General Introduction
None of the listening selections presented here are requiredRock began in the USA, but it has grown all over the world. Its roots come from many different types of music: gospel, blues, country western, and even classical.
Rock -- refers to musical styles after 1951.
Some sub-genres were "Rock-n-Roll," "Rhythm and Blues" (aka R & B), Folk Rock, and Hard Rock. Rock-n-roll was mostly composed and sung by white musicians, and R & B became the domain of black musicians.
Within these two general groups, a huge number of subdivisions exist. Just a few are heavy metal, punk, disco, and grunge.
While most big changes in R & R occurred in NYC, Kingston, Jamaica, and Liverpool, England, the influence of R & R is now world-wide, and groups and soloists come from everywhere. (From the Scandanavian Abba to the South Korean Psy.
Instrumentation
The electric guitar is the central instrument to most kinds of Rock Music. It was first played in the 1930s, and first recorded in 1942.Les Paul in multi-track studio with his "Les Paul" guitar
Les Paul also is responsible for experimenting with "multi-track" recording, perhaps one of the most important technical advances in the production of modern music. (see below for explanation)
Les Paul was a fine musician, but his inventions were so significant, that his musical reputation as an excellent country and jazz musician were eclipsed by them.
He received a Grammy in 2001 for 60 years of contributions to the recording industry.
Other instruments commonly used used in R & R music are the electric bass (Fender 1951), the drum set (with more tom-toms than a jazz set), the acoustic piano (Jerry Lee Lewis), and various electronic keyboards (Hammond B3, Synthesizers, and electric pianos)/
Microphones are an integral part of Rock music; without them, singers would never be heard above the very loud volumes with which Rockers play.
Here is a picture of a Gibson Les Paul Guitar:
Here's a picture of a Fender Stratocaster:
The Rise of Technology:
Rock is performed at such loud levels, that many "advances" in technology have come about because of this. At concerts, most music is performed "live," although some groups will play along with additional sounds that have been pre-recorded.
When performers are recording music, a whole set of technical tools have come into use. The first and most important of these is Multi-Track Recording:
-- A track is recorded ("laid down") in a DAW (a "digital-audio-
workstation") which usually is a software program in a computer.
-- Formerly, each track would be laid down on acetate tape, and then
"mixed down" with other tracks to a final tape.
-- Computer use has brought a much higher degree of editing into the industry.
-- Now "drop-and-drag" technology has replace cutting & pasting tape pieces.
-- With technology like "Auto-tune" it is possible to hear more electronic
effect than we hear the singer's actual voice.
Concerts & Recordings nowadays rely upon much more than the quality of the singer's voice. Synchronized lighting, outrageously loud amplification, and even fireworks and other "pyrotechnics" are very much evident. Even Video is present -- because the venues are so large, that most of the audience actually gets its view via camera and large screens that flank the stage.
Another technology which has had a significant impact on R & R music is digital sampling. An infinite variety of sounds can be recorded, processed, and mapped to the keys of a synthesizer or even the strings of a guitar. Most synthesizers of today play "sampled sounds" or digital recordings of "real instruments." An artist could record himself saying something like, "Word to the herd," and then play those words back -- at different pitches and speeds -- by mapping the sample to a keyboard.
It is possible to actually get a degree in sampling technology -- it's a wide open field where anything goes!
Here is some information about modern "Digital Audio Workstations," the method used to record music today. This has largly supplanted the use of specialized tape decks. It's about 20 minutes long, but it gives you a very good example of "laying down tracks" the way it is done today by touring musicians. This particular example is on a Mac computer using the DAW program called "Pro Tools."
Multi-Track Recording Session (This is not required -- only for those interested)
Characteristics of R & R
1) It uses the same harmonies as traditional Western music.2) The "12-bar blues" is basis of most R & R, , soul music, and southern rock.
3) Repeated patterns or "riffs" are used with great frequency.
4) "Backbeats" are predominant -- an emphasis on the 2nd and 4th beats of a measure
5) Use of "call-and-response" patterns
6) "Blue Notes" are used: bending of pitches by bending strings, especially those related to the
3rd and 5th degrees of a musical scale. They deliberately "sound wrong."
7) Dense, very buzzy sounding timbres or tone colors -- strong emphasis on distortion.
