I shouldn't chew gum and type at the same time.
 

Beepster made a good point in my recent thread about musical 'tribes'. There are movements going on, but you have to look for them - they certainly won't be anywhere near the 'charts' (if they still have those).
 

"Where are the artists writing with any real sense of angst and purpose?

 
I dunno Roger, have a look around, go to some gigs....blaming One Direction for not being that is a bit 'old bloke' really.
 

Who are these guys

Sounds like typical crotchety old guy stuff. I never get the guy old enough to be band's great grandfather need to single out and bash kids who are products of their time.  Ever since pop music became a powerful commercial force there have always been popular "cute guy" bands or arguably marginal ability aimed at prying dollars from teen girls.  I'm not a One Direction fan and find nothing appealing about their music, but i also am very aware i am not their target audience. It is almost as if he is saying that the target audience of One direction should instead like bands that do not appeal to them which is downright silly.  Pulling out the "world is in a state of blah" angle is even sillier since if applied throughout most of history would be hilarious. The Monkees (and many other boy bands) were put together for primarily marketing reasons rather than strictly talent during an era that included racial riots, Viet Nam war, Cold War and wide spread fear of nuclear assault among other things.  I don't see where listening to Who back catalog cures ebola, ends isis or overcomes constant partisan political fighting an more than teens listening to boy bands.

I have never heard of One Direction and will probably never hear of them again. On the other note... I think I remember Blackmore saying that Clapton couldn't play guitar. In the 60s Townshend took Clapton to see Hendrix play and they were like, "well, what are we going to do now?" LOL...
 
J