Ex-Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth thinks music today is uninspiring and lacks melody

Ex-Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth thinks music today is uninspiring and lacks melody

Ex-Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth was recently interviewed by former Anthrax singer Neil Turbin for Canada’s The Metal Voice.

Roth was asked when we can expect a new studio album from him and what musical style that he might adopt for it. The guitarist replied (with slight edits):

“I know I am long overdue, I have written at least an album’s worth of new of material. But making an album, there’s always a logistical problem. It takes time you know. I’m always on the road and I always take a long time when I’m in the studio unfortunately. It’s a personal problem that I have. The recording process is fine but I don’t really enjoy finding the sounds because I’m never happy. To me, it never sounds as good as I think it should. Every album I’ve ever done was completely different from every other album that I’ve ever done and I’ve never planned it that way. I don’t really like repeats. I always like to explore new territory.”

In terms of what he thinks of music these days and whether he follows any new bands, Roth advised:

“I can see a lot of talent out there but I’m not really seeking new music out. I don’t feel drawn to it. I prefer to explore music in my own way but if somebody comes up with a great idea, I’m happy to steal it. I do keep an open mind but I have to say and this may sounds a little negative but the music that I hear whenever the radio is on usually really sucks nowadays. In my mind, the music today is completely uninspiring and the one thing it misses is melody. Hit songs of nowadays just got a groove and people are repeating a phrase mindlessly. The songs don’t mean anything. I’m really getting older because it’s not how I grew up. When I grew up, I listened to The Beatles and they had melody, harmony [and] the songs were sophisticated and amazing. I listened to what’s out there on the radio and then I just want to turn it off because it’s so boring. It’s painful for me.

I’m not mocking the whole scene but in general I think it’s the end of the world as we know it. It’s like so mind-numbing and then I think to myself, ‘What’s going on in these people’s musical souls?’ The problem today, the kids don’t get a chance to wake up because they’re on their iPhones all day, doing the snapchat chat thing and social media is basically like a massive drug. They’re all hooked into it and the result is that it’s almost impossible for them to find themselves. There’s never a quiet moment where they can reflect. So it’s a real problem and then the result is suicide rates go up and a lot of kids are depressed and they don’t know why because they don’t find any answers. Why they don’t they find answers is because they are numbed by the drive of empty music and of cell phones. That kind of lure them into into a feeling of connectedness when it is all like superficial and shallow and there’s no real touchy-feely connectedness with real people anymore. It sounds pretty cataclysmic and dystopian and some of it is, but you never know you know. Maybe it’s just some weird phase of mankind? I’m still hopeful.”

You can read other excerpts from the interview with Uli Jon Roth at The Metal Voice‘s website or listen to the interview below:

Uli Jon Roth (ex Scorpions) Interview-Talk News Album, Jimi Hendrix & Music Today-By Neil Turbin

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