General Historical Timeline:
Rock n' Roll starts in the early fifties. It owes its existence to the explosion of the youth culture after WWII. As the country moved out from the financial problems of the depression, these young people had an energy that wanted a change from the NYC based "Tin Pan Alley" songwriting tradition that dominated mainstream American music since the late 19th century.Early Rock n' Roll emerged from several sources: the style of Rhythm and Blues (R&B) known as jump blues, music influenced by gospel singing which turned into Doo-Wop, piano music known as boogie-woogie or barrelhouse, and the honkey-tonk of country music.
It relied heavily on 12-bar blues and 32 bar song formats.
It was originally called black R&B, but small-time DJs like Alan Freed invented the term "Rock n' Roll" to help attract white audiences who were not familiar with black R&B.
The appeal was immediate and caught the recording industry by surprise. They started looking high and low for talent that they could record.
Arguably the FIRST ROCK N' ROLL recording was "Rocket 88" by Jack Brenston and the Delta Cats in 1951.
"Rocket 88" by Jack Brenston and the Delta Cats in 1951
The first really big Rock n' Roll hit was "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets.
"Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets
Chuck Berry hit it big with a combination of Rockabilly, Country Western, and Rock. His best known piece was "Johnny B. Goode."
In this clip taken from the original "Back to the Future," Michael J. Fox plays "Johnny B. Goode" at his dad's senior prom. The band leader is allegedly the brother of Chuck Berry. He calls Chuck, -and in a sort of crazy circular "back-to-the-future" kind of way, the song that Chuck wrote becomes the inspiration for the song that Chuck wrote!!!
Michael J. Fox plays "Johnny B. Goode" in "Back to the Future"
Early Rock n' Roll must include a reference to Elvis Presley. The effect that Elvis had on the youth of America, especially the girls, cannot be overstated. He was the first "icon" of Rock n' Roll over whom girls swooned and went "bonkers." His music struck a chord in the American people, and his combination of Rock and Country drove him to the top of the charts. His physical gyrations earned him the nickname of "Elvis the Pelvis."
Elvis singing "Hound Dog" on the Milton Berle Show
Buddy Holly was one of the originals. His following is still strong. Unfortunately, he was killed in the crash of a small plane along with Richie Valens (Donna) and the "Big Bopper" (Chantilly Lace). This crash was later refered to as "the day the music died" in the song "Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie." Holly established the standard four-piece instrumentation of rock bands: Drums, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar. In the following video, only three pieces are used.
Buddy Holly & the Crickets sing "Peggy Sue"
Jerry Lee Lewis was a maniac on the piano. His version of "Great Balls of Fire" clearly showed mom and dad that the new music was definitely not from the Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman tradition. Although this clip is from a movie, the stunts he performed were very much like this!!
Movie Version of "Great Balls of Fire"
The Sixties: The Motown Sound, Surf Music, and Folk Music.
In 1962 a producer named Berry Gordy realized that the music of black American and white American had to merge. He created what became known as the "Motown Sound." He groomed the performing styles of black American singers and songwriters to appeal to white America. He controlled their performing styles, their clothing, and even their hairstyles to make them ready for mainstream (read "white") America. He hurt many of them financially, and much of the money they made went into his pockets
"You Can't Hurry Love" by the Supremes
The Temptations were one of the greatest Motown sounds around. Flashy orange suits, crisp choreography and very catchy soul music brought them to the top.
"Poppa Was a Rollin' Stone" by the Temptations
It was only a matter of time that the California scene made its presence felt. The whole world of surfing was mostly unknown to mainstream America, but groups like the Ventures and the Beach Boys brought the California sound to every home.
The Ventures perform "Wipe Out." Mostly instrumental.
The Beach Boys were perhaps the most iconic group of the surfer genre. They had 36 top-40 hits, the most of any American group.
Beach Boys sing "I Get Around"
Folk Music
All during this time of the 50s and 60s the genre of "Folk Music" developed -- most of it in the urban environments of New York City and Boston. It started with Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie singing songs of gentle protest with a tinge of sarcasm. Their instrumentation was almost always acoustic guitar and string bass. Some groups that made a significant impact were The Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul, and Mary. Bob Dylan bridged the gap between Folk Music and Rock Music.Here Pete Seeger sings the humorous but socially critical attack on life in suburban America:
"Little Boxes" by Pete Seeger
Peter, Paul, and Mary (who appeared here at Chaminade in the early 60s just as their reputation started to soar) had their share of critical music. Folk Singers champion social causes affecting poverty, racism, and often war. The Vietnam war was a big target for them. This is very evident in their big hit "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" -- a slam against war in general.
