Music 2II3 - Exam Review
How successful was Rapper's Delight -Sugar Hill Gang?
#4 RnB #36 Pop
What 3 events during the 70s profoundly shake the US sense of self/hope? Musical response?
- 73/74 energy crisis - 72/74 burglary at watergate hotel - 75 The fall of Saigon the 1970s sees a shaken US -> new musical styles emerge Heavy Metal and Hard Rock
King Bee - The Rolling Stones - form (elements in the song) - what is the song about? - who is ensuring the quality - Original, when?
- 1964 blues cover of a song by Slim Harpo (1957) - 12 bar blues form - Back door man -> adult relationship (R&B 12 bar music is intended for adults) - looseness of performance, boogie woogie influence with distorted guitar sound.
I cant get no satisfaction - The Rolling Stones -When? -Whats the story behind this song? -How successful is this song?
- February 1965 - Keith Richards keeps a tape recorder beside his bed so that if he dreams of an idea he can record it quickly when he wakes up before he forgets. He originally envisioned to have a big horn section. When the section comes he plays it on his guitar while distorting it and everyone likes it so they keep that instead of the horn - #1 Pop in the US
Master of Puppets - Metallica - what is the song about? - what do you notice about the music?
- about giving up of all sense of direction and control of one's fate (you're a puppet) - change in key -> lots of musical complexity
When does Motown start?
1959
When do we see Jamaican Yard Parties in the US? why?
1973. cause in 60s and early 70s many Jamaicans are moving to the US
When are the chord changed in Get up
2:14 and 2:40
CR March in Washington When was it? Who led it?
August 1963 - peaceful lead by MLK no one killed or arrested -> I have a dream speech -> all cause of JFK
in 196os Booker T and the M.G's composition shocked people, why?
Because the band had both white and black members.
Aretha Franklin
Great singer with very strong voice. begins as a singer in church (father is a pastor), she plans a career in gospel music, but then decides to go secular -> major record labels control every aspect of her performance because of the DOL system which makes her unhappy. She sings with Atlantic -> they send her to Muscle Shouls in Alabama to FAME studios where she record a bunch of great hits
What style is becoming more respected in the 60s
Jazz has gone from being associated with drugs to being recognized as the first important American musical art form and is highly respected (vibraphone is used in Jazz music)
differences between the music of motown and stax, in terms of frequency
Motown used a lot of high frequency music (stop, in the name of love) whereas stax used lots of low frequency music (bass heavy)
What instrument is used in Tomorrow Never Knows to create a drone?
Tambourrah
Jemmi Hendrix
guitarist for James Brown (professional guitar career) -> moves to england and becomes a maor artist there and then comes bakc to the US in 67
What important thing do the Beatles and the Rolling Stones tell us?
it tells us about the importance of image for the band
The Beatles were a very busy band and they spent a lot of time in Germany, Why? What image do they adopt?
to entertain the Americans in Germany -> cheaper to bring british bands in along a ferry than to fly Americans The rocker image -> leather jackets
What was Kool Herc's technique
used 2 turntables to extend the most exciting parts of a song (the break) -> becomes the first person to recompose a song using a turntable. -> also did toasting
Why is sending african american artists to finishing school?
usually white people go to finishing school, because berry gordy sent hist artists there, he was accused of whitening his artist.
Importance of Muddy Watters in England
very influential to a generation of white English aspiring musicians eg. Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones
What is characteristic of Led Zeppelin's style?
virtuoso musicianship/ mastery of recording studio.
What guitar technique did Jimi Hendrix master?
was able to play guitar with a very loud volume and high degree of distortion simultaneously -> with a very fluid approach
History of STAX records
was formed in 1959 from Satellite records
What does James' cyclical music bring back
what repeats is short self contained musical sections -> James brings back the riff and with Funk he starts riff based composition (one of the West African retentions)
Effects of events in the 60s and progression into the 70s:
with the death of Kennedy -> slow fading away of optimism, with the 70s problems begin to extend to the general American public and the US becomes a cynical place.
