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181 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Major labels in the early 70s
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Columbia/CBS
Warner Communications RCA-Victor Capitol-EMI MCA United Artists-MGM |
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Bands in group 'Blues based British Rock'
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Led Zeppelin
Deep Purple Black Sabbath |
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American Blues Rock
and Southern Rock |
The Allman Brothers
Lynyrd Skynyrd Charlie Daniels Band Santana ZZ Top |
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North American Blues Based Groups
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Steppenwolf
Grand Funk Railroad Doobie Brothers Aerosmith |
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Hippie Aesthetic can then be described as: 1
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A focus on musical and technological craft, combined with a distinctly artistic approach to music-making
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Hippie Aesthetic can then be described as: 2
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o The rock artist has a responsibility to produce sophisticated music using whatever means are at his disposal
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Hippie Aesthetic can then be described as: 3
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o Music could stand up to repeated listenings and lyrics should deal with important issues or themes
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Hippie Aesthetic can then be described as: 4
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o Musical prowess is important – musical virtuosity and improvisatory skills were highly valued – the rock artist as a serious musician
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Prog Rock
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o The idea of the theme/concept album
o Placed a lot of attention on the album cover artwork o Lyrics tended towards philosophical ideals o Extended the idea that music should provide a trip (hippie aesthetic) |
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Prog Rock Bands
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The Who
King Crimson Emerson, Lake, and Palmer Jethro Tull Yes Genesis Pink Floyd |
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Jazz Rock
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o A style of rock that combined the horn (trumpets/trombones) and woodwind sections (saxophone) of swing dance music with a rock rhythm section and rock beat
o It almost always uses vocals – an element more essential to rock than to jazz o It would frequently take fairly conventional rock forms and simply enhance them with horn sections that played jazzy improvisations o Generally, members of jazz-rock groups have some kind of academic musical background |
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Jazz Rock Bands
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Frank Zappa
Steely Dan Blood, Sweat, and Tears Chicago |
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Glam Rock and Rock Theatre
Differences! from prior music |
o Rock of the 60s stressed folk and psychedelic singers’ pleas for humanitarian causes; glitter performers of the 70s portrayed themselves as self-indulgent stars who reveled in being the center of attention
o Most bands of the 60s had 4 or 5 member – focus was spread equally between vocals and instruments; glitter shows were giant extravaganzas – more emphasis was placed on the sets than the musicians o Rather than correcting any social wrongs, glitter rock leans more towards entertainment and shock value |
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Glam Rock and Rock Theatre
Similarities! to prior music |
o Sexual freedom had always been a part of 60s rock – glitter took that one step further as the stars flaunted androgynous images, embraced bisexuality and made liberal use of make-up
o Both the 60s counterculture and 70s glitter rock are social statements against the establishment |
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Glam Rock and Rock Theatre
Musicians |
Alice Cooper
KISS David Bowie |
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Country Rock
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o Songs reflected the values and situations of every day people and situations
o Lyrics were direct and easily understood o Music is simple and easy to remember and learn |
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Country Rock Artists
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The Band
CCR The Eagles |
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Blaxploitation
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Blaxploitation is a film genre that emerged in the U.S. in the early 70s
These were films that targeted the urban African American audience and starred primarily black actors – they were the first films to feature soundtracks of funk and soul music |
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Blaxploitation again
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Although criticized by civil rights groups for their use of stereotypes, they addressed the great and newfound demand for Afrocentric entertainment
The genre officially began in 1971 with the release of Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song, written, directed, produced and funded by Melvin Van Peebles, an African American This, then remained the premise of early blaxploitation films – movies by, for and about black people This film’s success spurred the movie industry into action, and soon several films featuring strong, aggressive main characters in tough urban situations began to surface |
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Blaxploitation artists
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Isaac Hayes
Curtis Mayfield |
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Isaac Hayes
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Perhaps the most famous blaxploitation film was Shaft featuring black detective John Shaft, a character comparable to James Bond or Dirty Harry
Isaac Hayes was one of the main creative forces behind Stax Records – also known as a film score composer for motion pictures After enjoying considerable success on the R&B charts, Hayes crossed over to the pop charts with The Theme From Shaft This included the pervasive wah-wah guitar sound that came to be so associated with black pop |
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Curtis Mayfield
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Curtis Mayfield had deep roots in 60s rhythm and blues
As a solo artist in the 70s, he was instrumental in pioneering funk and helped introduce the hard-hitting urban commentary into soul music He left the Impressions in 1970 to pursue a solo career – his first few singles boasted a harder, more funk-driven sound He didn’t hit his artistic or commercial stride as a solo artist until his soundtrack to the 1972 blaxploitation film Superfly hit the charts The song is characterized by Mayfield’s falsetto vocals, an uplifting melody that belies the seriousness of the lyric and a fabulous funk pop arrangement that gave the work a graceful strength |
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Funk artists
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Parliament/Funkadelic
Average White Band |
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Parliament/Funkadelic
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Inspired by Motown’s assembly line of sound, George Clinton gradually put together a collective of 50 musicians and recorded the ensemble during the 70s
They recorded under two names: Funkadelic, which pursued a more psychedelic rock style; and Parliament, who engaged in a funk free-for-all, blending influences of James Brown and Sly Stone with freaky costumes and themes inspired by 60s acid culture and science fiction Besides hitting the R&B Top Ten several times, Parliament excelled in two areas: o Large-selling, effective album statements o The most dazzling, extravagant live show in the business Clinton invokes Glam Rock with his breakthrough 1975 concept album Mothership Connection, featuring the crossover hit Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk) Characteristic of Clinton’s style, the song is catchy and very sing-able – rather than featuring a lead singer, the melody is presented in chorus style Due to the backlash against the Disco Era, and because it was felt that his music had, in part, spawned the sound of disco, George Clinton and his bands fell into disfavor |
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Average White Band
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This group is one of the few white bands to cross the color line and achieve success and credibility playing funk
Their tight, fiery sound belied their Scottish heritage, and brought in the influence of Detroit, Memphis and Philadelphia rhythm and blues Their eponymous second album (and first American album) hit #1 in the fall of 1974, topping the American pop charts with the instrumental Pick Up the Pieces The record’s mammoth success was somewhat tempered by the overdose of the band’s drummer in September of that year Though they scored several hits through the 70s, the band eventually dissolved in 1982 |
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Business of Rock
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Rock in the late 70s constituted a continuation and consolidation of earlier 70s rock styles into more of a marketing-based business