"The Cruel War" by Peter, Paul, and Mary
"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" by Peter, Paul, and Mary
Anti-war causes were not the only ones championed by Folk Music. Bob Dylan mobilized many young people with "The Times, They Are A-changin'." This call to action includes lines like: ". . .Come senators, congressmen please heed the call. Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall. . ."
"The times, They Are A-Changin'" by Bob Dylan
A young Bob Dylan
The End of Rock n' Roll and the Emergence of Rock
The British Invasion
In 1964 The Beatles traveled to New York City to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. Thus started "Beatlemania." They started in the UK by Liverpool kids who had been attracted to the R & R scene of American music, but who developed their own sound. The Beatles were the most visible result of a social "war" between two somewhat "gang-like" groups: The Mods and The Rockers. The Beatles, though mostly Mod, also adapted to some of the Rocker style. These groups re-vitalized the pop music mainstream which was beginning to grow tired of solo Rock n' Roll artists like Fabian and Frankie Avalon. The Beatles were hugely popular -- at one point they had all top five hits on the Billboard Hot 100 List.The British Invasion killed all the US groups except for the Beach Boys, the Four Seasons, and the biggest of the Motown acts like the Supremes and the Temptations.
On the social scene, the Vietnam War and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. turned the direction of Rock into an angrier direction. In the black community, Soul Music was hugely popular because of the rise of black power as a result of the Civil Rights Movement.
The major groups of the British Invasion were (in addition to the Beatles) The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zepplin, and The Kinks.
The Beatles joined the rock and roll style of Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly to the artistry and sophistication of the "Tin Pan Alley" style.
The Rolling Stones joined aspects of Chicago Blues to their intense, forceful music.
As with early R & R, the record companies did not take immediately to the British Invasion, but the economics became too difficult to ignore, and the bigger companies jumped on board. The changes in the music wrought by the Brits prompted many American musicians to find their own stylings.
While the R & R of the late 50s relied upon the 12-bar blues and 32-bar song patterns, the Rock bands of the late 60's experimented with more flexible, open-ended forms.
"I Wanna Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles
"Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones
"Pinball Wizard" from the Who's rock opera, Tommy
"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zepplin
"You Really Got Me" by The Kinks
The Idea of a Concept Album
A concept album is a collection of songs loosely based around some kind of theme. Although there were concept albums before the time of the Beatles, they created the first "ROCK" concept album with their quirky album Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.Other "concept" albums were loosely based on the idea of shows or "operas." The "tribal rock musical" Hair and the rock opera Tommy were two other concept albums. Another early concept album by the Beach Boys was called Pet Sounds.
Title Track from Sgt. Pepper
Psychedelic Rock
Sometimes called "San Francisco Rock," Psychedelic Rock emerged around 1966 and was heavily influenced by the hallucinogenic drug, LSD. This drug when added to the music and embellished by crazy light and artwork placed a heavy emphasis on the spontaneity of the moment. Tie-dyed shirts became the fashion of the day.
A very different group! They invited you to record their music at concerts and even set up an area for this. They loved live shows and did not do very well with recorded music. This was the case because their music was all about capturing the feel of a moment -- not easily done in a studio. Their group and Jefferson Airplane were heavily involved in LSD. They just wanted to see what mind-altering drugs would do. It was given out free at concerts!
Taking the cue from jazz musicians, both the Dead and Jefferson Airplane experimented with very long, improvised stretches of music called jams.
Some of these groups signed very profitable contracts with record producers: Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Santana, and Jimi Hendrix. Unfortunately, the drugs killed all or most of them. The most notable "sudden" overdoses were Joplin and Hendrix. Garcia died relatively early (mid-90s) after years of drug abuse.
The Grateful Dead play "Truckin'"
The music scene in Los Angeles was also intense. Groups like Jim Morrison's The Doors and Frank Zappas's Mothers of Invention also revealed a strong improvisational jazz element in their music.
The Doors "Come on Baby Light My Fire"
Frank Zappa called his 1968 album We're Only In It For the Money.
