Future of rock n' roll dynasties in question

Anyone who has been paying any attention to music lately realizes that strange days have landed upon the world of rock n' roll.

The current trends are enough to make classic rock fans shudder in their boots: Guitar icons such as The Edge are threatening to throw down their instruments in favor of synthetic sounds; rock concerts have gone from being a source of resentment between fathers and sons to a chance for them to bond and rock n' roll bands are beginning to have the life span of a fruit fly.

Looking around at all the insignificant acts who are releasing completely forgettable albums, I question whether there will ever be another band that is able to remain critically and commercially successful for many years.

The glory days of the rock dynasties, exemplified by such bands as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, who have had lasting cultural impact for more than 30 years, may be over.

These are the type of bands who have the ability to turn a record release into a cultural event, the sort of artists that a generation looks to for guidance, the kind of group that not only affects the culture of its day, but has the ability to remain relevant for generations.

Both U2 and R.E.M. possess these qualities. However, looking at today's music scene, it is hard see any current bands who will have the same staying power.

Yes, Oasis wants desperately to be such a band, but let's face it, they just don't have the talent for it. You can't become as important as the Beatles by ripping off the Beatles.

And the bands who have the talent seem to not want the responsibility.

When Pearl Jam released its second album, Vs., the record showed tremendous growth and I honestly felt they had the chance to become the Beatles or Stones of our generation. Instead the group spent three years and two albums sabotaging its career to avoid becoming a band of that caliber.

Pearl Jam's, and particularly frontman Eddie Vedder's, reluctance to enter willingly into the world of rock super-stardom is indicative of the fear many current groups have of becoming too big.

It seems no one wants to step into the role of "greatest rock n' roll band in the world." Where anti-rock star Kurt Cobain yells self-loathing lyrics such as "beat me out of me" and wears torn jeans on stage, Mick Jagger flippantly sings "I hope we're not too messianic" while wearing a superman cape.

I'm not saying you have to wear flamboyant outfits to be a legitimate musician, I'm just pointing out the difference in attitude.

Lasting rock bands are able to bridge all gaps because they have embraced mainstream success and dealt with it on their own terms.

Instead, the alternative music world seems to be founded on the premise that its stars aren't really stars, but instead just regular guys.

Call me old-fashioned, but I don't want rock stars who are underachieving regular guys. I want visionaries who are able to articulate the things I can't.

Some current musicians, such as Richard Ashcroft of the Verve, share the old ideal of desiring "biggest group in the world" status for their group.

What is troubling though, is that even if people like Ashcroft have the desire to be rock giants, it's hard to see it happening.

The MTV culture, with its 100-images-per-second philosophy, has weakened the attention spans of a whole generation. And by doing so it has reduced the life span of the rock band.

While U2 and R.E.M were able to gather a strong following before the MTV ethos took hold, groups such as Oasis and Live have only released three albums, and there is already a feeling in the air that people have grown tired of them.

Furthermore, current bands such as the Verve can't corner the youth market the way the Stones or the Beatles once did.

Today's kids have their attention being pulled in 10 different directions. Rock n' roll is no longer the form of cultural expression, but just a part of a larger palate that includes the Internet, video games and cable TV.

I hope a band such as the Verve is able to transcend the disposable culture we live in and become a lasting presence for our generation. Because frankly, I'm as sick of reunion tours as everyone else is.