Radio, particularly FM radio became much more formatted – program directors and consultants chose the play lists “Corporate rock” arose out of this strict formatting – it was believed that some bands were creating music specifically for radio play, bowing to the corporation’s need for profit |
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The “Big Album”
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The growth of the rock-music business led to a focus away from up-and-coming bands that may introduce alternative styles to sure-fire hits and “big albums”
This was spurred on by the sales of Frampton Comes Alive, an album that sold millions of copies Large companies started buying up record labels and companies, hoping to score a “big album” The concert circuit changed and the trend moved towards large concerts in stadiums and sports arenas |
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Peter Frampton
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Frampton’s boyish good looks and long, curly blonde hair began a trend that culminated in the 80s “hair metal” bands
In 1976, he released the live double album Frampton Comes Alive – it topped the album charts, becoming a multi-million seller The song Show Me the Way featured Frampton’s trademark “Voxbox” guitar sound Frampton uses a “voice box” to route the electric guitar signal through a tube into his mouth where he can shape the guitar timbre into “words” |
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Big Album Artists
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Eagles
Peter Frampton Fleetwood Mac |
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Mainstream Rock 1975-1980
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Although the early 70s saw many competing and conflicting styles, mainstream rock in the later 70s showed a blending of styles
Rock, particularly “mainstream rock” moved towards a more unified style in which elements of earlier styles can be more easily detected Some attribute this change to the record companies and their strict control on the material being produced at the time – many considered this banal corporate rock Early 70s rock was seen as stylistic expansion – mid-late 70s rock was seen as stylistic consolidation Thus, late 70s rock continues and extends other styles, but also pulls together elements that had previously been used to distinguish between styles |
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Singer-Songwriters of the Early 70s
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Singer-songwriters are the antithesis of theater rock – singer/songwriters delve into their own feelings for their inspiration whereas theater rockers play characters, masking their true identity and emotions
This genre opened the door for many female artists, allowing women to sing in their own voice Also encouraged men to try on a persona different from the hard rocking alter-ego to which most male performers were tied |
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More about
Singer-Songwriters |
This genre is defined as people who sing and perform songs they have written themselves – the style of the music changes with each artist
The lyric focus moved away from political and societal ideals to a more intimate and personal point of view The musical focus resided in the vocals and the lyrics – instrumentation fell to the background of the texture Singer/songwriters wrote and sang songs about the emotional traumas of divorce, lost love and loneliness in a plaintive, confessional manner that finds its roots in the 60s folk-rock movement |
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Carole King
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Carole King began her career as a songwriter for Aldon Music in the Brill Building with her writing partner/husband Gerry Goffin
In 1971, she released her blockbuster album Tapestry – it stayed at #1 for 15 weeks, remained charted in the Top 40 for 68 weeks and stayed on the Top 100 chart for 302 weeks King’s style was one that emphasized simple piano accompaniments and a pop/soft rock musical style The song It’s Too Late, a minor-keyed song about a relationship break-up, proved to be a huge hit It is characterized by a piano/guitar riff that introduce the song and then provide the fills between vocal entrances |
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Jim Croce
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Jim Croce had a penchant for writing upbeat, catchy story songs and sad, empathetic ballads
Croce signed with ABC Records – he employed strong studio musicians and great production on his next album, 1972’s You Don’t Mess Around with Jim The song that cements Croce’s place in the singer/songwriter arena was one of his slower ballads It features a sparse texture so that the words are clear and seems eerily precognizant with its lyrics |
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Some Singer-Songwriters of early 70s
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James Taylor
Carole King Paul Simon Jim Croce Elton John Joni Mitchell Neil Young Gordon Lightfoot Cat Stevens |
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Black Rock of the 70s
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Like most of r’n’r, black musical styles experienced a splintering effect in the 70s
One style that enjoyed a lot of success was funk, a very distinctive style that used polyrhythms, syncopated bass lines, short vocal phrases and a lot of repetition Black pop of the 70s developed out of 60s music – styles developed by Motown and Stax and the San Francisco psychedelia are expounded upon in the new decade |
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Sly and the Family Stone
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While the name of this band does reflect its forming by the Stewart brothers, it also referred to the group’s inclusion of black and white members
They employed female instrumentalists, virtually unheard of at this time The interracial, family-of-human-beings image made an important statement in support of the Civil Rights Movement The recording that had the greatest influence on the development of funk music was the 1971 non-LP single Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) The song uses fuzz tone guitar and polyrhyhms set over minimal chord changes The lyrics refer to street fights, violence and the efforts on the part of the singer to avoid those problems and “be himself” through family unity and music |
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War
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One of the most popular funk groups of the 70s, War had a very eclectic sound, freely melding soul, Latin, blues, Reggae and rock influences
Though initially formed in 1962, it wasn’t until Eric Burdon (of the Animals) took charge of the group that they started experiencing success Their first album Eric Burden Declares War managed to hit #18 on the charts and contained the #3 single Spill the Wine Burden left soon after, but War carried on, following up this album with 1973’s The World is a Ghetto This contained two smash hits, one of them being Cisco Kid, a song that brought them a huge Latino following |
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Earth, Wind and Fire (EWF)
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EWF created a funk style with great commercial appeal
They came up with a unique funk sound by adding Latin rhythms and a gentle group vocal sound to the mix, giving the music an almost ethereal feel Their first #1 album came out in 1975 – That’s The Way of the World was a movie soundtrack and provided them with their first #1 single Shining Star |
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The Commodores
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The Commodores signed a contract with Motown in 1971
Their early recordings were in a funk-influenced rhythm and blues style much influenced by James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone A good example of their earlier funk-based style can be seen in their tune Brick House, released on their eponymous 1973 album |
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Motown
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In the 60s, Motown’s music was very formulaic – music was meant to appeal to a wide audience; to be crossover material
Whereas Gordy tried to bleed some of the black R&B out of the music, now Motown was characterized by more aggressive, groove-oriented music that embraced black styles Like any other genre, Motown artists diversify and begin to incorporate many different styles of rock |
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More Motown
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When Motown moved to Los Angeles in 1971, this diversity becomes even more apparent
Some artists show a move towards the concept album, producing a much more complex style of music The music becomes more “Afro-centric” – geared towards a black audience However, shows its diversity in that it signs white acts and produces “bubble-gum” rock geared towards the pre-teen/teenage demographic |
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The Temptations
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In the early 60s, the Temptations boasted a lineup of singers whose individual talents and impeccable ensemble work has rarely been equaled
The band’s sound changed significantly, moving towards a more funk-based sound influenced by Sly and the Family Stone rock-based jams and Marvin Gaye’s exploration of concept material The single Papa Was a Rolling Stone is an evocative combination of styles that create a menacing atmosphere suited to the song’s lyrics of problems within black urban areas |
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Motown artists
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The Temptations