Mothers of Invention "Absolutely Free"
Pop Festivals
One of the earliest music "festivals" happened in Monterey, California in 1967. It relative success was the impetus behind two very well-known festivals, Woodstock, and Altamount.
Woodstock has been idealized as the apotheosis of the "hippie" movement. Everything was wonderful, can't we all get along, if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with. The operative word was, "Peace."
The festival drew hundreds of thousands of more people than the organizers expected. It was a remarkably peaceful happening, although there were two deaths (one drug overdose and one fall from a concert scaffold.) Tickets were sold for $18.95 (about $95 w/ today's inflation), but the place was so overrun that many people paid nothing. The music was great, and the sense of social harmony and the "bohemian" dress, behavior, and general attitude was happy. Much pot was smoked.
The concert didn't actually take place in the upstate town of Woodstock, New York, but rather at a nearby farm (Yasgur's Farm) in the town of Bethel, NY.
This next link is to a scene at Woodstock; you get a little idea of the size of the crowd. The song is all about taking drugs like psycheledic mushrooms.
Carlos Santana talks about his LSD experience there and how he would never do that again. The link has some fine footage of the size and attitude of the crowd. You can also sense the jazz element in Santana's music -- much improvisation.
Altamount (in California) tried to capitalize on the good vibe encountered at Woodstock. Unfortunately it did not work out as well. Although there was to be an all-star cast of musicians, (Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and the Rolling Stones as the final act), there was so much violence that not every group performed. There was one killing and several accidental deaths..
The Grateful Dead tried to get the motorcycle gang, Hells Angels to help direct people around -- their asking price was free beer. The bikers got rather drunk and things got way out of hand. The one homicide took place while the Stones were playing "Sympathy for the Devil."
Much of this violence was captured in the live film footage shot for the documentary of the festival, Gimme Shelter.
Rock from 1970 to the Present
Rise of "Superstars"
Lead performers in groups began to take precedence over any groups in which they performed. Some groups dominated the music scene as well.
Important Groups & Individuals:
Rolling Stones (Mic Jagger), Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Chicago, Stevie Wonder, Elton John.
These artists and groups were responsible for a huge number of financially successful albums. They drove the music industry to greater financial success as well as power and influence on the social scene.
Heavy Metal
Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Aerosmith all made their mark by featuring aggressive, guitar-heavy songs.
Black Sabbath plays "War Pigs"
Black Sabbath plays "War Pigs"
Art Rock (sometimes called Glam Rock)
This was represented bands like Emerson, Lake, and Palmer and artists like David Bowie and Marc Bolan. These groups made their appearance to be significant. It might take the form of huge, complicated stage set-ups (ELP) or the form of heavy make-up and sequined costumes. (KISS). Often the artists presented themselves as "sexually androgynous." (meaning: they looked neither like boys or girls).
ELP and "Pictures at an Exhibition"
ELP and "Pictures at an Exhibition"
Disco
The most popular dance music of the '70s was Disco. It started in the NYC gay subculture, but rapidly spread because of the infectious dance possibilities. It drew upon black popular music but by adding a steady bass drum beat on each of the four beats. Rockers and lovers of heavy metal generally despised disco, but its impact, especially after the release of Saturday Night Fever in 1977, was real and financially rewarding. The Bee Gees was perhaps the most famous disco group, but there were plenty of other performers as well (for example, Donna Summer).
Funk
This is a variant of soul music with a strong rock influence. Kool and the Gang were a very famous funk band. George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic was quite popular. "Funk" originally meant anti-establishment, brungy, not well-groomed or clean, and (to a degree) anti-white. Rap later took up where Funk left off.
Punk Rock
Starting in 1976 in London but rapidly moving to NYC, Punk Rock was a reaction to the commercialism and pretentiousness of Art Rock. It was also a style of dress. London punk rockers were the Sex Pistols (Johnny Rotten & Sid Vicious), the Clash, and the Police (Sting). In NYC the primary Punk Rockers were the Ramones, Blondie, the Talking Heads, and vocalist Pattie Smith.
As a typical example of the punk rock way-of-life, the Sex Pistols were outspoken against the British class system and how the working classes were kept down. With their iconoclastic spiked hair, ripped clothes and safety pins, they were copied world-wide. Their lyrics were deliberately provocative and anti-authoritarian. The lyrics in this link refer to being the anti-Christ and an anarchist -- as well as generally destroying things!