Why is this festival one of the greatest moments of history for rock?
~400000 people attended the festival during the rain and for 3 days -> no security hired at all and nothing went wrong except for a few accidents -> very civilised -> ran out of food = people shared -> all about the community rather than the individual, everyone looking out for each other -> proved to the world that there are other ways of being in the world
Why do we HR and HM emerging from Britain?
1- They never experience the prosperity that Americans had after the war -> Britain was destroyed - till now they are still rebuilding it and they are then hit by an economic recession hard 2- the British blues revival -> eg Black Sabbath is part of the British Blues Revival
How do the Beatles invent Rock from Rock and Roll? (3 things)
1- moving away from releasing singles to releasing albums -> putting some time into creating a holistic work -> should be treated like a book 2- shift from dancing in the Golden Age to Listening -> thats why they printed their lyrics 3- entertaining - the beatles considered themselves serious musicians -> artists (someone who changes and is not expected to keep doing the same thing over and over again)
Whole Lotta Rosie - AC/DC
12 bar blues -> sounds a lot like muddy watters -> guitar blues riff
Whats James Browns first hit? what year was it?
1956 - Please Please Please
Respect - Aretha Franklin
1967 - beginning of a more militant sound. a cover of Respect by Otis Redding. the song takes on a new character becoming the anthem of the Civil Rights movement and Women Liberation movement. People are demanding respect -> song is powerful and resonates with the time (becomes number one pop and r&b) -> sound is more like STAX: low frequency bass, not a lot of high frequency sound -> militant whether or not deliberate
When/What is the first rap video featured on MTV??
1986 Run DMC ft Aerosmith ->Hip Hop version of the rock band's hit "Walk This Way"
How many people tuned in to watch the Beatles perform?
26 million twenty six TWENTY SIX. Almost half of the population of GB at the time (50 million), may didnt have tellies.
Success of Bob Dylan was when?
61-65
What is the name f the beatles movie and when was it released?
A Hard Day's Night - April 1964
Please Please Me
A song released by the Beatles, January 1963
What is the name of the house band of STAX
Booker T and the MGs
Who is the new manager of the Beatles in December 1961
Brian Epstein
The Rolling Stones' first album, who was cheesed and why?
England's Newest Hitmakers: - mostly R&B covers, few R&R, 1 original song (Bryan Jones was not very happy about it -> he only likes R&B)
What style does Dylan end up creating?
Folk rock
What are examples of Mersey Beat bands
Gary and the Pacemakers, The Searchers
who is playing the guitar and sitar solo in Tomorrow Never knows
George Harrison
Whos the camera man that documents the Altamont disaster?
George Lucas LOOOLZZZZZZ
what does Berry Gordy require from all the singers that worked for him?
Go to finishing school -> this helped him target the middle class
Why was a consequence of using Quick Mix
Grand Master Flash cant do toasting
Who was faster than Kool Herc? When did he appear?
Grand Master Flash, 1976
How popular was James Brown?
Hella popular. They changed his outfit two times at his funeral = 3 outfits.
Who is the first person to have a yard party in the NY
Kool Herc -1973
What special recording feature can be heard in Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles?
Lennon's voice is "double-tracked" -> causes a shimmer in the voice. his voice is also Leslie speaker -> wobbly sound
When is the first rap hit recorded and who is responsible?
October 1979 - Sylvia Robinson (owner of Sugar Hill Records) -> style was becoming popular in South Bronx but still largely unknown outside NY until this song is created
Who is Berry Gordy?
Owner of Motown first important label owned by an African American.
What change did The Beatles make to album covers?
Record covers used to have tons of text. 6 months (end of 1965) after the release of their album HELP they released an album called Rubber Soul and the cover was just a photograph of them, they're the first group of musicians to put their cover without their name on it.
What album began the hippie aesthetic? What is characteristic of this new shift
Sgt. peppers -> shift towards albums rather than singles, listening rather than dancing, from just entertainers to serious musicians, FM radio (Album-oriented rock)
Who brings back ideology of the Beats
The baby boomers during the 60s as now they are in uni and some are becoming unconventional (generation gap: there is a split appearing between the values of parents and their children.