Marvin Gaye Stevie Wonder The Jackson 5 Rare Earth |
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Marvin Gaye
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Second of three children born to the Reverend Martin Gay Sr., an ordained minister in the House of God
Began singing in church at the age of 3 and soon became a soloist – music became his escape from an abusive home life He caught the attention of Berry Gordy and was signed to Motown in 1961 After marrying Gordy’s sister, he embarked on a solo career that didn’t take off until he hit the charts with 1963’s Pride and Joy From 1964 through 1967, he established himself as one of the era’s top duet singers, scoring hits with Mary Well, Kim Weston and, most successfully, Tammi Terrell After this, Marvin he maintained a successful solo career, and released his greatest hit I Heard It Through the Grapevine After this, Gaye was left feeling somewhat dissatisfied with Motown’s output, which he deemed “irrelevant” |
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More Marvin Gaye
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He spent most of 1970 in seclusion, emerging with the self-produced What’s Going On, a conceptual masterpiece that brought Marvin’s spiritual beliefs to the fore and explored a great number of social and political issues
Much like Sly Stone, Marvin was confronting the issues of urban black life – but in a much more laidback and soothing manner He introduced the concept album to black music and produced a musical trip, much like Prog Rockers do After many arguments, Gay Sr. shot Marvin to death on April 1, 1984 His death led to the inevitable release of compilations albums, but also spurred a critical re-evaluation of What’s Going On, which is now considered to be one of the landmark albums in pop history |
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Stevie Wonder
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Wonder combined the funk and dance grooves of Sly and the Family Stone with Marvin Gaye’s new sense of musical ambition to create a well-crafted slick production
He put out a number of albums that are based upon concept albums – the sum of all the tracks is at least as important as any one track On his 1973 album Innervisions, Wonder expressed some of his more political and social views Due to his increased freedom from Motown and Gordy, Wonder was able to delve into lyrical material that was normally shunned by the feel-good style generally produced by Motown artists The song Living for the City deals with the misfortunes that befall a young black man as he ventures from his poor country home into the city Rather than finding blame in any one section of society, Wonder’s lyrics indicted them all |
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The Jackson 5
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When Stevie Wonder outgrew the child star image, Gordy went looking for another act to take on that role
He found the all-sibling group The Jackson Five led by Michael Jackson with his four older brothers Joseph, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon They signed with Motown Records in 1970 and were an immediate sensation, scoring four #1 hits that year The most popular of these was the song ABC, dealing with teen love |
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The Philadelphia Sound Artists
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The O'Jays
Mother Father Sister Brother (MFSB) The Spinners |
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The Philadelphia Sound
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In the late 50s, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller developed the idea of the independent record producer, moving away from the corporate control of larger companies
In the mid-60s, producer-songwriters Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff formed Philadelphia International Records (PIR), writing songs and producing records for the rhythm and blues market Their approach became known as The Philadelphia Sound and was characterized by songs that featured lush orchestration and close vocal harmonies |
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The O'Jays
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The O’Jays were one of Philadelphia soul’s most popular and long-lived outfits, rivaled only by The Spinners as soul’s greatest vocal group of the 70s
They went through the names The Triumphs and The Mascots before deciding to honor disc jockey Eddie O’Jay by taking his last name for the band Paired with Gamble and Huff, the O’Jays took the soul world by storm with their single Back Stabbers This is a representative example of the Philadelphia sound – smooth, rich harmonies backed by elaborate arrangements, lush strings and a touch of contemporary funk |
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Mother Father Sister Brother (MFSB)
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Huff and Gamble hired a group of studio musicians known as MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother) who provided the trademark instrumental background for most of PIR’s vocal acts
In 1974, MFSB had their own major hit when they released TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) It captured the #1 position on the charts and became the theme song for the popular black-oriented music and dance TV show Soul Train |
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The Spinners
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The Spinners were the greatest soul group of the early 70s, creating a body of work that defined the lush, seductive sound of Philly soul
The signed with Motown in the mid-60s, but the label never gave the group much consideration Motown dropped the group in 1972 – they were picked up by Atlantic and began working with producer Thom Bell The combination of the group’s vocal harmonies, Wynne’s soaring falsetto and Bell’s meticulous production made the group the most popular soul group of the 70s A good example of their sound is their 1972 hit Could It Be I’m Falling in Love |
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More O'Jays
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The album of the same name also supplied the group with a #1 crossover hit in the guise of Love Train
This song is characterized by a “happy-go-lucky” groove and is probably one of the most widely know Gamble and Huff records Up-tempo dance tunes were often the mouthpiece for Gamble and Huff’s social concerns, as can be seen in the lyrics of the previous tune The O’Jays sustained widespread popularity through the disco age, but found their popularity slipping as the disco era waned |
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description of reggae music:
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o Used modern amplified instruments with Jamaican percussion instruments
o Bass players usually set up melodic patterns (riffs) that were repeated throughout the song – they were highly syncopated o The bass line was often emphasized by having the lead guitar parallel it in octaves o Rhythm guitar played more in “punctuations”, creating a very disjunct sound |
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More description of reggae music:
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o It employed a heavily accented backbeat, similar to R&B
o Its beat differed from R&B through the use of a syncopated bass and the influence of other Latin rhythms o Lyrics usually centered on the concerns of the poor and socially downtrodden people who played it o Lyrics also dealt with threats of revolution; calls for people to stand up for their rights; faith in their god, Jah |
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Some reggae artists
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Bob Marley and the Wailers
Peter Tosh |
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PUNK
not Disco |
Music was dense, discordant and defiant
Mostly three chord songs that could be hammered out by any garage band that could get a guitar Danced in a pit – closer to tag-team wrestling – often referred to as “pogo” dancing Punk aimed to bleed the black influences from the music, leaving only noise and texture |
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More PUNK
not Disco |
Clothing entailed black leather bondage gear, ripped T-shirts and jeans held together by safety pins
Barely made a blip on the sales charts Conceived politically, but the conflict between its flirtation with Nazi imagery led to mixed results in its ability to pull people together By the end of the 70s, punk had imploded, but would be born again in the 80s as “New Wave” Market was geared towards angry, white teenagers and young adults, mostly male |
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DISCO
not Punk |
Music was smooth, sleek and sensual
Songs depended on technological sophistication and studio production Dancers aspired to the controlled energy of gymnast or the precision of group choreography Proudly took its place among black dance music styles Clothing entailed polyester leisure suits for men; women wore dresses that allowed for movement and dancing |
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more DISCO
not Punk |
Spawned its own multi-billion industry
Brought people together despite race, class or sexual preference – was apolitical By the end of the 70s, disco would swamp the market, only to collapse shortly thereafter Market was geared towards blacks, women, homosexuals – just about anybody |
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Similarities
PUNK and DISCO |
o Both were initially shunned from radio and were forced to develop their own counter-cultural networks