Reggae
In the mid-70's, Kingston, Jamaica was home to a bunch of shantytown musicians. It's music has a strong emphasis on the 2nd and 4th beats. Its lyrics were sometimes focused on political protest and the Rastafarian religion, especially its "worship" involving "ganga" or pot. It was a fusion of Jamaican folk music and rhythm and blues. Its superstar was Bob Marley who by his death had become one of the most popular musicians in the world.
The MTV Generation
Technical advances in the '80s, especially the advent of digital video and audio recording provided the push necessary to add video to the normal audio that people listened to. The first MTV video was somewhat prophetic: Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles.
When Michael Jackson produced Thriller, this 1982 album became the biggest selling album in history. It started a trend in which record companies relied upon a few massive hits to generate profits. Linking the video to the music became vital for aspiring musicians.
"Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles
"Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles
Other "charismatic" performers of the '80s:
Bruce Springsteen -- appeal came from image as a "working class" guy.
Prince -- His songs topped BOTH the pop and R&B charts.
Prince struts his stuff
Prince struts his stuff
Madonna -- She has become symbolic of female sexual liberation. Her concerts are mega-productions.
Heavy Metal
This was the biggest selling genre of rock music in the 1980s. Its original audience was "white male, working class" listeners; but gradually it expanded to include more middle class fans, both male and female. By the end of the decade, heavy metal bands accounted for as much as forty percent of all music recordings sold in the USA.
Its roots were blues rock and psychedelic rock. The overall sound was huge and dense. Tons of distortion amplified to the extreme, very long guitar solos, heavy emphasis on beats, and just general loudness were its main characteristics. The lyrics were all macho male lyrics.
Tracing its roots to blues rock and psychedelic rock, metal groups depended upon a thick, loud, massive sound with lots of highly amplified distortion. Long guitar solos with very strong beats also was part of the mix. Both the lyrics and the way they strut around on stage gave off a feel of extreme masculinity and macho.
Anthrax with Public Enemy do "Bring the Noise"
Metallica does "Creeping Death"
Anthrax with Public Enemy do "Bring the Noise"
Metallica does "Creeping Death"
Alternative Rock
This developed in reaction to the conformity and commercialism of the music industry. Heavy marketing and the whole video production side of music was rejected. Big labels were rejected and numbers of small, independent music labels began to publish these groups.
They wanted to pursue subject matter that was taboo (forbidden) like drug use, depression, incest, suicide. They also pursued socially current topics like AIDS, the "green" revolution, and abortion rights.
Notable groups were R.E.M., the Replacements, Husker Du, and the Pixies. Their fame derived from air play on college radio stations and word of mouth.
Not selling out to commercialism was not easy! The one-hit wonder band Chumbawumba eventually signed with the huge recording label BMI after they had previously attacked BMI's commercialism.
Worldbeat: A Blend of Ethnic Music and Rock
Anticipated by Reggae in the 70's, worldbeat music (also called ethnopop) emerged in the early 80s. The first successful album in this genre was called Juju Music produced by Nigerian musician King Sunny Ade. His music blended traditional African drums with electric guitars and synthesizers. It helped to stimulate an interest in non-Western music in the USA and UK. He paved the way for artists such as Youssou N'Dour from Senegal, Ofra Haza from Israel, and perhaps one of the best known groups (because of their association with Paul Simon in the album Graceland), Ladysmith Black Mambazo from South Africa.
Rap
What is it?
Talking in rhyme to the rhythm of a beat.
Where is it found?
In the Hip Hop culture, a way of life for lovers of Rap, Graffiti, and Breakdancing.
Some folks see Rap as more of a fad than an art form. It is inextricably woven into the Hip Hop culture that started in the Bronx. The Bronx was a middle class, multi-racial neighborhood until Robert Moses changed it forever by building the Cross Bronx Expressway. It killed neighborhoods, and the middle class moved out and were replaced by poor folks, and all the drugs, crime, and unemployment that came with them.
Building owner didn't live in their buildings but rather employed "slumlords" who didn't care about the buildings they maintained. Gang life flourished, and graffiti became the marker for various gang territories. "
Although Rap got its prominence in the Bronx, it actually got its roots from Jamaica. Toasting was a practice developed at Jamaican blues dances. The DJ would talk over the music as it played. Jamaicans liked to dance to R & B, but they had no R & B bands. This music, therefore, had to be played by a DJ over huge sound systems. This practice started to create "teams" of DJs, roadies, engineers, and bouncers -- the operation became a huge, mobile discotheque.
