Music 13A Section 14
Eagles
The Eagles were the most commercially successful of the groups in this genre. They have a more folk influenced pop approach and many of their songs are campfire staples. Several members of the group had careers as studio musicians before forming the Eagles. This influence can be seen in the polished pop sound of the group. Launching into the big time in 1972 with Take It Easy, the group strung together an impressive string of hits before breaking up in 1980. The Eagles were one of the top selling groups in the 1970's and have six number one albums to their credit. The group reunited in 1994 titling their new record "Hell Freezes Over" a play on the words exchanged during their unpleasant break-up - "I'll be in a band with you again when...." The group is still touring and recording.
Elton John/ Bernie Taupin
A piano prodigy, Elton was attending the Royal Academy of Music in London when he met lyricist Bernie Taupin. The two began writing tunes and by early 1970, Elton had his first top ten hit in the US, Your Song. He released a series of albums in the early 1970's producing a number of hits including: Rocket Man, Norma Jean, Good Bye Yellow Brick Road, Crocodile rock and Saturday Night. Elton was a superstar in the 1970's and has sold over 200 million records. His sound had two main components, one was a piano ballad style and the other was a more glam rock influenced hard rocking approach. Regardless of the style, Elton paid close attention to the hook, a habit that earned him nine number one hits in the US. Known for his outrageous costumes and flamboyant stage antics, Elton wasn't a gender bender but he did adopt many aspects of the glam approach. Over the years John has drifted in and out of the music business one of his more recent triumphs being the sound track to Lion King in1994. Elton continues to tour and record.
Rastafarianism
A religion favored by many reggae artists, most notably Bob Marley. The group believes that Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selasse is the second coming of Christ. "Rastas" are also known for their ceremonial use of marijuana, their dreadlocks and vegetarian diet. Many of these aspects are also associated with the culture surrounding ska and reggae music.
Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker (1941-2006) Starting out with ska in the early 1960's and moving to reggae later in the decade Desmond was the biggest star in the genre until the emergence of Bob Marley in the early 1970's. Dekker had several international hits in the UK and the US in the 60's including his biggest, The Israelites (1968). Although he remained popular through the 1970's, Dekker fell on hard times in the 1980s after moving to England and declaring bankruptcy in 1984.
Disco
Disco is dance music pure and simple. Its primary function was to provide a soundtrack for dancing. Drawing on the soul, blues, funk and Latin styles of the 1970's, the disco approach combined these styles with a very steady dance beat to create an over the top pop style suitable for dancing. Most disco tunes had a hard driving beat combined with strings, horns and a soaring vocal style. The disco era was one of much ambivalence for musicians in the late 1970's. The style brought some big changes to the music scene. The most important of these was the disappearance of the live bands in clubs that played disco. The style relied on DJs who spun records rather than live performers. Disco has been the subject of much derision and criticism over the years as a fad that came and went quickly. While some of the criticism may be well deserved it misses the point about disco. The appeal of disco was that it was an inclusive form of music that was participatory in nature. Dance clubs sprang up around the style and developed a culture around the disco club atmosphere. Disco started appearing in the mid 1970's with tunes from K.C. and the Sunshine Band, The Village people and Donna Summer. The style broke into the Mainstream with the release of the film Saturday Night Fever (1977) and made stars out of the Bee Gees whose impossibly high falsetto singing came to epitomize the style. Disco died out by the early 1980's but has never really gone away. Come on now, how many of you know the moves to YMCA? Lets examine the elements of the style: Focus on the Audience: The disco style puts the focus on the dancers since there is no band present. The dancers get the spotlight and the style revolves around the look and the quality of the dancing. The Emergence of the DJ: The disco scene relied on DJs to play the music. This aspect developed into an art form with DJs using special equipment to match beats and keep the party going. Special dance mixes of popular tunes were released featuring much longer versions of the songs to allow for extended play on the dance floor. The Musical Characteristics: Disco music relies on a steady "four to the floor" beat pattern to make it easy to dance along. The beat of 120 beats per minute is very common in the style as it is fast enough allow timing dance moves one per every two beats for slower moves and slow enough to allow moves on the beat. Other aspects of the style include the use of horns and strings and the high-pitched vocals that were the trademark of the Bee Gees. The Disco Club Culture: The clubs that developed around disco were a micro culture unto themselves. Featuring a dance floor, DJ and often the obligatory glitter ball on the ceiling, the atmosphere was one of a big party. Cocaine was the most commonly abused drug on this scene (second to alcohol) and one-night stands were also common. Some clubs developed in to very exclusive scenes such as studio 54 in New York. Some historians look at Disco as the last big party for American culture as the specter of AIDS and Nancy Regan's "just say no" campaign, are just around the corner.
