Rob Janicke grew up in a house where music was always present. To his young ears, music was entertainment, excitement, and enlightenment all wrapped into one big, beautiful sound. He was first drawn to theatrical artists like David Bowie and Ozzy Osbourne, but also quickly began to realize that lyrical content and emotional heft were just as vital as the costumes and shape-shifting personas that had first drawn him in.
Growing up with a single mom, Rob tackled a hefty amount of adult responsibility at a relatively young age as he helped to care for his younger sibling after school. MTV and the radio provided the daily soundtrack each afternoon after school was over. This early attachment to music eventually led to a lifelong obsession with songs.
Channeling his love for music and a passion for writing, Rob built a following with his blog, Generation Riff. Eventually, those writings led to the publication of Slacker - 1991, Teen Spirit Angst, and the Generation It Created. In that book, Rob discusses the societal changes that came with the ascendance of grunge, and the shifting cultural world that followed in its wake. Rob also infuses the book with his own personal stories that cover his journey through the music business, as well as some of the personal battles he’s faced including a series of mental health struggles.
During our chat, Rob and I cover his personal path through the music industry, and unlock some of the things that made him fall so hard for music as a young person. We talk intensely about the cultural landscape of the late 80’s and early 90’s, and the myriad of talent and sonic quality that was readily available in a host of genres all happening at the same moment. It was an era where talent was fostered for the long term, and not just capitalized on in the short term. Sadly, those days have essentially disappeared.
Rob and I discussed what has happened in the last three decades to change that industry so dramatically. We cover the massive selloffs happening as power conglomerates in the music industry between just three major companies. These massive companies are no longer in the business of developing artists, they are solely interested in moving product. The music is a widget, nothing more.
The conversation is not all doom and gloom, of course. Rob and I discuss the ways that the greatest artists are always chasing themselves, seemingly three steps ahead of their own audience at times. An icon like David Bowie, with his myriad personas is a great example. We also talk about some of the signs of a cultural revolution amongst younger fans and artists alike that is heaping right now.
This is a great chat with a dude who has always just been chasing that same raw emotion and pure power that he first heard in music as a child. Come chase the dragon with us.
Cheers,
Matty C
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