Rock and Roll Culture
Rock and Roll ain’t noise pollution
Abstract
Rock and Roll. Someone mentions it and you instantly have an image in your head. Whether it be the title quoted AC/DC or the King Elvis Presley, there is a form of rock for everyone. Rock has made huge changes over the past several decades, always being whatever the musician wanted it to be. Some hade described rock as a way of life; a movement. Some have said it is a phase. Still others see it as an icon and culture an the same time. While rock is not a phase, it does go through phases. It is a way of life, a culture and a way of thinking. It will never die. Early History of Rock
The history of rock and roll begins with the slaves during and post the Civil War era. The slaves in their camps singing the blues with its simple chords and melodies was the first breath of life in the mass movement called rock. African-American slaves are credited with the invention of the banjo, a five-stringed instrument with a very unique plucking sound, which was their first musical tool other than their voices. African-Americans used singing the blues as an escape path; although pain, suffering, and disappointments were the topics of the blues, the reason for singing them was for a temporary relief of the pains and struggles of their oppressed lives. (Townsend, 1997) Later on into the 1800’s, when slavery had long been abolished, African-Americans were still greatly oppressed by the Whites; they were nowhere near as wealthy nor did they hold any kind of political or social power. Despite of all of this, their music began to catch on. The Whites started to fall in love with this soul-inspired music, and because of their wealth and popularity, they took blues to a whole new level. The culmination of White and African-American culture in the late 1800’s was the solid “birth” of Rock and Roll. Although this event is marked by some as the birth of rock and roll (rock), it laid dormant for many hears until around the
Abstract
Rock and Roll. Someone mentions it and you instantly have an image in your head. Whether it be the title quoted AC/DC or the King Elvis Presley, there is a form of rock for everyone. Rock has made huge changes over the past several decades, always being whatever the musician wanted it to be. Some hade described rock as a way of life; a movement. Some have said it is a phase. Still others see it as an icon and culture an the same time. While rock is not a phase, it does go through phases. It is a way of life, a culture and a way of thinking. It will never die. Early History of Rock
The history of rock and roll begins with the slaves during and post the Civil War era. The slaves in their camps singing the blues with its simple chords and melodies was the first breath of life in the mass movement called rock. African-American slaves are credited with the invention of the banjo, a five-stringed instrument with a very unique plucking sound, which was their first musical tool other than their voices. African-Americans used singing the blues as an escape path; although pain, suffering, and disappointments were the topics of the blues, the reason for singing them was for a temporary relief of the pains and struggles of their oppressed lives. (Townsend, 1997) Later on into the 1800’s, when slavery had long been abolished, African-Americans were still greatly oppressed by the Whites; they were nowhere near as wealthy nor did they hold any kind of political or social power. Despite of all of this, their music began to catch on. The Whites started to fall in love with this soul-inspired music, and because of their wealth and popularity, they took blues to a whole new level. The culmination of White and African-American culture in the late 1800’s was the solid “birth” of Rock and Roll. Although this event is marked by some as the birth of rock and roll (rock), it laid dormant for many hears until around the
References: http://www.70srockbands.com/DJ_AFRM.html 70’s Rock Music – Rock Bands and Artists AC/DC. (1980). Rock and Roll ain’t Noise Pollution. On Back in Black. CD recording. Sony. Bielby, W. T. (2004). Rock in a Hard Place: Grassroots Cultural Production in the Post Elvis Era: 2003 Presidential Address. American Sociological Review, Vol. 69, No. 1. Retrieved April 4, 2008 from JSTOR Grossberg, L. (1983). The Polotics of Youth Culture: Some Observations on Rock and Roll in American Culture. Social Text, No. 8. Retrieved April 4, 2008 from JSTOR Hamm, C. (1985). Rock ‘n’ Roll in a Very Strange Society. Popular Music, Vol. 5, Continuity and Change. Retrieved April 4, 2008 from JSTOR Townsend, D. N. (1997). Changing the World: Rock ‘n’ Roll Culture and Ideology. Retrieved April 7, 2008 from http://www.dntownsend.com/Site/Rock/rcksum.htm Wikipedia.com. (2008). Cultural Impact of Elvis Presley. Retrieved April 7, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_impact_of_Elvis_Presley