K.C. and the Sunshine Band
Disco started appearing in the mid 1970's with tunes from K.C. and the Sunshine Band, The Village people and Donna Summer. The style broke into the Mainstream with the release of the film Saturday Night Fever (1977) and made stars out of the Bee Gees whose impossibly high falsetto singing came to epitomize the style. Disco died out by the early 1980's but has never really gone away. Come on now, how many of you know the moves to YMCA? Lets examine the elements of the style:
David Bowie
English born David Bowie has led a long and varied career over the years. His impact on pop music and glam in particular has been significant. From the beginning, Bowies gender bending played a key role in his career. In the early days Bowie managed to capture a concept and style and combine them with his own distinctive look to create a series of characters and images that changed every couple of years with each succeeding record. Click here for a look at some Bowie's characters. Many performers have copied Bowie's technique of image updating, notably Madonna. From the beginning, Bowie had a large following in Europe. In the US he scored his first hit with Space Oddity (1969). He followed up with Fame (1975) and broke into superstar status on the American scene with the release of Lets Dance in 1982. His tours during the 1980's were very successful and served to solidify his stature as an international pop star. Bowie has been active in films and music over the years and continues to record and tour. His biggest influence is from (1970-1982).
Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa is one of the more unusual figures in rock music. Known as a satirical humorist producing songs such as: Don't Eat the Yellow Snow, Dynamo Hum and Valley Girl, Zappa developed a reputation for being "weird". Against this backdrop of "off color" material, Frank strove to push the genre of instrumental rock by drawing on modern classical influences and by featuring technically complex compositions performed by the top virtuosos in rock. In addition to his pop material, Zappa later branched out into modern classical composition, releasing several albums of orchestral works. While he had many bands and various musicians that he worked with, Zappa's work approach was project oriented. He would assemble the players to execute whatever project he had going at the time. His strong work ethic and sober approach (many thought he was on drugs) produced 57 albums in his career. Many of these records were produced a Frank's home studio. Zappa liked to tour with new material and make live recordings that would later be cleaned up in the studio to produce the album. He felt that he got better performances out of musicians in a live format. There are thousands of hours of un-released live recordings stored at the Zappa archive. Zappa produced a large body of work in several categories over his lifetime: concept albums - Joe's Garage (1979), Orchestral works - London Symphony Orchestra (1983), collections of instrumental rock music - Shut Up and Play your guitar (1981), progressive rock albums - Sheik Yerbouti (1979) and movies - 200 Motels (1971). Zappa's influence is that of controlled "weirdness" and his melding of a variety of styles. His trademark use of unusual rhythms and harmonies were influential on the progressive rock scene. Zappa's anti-drug philosophy and his conservative (but out there) political views kept him out of the rock mainstream throughout his career. Several of his songs did cross over into the pop mainstream, notably Valley Girl (1982). Zappa's most influential work was done from 1968-1980.
Genesis/Phil Collins/Peter Gabriel
Genesis is an example of a band with two distinct eras and impacts. The early Genesis (1968-1974) features Peter Gabriel as the lead singer with technically complex and theatrical music and albums that achieved little commercial success. Phil Collins sang lead in the second line-up of the group (1974-1997). The band went on to huge pop mainstream success by leaving behind all of the progressive rock trappings and striving for a more spare, synth driven, pop sound typical of eighties pop music. The early line-up with Peter Gabriel released six records, most notably the concept double album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974). While the group's releases from this era were not big sellers, their dense sound and far reaching musical vision were quite influential in the genre. After an exhaustive search for a replacement for Gabriel in 1974, the group decided that its drummer Phil Collins would be the best choice for the spot. Collins became a pop star in the 1980's as the group released a string of top ten records from 1980-1991. The group broke up in 1997 and has since been re-united in various forms. Phil Collin's and Peter Gabriel have enjoyed successful solo careers over the years.
John Denver
John Denver rode into pop superstardom in 1970 on the strength of Take Me Home country Roads (1970) and Rocky Mountain High (1973). Denver released a string of 14 gold albums from 1970-1979. He was a fixture on television during the era and was an influential advocate for environmental causes. Denver's style featured a country and folk influence combined with his strong song writing and distinctive voice. ,Many of his tunes are staples in campfire folksingers songbook including: Take Me Home Country Roads, Annie's Song, I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane and others.
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell (b. 1943) Canadian Joni Mitchell is known as a "musician's musician". Growing up in Canada during the 1940s-50's, the young Mitchell was discouraged from a career in music because "women were meant to be homemakers." Ignoring the common wisdom offered, Mitchell moved to New York and began what has turned out to be a very long and successful career. Releasing over 21 albums and winning 9 Grammy's, Mitchell's high water mark in terms of pop stardom, was Court and Spark (1974). Joni developed her unique vocal style by singing the descant lines in church hymns as a child (the other lines besides the melody that float around the main tune). Her use of odd guitar tunings and her unusual approach to harmony in her songwriting helped give Mitchell's music a distinctive sound that has been a model for female performers over the years. Currently Mitchell tours and enjoys her role as the "grand old matriarch" of folk music.
Lynrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd broke into the scene in 1973 with their self titled debut album featuring the classic rock anthem Freebird. The group released five albums from 1973-1977. The bands sound featured three guitars and very hard-edged rock approach. They were on the start of a US tour when a plane crashed killed several band members and seriously injured most of the rest of the entourage. The surviving members decided to disband after the wreck. The group took its name from a respelling of the name of one of their high school teachers Leonard Skinner, who gave the group members endless grief about the length of their hair. Skynyrd is another band that has been overplayed by radio programmers in the classic rock genre. They same few cuts are heard over and over. Famous tunes include: Freebird, Sweet Home Alabama, Gimme Three Steps, Saturday night special and others.
Bob Marley
Marley was the most visible star on the reggae scene in the 1970's. Starting out as a ska performer in the early 1960's, Marley and his band the Wailers recorded many records and enjoyed limited success until Marley hooked up with a London based label and made Catch a Fire (1972) followed by I Shot the Sheriff (1973). These releases pulled him into the pop mainstream. Marley was known for his politics especially his anti-Jamaican government stance. He survived an assassination attempt in 1976 that was thought to be politically motivated. Marley's band mate Peter Tosh left the Wailers in 1973 and went on to a successful solo career until his murder in 1986. Marley continued to record and tour until his death in 1981 from cancer.
Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath are thought to be the single biggest influence in the metal genre. Their records laid out the template for the metal sound. Their use of super distorted, muted guitars, the locking of the guitar and bass together, the rhythmic punctuation between instruments and Ozzy's screaming vocals were all very influential in the metal style. The band forged a menacing image with the use of black dress and satanic imagery. Ozzy's look and the album art, stage sets and performance approach managed to attract lots of negative publicity for the group among conservatives but peaked interest in the band among fans. The image and style are still part of the metal scene as many bands have picked up and amplified the "satanic" approach. Formed in 1968. The band jumped into the mainstream with the release of Black Sabbath and Paranoid, both in 1970. These records sold a combined five million copies despite limited airplay and hostility from music critics. The group released several more records in the early 1970's before beginning to fade late in the decade. Ozzy was fired by the band in 1979. The group has continued on but has never achieved the influence and commercial success of the early releases. Ozzy Osbourne has led and interesting and unexpected life since his Sabbath tenure. Producing a series of successful solo albums in the 1980's, Osbourne went on the become a household name to kid is in the 1990's as part of the reality show based on his family life The Osbournes (2002-2005). Osbourne and his wife Sharon developed the touring metal festival Ozzfest beginning in 1996. Ozzfest was a huge hit and took the unusual step offering free tickets to fans in the 2007 season.
Patter-talk-Toasting
Patter talk was the practice of speaking over a pre-recorded musical track. Often patter talks had political over tones and were kept very much underground. This style was influential on the rap styles of the late 1970's and beyond.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd is arguably the most commercially successful band in the progressive rock genre. The groups output can be seen in three categories: The early material (1967-1971) is experimental and has a psychedelic rock influence, the classic era material (1973-1979) stakes out a "safe space" (out there, but not too disturbing) approach and features very elaborate, commercially successful, concept albums, the later era (1987-1995) is after Rodger Waters departure and is characterized by comparatively light weight material and an emphasis on touring. Rising from its experimental roots in the late 1960's, Pink Floyd was led by Syd Barrett (1946-2006) producing Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) and several other experimental albums. Barrett's mental problems and constant drug intake caused him to be replaced by guitarist David Gilmour in the late 1960's. Floyd leapt into the mainstream with Dark Side of the Moon (1973). This concept album stayed in the Billboard top 100 charts for 14 years and is one of the best selling albums of all time. Built up in layers using state of the art multi-tracking techniques, Dark Side showed the full potential of the modern recording studio and is a very influential example of the "album as art" approach. Dark Side launches a string of classic Pink Floyd albums in the 1970's including: Wish You Were Here (1975). Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979). The Wall is an ambitious double album that marks the end of the classic Floyd era. During this era the group's main songwriter was Rodger Waters (bass), whose philosophical lyrics and dark brooding style lend themselves perfectly to the group's overall sound and vision. Rodger's departure in 1983 signaled a change in direction for the group. The group's split with Waters was not amicable; at one point band members sued each other over the inflatable pigs used on the Animals tour. The last recordings, Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and Division Bell (1994) are not considered to be of the same quality as earlier classic albums, mainly due to weak material. Pink Floyd did tour quite a bit during the era, drawing sellout crowds mainly on the strength of older material. On indefinite hiatus since the 1995, the group has reunited in various forms to perform special concerts and to mount the occasional tour.
Lee Perry
Producer/musician Lee "scratch" Perry has had a profound influence on the sound of reggae music. Perry has served as the engineer and producer on over 500 records in the reggae style. Known as the father of dub, Perry made many classic dub recordings in his Black Ark studio throughout the 1970's. His wizardry with the mixing board made his recordings sound much better than would be expected, considering the low quality equipment that he used to make them. Perry is a bit of a wild man as well. Also known as the "upsetter", Perry arrived for a tour in the US in the 1970's claiming to be the rightfully elected president of the US and demanding to be installed as ruler of the land. He hit hard times in the 1980's after burning down Black Ark studios in 1978. He regained his footing in the 1990's and now lives in Switzerland. Perry continues to tour and record.
Art/Progressive Rock
Progressive rock in the 1970's took an orchestral approach to the rock genre. The song forms were often long and musically complex. The performers were usually very technically advanced and the stage shows tended towards the elaborate. The style can be thought of as a classical music style approach to rock. Some groups sounded more rock in their approach while others tended to sound more orchestral. Progressive rock gets its roots from several places: rock operas and rock tinged musical theater, the "album as art" approach to recording, light shows common at concerts in the late 60's and the expansion of the rock song form. Developing these influences, style capitalizes on the technical advances in the era to turn the concert experience in a theatrical spectacle. Let's take a look at the elements of the style: Instrumentation: Heavy use of synthesizers is a signature element of progressive rock. Synthesizers, mellowtron's and all types of unusual instrumentation were utilized in the style along with traditional rock instruments. Parts were layered on top of each other and many groups had a very dense or full sound. Performance Practice: Many groups featured elaborate stage designs and epic performances that included costumes, smoke, lasers and other theatrical aspects. Songs were often linked together in long sets with carefully choreographed shows that flowed like musical theater production. Musical Standards: Many progressive bands wrote very long songs and released concept albums (A concept album is an album where all the songs are connected by a central theme). Many of these long songs featured long instrumental development sections similar to classical music. Musicianship standards were very high and groups often wrote in unusual meters. Progressive rock gets its start in the late 1960's. The heyday for the style is the early 1970's. The groups performing in the genre rarely achieved the commercial success accorded those in the pop mainstream, although most managed to cross over at least a couple of times. Many of the groups were European and enjoyed much larger followings in Europe than in the US.
Led Zeppelin/Jimmy Page
Releasing their first three albums in just two years (1969-1970), Led Zeppelin defined the hard rock category in the early 1970's. Jimmy Page (guitar), Jon Paul Jones (Bass) Robert Plant (vocals) and John Bonham (drums), formed the group in late 1968 and by the mid 1970's had become one of the most influential groups in rock. Their style was a fusion of blues, folk and earlier rock styles, combined with a harder edged performance and careful arrangements. They were influential in a number of ways: Song writing skills: Collectively and individually the band wrote a large number of what have now become classic rock tunes. Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away are just a few from the catalog. Most rock musicians have learned Zeppelin tunes. Album production: The drums were mixed loudly and their records displayed a through knowledge of studio and arrangement techniques. The group took aspects of the progressive rock approach to recording and applied them in a hard rock format. Their records were arranged an mixed to be taken as a whole unit rather than as collection of singles. The songs and arrangements flow logically from one track to the next. Style Alchemy: Robert Plant complained that calling the band heavy metal was misleading because many of their albums contained acoustic numbers in addition to their riff based approach. The group drew on a variety of influences and combined them to push the genre further. Mystic Swagger: Lead singer Robert Plant's stage presence and the over the top approach of Zeppelin's more aggressive material, made the band a model for the metal approach. The group used various allusions to mysticism in their music and played off of this image in their appearance and public persona. Approach to Business: The group was comprised of musicians who knew the business and thus they tipped the balance in their favor in ways that had not been attempted in previous rock groups in their negotiations with promoters and record companies. Their manager, Peter Green was known to be a tough negotiator and helped set the standard for "deals" in the business. Formed from the ranks of session players and former Yardbirds personnel, the group made five albums in the classic era for the band from 1969-1975. They were the first group to use a jet to tour the US, and were known for their infamous renting of an entire floor in a Los Angeles hotel and basing their US tour out of that location. The group ended in 1980 with the death of drummer Jon Bonham. Since that time various re-unions and solo projects have been undertaken by the remaining group members.
Reggae
Ska and Reggae are born on the island of Jamaica and are essentially a redefinition of American R&B sent back to the US via England. The Jamaicans take American R&B and combine it with African and Jamaican musical practice known as Nyah Binghi, to form the basic styles of reggae and ska. The ska style forms first in the early 1960's in Jamaica, and eventually is slowed down into reggae by the end of the decade. The music begins showing up in the US in the 1960's but makes its biggest impact on the scene in the 1970's through the work of Bob Marley. Ska and reggae styles have several basic elements: One Drop Rhythm: The one-drop is common to ska and reggae and gives the style its unique rhythm pattern. In a one drop, there is no heavy beat on the one or the three count in a bar of music. The bass is free to play melodic lines and the guitar is relegated to a percussive role. Many people are confused by this beat pattern and incorrectly flip the beat around hearing the two beat as the one. Note: don't worry if this doesn't make sense, the important thing to understand is the re-definition of the beat pattern. Dub Style: The dub style of reggae is from the early 1970's and refers to style of recording where many overdubs are recorded. These "dubs" are then mixed in and out of the tune throughout the song to create interest. Patter Talk: Patter talk was the practice of speaking over a pre-recorded musical track. Often patter talks had political over tones and were kept very much underground. This style was influential on the rap styles of the late 1970's and beyond. Rastafarianism: A religion favored by many reggae artists, most notably Bob Marley. The group believes that Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selasse is the second coming of Christ. "Rastas" are also known for their ceremonial use of marijuana, their dreadlocks and vegetarian diet. Many of these aspects are also associated with the culture surrounding ska and reggae music.