What group other than Soul musicians and Funk musicians also develop during the 60s?
The counter culture -> the Hippies
What leads to the beginning of the end of the Beatles?
The death of Epstein 67 (drugs) - He was needed to keep the peace between Paul McCartney and John Lennon. 1970 - Paul dips -> Beatles only for 6 years from 1964-1970
Ringo
The drummer of the Beatles
Whats interesting about the Soul Man - Sam and Dave
The song has a little imperfection with musicians not playing when they're are supposed to. Tells us it's a STAX record. they cared about the version with the most intensity not the one that was perfect.
What did Bob Dylan like about the Beatles?
Their reachability and diversity of their fanbase
Whats with the logos for HR and HM bands?
They all have logos that are pretty consistent throughout their careers -> and that because they are like a corporation -> individualistic.
How successful were the Rolling Stones?
They were ahead of everyone but always behind the Beatles
What is Western music famous for and what is Indian music famous for?
Western: Developed complex harmony Indian: Developed Rhythm to a high extent and their notes are highly subdivided compared to western music. Zero harmony -> all their music is based on a drone
Where is the hippie central in Toronto?
Yorkville, Toronto
Where were hippies located?
You can find them anywhere around the world but there were two important centres 1- Greenwich Village, New York 2- Haight Ashbury, San Francisco
JFK's denomination?
catholic, which was unusual cause presidents were usually protestant
What term does Kool Herc use to describe what he was doing
cutting and mixing
What would audience do when they heard Get up
dance
What elements of War Pigs could make it HR instead of HM?
distortion level -> there is no distortion in Ozzy's voice at all -> he has a very smooth voice and every word he says is clearly articulated -> no growling
when was the height of success for Motown?
during the 60s
Why was the electric organ part of Deep Purple instead of a saxophone or other instrument?
electric = can be distorted when highly amplified -> key for this style
How does scratching redefine the technology of the turntable?
from a technology of consumption just playing a record to a technology of production can be used to create a sound.
describe Diana Ross' voice
gospel is the least important influence her voice is very breathy -> not considered a great singer (not the strongest vocalist)
What makes berry gordy's music making unique?
he applied systematic music making to african american music that is sung by african american singers
How does a leslie speaker work
it is designed for the electric organ, the speaker spins inside the box.
What is Jamaican Toasting?
one of the precursors of hip-hop, the record played at Jamaican dance parties organized by sound system men -> based on acquiring American music. on the other side (same song but no vocals) of the record, they would provide a remix by beginning to talk on the microphone.
What does virtuoso mean?
person is highly trained in classical music
Whats scratching?
physically manipulating a record to create a sound
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - You better shop around 1960
polished restrained representation of lyrics and music
What is backbeat?
shift of emphasis from 1&3 to 2&4
What was John Lennon famous for
sneaky off hand funny remarks -> even made one about the royal family while they were present #Savenger
Why do Motown artists never sweat?
sweating is a symbol of loss of control which is the opposite of what Motown production is like.
What did hippies call summer 67?
the summer of love (west coast)
how is distortion different b/w HR and HM
there is distorted guitar in both HM and HR but it is much more intense in HM (bass could be distorted too)
why did a lot of people think of the cc mvmt as an inward looking endeavour?
they are trying to improve themselves but they are not improving things for the world -> the US has many problems at the time and CC never fixed any of it
What is meant by collective approach in creating music?
they didn't use stereo recording (monophonic) -> they didn't use multitrack recording -> they had collective decision making where the band plays the music and the people decide which version is the best. they don't care about putting out the most flawless version but the one that sounds the best even if it has mistakes or flaws.
What are the elements that are common in gordy's music
- focus on arrangement - obsessed with clarity (zero distortion) - Accuracy of performance - Quality control (comparison to other hit records) - things had to be perfect and focused utterly on what is popular -> listening to top 10 recrods -> constant shaping to maximize chart success
What is special bout A Day in the Life?