DJs started to "battle" one another in competitions. Reputation was earned based upon who had the loudest sound system, the best mix of records, and the best toasting. The crowds would get so caught up in this that the dancing turned frenzied. One particulary notable DJ, Duke Reid, would bring the crowd under control by firing his shotgun in the air!
These "toasters" would begin by using simple phrases to encourage the dancers: "Work it, Work it" and "Move it up." As "toasting" became more popular, the toasts increased in length
Although Rap got its prominence in the Bronx, it actually got its roots from Jamaica. Toasting was a practice developed at Jamaican blues dances. The DJ would talk over the music as it played. Jamaicans liked to dance to R & B, but they had no R & B bands. This music, therefore, had to be played by a DJ over huge sound systems. This practice started to create "teams" of DJs, roadies, engineers, and bouncers -- the operation became a huge, mobile discotheque.
DJs started to "battle" one another in competitions. Reputation was earned based upon who had the loudest sound system, the best mix of records, and the best toasting. The crowds would get so caught up in this that the dancing turned frenzied. One particulary notable DJ, Duke Reid, would bring the crowd under control by firing his shotgun in the air!
These "toasters" would begin by using simple phrases to encourage the dancers: "Work it, Work it" and "Move it up." As "toasting" became more popular, the toasts increased in length
Another technique at work was "dubbing." The engineers would cut back and forth -- in rhythm -- between the vocal and instrumental tracks while they adjusted bass and treble.
The four areas that Jamaican "toasting" and American "rap" have in common:
1) They use pre-recorded music
2) They rely on a strong beat which they either rapped or toasted.
3) The rapper or toaster spoke their lines in time with the rhythm of the record
4) The content of raps and toasts was similar in nature: boast raps, insult raps, news raps, message raps, nonsense raps, and party raps.
A young Jamaican immigrated to the Bronx in 1967. His real name was Clive Campbell, but he got the nickname Hercules because he lifted weights in high school. He hated the name and shortened it to Herc. As a graffiti writer, he became Kool Herc. He started to DJ in '73 once he could afford a big sound system. Kool Herc was the first DJ that "toasted" in the Bronx -- this is the start of Rap.
He wouldn't play an entire song. He'd find the part in a song that was pure rhythm -- called the "break" in a song. He'd buy two recording and play them on two turntables constantly repeating and reemphasizing the breaks. The constant rhythm that resulted became know as "break beats."
This is also the origin of "break dancing," or dancing to the music of re-iterated break beats.
Scratching developed from a DJ named Theodor. It is the fast spinning of records back and forth while the needle was in the groove. It produced a scratching sound that actually became its own percussion instrument!
A DJ named Grandmaster Flash perfected the art of "punch phrasing" which involved a DJ hitting a break on one recording while the other recording was still playing. It accentuates the beat. He also introduced the "beat box" which is an electronic drum machine. Human beat boxers got their start as well. They produced percussing sounds using their mouth, lips and throats.
Afrika Bambaataa is a DJ who ran a sound system at the Bronx River Community Center. He became an ambassador and spokesperson for the Hip-Hop culture. He wanted to replace gang rumbles and drugs with rap, dance, and the Hip Hop style.
He didn't entirely succeed. The best selling record of 1991 was "Niggaz4life," a celebration of gang rape and other violence produced by the group N.W.A. (Niggers With Attitude). Unfortunately, the "objectivization" of women -- treating them as property and sexual objects -- is glorified by some rappers. Likewise, some rappers have made violent rejection of authority as almost a gospel.
One study confirmed that the more that rappers were packaged as violent black criminals, the bigger the white audience became. We can only suppose that an attraction exists for something that is taboo or forbidden.
Russel Simmons, the black entrepreneur who runs Def Jam Records maintains that "Rappers Delight" was not really popular in the streets; it was produced to sell records to whites.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five produce the first political rap in 1982 with "The Message" -- all about life in the ghetto. He earned his name from his speed on the turntables.
A Paradox regarding some mainstream rap
Run-D.M.C. was the first black rap broup to break through to a mass white audience. When they collaborated with Aerosmith on the sont "Walk This Way," they created a following among wihte, suburban, middle-class rock fans. The artists dressed as if they came from the streets, but in reality they were all from middle class families -- they never led a "hard" life deprived of everything.