o Both were seen as contributing significantly to the destruction of Western Civilization: Punk because of its nihilism (negative doctrine – the total rejection of current beliefs in religion or morals) Disco because of its decadence (sex and drugs) o Both encouraged active, even fanatical participation among their audiences o Both arose in reaction to the complacency of the music that preceded them and were anti-hippie aesthetic |
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Defining Disco
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discotheque
o Non-stop dancing – many DJs employed two turntables so they could move seamlessly from one song to the next o Intricate light shows to heighten the experience – the disco ball o Featured a DJ and records rather than live performance (this was more for economic reasons than anything else) o Dancers added their own pharmacological embellishments to heighten the experience – unlike the hallucinogens and downers used by heavy metal fans, the disco drugs of choice were cocaine and “poppers” (amyl and butyl nitrate) |
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Disco songs
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Rock the Boat : The Hues Corporation
That's the way (I like it): K.C. and the Sunshine Band The Hustle: Van McCoy |
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The Bee Gees
songs |
Stayin' Alive
Night Fever ...movie: Saturday Night Fever... |
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The Village People
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Roles and costumes were carefully selected – cowboy, biker, soldier, policeman Indian chief and construction worker
YMCA |
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Donna Summer
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Song: Love to Love You Baby (1976)
In 1979, she released the double LP Bad Girls – a good example of the driving, hi-hat tinged sound that is so characteristic of disco – it shows off the classic riff-driven feel of disco Song: Bad Girls (discussed on pp. 398-99 (pp. 392-393 1st Ed.) in your text) |
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ABBA
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ABBA’s roots go back to the early 1970s when the four joined together to enter the Eurovision Song Contest
Dancing Queen Take a Chance on Me |
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The Reaction Against Disco
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o Rockers were reacting to the fact that disco seemed to have originated in the gay community – however, this occurred long before disco had a national following
o Rockers felt that the only reason disco music existed was to facilitate meeting members of the opposite sex for one-night stands – rockers were offended by the blatant promiscuity – this is sheer hypocrisy, considering rock’s roots o The negative reactions held primarily by white fans was a result of racial misunderstanding – many white listeners equated disco with “black pop” – however, many black artists were just as vocal in their negative criticism of the style o Disco stood in direct opposition to the hippie aesthetic – disco was not about listening to the music, but rather, dancing to it; disco was not about the specific artist, but rather, about the beat |
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Punk Rock
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o As the ultimate rebellion against virtually all forms of post-60s rock and against society in general – the punk enthusiast’s point of view
o As the ultimate extension of the harder side of mainstream rock initiated by the Rolling Stones and the Kinks with a much sparser texture – the rock historian’s point of view o As a combination of them both – probably closest to the truth |
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Punk Rock
bands |
The Velvet Underground
The New York Dolls Patti Smith The Ramones Dead Kennedys (DK) |
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Rise of Punk in the U.K.
The rise of punk in the U.K. can be linked to a crushing socioeconomic recession – unemployment was high and youth anger manifested itself in punk music |
The Sex Pistols
The Clash |
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New Wave – American Style
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Blondie
Talking Heads The Cars Devo The B-52s |
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more New Wave
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The Police
Joe Jackson |
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New Wave and Hippie Aesthetics
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The “Hippie Aesthetic” was born with the release of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
While “New Wave” has definite ties to earlier r’n’r styles, they almost always predate Sgt. Pepper’s In a sense, New Wave paid tribute to a more simple, innocent time in rock history – but there is a healthy dose of irony added to the mix – and a heavy dependence on synthesizers, which brings the style into the late 70s/early 80s |
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Psychedelia and early 70s mainstream rock was heavily influenced by the “Hippie Aesthetic”
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o Rock music should take the listener on a trip
o All sorts of technological advancements were used in this endeavor – in terms of equipment, instrumentation and compositional skill o Instrumental prowess was an important part of the style and the music is characterized by complex instrumental solos o Rock dealt with important issues – not just love; lyrics should reflect on man’s place in the universe |
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Everything about “New Wave” seemed to reject hippie culture and music
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o Any sense of complexity was bled from the music
o The tunes were more compact as was the musical style o Returned to lyrics that glorified teen love, angst and depression o Instrumental prowess was not important – the appeal lie in the lyrics, the electronic repetitive sound and its accessibility |
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Mainstream vs. New Wave
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Gary Wright – Dream Weaver
Gary Numan - Cars and Heart – Crazy On You Blondie – Heart of Glass |
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The Music and Its Industry
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o Disco had fallen victim to its own predictability and the backlash of hard rock fans
o Punk had evolved into New Wave – an umbrella category so diverse that it was virtually meaningless o Heavy metal reinvented itself and came back harder and heavier o The musical landscape had never been so fragmented Pirating technology, Video games... |
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I Want My MTV
o First Period – 1981-1983 |
Characterized by a 24-hour continuous and repetitive flow of music with little in the way of programming
During this period, MTV was basically a visual radio station • AOR Format • No news • Continuous music broken up by advertisement and the patter of VJs (Video Jockeys) |
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I Want My MTV
o Second Period – 1983-1985 |
The channel becomes available in New York and Los Angeles
A number of new music video shows were created to put a dent in MTV’s monopoly and to fill in the gaps left by MTV’s white rock-oriented programming MTV remained in control, entering into exclusivity arrangements with a number of record companies Marked the beginning of a major commitment to heavy metal and to the performance clip |
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I Want My MTV
o Third Period – 1985-1990 |
This period saw a broadening of musical scope and a deeper commitment to youth culture
Videos aimed at older demographics were transferred to the adult-oriented VH-1, a second MTV Networks channel Robert Pittman departed and MTV abandoned the continuous flow of music format and incorporated programming |
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American Pop of the 80s
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Michael Jackson
Madonna Prince Janet Jackson |
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British Pop of the 80s
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The Buggles
Duran Duran Culture Club The Eurythmics Tears For Fears Yaz |
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Essay
1. In 1981, a new cable station dedicated to music premiered. Name the channel, its founding father and briefly describe the first three periods of its existence as discussed in the notes (years are NOT important). |
Essay
2. The music industry suffered its first major recession in 1979. What are the reasons the industry gives for this drop in sales? What are the more likely reasons? |
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Essay
Summarize the roots of punk in the United States. How does this scene compare with the rise of punk in England? Name at least one band and song from each country that fits this category. |
Essay
2. Where does reggae find its roots – from where does it originate? How does reggae relate to black pop in the 1970s? What are its influences and who are its best-known practitioners? |
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Prog Rock Revisited – Now Mixed with Mainstream
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Prog rock felt the biggest backlash when mid-70s punk and New Wave challenged the more complex rock music of earlier days
Progressive bands built their careers on more complicated album tracks This was the antithesis of punk and new wave’s “return-to-simplicity” ideal |
