CLAPPING BACK: Where have the rebels of rock ‘n’ roll gone?

Of the two, Morrison is the more philosophic. Lines like “Is this a sovereign nation/Or just a police state?” and “Dick Turpin wore a mask too” in “Stand and Deliver,” as well as “Were they really all that tough?/Or was it just some PR stunt?…It’s not very rock ‘n’ roll/Where have all the rebels gone?” in “The Rebels” are more thoughtful than Clapton’s simple “Enough is enough.” Clapton, on the other hand, brings style. “Thinkin’ of my kids, what’s left for them / And then what’s comin’ down the road / The light in the tunnel could be the southbound train / Lord, please help them with their load,” he sings.

For the “Change the World” artist who is trying to do just that, one wonders if a song is enough. And what is at stake?

The trickle-down effect of canceled concerts at the beginning of the pandemic to the thousands of music industry jobs in my own hometown of Nashville alone was more like a dam breaking. While music streaming only accounts for a diminutive fraction of most artists’ revenue, and tickets pay the bills, no live music means everything else dries up. The people who made up the music industry—managers, lighting directors, promoters, ticket vendors, concessions vendors, merchandizers, and beyond—felt the effects almost immediately, even before ticket refunds sapped whatever was left in the spigot. The layoffs were immediate and widespread. Recounting last year, my father tells the story of one friend who had to lay off 46 employees from his light and sound production company within a week of March 15. Forty-six.

And if you missed it yesterday, my post on Clapton’s recent Fort Worth show: Eric Clapton Gets Loud at Tour Opening in Fort Worth, But Stays Quiet On Vaccine Stance.