Pioneers Of Another Sort
It would be easy to dismiss the efforts of some rock groups of the late 1950s and begin a history of alternative/protest rock with the great British and American bands of the 1960s. By doing this, a number of arguments would be avoided, arguments that might center on who the real trailblazers for rock and roll were. Those who think only of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, forget The Dave Clark Five and Steve Winwood’s first home, The Spencer Davis Group.
Various writers and observers of the rock scene in the 1990s nominated their favorite groups or individuals for founder status when someone asked who opened doors and blazed trails for rock in the alternative rock decade. While it is never completely accurate to say that a musical genre began on a specific date, in a specific place, with one or two individuals, there are those who believe artists such as Lou Reed and J.J. Cale should be credited not only with reviving some of this underground spirit in the 1990s but with establishing the movement in the ’70s and ’80s. Most would say Kurt Cobain had something to do with a certain direction in youth/rock music in that decade. (Personally, I think his contribution is overrated.)
Fast-forward to the new century and the argument could begin again. It will be quite interesting to see how those with 20/20 hindsight view some of the indie bands of the 2000s. Maybe it will be Sia. After all, she does color on her face, doesn’t she?
Will the decade be defined by what is on www.antimusic.com or www.altern-rock.com ? Time will tell.
Tags: independent music, music, indie music, indie
You wrote: “While it is never completely accurate to say that a musical genre began on a specific date, in a specific place, with one or two individuals,”
The Tulsa Sound began one afternoon in the late 50’s at Perspective Studios in Tulsa, when Johhny “JJ” Cale was jamming with Bill Raffensperger and Rocky “Curtiss” Frisco.
As Cale says: “We were trying to play the Blues, but we didn’t know how.”
I’m not going to tell you the exact date; I’m saving that for the book.
-Rock
This article was very interesting and raised a lot of questions about a lot of things. But you have to consider that each persons interpretation would be different and each person could say that another started it as we do not always hear everything that is available and for some people, it may have been started before it did for others.
When you attempt to play a style but think you do not know how, it really comes down to the fact that you play by how you feel. Some people and bands out there consider themselves to be one style when I cannot see that in the band at all. So as said interpretation is in the eye of the person.
Thing about music of any kind is this: lots of different factors go into play when new genres or styles kick in. It’s almost impossible to point out when, say, rock n roll really started. Did it start out of nothing, born out of a musician’s skull fully formed like Athena coming out of her father Zeus’s head? No…it didn’t. It evolved from various other musical genres, such as pop music, jazz, the blues, and even country music.
I am not even sure that the genre is important to anyone other than the people who need to place the music in some sort of category. I love to listen to music and it does not matter who the band is or where people place them in a genre. Music is music and that is it where i am concerned. What you might think is rock n roll may not be the same for someone else. SO what is the big deal with genre.
music is a part of everyone’s life. and i really think that loving music does not depend on the singer, song and lyrics. it is how music touches your life. i have loved music ever since i was a kid. and i appreciate different kinds of music whether it is from my favorite singers and bands or not.
you are right attagirl. but i think that putting music with different categories is a way of defining music. they have categories because it is also important for us to know which is which and what we should call that kind of music. but music is still music and i think whatever its category is, it does not matter for us listeners.
regarding your first post attagirl, i really think that you are right about that. we have different interpretations. and it is up to us how we see or understand something. these bands may seem to be like this and that but they may also have different interpretation of what they really are.
Has anyone heard of red car wire?? they are amazing!!! I JUST saw them at warped tour and now i’m obsessed! Check them out!!! http://www.myspace.com/redcarwire
My favorite artists is John Hiatt. Anyone that puts out a Rock album (Tiki Bar) follows it up with a accoustic Folk Album (Crossing Muddy Waters) and follows that with a electic Blues album (Beneath the Gruff Exterior) is alright in my book. And independent artists have to give a nod of thanks to guys like Tom Petty, who had a guy drive around in a van to keep the suits from getting a hold of his master tapes. There are a lot of old timers out there who have been quitely fighting for Musical Independence for decades.
And now we have the internet and the power is back with the people. New music of all colors, scents and flavors available at the click of a mouse. As a music lover….I am in Heaven!
Do you really think that the music fans of today are that interested in where their favorite music genre originated from? And if these “founders” of the genre really were that talented, wouldn’t they be remembered even now by music fans? (i.e. The Beatles,Rolling Stones)? And I would like to think that musical talent should be more appreciated than anything else. I like a lot of different songs but I love rock music, and I honestly don’t care who founded the rock and roll genre. I am more interested in who is or which band is going to produce a new hit.