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Post by guesswho? on Sept 13, 2014 10:03:56 GMT 2
Interesting discussion. My 2 cents: What has to happen for that John has more recognition? Would not cease to be an "underrated musician"? And to be more valued, what should happen? perhaps prizes? If you are talking about mainstream recognition, I came to the conclusion that, sadly, there is no possibility for John and Europe to get much more recognition than what they are currently receiving (which is actually very good). This is because hard rock and heavy metal have become a niche phenomenon, with many devoted fans but unable to make it as popular as it was in the past. Being rock heroes in the seventies has given to bands like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd (to name only a few) and to guitarist like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton or Eddie Van Halen (to name a few), the permanent status of rock legends. It could have happened to Europe and John too. But they arrived a bit too late, when the golden age was about to end. And, worst, the image that they used to promote themselves worked for a while and then hit them back like a boomerang. That's why, also in the rock scene they are not considered at the same level of bands like for example Iron Maiden or Guns n' Roses. It wasn't a problem of musical quality or skill back then. And it isn't now. Even if Europe released a true masterpiece as new album, the top that they could get is a good position in the charts for some weeks, excellent reviews in rock magazines and sites, some mentions in the newspaper when there's the gig, big respect and appraisal from other musicians and a few new fans. Ironically that goes also for the rock legends above mentioned: if Van Halen or Iron Maiden would release the best album of their career (musically speaking) that wouldn't gain them a higher step in the music scene than the one they're currently standing on. It's simply too late. That said, personally I don't mind. Listening to Europe music has always given me special feelings, back in the eighties as today. I've been lucky enough to live the age when Europe was at the top of the charts, when it was impossible to turn on the radio without hearing the countdown. It was great but, perhaps selfishly, I prefer the niche atmosphere of today. Not much noise but a good vibe. It all seems more "real". A good review or a nice word from another artist has no other meaning and reason than true appreciation. In my opinion, that's the best possible recognition. In the end it is better to be considered underrated and give genuine surprise to the people that suddendly discover them (yes, it still happens!) than being considered overrated and disappoint. Yes, interesting discussion. But I notice that for many of us, it's difficult to speak about Norum without speaking about Europe. That's why it'd be great if we could go on with this discussion in a new thread...
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