Three years ago, Kiss frontman Gene Simmons said that rock is dead. The rock and metal world addresses the comment every now and then with a fairly resounding "nope," and Napalm Death frontman Barney Greenway feels the very same way.
In an interview with Blood Sweat And Metal, Greenway says that it's very possible Simmons doesn't see beyond the mainstream, and that countries like Australia are absolutely thriving on the underground scene.
"The thing is, when Gene Simmons says [that rock is dead], there's a strong possibility that he doesn't see underneath what is the big sellers or the medium-sized-selling bands — he doesn't see underneath that, so he doesn't see what goes on underneath the surface.
"I'm not a huge authority on it, but I know in Australia — let's make it specific to where you are — I know the underground scene in Australia, for many different styles of music — rock music, hard-edged music — is fantastic. I know that some of the Australian punk scene around the Melbourne area, going back twenty, thirty years, was so uncontrolled and so spontaneous, so kind of quote-unquote dangerous at times. But it just makes it invigorating."
It's also very possible that Gene Simmons doesn't even mean the comment, as he's been known to just say things to get a rise out of people. That, and even if rock is "dead," who cares? People are still going to pursue what they want to pursue regardless of the opinion of the man who incorrectly attempted the trademark the Devil's horn symbol.
