - but my world view might be more limited than others.

I suppose we could endlessly debate the definitive meaning of 'cool' when it comes to musicians, but the thread would end up overtaking "Emp's New Car" in length :-)

Incidentally, CSNY were never cool.  I liked them, and I love Neil Young - but cool?  Nah!

In my defence my comment was really aimed at you, or anyone. Just made me laugh looking at some of the responses.

I still think there are plenty, Nova Twins and Carmen Vandenberg spring to mind as two I’ve listened to a lot lately. I’d say yes, Yungblud would qualify. I guess the only definition could be “rock” which is by definition a term that updates generationally. IMHO.