Ska
Ska and Reggae are born on the island of Jamaica and are essentially a redefinition of American R&B sent back to the US via England. The Jamaicans take American R&B and combine it with African and Jamaican musical practice known as Nyah Binghi, to form the basic styles of reggae and ska. The ska style forms first in the early 1960's in Jamaica, and eventually is slowed down into reggae by the end of the decade. The music begins showing up in the US in the 1960's but makes its biggest impact on the scene in the 1970's through the work of Bob Marley. Ska and reggae styles have several basic elements: One Drop Rhythm: The one-drop is common to ska and reggae and gives the style its unique rhythm pattern. In a one drop, there is no heavy beat on the one or the three count in a bar of music. The bass is free to play melodic lines and the guitar is relegated to a percussive role. Many people are confused by this beat pattern and incorrectly flip the beat around hearing the two beat as the one. Note: don't worry if this doesn't make sense, the important thing to understand is the re-definition of the beat pattern. Dub Style: The dub style of reggae is from the early 1970's and refers to style of recording where many overdubs are recorded. These "dubs" are then mixed in and out of the tune throughout the song to create interest. Patter Talk: Patter talk was the practice of speaking over a pre-recorded musical track. Often patter talks had political over tones and were kept very much underground. This style was influential on the rap styles of the late 1970's and beyond. Rastafarianism: A religion favored by many reggae artists, most notably Bob Marley. The group believes that Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selasse is the second coming of Christ. "Rastas" are also known for their ceremonial use of marijuana, their dreadlocks and vegetarian diet. Many of these aspects are also associated with the culture surrounding ska and reggae music.
Allman Brothers
The Allman brothers featured Duane (Slide Guitar), his bother Greg (keyboards) and Dickey Betts (guitar), in a very pastoral, country approach to country rock. The bands sound included signature double guitar harmonies that were augmented by the virtuosity soloing ability of both Duane and Dickey. Many of the groups songs featured extended jams. Well known Allman Brothers tunes include: Little Martha, Ramblin' Man, Whippin' Post and Blue Sky. The early version of the band ended with Duane's death in 1971. Duane was a virtuoso slide player (he is the high pitched sound on Layla) and was also part of the Muscle Shoals studio house band in the late 1960's. The group continued on without Duane and scored some hits in the 1970's on the strength of brother Gregg's tunes. The group continues to tour and record, having gone through many different line-ups over the years.
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees The Bee Gees were three brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb. The brothers created their vocal style in the 1960's and had a few chart hits in a Beatlesque style late in the decade. The group faded away in the early 1970's and figured they were through as far as the music business was concerned. A call from an associate who needed some original tunes for the up-coming film Saturday Night Fever, changed everything in 1975. The brothers wrote the songs and recorded the soundtrack for the film released in 1977. They soundtrack stayed at number one for 25 weeks and sold over 40 million copies. Barry Gibb remembers: "Fever was No. 1 every week... It wasn't just like a hit album. It was No. 1 every single week for 25 weeks. It was just an amazing, crazy, extraordinary time. I remember not being able to answer the phone, and I remember people climbing over my walls. I was quite grateful when it stopped. It was too unreal. In the long run, your life is better if it's not like that on a constant basis. Nice though it was." The brothers rode the wave with one more release until fading with the disco craze in the early 1980's. They had become one of the best selling acts in pop music history. Maurice died in 2003 effectively ending the groups touring on the oldies circuit.
Moody Blues
The Moody Blues, John Lodge (bass), Justin Hayward (guitar/vocals) and Graham Edge (flute), were pioneers in the progressive rock style. After a less than illustrious career as the Blue Caps in the mid 1960's, whose low point was an incident where an angry fan came backstage demanding his money back after a poor performance, the band was offered a chance to do a demo for Decca records demonstrating the advantages of stereo. The idea was that the record was to be "a rock version of the New World Symphony", one of those ill-conceived industry ideas hatched by lower management and sold to big wigs in up the food chain. Desperate for a gig, the Moodys' took the idea and ran with it. The group wrestled complete artistic control from the studio and set about to produce a record that combined rock songs with real orchestral accompaniment. The group recorded all of the rock tracks and counted gaps in the tape where the orchestra would play. An orchestra was then hired to play their parts in the gaps. Days of Future Passed was previewed to Decca execs in 1967. The response was less than enthusiastic, but the record was released anyway and went to the top of the charts in Europe on the strength the single, Knights in White Satin. In 1972, "Satin" was hit in the US. The group continued to release albums through the 1970's and developed a large US following, touring on occasion with a live orchestra. The Moodys broke up in 1974 to be reunited many times since for various tours and records.
