That’ll Be the Day? It’s Here: Rock’s Past Fueling Today’s Grind

Kevin McElroy
Editor, Tune Up Magazine

They say if you forget the past, you’re doomed to repeat it. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case for rock and roll’s history. I wish it was!

Because let’s face it: so many young, up-and-coming bands today are trying to build an audience without really understanding what that means. And it isn’t just today’s rookies. I’m looking at you, veterans who refuse to learn the ropes of social media. There are more tools out there than ever, and it’s not the tech that’s the problem—it’s us.

The Right Tools in the Right Hands

When my younger brother was a kid, he once tried hammering in a nail totally wrong. His boss showed him how to do it right. Simple, right? And it is! But simple doesn’t mean you don’t have to know how.

Here’s the deal: posting on social media isn’t a “post, and they will come” situation. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok—they all have a unique way they want you to use them. You wouldn’t hammer in a nail with a chainsaw, right? Same concept here. Copy-pasting the same thing across platforms is lazy and, honestly, a waste of everyone’s time. You have to understand how each tool works to get it right.

And STOP using your age as an excuse. You learned how to swing a hammer, didn’t you? You can learn how to use social media properly, too. Sure, it’s overwhelming. Sure, it’s flooded with junk. But that’s no reason to sit on the sidelines. If you want to stay relevant, you better start learning. Or hey, if you don’t want to do it yourself, you can pay someone to do it.

The ’80s, the Sunset Strip, and Staying Sharp

Now, for you young bands looking at the “good old days” of rock and roll with starry eyes, let me tell you: it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Back in the day, if you wanted to get noticed, you had to put in the elbow grease—hustling to get gigs, creating spaces to play, and getting out there with fliers stapled on every telephone pole in sight. That’s DIY. That’s “boots on the ground.” And guess what? A little of that goes a long way today.

In the late ’80s, glam rock was king—until it wasn’t. Did Nirvana kill glam rock? No, the glam rockers killed it themselves by refusing to evolve. Many, not all, were more about the hair spray than the music, and it caught up to them. When Nirvana hit the scene, they didn’t just change the sound; they changed the conversation. Glam rock went from arenas to dive bars almost overnight. Times change. Trends shift. And if you’re not evolving, you’re getting left behind.

There are always exceptions. Look at AC/DC. Look at John Fogerty. They’ve stayed in their lane and still managed to stay relevant. Then look at The Beatles and the Beach Boys. The Beatles evolved and redefined themselves, moving past the bubblegum pop of their early days. When they released Rubber Soul in 1965, it overshadowed what was popular at the time, just like Nirvana did to glam. It had  profound affect on Brian Wilson, who responded to the challenge with his masterpiece Pet Sounds, which was was revolutionary in its own right, pushing pop’s boundaries and spurring The Beatles to respond with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. That’s the kind of artistic back-and-forth that keeps music alive and kicking.

Learn From the Legends, But Forge Your Own Path

Sure, you could copy the strategies of your favorite big bands, but that’s like buying a lottery ticket and hoping for the best. You have to take the basics of what worked for them and make it your own. You don’t want to be just another copycat act that disappears in the crowd.

Let’s go back even further: imagine Buddy Holly here today, seeing all the tools at his fingertips. Do you think he’d just shrug and do things the old way? No chance. He’d be figuring out how to work TikTok, run an Instagram Live, and make it his. That’s the difference between using the tools and letting the tools use you.

If you’re serious, be your own marketer. And if you’re not into that, pay someone who knows what they’re doing. But make no mistake: marketing isn’t something you just dabble in. Even the best marketers are constantly learning and adapting. And yes, you can learn this too, but you have to put in the effort.

Tune Out the Noise

Sometimes, you’ve got to tune out the noise. Especially when it comes to social media. There’s a time and place for it, but there’s also a time to dig deep into your art, to find your voice without the distraction of who liked what post. Take it from Ron Keel—when he goes into writing mode, he shuts out as much of the world as he can. It’s not about ignoring what’s out there; it’s about letting himself dive deep into what he wants to say without any outside influence muddying the waters. That’s how you create something authentic.

Take It From the Past, Build for the Future

So here’s the takeaway. It’s not enough to just be “present” on social media. You need to be an active, engaged force—an innovator in your own right. Get out there, experiment, try, fail, and try again. But for the love of rock and roll, don’t just go through the motions.

Whether you’re a newbie in the game or a grizzled vet trying to stay relevant, the fundamentals remain: hard work, authenticity, and a hunger to learn from both the past and the future. This world is full of artists who could’ve been legends but didn’t put in the work. Don’t be one of them.

Time to Call BULLSHIT

I started this article to say something that I’ve seen again and again: we’re all doing social media marketing the same way, and it’s only OK if it’s the correct way. But as I said in my article about putting out your music, it’s time to call BULLSHIT and admit that we all need to do better.

And if all else fails? You know who to call.