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Prog Rock Revisited – Now Mixed with Mainstream
again |
Successful Prog rock bands streamlined their sound to make it more accessible and radio friendly
By adapting to changes in the pop climate, many Prog rock groups rejuvenated their careers |
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Genesis (prog rock)
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When Peter Gabriel left, Phil Collins took over the leadership role – Genesis abandoned prog rock in favor of a softer, more accessible pop sound
Their huge success began with their 1981 album Abacab – two years later, they released their most commercially successful album to date The title track of the album Invisible Touch is a meditation on intangibility and employs a classic rock and roll beat During his tenure with Genesis, Collins also embarked on a solo career – in 1995, Collins left the band to concentrate on that – for all intents and purposes, Genesis was finished as a band |
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Phil Collins (prog rock)
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In 1985, Collins released his most successful album No Jacket Required – critics panned it for being “too safe”, stating that Collins was a successful “middle-of-the-road” artist
. . . But Seriously from 1989 featured the anti-homelessness anthem Another Day in Paradise The song features David Crosby on backing vocals and was a significant departure from the dance pop music of his previous album The song’s texture is highly synthesized – this is mixed with socially-relevant lyrics In 1999 and again in 2003, Collins was involved with the soundtracks to two animated movies – Tarzan and Brother Bear |
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Peter Gabriel (prog rock)
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Following his departure from Genesis in 1976, Peter Gabriel began work on the first of his three consecutive eponymously titled albums – the third of these became his artistic breakthrough in 1980
Games Without Frontiers showcases Gabriel’s experimentation into the use of synthesizer – it also provides a drum sound completely devoid of cymbals!! |
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Peter Gabriel (prog rock)
Sledgehammer This became Gabriel’s only #1 hit, ironically replacing Genesis’ Invisible Touch at the top of the charts |
Released in 1985, Gabriel’s fifth album So became his commercial breakthrough, largely because of the innovative video that accompanied the song Sledgehammer – it combined stop-action animation with live action
The song itself was an homage to the music produced at Stax Records – the home to many soul artists It is influenced by 60s soul music and the lyrics contain subtle sexual innuendo, a tribute to the hokum blues of the 50s (Joe Turner’s Shake, Rattle and Roll) |
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Yes
By the mid-90s, Yes was being touted as the best of all bands in the field of prog rock – they continue to sell albums in large quantities Their music from almost every era retains its popularity – critics praise them for their respectable attempts to do something serious with rock music |
In March of 1980, Yes’ lineup collapsed when both Wakeman and Anderson quit the band
In April of 1981, the breakup of Yes was announced – Geoff Downes (of the Buggles) left at this point and formed the band Asia with Steve Howe It was revived in late 1983 when Trevor Horn (also of the Buggles) stepped in to produce a slightly altered version of the original Yes lineup The result was a chart-topping single – Owner of a Lonely Heart displayed a stripped-down modern dance-rock sound different from anything the band had ever released |
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Asia
The band Asia is a supergroup – a band made up of members that had all ready enjoyed some success with earlier groups |
The band was formed out of the apparent demise of both Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer in 1981
While their music was often characterized by stretches of indulgent instrumentals, they could also be surprisingly pop-like Their 1982 eponymous debut album enjoyed considerable commercial success, aided by the single Heat of the Moment –definitely an example of the group’s more pop-like songs They became known as pioneers of a second phase of prog rock – one that avoided long-winded, complex tunes in favor of songs with enough commercial polish to attract radio airplay |
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Mainstream Rock leading to Heavy Metal
AC/DC Their national success attracted the attention of Atlantic U.K. and the band relocated to London in 1978 just as punk was becoming more popular |
AC/DC
The band was initially affiliated with the punk scene but they shook the label by combining Angus’ heavy guitar riffs with Scott’s high-pitched bellow, creating the archetypical heavy metal sound that would lead to the explosion of the genre in the 80s Blues and riff-based British rock had spread all over the world and by the early 70s, had found its way to Australia and the formation of AC/DC in 1973 |
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new Prog Rock
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Genesis
Phil Collins Peter Gabriel Yes Asia |
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Heavy Metal and Rap
Heavy Metal and Rap both had their roots in previous styles of music o Heavy Metal in the blues-based r’n’r from the early 70s o Rap from reggae and funk |
With the popular spotlight firmly focused on New Wave and New Traditionalist, a couple of burgeoning genres worked their way up from grass roots and underground venues to become two of the most popular styles of the late 80s and early 90s
Despite the overwhelming popularity, each style was able to keep a sense of identity – they often used stereotypes to their benefit |
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Heavy Metal and Rap
similarities |
Both enjoyed success through the use of MTV and other video-styled stations
Both styles developed in the underground, emerging to enjoy amazing commercial success Both presented an image that was representative of a disenfranchised segment of society |
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The PMRC – Parents Music Resource Center
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The advocated against supposed subliminal backmasking in records that apparently promoted Satanism and/or drug use
After a senate hearing, 19 record companies agreed to put “Parental Guidance” stickers on offending CDs This served only to increase sales and, in fact, some heavy metal and rap bands saw this sticker as a stamp of authenticity |
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This came about in 1985 due to Tipper Gore’s reaction to the Prince tune Darling Nikki
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Gore and her group of “Washington Women” claimed that the change in rock music was attributable to the decay of the nuclear family in America
The group proposed that the music industry label records that contained “explicit lyrics or content” A list of the “Filthy 15” songs they found most objectionable was published |
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In the early 80s, the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), a Washington-based pressure group, launched its campaign against explicit lyrics in popular music
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The PMRC began targeting heavy metal as the prime offender with its occultist, demonic bend
However as rap grew in stature, expletive language and violence, the focus was soon shifted to that genre |
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Heavy Metal
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While its name’s origins might be difficult to trace, the musical style is directly related to the harder, more aggressive aspects of late 60s/early 70s rock
o Steppenwolf song lyric in Born to be Wild – “heavy metal thunder” o Used in writer William S. Burroughs used the term o Journalists described Hendrix’ music as “heavy metal falling from the sky” |
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A resurgence of this music beginning at the turn of the decade transformed it into a dominant expression of youth culture, particularly in London and Los Angeles
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80s heavy metal takes its inspiration from early styles of music:
o In A Gadda Da Vida by Iron Butterfly is seen as an early precursor to the style o The driving riffs, dark themes and extended guitar solos of Black Sabbath o The heavier side of Led Zeppelin’s music o The virtuosity born of Deep Purple’s interest in classical music o The extravagance and showmanship of Alice Cooper and KISS |
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The heavy metal image was one of opposition to the status quo – lots of glitziness, but a more tawdry glitz than earlier glam artists; gestures of cultural defiance
Fans were called “headbangers” – allusion to an unsophisticated, blue-collar audience |
Parodies started appearing on Saturday Night Live (Wayne’s World); movies like “Spinal Tap”; MTV animated series “Bevis and Butthead”
Heavy metal as a separate stylistic category doesn’t really emerge until the mid-80s when MTV takes a greater interest in it |
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Heavy Metal
It was a heavy, riff-driven style – but the virtuosity factor had gone up considerably |
Lyric material remained somewhat pessimistic and demonic, but lighter topics and traditional rock themes began to appear
Heavy metal, like all other genres of rock, was experiencing fragmentation, and new styles like Pop Metal, Thrash Metal and Art Metal were emerging Instead of a return to simplicity, these bands opted for a return to heavy rock ‘n’ roll |