-Assembled out of section of 2 half finished songs - one by Lennon and the Other by McCartney
Which three bands are the founding bands of HM and HR? What do they all have in common?
-Black Sabbath -Deep Purple -Led Zeppelin all three are British
How does James Brown reafricanize music in Funk style
-Master drummer in charge -Interlocking grove -> communal ensemble -Focus on rhythm and articulation -The song structure itself -Cyclical vs Linear
How does the music of the counterculture manifest the psychedelic
-loud -lighting shows -longer and unusual song forms -jamming -> collective improv
What is different about HM and HR compared ot the psychedelic blues?
-sonic development from the psychedelic blues -to a great extent, the lyrics are responding the failures of the counterculture -cc was about the collective or the group but HM and HR are about the individual
What characterizes soul music?
-vocal style from gospel music -Rhythm and BackBeat from R&B -arrangement and lyric style from TPA -
What did GM Melle Mel invent?
/-first to call himself MC -First Songwriter in Hip Hop: first rapper to write down his verses and perform them in a consistent manner (not improv each time)
3 important points to take away from Tomorrow Never Knows
1- Beatles drawing on influence of other cultures, in particular the indian culture. 2- The band is becoming obsessed with multitrack recording 3- They recorded a song that cannot be played live at a concert
why the name -> the beats?
1- Modern Jazz Beat was there music 2- They wear BEATen down by the system for being associated with communism
What are the precursors of rap?
1- Signifying, the Dozens 2- Jamaican Toasting
What is post modernism?
1-anything up for grabs don't have to follow any rules and if it suits your purpose you can break the rules. 2-gotta generate emotion in the people
What are the distinctions between HM and HR (4 things)
1-distortion 2-tempo 3-musical influences 4-lyrics
what chart numbers did the beatles have in april 64
12 songs all in the top 100 and simultaneously including positions 1-5. for 3 weeks in april 60 percent of all album sales were beatles.
How did the show Star Trek appeal to many people?
1960s -> yet one of the crew members on the enterprise is Japanese and one is Russian -> during the cold war. There was also one black actress (Michelle Nickels). The famous Martin Luther King phone call
When did the Rolling Stones change their image?
1963
When do the Beatles rise to fame
1963
I want to be your man - The Rolling Stones
1963 - Loog Oldham organizes a recording session with the Beatles where they teach Mick Jagger and Keith Richards how to write songs. The song is written in 90 minutes. Becomes The Rolling Stones' firs hit single that is not a cover -> that makes them consider writing songs.
I Feel Good - James Brown - year - song form - Sound like motown or stax?
1965 - 12 bar blues 12 bar 12 bar 4 bar break 8 vocal bridge then 12 bar = AABA - stax - lots of intensity in James' voice.
Stop in the Name of Love - The Supremes Why is Diana Ross the leading singer of the supremes?
1965 reasons why ross is the lead singer: 1- Shes Gordy's GF 2- Gordy picks her deliberately cause he thinks that her voice will appeal more to white people.
Yesterday - The Beatles
1965 -> shift in song writing approach
Otis Redding - Try a Little Tenderness year facts about the song - focus of the song?
1966 - it was not newly composed, originally a TPA song (AABA). composed in the 1920s and was a hit for Bing Crosby in 1933. This song was Otis' biggest hit, although he had a prolific career - all about the performance aesthetic rather than the song being perfect.
White Airplane - The Jefferson Airplane -year -genre -whats interesting about it? -what is the structure symbolic of? - what does the song make a reference to?
1967 - acid rock - its a really short song (2 minutes) -> became a pop hit (rare for a CC song). The structure is AAB no A. - structured on volume (crescendo) just keeps growing - symbolic of a drug experience, when someone takes a drug, the experience gets more and more intense and then crashes - alice in wonderland -> the world is not what we see.
Voodo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix -year -what genre influences it -why does this type of music become popular
1967 influenced by blues this music which is very loud and distorted resonates with many people because at the time a lot of people are angry
Reafricanization of black culture
1968 - movement away from white culture -> people change the way they live, dress, brighter flowy clothes, hair, names were changed (drop the slave name and take on African names).
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin - year - album - an original? - Style
1969 - Led Zeppelin II - stolen song original by Muddy Watters - You Need Love 1962 (Willy Dixon-Chess Rescords) - Song is Blues riff based -> song shows importance of control in the studio, the ending of the song has many virtuosic elements similar to music of the Beatles.
War Pigs - Black Sabbath - year - album - what type of song is it? why?
1970 -paranoid -Heavy Metal -> Guitar is heavily distorted, self-conscious musicianship is characteristic of HM. the tempo changes. lyrics are about alienation and there is a war reference in the title (powerlessness, futility)
Trucking - The Grateful Dead - year? - What is it influenced by? - What do we notice about the performance? - What were the fans called?
1970 - Folk rock - The song is highly imporvised -> the band was famous for collective improv (had difficulties landing record deals cause of this) All about what happened in the minute - No two concerts were the same because of how they performed -> their fans followed them around the country = DEADHEADS
Get up (i feel like being a) sex machine - James Brown Describe how this song portray the style of FUNK
1970 - Example of funk -> deprivilaging of melody and harmony and shift of emphasis on rhythm structured melody no longer seen harmony (only 2 chord changes in the entire song)
Highway Star - Deep Purple -year -album -is it HR or HM?
1972 -Machine Head -Lyrically it is defs HR (about cars and girls, like Chuck Berry). Musically HM -> Organ solo is distorted and resembles baroque music (Johan Sebastian Bach - Arpeggio) -> very precise performance (classical influence)
The energy crisis
1973 There is a war between Israel and neighbours -> the US makes it clear that it is on Israels side = the countries that supply the US with oil close the tap and US is in trouble -> marks the first economic recession since WWII -> The US is dependent on others and are at the mercy of their suppliers, continues till 74
How many albums and how much merchandise do the Beatles sell when they go to the US in 1964
2 million albums & $2.5 million's worth of merchandise
how many US tours did they do by the end of 1965?
4 tours
how old was JFK when he sworn in, whats special about his age?
43 years old making him the youngest president ever. Being young made him open to the ideas of the youth -> optimistic forward thinking
when do the inner city riots reach their peak, what was that summer called, how was order established?
67 was the peak -> the long hot summer. 19 square miles reduced to rubble -> several killed and thousands arrested -> order reestablished after the army takes to the streets in tanks and armoured vehicles.
What proportion of Motown sales were to white people
70%
How many loops are in Tomorrow Never Knows
8
The Black Panthers
A group of Civil Rights protesters who said they ill do whatever it takes to get what they want and when met with violence they respond with violence.
The Funk Brothers
A house band that consists of a collection of a dozen of Detroit's top jazz musicians. they are the ones who played almost all the music for berry gordy
Love Me Do
A song released by the Beatles, September 1962 - This is their first recorded single with Parlophone and George Martin as a producer.
How do American R&B artist respond to their fan base in England?
A tour is organized by Chess Records with Muddy Watters headlining
What was a form of Yesterday - The Beatles?
AABA
What band is the most suiting example of hard rock?
AC/DC
A sound more aggressive than that of the Folk rock develops for hippies, what is the genre called and where does it gets its name from?
Acid rock - drug reference -> drugs = psychedelic
What style clearly influences Led Zeppelin?
American Blues -> they were already part of the British Blues Also acoustic and celtic influence
"Live at the Apollo"
An album of songs by James Brown -> one of the first albums by a black artist to sell in excess of 1 million copies.
What is a concept album?
An album with one idea, message or story
Who was the manager of the Rolling Stones? and When did he become the manager? Why did this person become the manager of the Rolling Stones?
Andrew Loog Oldham -> 1963. Loog Oldham wanted to get into music and worked for Epstein so he had experience.
How do things get worse for CC in 1970
April 1970 - Paul McCartney leaves the Beatles -> the band that defined the defined the era was dismantled + anti war protests at unis + Musicians die (all 27, dead from drugs): - Jimi Hendrix -> September 1970 - Janice Joplin -> October 1970 - Jim Morrison -> July 1971
The fall of Saigon
April 30, 1975 -> lost the war -> Vietnamese surround the Americans at Saigon -> the world watched as the Americans panicked and ran -> people clinging to helicopters taking off near embassies. Helicopters coming out so fast that crew didn't have time to prep, a lot of people drowned. Lost in such humiliation
When was the Beatles' last show?
August 29th 1966 Candlestick Park San Fran.
What is the Mersey Beat
Bands in Liverpool (Where the beatles are from) copying the style of the beatles and getting popular in england
What is the name of the major idea from the Beats movement?
Beatitude
How did fans react to the March 66 Lennon interview?
Beatles burnings in the South. End of the summer when they returned for the final leg of their tour, just before the plane lands the statement is published with no context, people very mad, catholic church denounces the Beatles, death threats from KKK.
Parlophone? Name of their Producer?
Beatles first record deal -> George Martin as a producer
What is Beatitude?
Beats ideology -> We as a society, are being blinded from reality of the world, kept in a passive state. Done through 'stuff', materialism. Pursuit of stuff blinds us to reality of the world. Symbolic idea. If you could get past the stuff you would be able to see the world as it really is, a higher state of being.
Why was Hitsville another name for Motown?
Because Gordy was interested in maximizing his profits and did so by making his music target middle class white people.
Why cant GM Flash toast and whats the solution?
Becuase Quick Mix requires so much attention cant toast -> begins to work with rappers like GM Melle Mel (they do the toasting)
Who are the members of the Rolling Stones?
Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Brian Jones
Which audience liked rap during the first half of the 80s? Who didnt like it?
Black people. fans of older style like RnR, Soul and Funk (Whites and Blacks).
What is the reason behind Yesterday - The Beatles, having a complex lyrical structure? What about the harmonic structure? How does this song mark a change in the band?
Bob Dylan tells John Lennon and Paul McCartney "Your music is great, but your lyrics suck" so they put lyrics looking at relationships in a serious probing light. It also has a complicated harmonic structure (chords are more complicated) -> there are classical musicians (string quartet) -> there is also only one Beatle playing, Paul McCartney, unlike all other Beatles songs. -> this slowly begins to destroy the band.
Whats the mythology surrounding the Beatles going to the United States
Brian Epstein is a keen manager -> refuses to let the band go to the US before having a hit in the US
Where are the Beatles from? what are the conditions like where they are from during throughout the 50s
Britains -> destroyed by the war and takes over a decade to rebuild the country -> rationing in place, not a lot of jobs.
Cholly Atkins
Choreographer that my boi Berry Gordy hired
Where is Motown located
Detroit, Michigan
The Supremes
Diana Ross - Berry Gordy's GF
What kind of music did Black Sabbath put out?
Doomy music -> music that reflects a sense of doom -> topics of psychological instability and war imagery. -> war imagery used since everyone in 1970s England over the age of 30/40 defs remembers and knows the war
How does Bryan Jones die?
Drug overdose, dies in a swimming pool. 27 years old -> death by misadventure
Effects of Kennedy assassination on Americans
Everyone depressed. As bad as 9/11
Which radio becomes more popular for broadcasting albums and music?
FM radio becomes a thing because of them because of the fact that it can broadcast in stereo which was key for multitrack recording -> Album oriented rock
How do young people from the Bronx NY express themselved in the early 1970s?
FOLK like diy approach to creating culture development of break dancing random moves, cause no dancing schools development of graffiti art, on subway cars for everyone to see development of music making methods like turntables and human voice, that dont require lessons -> rap music
Who invented Scratching?
Grand Wizard Theodore
Reafricanization:Interlocking groove
Group of drummers based on african drummer groups. works by creating a complicated rhythm from multiple tiny simple parts that repeat. the group is a communal ensemble (you hear the band members talking to each other and using each other's names)
What is the name of the second Beatles movie and when was it released
HELP - 1965
what ended this movement?
HUAC -> they were heavily targetted and were associated with communism
What is the first thing Oldham does as manager of the Rolling Stones
He changes their appearance
As a response to what is going on with the CR mvmt what does James Brown do in 1968?
He creates the style of FUNK
When did Otis Redding die and how did he die?
He died in 1967 and he died in a plane crash (with the barkays)
How did John Lennon manage to get many loops into the song Tomorrow Never Knows with the technology of the time?
He had 8 technicians each standing on top of one tape machine and then they are each controlling their volume knobs on JLs cue
What element does John Lennon use in the son for the first time ever? (Tomorrow Never Knows)
He uses Loops Backward recording
How does Bryan Jones leave the Beatles? the fate of the band after he dips?
He was not pretty happy about the fact that the band is experimenting with original material rather than making covers -> hang around till 1969 when the RS are preparing for a tour in the United States and he is having trouble getting his travel visa/approved. The band decides to have a meeting where they tell him that he has not contributed anything to the band so quit or we fire you, so he decides to leave summer 69'. The bands goes on to become the greatest R&B influence.
Whats the Beatle's first United States hit?
I Wanna Hold Your Hands -> becomes a hit in 1964
When does R&B become less popular in the United States and why?
It becomes less popular during the late 50s (50-60s). R&B is the music of the marginalized past, black people have faced lots of systemic discrimination, but things are good for them right now, so they are moving away from that style and playing different music.
How does kent affect CC?
It ends it. With the end of the 60s, all hopes of a different life is gone.
Why is R&B popular with male English teens?
It is possible for different cultures to relate to a genre if it resonates with their situations and conditions. Another example is Superheroes. Superman is the person who is an outsider and is trying to fit. England at the time has a high level of unemployment and lack of opportunities for young men.
What is the function of backbeat?
It lifts the energy, more motion in the beat giving the perception of forward movement
the 31st President of the US is? When did he become president?
JFK - 1961
Sound system men
Jamaican DJ, they organized jamaican dance parties called Yard parties -> played americna music and did remix
"Black folks like the blues, white fold like a little something different in the middle"
James Brown - his use of blues and AABA format together is deliberate to appeal to both black and white audiences
What events primarily led to the Beatles not wanting to perform publically again?
Japan series 1966 - the screaming was dreadful, they couldn't perform properly. Philippines - General Marcos' wife got cheesed at the Beatles and made them give back their concert money. They were taken off their plane at gun point. John Lennon's interview in March 66 - London Evening Standard Newspaper - "we are bigger than Jesus" all mans were cheesed and they dunked on their life.
Who were the leaders of the Youth International Party (Yippies)
Jerry Rubin & Abbie Hoffman
What led to Led Zeppelin's name change
Jimmy Paige needs the money so he convinces them to stay on tour but gotta change the band name -> they go -> do well and they decide to not split up = Led Zeppelin
What album did they release after the August 29 1966 concert?
June 1967 Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
How does Epstein change the beatles?
Keeps the charisma and wit but gets rid of the rough rocker look -> nice haircuts and matching suits
What happened in April 1968, and how did it affect the CR mvmt protesting
Leader of non-violent CR mvmt takes a trip to speak at a protest in memphis, TN -> as he is addressing the crowd from his hotel balcony he is assassinated on April 4th 1968. People begin to turn away fro peaceful protest and are now becoming violent. There is also a reafricanization of the culture
How was the name Mersey Beat coined
Liverpool is a port town near the Mersey river
The first 24 hour music video station?
MTV
What happened at Kent in 1970
May 1970 protests. follow script till day 2 day 2-> small group break away from the main crown to get some air so they go to a parking lot -> National guard follow them -> 2 rows and they open fire on the group 4 dead, 1 critically injured and 10 with other injuries 2 of the people who were killed were not even involved in the protest.
