Checking the vital signs of ‘Rock’

The current state of  Rock has been a up for discussion recently for a variety of reasons, but the consensus seems to be that it remains the tortoise to Pop act’s hare, sticking around for the long-run.  A piece in The Guardian yesterday put a spotlight on the question of rock music’s health in the UK, and while it remains the driving force behind the touring business, comments from Cerne Canning who manages Franz Ferdinand and the Vaccines did weigh-in saying, “it’s as hard [to break a guitar band] as it has been since I’ve been involved with music, since the mid-80s.” And as to why there has been a slump, Neil Pengelly, who books acts for Reading and Leeds festivals, points to the lack of a big scene, ala the 90’s Britpop and the garage-rock revival of the early 2000’s… Meanwhile in America, Rolling Stone is quick to point to three rock releases with staying-power in The Black Keys, Coldplay and Nickelback, which continue to live in the Top 10 this week.