The Birth Of Rock Music In The 1950's
The Rock music era affected society in more negative ways than positive ones.
Rock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1950’s. It gained its origins from rhythm and blues, jazz and rock and roll. The exact date of the birth of Rock music is difficult to determine .It was said that no one planned the Internet, but it was conceived and then it took over the world. The same can be said for Rock music (Dister, 19). Few would dispute that rock music owes most of it origins to the musical traditions of America’s black population (Bogdanov, Woodstra and Erlewine, 1303), where jungle beats very similar to the ones used in rock till today were part of traditional African- American rituals. Chuck Berry was said to have invented …show more content…
Rock music in 1955 (History), which seduced white listeners with its raw energy.
White people inherited the music in the 1960’ and seventies, also known as the Golden Age as during this time, the most popular and influential bands of all time were formed. Elvis, Bob Dylan and Cream were akin to household names during this time. Rock bands sold out concerts, albums and in many cases, idolized as Gods. By this time Rock music had evolved, and began breaking away into different genres within it. They formed their own identities with explicit socio-political messages and inculcated these ideologies into their music. Most of these sentiments were influenced by the woes of the middle class, war, religion and other issues, which bore great importance to the artistes’ hearts. By doing so, Rock music impacted society negatively in three major ways – It gave rise to the ‘Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll’
lifestyle, promoted drug abuse and also entangled itself with the occult and violence.
Rock music gave rise to the ‘Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll’ lifestyle. Rock stars glorified the concept of casual sex and spread a hippie culture by coining the term “share the love”. The dominantly male rock scene saw themselves being mobbed by legions of screaming, nubile female fans – groupies; who would literally throw themselves at the musicians. The Rock stars themselves seemed to enjoy this attention and did little or nothing to discourage this worrying trend. Songs of sex like “She comes in Colours” – a story about making love to a woman during her period were produced (Derogatis, 52). In the early 80’s sexual promiscuity was at its peak among Rock stars and their ever-growing number of fans. People would go to clubs and indulge in alcohol and drugs and loud music, and aimed to leave with a sexual partner for the night (Derogatis, 172). Artistes and Rock bands alike abused drugs in order to enhance their music and performances. Brian Wilson, the front man of the Beach Boys abused Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and said that the experience had a profound impact on the way he heard music. [In his own words] “ As I had been promised, music had never sounded so full and tangible” (Derogatis, 19) Jimi Hendrix, the late great blues rock guitarist proclaimed to have had a vision of psychedelic utopia when he took LSD and performed at major music festivals like Woodstock, where drugs were openly sold. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, and Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin were among the many popular rock stars to have died due to excessive drug abuse. Rock music developed and promoted a lifestyle of rebellion, both on and off the stage. Rock concerts were routine settings for confrontations between young fans and the police, as the moment fans started to dance in the aisles, the police would disconnect the amps resulting in riots. (Rock). Rock was truly the music of rebellion.
Apart from promoting a very carefree and rebellious vibe, Rock music was also inextricably linked to violence and the occult. According to Johnny Marr, Rock and Roll had a voodoo inspired jungle beat together with primitive rhythms hypnotizes the listener causing an altered state called nerve jamming (Christ). Nerve jamming causes mental deterioration, and retardation (Christ) and in one case, it got so severe that a sixteen-year-old boy in Texas killed in aunt in a state of trance after listening to rock music. By the mid 1970s rock music had become slightly mundane, and artistes decided to adopt Satanist Ideals and their negative nuances to stand out from the rest. Controversial names of bands like Knights In Satan’s Service (K.I.S.S) and Anti – Christ Devil – Child (A.C.D.C) were formed. Other bands like Led Zeppelin and the Eagles used a technique called backmasking to input subliminal messages, glorifying Satan in their songs. Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is the band’s most popular song (Bogdanov, Woodstra and Erlewine, 1303) however when played backwards, lines in the verse read, “Oh, here’s to my sweet Satan”. These subliminal messages sensationalized the bands and improved their album sales. Ardent fans of these bands thought that dabbling in the occult and the dark arts was all part of rock, and they also started to partake in such unhealthy activities. The hand sign for Rock was also defined as the satanic salute or ‘EL Diablo’ bearing allegiance to other unholy groups.
