Crawdaddy!

Back in the 60s, a teenager from NY named Paul Williams founded the nation's first rock and roll magazine, Crawdaddy! Last night, while perusing a book he wrote a few years ago on the Beach Boys, I came across an article he had written back in 1967. It was 3am and it blew my mind. That long ago, he predicted what has now become the case in rock music, a sad state that I have been trying to get straight in my head for a while. I couldn't say it any better than him, so for your edification, I've typed up the significant parts of the article and posted them.
I can't believe he wrote this in 1967. Now, in the 21 century, with the dawn of the internet, online music trading, CD burning and home studios galore, the problem he foresaw has hit its crescendo. Bands can't sell records, they have to attempt to break even on tours, and no more rock bigwigs sit on plush thrones laughing down at us, causing teenagers to cry and record companies to tremble. Concurrently, reality TV has made everyone and his grandma a TV star. Now, in the music world, everyone and his neighbor is a rock star.
Let me take that back. Now, the playing field has been leveled: there ARE no more stars, TV, movie or rock, period.
As a kid, I knew DIY was the rage. I still agree with that philosophy. But I think we all miss the times of yesterdecade when stars were in the sky and we loved to hate them, hated to envy them, but still had the thought that maybe one day we could aspire to those heights. Those were the days when every kid had a rocker to look up to and though the chance was distant, we knew what we were after. Now, the thrones have smashed into earthly dust and we've trampled on the splinters, happy to "kill our idols." It's bittersweet. I'd be the first to admit that the whole glamor of the entertainment industry is hogwash, "have it cleaned and burned." But I am nostalgic for the times when a fortunate few stood at the top of the heap, controlling teenagers' minds with music and attitude.
Over to you, Paul: