your question:

2022 Dempsey

Do you keep tabs on newer bands or us there no hope? Seems like "new" bands are just doing what's already been done

MY answer:

I try to go out and see new stuff including bands I know nothing about. Surprises can be nice. A lot of the more interesting things are somewhat underground. In other words, you have to go looking for it. I was complaining about “pop” music and new bands back in the ‘90s. Nothing has really changed. There’s always going to be a lot of hackneyed crap. But there is tons of new approaches in electronic music in particular and it’s adjacent networks. Sometimes the effort one puts into finding the gems is worth it.