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British Heavy Metal
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Ozzy Osbourne
Judas Priest Def Leppard |
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The general characteristics of British heavy metal of the 80s
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o Guitar driven
o Flashy soloing o Heavy drums o A return back to a harder R&B-based style |
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Ozzy Osbourne
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In 1979, Ozzy Osbourne formed a new band named Blizzard of Ozz – wife Sharon acted as his new manager
Like Black Sabbath, this new band’s lyrics focused on the occult and the guitars were loud and heavy The group itself (in particular Rhoads) was much more technically proficient and expanded on the standard metal formulas |
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Their first album Blizzard of Ozz featured Mr. Crowley which came to define the band’s dark, sinister sound
The title is a reference to the infamous Aleister Crowley – an English occultist, mystic and writer |
The intro (a complex synthesizer solo), guitar solos and harmony line recalled earlier Black Sabbath hits and is often labeled as neo-classical metal
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Controversy seemed to follow Osbourne – in 1982, Ozzy bit into a bat (supposedly decapitating it) onstage; in 1986, he was accused of encouraging suicide among listeners by using subliminal messaging in his song Suicide Solution
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After Rhoads death in a airplane crash, Osbourne fell into depression and drug addiction
Osbourne eventually bounced back and has had a very successful career He and his family took a foray into reality television and the resulting show became a huge success |
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Judas Priest
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Judas Priest’s sound was a fusion of the gothic doom so typical of Black Sabbath and the riffs and speed of Led Zeppelin
They also added a vicious double lead guitar attack, setting the pace for much popular heavy metal and laying the groundwork for the speed and death metal of the 80s and laying the foundations of what would define “pure” heavy metal |
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They were known for their sheer ferocity and speed – they often played faster than most rock groups – their repertoire was varied, from quite basic forms to fairly structured material
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Judas Priest
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Def Leppard
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Though labeled Heavy Metal, their music moved away from some of the typical characteristics associated with the style:
o Song texts were generally closer to traditional rock themes about human relationships and the attraction of drugs/alcohol rather than the demonic themes projected by some British heavy metal groups o Musically, they used riffs as introductory themes, but broke away from them through the course of the song |
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Because of these differences, they were frequently referred to as Pop Metal – a heavy metal of the most easy listening variety
1983’s Pyromania became an unexpected blockbuster due in part to the group’s skilful pop metal style |
Def Leppard emerged in the late 70s as part of the new wave of British heavy metal
Their sound was characterized by double lead guitars, a style copied from earlier bands (most notably, Judas Priest) |
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American Heavy Metal
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Van Halen
Mötley Crüe |
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During the 70s, Los Angeles became the place to make it in the music business
Los Angeles seemed to be the breeding ground for talented guitarists – like British metal, most American heavy metal bands were guitar heavy |
The hopes and dreams of many metal-head was spurred on by the success of Van Halen at the end of the 70s
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Van Halen
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In the early 80s, Van Halen released three albums and enthralled fans with Roth’s onstage antics, Eddie’s pyrotechnic guitar stylings and the amount of sound equipment needed to run their show
They hit the top of the charts with their 1984 album MCMLXXXIV (1984) The synthesizer is the featured solo instrument in their hit single Jump |
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In 1985, Roth started working on solo projects – this created tensions and he left the band, only to be replaced by Sammy Hagar
The group finished out the decade with two multi-platinum albums |
Van Halen
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Mötley Crüe
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Mötley Crüe had a knack for creating party anthems – their music was loud and raucous, but not too complex
The called themselves Mötley Crüe – the umlauts were intended to make the band look tough |
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Their 1981 album Too Fast For Love was an insanely catchy, riff-driven album that became the impetus for the formation of an entire glam-metal movement based in L.A.
The band was picked up by Elektra and released the classic album Shout at the Devil in 1983 – the album created controversy for its quasi-satanic references, The title track managed showcases the band’s anthem-like approach to songs – the chorus becomes the song’s hook |
Mötley Crüe
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Shout at the Devil
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The song, itself, is a good example of Los Angeles Metal:
o Guitar-driven, pop-oriented metal o High, screaming vocals o Loud and assertive drumming o Many had choruses with an anthem-like quality (sing-along) o Virtuosic guitar solos – generally the featured solo instrument |
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By the 90s, Mötley Crüe was a full-blown stadium act, dealing with all the pluses and minuses that went along with that status
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Mötley Crüe is one of the only bands in history to successfully acquire ownership of all their master recordings – they licensed these to Universal Music who reissued all their earlier albums
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The Metal Mega-Stars and the “Hair” Bands
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Bon Jovi
Guns N’ Roses Poison |
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Many metal band followed the lead of 70s bands that wore makeup and costumes to enhance their visual image
o Alice Cooper o KISS o David Bowie o Genesis |
The Metal Mega-Stars and the “Hair” Bands
To this, many 80s metal bands added heavily teased and sprayed hair This genre of metal tended to attract a mostly white male audience Ironically, the feminine elements of makeup and teased hair belied the masculine on-stage mannerisms and gestures – the music and lyrics portrayed a distinctly macho image |
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Bon Jovi
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Few bands embodied pop-metal like Bon Jovi – a merging Def Leppard’s loud but tuneful metal with Bruce Springsteen’s working class sensibilities
The band employed professional songwriters to give their songs the commercial sheen needed to dominate the scene – this became the template for metal bands for the next decade |
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Their 1986 album Slippery When Wet would prove to be their ticket into the big times
The group wrote 30 songs and auditioned them for local teenagers – the album’s running order was based on their opinion |
Supported by several appealing, straightforward videos, the album eventually went multi-platinum and ushered in an era of pop-metal
The album’s #1 hit single Livin’ on a Prayer showcases this straight-ahead pop-metal rock style, emphasizing Jon’s screaming tenor voice |
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Guns N’ Roses
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At a time when rock was dominated by dance music, techno-pop and pop metal, this band brought raw, ugly rock ‘n’ roll back onto the charts in the guise of hair metal
In 1987 they signed with Geffen Records and released their first full-length album Appetite for Destruction |
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Panned for a lack of originality, the album made up for it with sheer impact – the music was basic and gritty with a solid, hard, bluesy base
Sweet Child O’ Mine is characterized by a fairly aggressive beat, a dominating guitar riff and slightly more melodic vocals |
Appetite for Destruction
by Guns N’ Roses |
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Poison
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Their tunes often seemed less important than their garish make-up, overblown hair, feminizing make-up and frenetic stage show all delivered via the metal-heavy MTV of the mid-late 80s
They signed with Enigma Records in 1986 and released their first album Look What the Cat Dragged In – it was a surprise success, selling two million copies with a year of its release |
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Poison took the approach of wearing make-up, wearing outlandish clothing and teasing their hair so far that some fans initially mistook them for women
