I believe that you have to draw a line between past and present right around the advent of MTV. When we were kids, we went to HEAR The Beatles. We went to HEAR The Beach Boys. We went to HEAR The Rolling Stones. Now kids go to SEE bands. The old school bands that are our icons never changed clothes between songs, get lowered from the ceiling on a swing, dodge the explosions and dealt with dizzying light arrays. They just played and sang. If you look at video footage of a Katy Perry show, and watch closely, she isn't singing. She actually CAN'T be singing with all the arm swinging changing the angle of the mic relative of her mouth. Plus who can have breath control with all that running around and hopping up and down?

It's apples and kangaroos to compare old time bands and video era bands.


I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.

1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.