In addition to the occult and violence, Rock music also changed the way people dressed and behaved – for the worse. Rockers dressed in a certain way, now known as the ‘rocker ‘look. As Caterforis observed, the males were six feet, seven inches tall, with the last six inches being made up entirely of hair, combed into a pompadour. They wore St. Christopher medals, white T-shirts with cigarette packs held in the left sleeve, rolled up to their muscles. (24). The girls all wore curlers in their hair and tied scarves around their heads. They wear jeans and sweaters and sport crucifixes (Caterforis, 24). They also promoted skull tattoos, which covered their entire arms. Not only that, they also encouraged piercings, and when fans tried to emulate their idols’ looks, they faced discrimination and difficulty in getting jobs. Parents started a noticing a vast change in the behaviour of their children who listened to rock music. Parents were dismayed by their children’s’ new look which featured slicked – back hair like James Dean’s and Elvis Presley’s. They smoked, and dressed in blue jeans and black boots. They also flirted and cruised around in convertibles (Dister, 33). Conversations were often guttural, in half sentences and grunts with innuendos and concealed suggestivity. Every joke, insult and question is followed by open-handed jabs to the face, punches on the arm and with slaps verging on punches (Caterforis, 24). Rock music separated within itself, forming subcultures, with their own set of values – and not all were healthy. Skinheads had short-cropped hair and Ben Sherman Jeans and steel toed jeans which they used as weapons to kick people in the faces during soccer matches (Skinhead). They believed in white supremacy and had Pro – Nazi ideologies. They were also excessively aggressive and tough. Punks bands also angrily stood in direct contrast to the zeitgeist (Bogdanov, Woodstra and Erlewine, 1303). Punk bands like the Sex Pistols, Clash, The Ramones and The Buzzcocks often spread anti- establishment views and condoned such unhealthy behaviour.
Therefore regardless of its popularity and cult following, Rock music impacted society in more negative ways than positive ways. It promoted a lifestyle promoting casual sex, in which many sexually transmitted diseases were spread. It justified the use and abuse of drugs, saying that drugs like LSD and Marijuana enhanced the musical experience. This abuse led to the deaths of many upcoming musicians and many of their fans alike. Rock also advocated rebelliousness and changed the way people behaved for the worse in society. People who listen to rock music also tend to get more violent and partake in vicious or mischievous acts like rioting and vandalism, than people who listen to other forms of music. The music itself has been scientifically proven to cause a trance like state called nerve jamming, where the listener is hypnotized in a way. Linking itself to the occult is also unbecoming of a musical genre. Incorporating subliminal messages praising the dark forces gives fans the impression that it’s okay to be non – religious or even sacrilegious. To artiste’s these anti – religious and personas might just be a front, however ardent fans really thought bands like Slayer, Knights in Satan’s Service and Anti – Christ Devil Child were really pro – Satan and emulated them. Rock should have known better than to pollute, to corrupt the minds of it fans. It should have known, that with great power, comes great responsibility.
Done by Subash
Rock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1950’s. It gained its origins from rhythm and blues, jazz and rock and roll. The exact date of the birth of Rock music is difficult to determine .It was said that no one planned the Internet, but it was conceived and then it took over the world. The same can be said for Rock music (Dister, 19). Few would dispute that rock music owes most of it origins to the musical traditions of America’s black population (Bogdanov, Woodstra and Erlewine, 1303), where jungle beats very similar to the ones used in rock till today were part of traditional African- American rituals. Chuck Berry was said to have invented …show more content…
Rock music in 1955 (History), which seduced white listeners with its raw energy.
White people inherited the music in the 1960’ and seventies, also known as the Golden Age as during this time, the most popular and influential bands of all time were formed. Elvis, Bob Dylan and Cream were akin to household names during this time. Rock bands sold out concerts, albums and in many cases, idolized as Gods. By this time Rock music had evolved, and began breaking away into different genres within it. They formed their own identities with explicit socio-political messages and inculcated these ideologies into their music. Most of these sentiments were influenced by the woes of the middle class, war, religion and other issues, which bore great importance to the artistes’ hearts. By doing so, Rock music impacted society negatively in three major ways – It gave rise to the ‘Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll’
lifestyle, promoted drug abuse and also entangled itself with the occult and violence.
Rock music gave rise to the ‘Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll’ lifestyle. Rock stars glorified the concept of casual sex and spread a hippie culture by coining the term “share the love”. The dominantly male rock scene saw themselves being mobbed by legions of screaming, nubile female fans – groupies; who would literally throw themselves at the musicians. The Rock stars themselves seemed to enjoy this attention and did little or nothing to discourage this worrying trend. Songs of sex like “She comes in Colours” – a story about making love to a woman during her period were produced (Derogatis, 52). In the early 80’s sexual promiscuity was at its peak among Rock stars and their ever-growing number of fans. People would go to clubs and indulge in alcohol and drugs and loud music, and aimed to leave with a sexual partner for the night (Derogatis, 172). Artistes and Rock bands alike abused drugs in order to enhance their music and performances. Brian Wilson, the front man of the Beach Boys abused Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and said that the experience had a profound impact on the way he heard music. [In his own words] “ As I had been promised, music had never sounded so full and tangible” (Derogatis, 19) Jimi Hendrix, the late great blues rock guitarist proclaimed to have had a vision of psychedelic utopia when he took LSD and performed at major music festivals like Woodstock, where drugs were openly sold. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, and Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin were among the many popular rock stars to have died due to excessive drug abuse. Rock music developed and promoted a lifestyle of rebellion, both on and off the stage. Rock concerts were routine settings for confrontations between young fans and the police, as the moment fans started to dance in the aisles, the police would disconnect the amps resulting in riots. (Rock). Rock was truly the music of rebellion.