Their music was referred to as glam-metal and was characterized by relatively simple, catchy melodies and guitar riffs |
Their next album, 1988’s Open Up and Say . . . Ahh! provided the band with it commercial breakthrough, due to the massive hit Every Rose Has Its Thorn
This is representative of a type of song that became popular during the second half of the 80s called the “power ballad” – the singer has a chance to show his more sensitive side before the heavy guitars and drums enter to beef up the arrangement |
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Speed Metal, Thrash Metal and the Hippie Aesthetic
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While glitz and glam was a big part of one style of metal, there were also more serious practitioners who were geared towards instrumental virtuosity
Metallica Yngwie Malmsteen |
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speed metal
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music played at a fast tempo, displaying incredibly virtuosic guitar passages
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The hippie aesthetic
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is found in heavy metal virtuosity – blistering guitar solos which some critics consider self-indulgent
Also found is the use of extended forms and concept albums devoted to important issues |
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thrash metal
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Many metal musicians found speed metal to be too narrow (and too technically demanding) – a new genre called thrash metal allowed for a broader range of musical textures and tempos
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Metallica
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In May of 1983 they released Kill ‘Em All, their first full-length album – a powerful punk-infused album that took the metal underground by storm and produced yet another offshoot in the genre – thrash metal
They roared back to the Top 10 with their 1988 album . . . And Justice For All, an ambitious double album |
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Metallica is widely considered to be the most popular and influential heavy metal bands of the past two decades
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Their influences can be found in an amalgamation of Black Sabbath (dark lyrics); Led Zeppelin (vocal style; longer, complex songs); Deep Purple (guitar virtuosity) and Motorhead (speed metal advocates)
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Metallica made their reputation playing complex music and superhuman speed – now the lyrics were catching up to the compositional skills
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While the musical style is still quite aggressive, the lyric content tells the horrific tale of a soldier who wakes to find most of his body gone to due to a land mine explosion
Song: One |
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Yngwie Malmsteen
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This Swedish guitar virtuoso was born Johann Yngwie Lannerback in 1963 and started playing guitar at the age of 7
His inspirations were Jimi Hendrix and J.S. Bach – by his late teens, he had developed his own unique guitar style |
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He released Rising Force in 1984 – a groundbreaking instrumental album that established the young guitarist as one of the most influential pop-metal players of the decade
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In June 1987, Malmsteen was almost killed in a car accident – though he suffered permanent damage to his right hand, painful rehabilitation enabled him to resume his career
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Hip Hop and East Coast Rap
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The hip-hop culture originated in New York during the mid-70s and grew to nationwide popularity in the 80s
Like the Jamaican sound system man, the music was often performed out of the back of a pickup truck in its early days |
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Referred to as turntablists, early DJs like Grandmaster Flash and DJ Kool Herc invented and/or perfected techniques like
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o Scratching – rapidly moving a record back and forth under the needle
o Back-spinning – manually turning records to repeat brief sounds o Cutting – moving between tracks precisely on the beat o Phasing – manipulation or the turntable speed |
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The hip-hop elements of graffiti (for recognition) and break dancing grabbed the public’s attention prior to rap becoming big
In its earliest days, the most important person in a hip-hop outfit was the DJ – the disc spinner |
This would become the basis of hip-hop and rap for a long time
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DJ – the disc spinner
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As their popularity increased, DJs began to use members of their crews as MCs – to comment on the music and encourage people to dance – eventually they developed their own style – this became known as rapping
Rap involved spoken lyrics performed in a rhythmic patter over complex, funk-styled rhythms |
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By the turn of the 80s, MCs had begun to replace DJs in cultural importance
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The genre was boosted by the success of the 1979 single Rapper’s Delight, a seventeen-minute improvised rap by the Sugar Hill Gang – many MCs started putting out their own albums
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Song: Rapper’s Delight*
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Inspired by the success of this song, college student Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin decided to begin their own rap label – Def Jam Records became the home to many of the leading rappers of the decade (LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy) – compared to Motown as they intended to have rap crossover to the white teen audience
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Because rap was primarily a vocal style, many rappers chose to sample background music for their records
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Sampling – taking selected sections from other recordings and repeating and mixing those sections to create a background sound
Many of the artists whose music was being “sampled” saw the practice as copyright infraction and resultant lawsuits compelled rap artists to credit the sources of their samples |
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As with any other style, as rap progressed, it began to fragment
It frequently combined with other genres to create interesting mixes of sound |
To avoid sharing royalties, rappers turned to synthesizers and drum machines, composing original backgrounds for their rhythmic lyrics
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The style didn’t hit the American mainstream until 1986 – ten years after it had first been noted as a genre
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Lyrics ranged from casual and love-oriented to anti-Semitic and bluntly graphic
The genre was frequently blasted for its bigotry, violence and misogyny – yet in many ways, it is one of the most honest portraits painted in musical style, sometimes graphically depicting a lifestyle that most couldn’t even imagine |
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L.L. Cool J
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The newly created Def Jam Record Company signed him and his first release, 1984’s I Need a Beat kick started not only Cool J’s career, but also Def Jam’s empire
1987’s Bigger and Deffer was his first big album and the single I Need Love, a rap ballad, became one of the first pop/rap crossover hits |
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L.L. Cool J released his first album at 17 – he was first characterized as a hard-hitting, streetwise b-boy (breakdancer) with sparse accompaniments and a staccato rhythmic delivery
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However, he found fame through the development of an alternate approach – a romantic, lover’s style rap
James Todd Smith created his name as an acronym for the egotistic nickname Ladies Love Cool James |
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L.L.’s knack for making hip-hop as accessible as pop was one of his greatest talents – however, it could also be seen as a weakness as it contributed to accusations that he had “sold out”
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He came back with the 1990 album Mama Said Knock You Out, his hardest rap album to date, moving more towards the tougher gangsta rap gaining popularity
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Run – D.M.C.
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The were the first rap group to get widespread acceptance with white audiences and the first to get airplay on MTV
The band was signed to Profile Records in 1984 – their first two albums showcased a pioneering marriage of rap with first metal and then rock |
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More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. is responsible for the sound and the style of this genre
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Their eponymous debut album of 1984 was the first rap album to go gold – it also featured their first crossover hit Rock Box – a great introduction to their rock/rap fusion
The song employs hard rock guitar solos accompanying the rap of Run and D.M.C. |
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Hip Hop and East Coast Rap
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Run – D.M.C.