The biggest rap label, Def Jam Records, is in fact a group that was founded by a white Jewish punk rocker named Rick Rubin. Even the most militant of the Rap groups, Public Enemy, grew up in suburban Long Island towns with successful middle-class professional parents!! Who woulda' thunk it!
Some rap created a bridge between the races. MC Hammer as well as the Beastie Boys achieved multi-platinum record sales with broad, interracial audiences. This went well with the MTV generaltion. This honeymoon, however, was not to last.
When Gansta rap took off and rap was no long "fun," MTV jumped off the "rap ship." Rap had split into two streams.
The first was hard-core political commentary an an in-your-face type of "gangsta" act. Gansta Rap also became known as Crime Rap, and it was especially popular on the West coast -- far from the NYC origins in the Bronx. The biggest exponents of this "negative" rap music were artists like Ice-T and Niggaz With Attitude.
The Second was a positive attempt to adapt rap as a way for the world's youth to express themselves. This was not just in English. France had MC Solaar, Germany had Rammstein, Finland had Bomfunk MCs, Japan had Muro, and the Czech Republic had Chaozz. There is even a young Marianist brother in Spain who has become a minor star with a professionally produced rap about Father Chaminade!
A Spanish Marianist produces a Fr. Chaminade Rap!!!
A Spanish Marianist produces a Fr. Chaminade Rap!!!
Many rap videos use certain formulas. The video usually takes place in "the hood" with lots of cars and low angle video shots. Plenty of "bling" is also evident.
Because Gansta Rap features excessive adulation of violence and mysogyny (hatred & debasement of women), YouTube videos of this sub-genre will not be featured in this blog.
Technology sub-point
The commercial production of sampling technology made a huge difference in rap. Essentially, a sampler is a recording device that can both record and digitally edit either live sound or recorded sound. Rappers began to "sample" parts of other artists' recordings and then include them in their "remixes." A "remix" is a re-recording of something that already exists -- but with editing desired by the remix artist. The problem? Artists were upset that lesser musicians were using bits and pieces of their famous songs -- and they were making money from it!
Consequence: Although sampling technology is OK to use to reproduce your own sounds, you may not sample another artist's work unless you first get permission to do it, and second, pay them for the right to do so!
Women in Rap
Male record producers didn't want to tamper with a financially successful formula. Rap music debasing women made money. The "macho" rapper was monetarily well-off.
Additionally, producers didn't feel that women's voices had the necessary harshness that was a part of the whole rap scene.
Salt'N'Pepa proved them wrong. Their debut album Hot, Col & Vicious sold over a million copies. They were the first successful female rappers. Why? They made good music, people liked what they heard, and more women were buying records than previously. Additionally, some more insightful guys wanted to hear the woman's point of view.
Here are some of the female rappers and there themes:
Salt'N'Pepa -- independence from men and sexual responsibility
Queen Latifah -- women's pride in themselves and a generally optimistic view of women
BWP (Bytches with Problems) -- vengeful black feminism date rape, male egos, and brutal cops
Yo-Yo -- a forceful attach on misogyny.
Current Scene
Rappers don't usually have big tours. This is because of some of the bad images that can go along with it. A number of deaths have occurred, and producers don't want to take chances with "accidents" and insurance liability.
The deaths of Tupac and Biggie Smalls cast a pall over the rap industry that is still present. Many people hate rap because of this violence, but it is a reflection of the neighborhoods where it all started. Along with the violence is massive passion.
Eminem brought rap into the mainstream with the movie 8 Mile. The track "Lose Yourself" was the most significant rap song in 2003. He also won a grammy for the best rap solo with "The Real Slim Shady."
Techno
Techno is electronic music with only one person performing. Also known simply as electronic dance music, Techno became the music of choice when the idea of a rave exploded. Raves are frenzied wild parties featuring electronic music, light shows with lasers.
One of the biggest techno musicians is Moby and his multi-platinum album, Play. In some cases, the drug ecstacy was used quite often in these raves.
Alternative Rock Grows Stronger
A whole collection of radically diverse bands have been competing with each other over the past two decades. How diverse are they? R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, and the ever popular Dave Matthews Band are among the most well-known groups. Several sub-genre's have formed, most notably Grunge Rock which was based in Seattle, Washington and included Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam.