Apart from promoting a very carefree and rebellious vibe, Rock music was also inextricably linked to violence and the occult. According to Johnny Marr, Rock and Roll had a voodoo inspired jungle beat together with primitive rhythms hypnotizes the listener causing an altered state called nerve jamming (Christ). Nerve jamming causes mental deterioration, and retardation (Christ) and in one case, it got so severe that a sixteen-year-old boy in Texas killed in aunt in a state of trance after listening to rock music. By the mid 1970s rock music had become slightly mundane, and artistes decided to adopt Satanist Ideals and their negative nuances to stand out from the rest. Controversial names of bands like Knights In Satan’s Service (K.I.S.S) and Anti – Christ Devil – Child (A.C.D.C) were formed. Other bands like Led Zeppelin and the Eagles used a technique called backmasking to input subliminal messages, glorifying Satan in their songs. Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is the band’s most popular song (Bogdanov, Woodstra and Erlewine, 1303) however when played backwards, lines in the verse read, “Oh, here’s to my sweet Satan”. These subliminal messages sensationalized the bands and improved their album sales. Ardent fans of these bands thought that dabbling in the occult and the dark arts was all part of rock, and they also started to partake in such unhealthy activities. The hand sign for Rock was also defined as the satanic salute or ‘EL Diablo’ bearing allegiance to other unholy groups.
In addition to the occult and violence, Rock music also changed the way people dressed and behaved – for the worse. Rockers dressed in a certain way, now known as the ‘rocker ‘look. As Caterforis observed, the males were six feet, seven inches tall, with the last six inches being made up entirely of hair, combed into a pompadour. They wore St. Christopher medals, white T-shirts with cigarette packs held in the left sleeve, rolled up to their muscles. (24). The girls all wore curlers in their hair and tied scarves around their heads. They wear jeans and sweaters and sport crucifixes (Caterforis, 24). They also promoted skull tattoos, which covered their entire arms. Not only that, they also encouraged piercings, and when fans tried to emulate their idols’ looks, they faced discrimination and difficulty in getting jobs. Parents started a noticing a vast change in the behaviour of their children who listened to rock music. Parents were dismayed by their children’s’ new look which featured slicked – back hair like James Dean’s and Elvis Presley’s. They smoked, and dressed in blue jeans and black boots. They also flirted and cruised around in convertibles (Dister, 33). Conversations were often guttural, in half sentences and grunts with innuendos and concealed suggestivity. Every joke, insult and question is followed by open-handed jabs to the face, punches on the arm and with slaps verging on punches (Caterforis, 24). Rock music separated within itself, forming subcultures, with their own set of values – and not all were healthy. Skinheads had short-cropped hair and Ben Sherman Jeans and steel toed jeans which they used as weapons to kick people in the faces during soccer matches (Skinhead). They believed in white supremacy and had Pro – Nazi ideologies. They were also excessively aggressive and tough. Punks bands also angrily stood in direct contrast to the zeitgeist (Bogdanov, Woodstra and Erlewine, 1303). Punk bands like the Sex Pistols, Clash, The Ramones and The Buzzcocks often spread anti- establishment views and condoned such unhealthy behaviour.
Therefore regardless of its popularity and cult following, Rock music impacted society in more negative ways than positive ways. It promoted a lifestyle promoting casual sex, in which many sexually transmitted diseases were spread. It justified the use and abuse of drugs, saying that drugs like LSD and Marijuana enhanced the musical experience. This abuse led to the deaths of many upcoming musicians and many of their fans alike. Rock also advocated rebelliousness and changed the way people behaved for the worse in society. People who listen to rock music also tend to get more violent and partake in vicious or mischievous acts like rioting and vandalism, than people who listen to other forms of music. The music itself has been scientifically proven to cause a trance like state called nerve jamming, where the listener is hypnotized in a way. Linking itself to the occult is also unbecoming of a musical genre. Incorporating subliminal messages praising the dark forces gives fans the impression that it’s okay to be non – religious or even sacrilegious. To artiste’s these anti – religious and personas might just be a front, however ardent fans really thought bands like Slayer, Knights in Satan’s Service and Anti – Christ Devil Child were really pro – Satan and emulated them. Rock should have known better than to pollute, to corrupt the minds of it fans. It should have known, that with great power, comes great responsibility.
Done by Subash