L.L. Cool J The Beastie Boys |
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The Beastie Boys
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Beastie stood for Boys Entering Anarchistic States Toward Internal Excellence
When the group started recording, the style was still dominated by African American artists |
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Popularity with white audiences was bound to lead to white performers in the field
This was the case with the New York-based hard-core punk band the Beastie Boys |
Rick Rubin, a white owner of Def Jam Record Company signed and promoted them to help broaden rap’s popularity with white listeners with their first album, 1986’s Licensed to Ill
Their raps range from sexual promiscuity to drugs and alcohol, but their most commercially successful hit was the hard rock-oriented (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!) |
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West Coast Rap
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Public Enemy
N.W.A. |
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On the West Coast, Ice-T became a dominant force – one of the most important early representatives of a style of rap that would be much more ominous and blunt than its East Coast relative
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Although Def Jam was a dominant force in rap during the second half of the 80s, other artists and labels also enjoyed success
This music returned to themes of urban life and its problem broached and explored by black musicians twenty years earlier Now, however, the lyrics were much more blunt, graphic and angry – the style became known as gangsta rap |
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Public Enemy
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Their style was a mixture of Run-D.M.C’s street-oriented beat along with a healthy dose of social/political criticism and proto-gangsta rhyming
Lead rapper Chuck D rhymed about the social problems plaguing black communities – he condoned revolutionary tactics and social activism In Public Enemy’s hands, rap became an explicitly self-aware, pro-black forum that became the culture’s signature throughout the 90s |
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Public Enemy rewrote the rules of hip-hop, becoming one of the most influential rap groups of the late 80s
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Musically, the band was revolutionary – their production team created dense landscapes consisting of unrecognizable samples, piercing sirens and whistles, relentless beats and deep funk
Flavor Flav supplied a more absurd and comic side to the group, becoming the group’s visual focal point with his comic sunglasses and oversized clock pendant |
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Their second album, 1988’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back attracted attention with its dense, chaotic mix that relied as much on found sounds and weird noises as it did on old-school funk – a good example is Don’t Believe the Hype
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Public Enemy
The album was hailed as revolutionary by both rap and rock critics – hip-hop and rap had suddenly become a force for social change |
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N.W.A.
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N.W.A. pioneered a new style called gangsta rap that celebrated the violence and hedonism of criminal life, capturing it all in blunt, harsh language
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N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitude) was formed in the mid-80s in Compton, a suburb (ghetto) in Los Angeles by Eazy E (a.k.a. Eric Wright)
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While the F.B.I. sent warnings out due to their song F*** the Police, perhaps they should have been more concerned with Gangsta, Gangsta
This track engendered a generation of violent, crime-obsessed albums and “Gangsta” artists In the 90s, gangsta rap would establish itself as the genre’s most popular form – N.W.A.’s amoralistic, hedonistic stance completely rewrote the rules for rap lyrics in the 90s |
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They released the epochal Straight Outta Compton in 1989, a vicious, hardcore record that became a hit despite virtually no support from radio, the press or MTV
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N.W.A.
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This label along with the 24 hip-hop station KDAY was important in distributing West Coast rap
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Eazy had apparently set up the label Ruthless Records in 1985, supposedly funded with illegal profits from a drug-running operation in Compton
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Straight Outta Compton*
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The title track begins with police sirens and strong, steady drumbeat; opening vocal commentary is sarcastic and cynical, setting up the rest of the piece
The song serves to introduce the three rappers in the group accompanied by turntables, synthesizer and drum machine |
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New Wave (cont.)
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The Police
U2 Split Enz Men at Work |
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Early Alternative/College Rock
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R.E.M.
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The College Rock Scene
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Nurtured an independent attitude
o Celebrated its lack of affiliation with major labels o College rock radio played recording released by small independent labels o College rock radio played recording released by the bands themselves o Noncommercial so no corporate influence on the station or their choice of format |
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R.E.M
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They served as the progenitor of a scene that would develop on U.S. college campuses in the second half of the 80s
The band was formed in Athens, Georgia – home to the burgeoning college music scene |
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Their first single sparked a return-to-simplicity movement in the American underground
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R.E.M.’s politics, aesthetic and their slow steady rise to stardom was largely inspired by punk and art rock of the 70s
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In early 1982, they signed with I.R.S. Records – they would proceed to release an album every year for the next seven years
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By 1986, R.E.M. had emerged as the quintessential college rock band, mixing their return-to-simplicity style with the irony and sense of alienation characteristic of the early 80s New Wave style
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Women Rockers
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The Go-Gos – Female New Wave Band
Cyndi Lauper – Female Mainstream Pop/Rock Star The Bangles – Female Power Pop Band |
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The 80s saw more women in mainstream rock than in any previous decade
The 50s saw women relegated to singing in groups or fronting bands – they sang soft ballad-style songs of the pop or country variety |
Little changed until the late 60s with the emergence of Grace Slick and Janis Joplin – Slick was considered the first female mainstream rock star while Joplin was crowned the 60s “Blues Diva” for her raspy, soulful voice
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The 80s saw the hard rock world open up to women, due largely in part to 70s female punk stars who had started a determined fight against the male domination of heavier rock styles
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The 70s saw more women in the mainstream arena, but by and large, women made their biggest impact and saw their greatest success in the singer/songwriter genre
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They started out playing at seminal punk rock venues such as The Masque and Whisky-A-Go-Go
They signed with I.R.S. Records and released their debut album Beauty and the Beat in the summer of 1981 |
The Go-Gos were an integral part of the California punk scene, even though their hit singles were bright, energetic new wave pop
The band worked pre-hippie ‘60s images to the hilt – their name is derived from the dancing “go-go girls” that were so prevalent in the 60s and the album features them dressed only in towels, as if at a slumber party |
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At first, her music was a bright, colorful new wave fusion of a number of styles
Later she chose to turn towards more middle-of-the-road balladry and pop/rock In 1983, she released She’s So Unusual, an upbeat selections of songs that capitalized on Lauper’s distinctive vocal style and buoyant personality |
Cyndi Lauper’s thin, girlish voice and ragtag appearance became one of the most distinctive images of the early 80s
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The released a four-song pop EP on I.R.S. before signing with Columbia – at this point, their style changed from
In 1983, their debut album All Over the Place (1984) captured their power-pop roots Their second Columbia album Different Light was released in 1986 and showed a much more polished sound than its predecessor |
The Bangles were one of the new generation of independent all-women bands that followed The Go-Go’s in the early 80s
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Although Punk and New Wave artists often returned to earlier styles of r’n’r, their approach was often heavily imbued with irony and sarcasm
This was done not so much to endorse earlier rock, but more to reject the corporate rock of the 70s – Devo is a good example of this |
A second approach was to employ these styles in earnest – these groups sincerely felt that the early styles sounded better
Unlike punk or new wave groups, this collection of bands and artists were not exploiting early rock forms to create any kind of art-punk pastiche |
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this genre of musicians were concerned with bringing rock back to its core aesthetic values
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new traditionalists
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Tom Petty (and the Heartbreakers)
Bruce Springsteen John Mellencamp Dire Straits The Stray Cats Hall and Oates |
New Traditionalists and
Mainstream Rock artists... |