D.J
The most important of these was the disappearance of the live bands in clubs that played disco. The style relied on DJs who spun records rather than live performers. The Emergence of the DJ: The disco scene relied on DJs to play the music. This aspect developed into an art form with DJs using special equipment to match beats and keep the party going. Special dance mixes of popular tunes were released featuring much longer versions of the songs to allow for extended play on the dance floor.
One Drop
The one-drop is common to ska and reggae and gives the style its unique rhythm pattern. In a one drop, there is no heavy beat on the one or the three count in a bar of music. The bass is free to play melodic lines and the guitar is relegated to a percussive role. Many people are confused by this beat pattern and incorrectly flip the beat around hearing the two beat as the one.
Van Halen
Van Halen offered the good natured alternative to rock fans in the late 1970's who just wanted to have a good time, free of all of the dark imagery offered by other styles of metal. Their biggest influence on the rock style came from the hands of Edward Van Halen, whose innovative guitar playing formed the backbone of modern metal electric guitar styles and influenced nearly every guitarist in metal and rock. The group has two distinct eras based on their lead singer. The David Lee Roth era was 1978 -1984. The Sammy Hagar era was 1984-1995. In truth there has been a parade of lead singers since the mid 1990's with Roth, Hagar and others returning and leaving in a convoluted dance that is hard to keep straight. All of these moves were characterized by conflicting public statements made by the band and the singers involved. The band gets its break with the release of their first record Van Halen, in 1978. Roth's bad boy image combined with Eddies guitar wizardry pushed the band along into the 1980's where they became an arena act. Roth's departure was followed by Hagar's tenure and more commercial success. The group has continued to release records and tour with various line ups since Hagar's first departure in 1995. Eddie survived throat cancer in the early 2000's and the band has toured as recently as last year.
James Taylor
While his most influential work was done in the early 1970's James Taylor's fans have lifted his releases to gold record status consistently over his four-decade career, scoring a platinum album as recently as 2004. Taylor's sound feature a blues and pop influence combined with his distinctive voice and intricate guitar style. James' career was launched in the early 1970's with his single Fire and Rain (1970) from the smash album Sweet Baby James. Seems as if everyone bought a copy of this record (I bet your parents still have this record somewhere - look with the Bay City Rollers albums in the garage). Currently, Taylor continues to record and tour.
Yes
Yes formed in the late 1960's in England and was known for their precise, virtuosic playing. Driven by Jon Anderson's high-pitched vocals and very elaborate stage shows, the Yes developed a large following in the 1970's. After a couple of moderately successful records, the band hits the big time with Fragile (1971) and Close to the Edge (1972), both discs climbed into the top ten in the US and eventually went platinum. The group's style included a fondness for concept albums and stage design by artist Rodger Dean, featuring mountain ranges and other over the top set designs. Yes concerts featured choreographed light and stage shows with dazzling virtuosic playing. The group's concept album format hit the high water mark with the sprawling double album Tales From Topographical Oceans (1974). Hailed or hated by the fans and various band members, the album was a commercial success for the group and is considered to be either one of the great concept records of all time, or a tribute to indulgent excess, depending on viewpoint. Yes disbanded in the late 1970's to rise up out of the ashes in the early 1980's under a different line-up. They score their biggest hit with Owner of a Lonely Heart (1981-8 million copies sold), which bears only a faint resemblance to their earlier work. The group is now on the oldies circuit with most of the original line-up.
Nyah Binghi
oldest of the Mansions of Rastafari. These Rastafari are the strictest out of the six or so major groups. They pledge "love to all human beings", and do not believe in violence, because they believe that only Jah has the right to destroy.