Of all these groups, Nirvana was arguably the most responsible for the commercial breakthrough of alternative rock in the 1990s. It's leader, Kurt Cobain, committed suicide in a dramatic fashion by shooting himself in the face. This suicide actually increased the following of the band's music, although quite obviously, they had produced their last album!
His death was partly attributed to the pressures faced by alternative rock musicians. They dislike the commercialism of the music scene, but then because of their success, they become major partners in the commercial endeavor. Perhaps Cobain just couldn't face the accusations that he was "selling out."
Technology has an even GREATER impact on Music
Musicians were once absolutely chained to big recording companies, and these companies still exist and are doing fine. But the development of low-cost digital recording technology has allowed musicians to make professional sounding recording in their homes. (There is even an Apple Digital Recording Program called appropriately, "Garage Band.")
Even the use of the CD is on the decline because of live streaming of music over wi-fi and other computer technologies. The growth of internet streaming services such as mp3.com, Napster, and Limewire has produced some troublesome issues for both artists and the recording industry. The distribution of music has become so easy, that artists and producers feel they are being cheated of the money that is rightfully theirs. Copyright litigation is at an all time high. But the good side of all this is that musicians who AREN'T well known can get their creative efforts out to the public with much greater ease.
One of the most important technical devices that helped achieve this explosion of available music is known generically as the mp3 player. The most famous brand of mp3 player is Apple's iPod. Even the iPod is beginning to take a back seat to a device that can do almost anything -- the SMARTPHONE. On mp3 players and smartphones a consumer can store hundreds and thousands of hours of music and have it all in his pocket.
The iPod was released on October 23rd, 2001. An iPod with a 30GB storage capacity can hold about 30,000 songs, many more than many of us have even heard!
YouTube (which can be viewed from a smart phone!) started in May of 2005. By July of 2006, slightly more than one year later, over 100 million clips of music were being viewed EVERY DAY!
The Music Business -- What Would Bach Think?
Rock music in the 21st century is increasingly influenced by the global marketplace and big business. There are essentiall only three big music companies.
NBC Universal
This group sells more music than any of the others -- 25.5% of the market in 2005. The record labels that this group holds are as follows: Geffen, Interscope, Island, Motown, and Universal. This company was worth $6.1 BILLION dollars in 2008.
Its key artists are Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, Gwen Stefani, and Kanye West.
SONY Music Entertainment
Originally known a Sony BMG Music Entertainment, It became simply SONY after they bought out BMG. This group is based in NYC and accounts for about 21.5% of the market in 2005. Their 2008 revenue was $3 billion. Their well known labels are Arista, COlumbia, Epic, J, Jive, and RCA.
Its key artists are Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Outkast, Shakira, and Britney Spears.
Warner Music Group
These guys sell about 11.3% of the market share in 2005. THeir major labels are Asylum, Atlantic, Lava, Reprise, Rhino, and Warner Bros. They are also based in NYC, and their 2008 revenue was $3.3 Billion.
Its key artists are Green Day, Madonna, Alanis Morissette, My Chemical Romance, and Rob Thomas.
Conclusion and Generalizations
1) Rock has moved from the margins of American youth in the early 50s to become the center of a multi-billion-dollar international global industry.
2) Because of its connection to a youth culture with significant spendable income, it has helped establish new fashions, forms of language, attitudes, and even (and some would say most importantly) political views.
3) It is no longer a "teenage" phenomenon, because many of those who were teens in the 50s are now the aging baby-boomers who themselves are starting to hit 70 years of age!
4) Despite an increasing number of creative expressions, even the current generations of musicians today attribute much of their inspiration to artists like Chuck Berry, Elvis, Dylan, the Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix.
5) Rock lives in a tension between the freedom of the rebellious rock musician and the steel wills of the corporate music business. If you are a "half-empty" type of person, you may feel that Rock has become little more than just another mass-produced commodity.
6) This tension between individuality and commercialism is reflected in fan distaste for musicians who sell out their musical values in order to secure multi-million-dollar recording contracts. Rock is a constant battle between music and commercialism, yet in this tension it continues to play a central role in the popular culture of the world.
Two pictures -- perhaps a indicator of the tension mentioned above.
Two pictures -- perhaps a indicator of the tension mentioned above.
