The state of music today is sickening. It’s as sickening as killing innocent people in another country. Everything has gone down hill. Even Britney Spears is taking a well-needed break from the music scene, and this is one music listener who is not disappointed. The late 90s and early 21st century brought a slow decrease in music in my eyes.

Starting with the gang killings of Tupac Shakur and Chris Wallace (a.k.a. Notorious B.I.G.), music went down hill.

First there was Sean “Puffy” Combs, Puff Daddy Diddy, P. Diddy, Cry baby. Does anyone know what his name is now? Does he even know what his name is? Does anyone care? Well, anyway, Combs tried to bring a sense of unification to the whole East Coast/West Coast rap war that had been raging on, before the two rap stars were killed.

After Combs’ stardom seemed to be trickling down, or after he had a video with every former rock star, the surgence of boy bands began to pick up. Out of Sync, Backstreet Creepy Guys, 98 degrees; they all became popular around the same time. They also put out Christmas albums of all things.

Now don’t get me started on the whole Limp Bisquick rap, “pseudo angry, my daddy never loved me” rock you kids are listening to these days. Thrown into the that mix are the Papa Cockroach’s of the world. None of this has ever tickled my fancy.

The new reincarnation of P. Diddy was the Rule or Ja Rule or whatever name he goes by. Do you notice how rappers have identity crises with their names and can never decide what their name or symbol should be? It’s really bizarre.

The next bad trendy music to come along was the popularity of indie rock. The indie rock fashion is taking kids by storm, too. White belts are for pretentious indie rockers like the Hives, not rock fans.

Plus, you shouldn’t be wearing white after Labor Day, or is that just for shoes? Dashboard Crap-feshional is just a whiny guy on stage who can’t get over his latest breakup. Boo-hoo! And what kind of name is the Strokes? It’s a dirty name and makes me cringe every time I hear it.

Boy Colin, you have made fun for every music under the sun, what do you listen to? Well it’s not techno; no words, no real instruments, not for me. I also didn’t mention country. I like real country a la Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, or Waylon Jennings (more popular for the “Dukes of Hazzard” theme song) . So what else do I listen to?

Unless you have been living under a rock for your entire existence, the real music that is taking the world by storm, and I do mean the world, is hardcore.

Hardcore brings the politics of punk and quickness with the craziness of metal. Unity and screaming is what they are about. “Thrashcore and circle pits! Long hair, short hair; it all fits! What Happens Next?” This is a song lyric from a band called What Happens Next? This is where the whole hardcore sweeping the world comes in.

They have songs in Spanish, Japanese, Pilipino, and French. I don’t know about you, but a band that can sing in five different languages is one that really interests me. When was the last time you heard P. Diddy sing in Japanese? So, my prediction is to look for hardcore to be coming to a town near you.

Until then, “Bandanas, flannels, skateboard decks! What Happens Next?”