Where is Soulsville located
Memphis, Tennessee
Where is STAX records located
Memphis, the second greatest centre for soul music
What band is the most suiting example of heavy metal ?
Metallica
Name of the famous black actress in Star Trek -> later becomes first black woman in space
Michelle Nickels
What were the people of the counterculture known as?
Modern and described as hip = hippies
Example of a person who changed his slave name to an African name
Mohammed Ali from Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.
What is an example of post modernism other than the Beatles?
Monty Python - pythons flying circus is another example of post modernism bc many sketches don't finish. keep goin till it aint funny no more and then switch to another sketch.
How does Motown's records differ from that of STAX?
Motown is much more complicated: had complicated arrangement with background vocal whereas with STAX they rarely had background vocals (less emphasis on arrangement compared to motown, they focus on energy of performance over accuracy).
Compare the appearance of Motown and Stax artists in public
Motown: eg Smokey Robinson -> follows the camera as he sings (light on the camera indicated which one is filming) -> eye contact with the audience is tremendously important for Motown. Motown artists never sweat. Stax: Otis more concerned with generating the most intensity than focusing on which camera is filming him. So intense, he is sweating.
how are musical influences different between HR and HM?
Musical Influences: HR is influenced by R&B and emerges from the british blues revival -> HM inspired by western classical music -> very complicated forms
Camelot
Name of the white house when JFK in office, cause there's a round table, no head, symbolic of his openness to people and willingness to listen
What is important about the naming of bands of HM and HR compared to the names of bands from the 60s?
No "The" (not The Led Zeppelin) and not plural -> the names are like the names of corporations (individualistic) - singular thing and within it everyone is a distinct individual.
Reafricanization : song structure -> cyclical vs linear
No identifiable song structure they just keep repeated the same thing till James gets bored and they switch it up. Song is cyclical in nature.
Was James Brown only famous among black people? proof?
No, with white people too. Papa's got a Brand New Bag - 1965 -> crossover hit. and also I Feel Good -1965
Were Paul McCartney and John Lennon formally educated in song writing?
Nope, however, they studied songs and that is how they learnt to write songs. They know that professionals put in self-conscious stuff so they did too
Does R&B lose its fan base completely during the late 50s and 60s?
Nope, they have a fan base in Britain. Young white males
November 22 1963 - JFK
On a trip to Texas. The US in the space race and Texas is where mission control is. In his car -> driving along -> gets assassinated
What was the original version of Respect -1967 about and who was the singer?
Otis Redding -> from the perspective of a man who is demanding some respect from his partner in the relationship.
How does the Nixon scandal affect Americans?
People lose trust in authority and political power. For the first time confront that some people in the govt might be putting their own interests ahead of the people.
What are loops
Physical loops of tape that lead to sound repeating over and over again.
What were the reaction of politicians and national guard to this? What did this event signal to young individuals?
Pol: These kids have it coming (blame it on the protesters) -> a bunch or anarchists who need to get a job and grow up. Nat G: they were never charged with anything for killing. the parent culture didn't care about what you had to say and they were willing to see young people die rather than question the authority of the govt.
How do British bands usually do in the United States?
Poorly -> even the Beetles werent doing amazing
Was soul a positive or negative term for black culture? why?
Positive. The song The Soul Man exaggerates in an uplifting way how great it is to be a soul man. Black people refer to each other as "soul brothers" and "soul sisters".
What approach was used to compose A Day in the Life?
Post Modern approach to creating forms of song structure -> avante garde techniques of piano and orchestra
George Martin, Whys he called the 5th Beatle
Producer for the Beatles at Parlophone (division of EMI). Very strong influence on the band -> he drops Pete Best and brings Ringo Starr (cause pete is not a good enough drummer)
Why did hippie music focus so much on sensory stimulation?
Psychedelic: Idea that was taken from the Beats (beatitudes) homology between beatitude and brain stimulation -> the idea that if you sufficiently stimulate the brain you can reach this level of seeing the world in its true form in clarity
What was Grand Master Flash's technique
Quick Mixing -> backspinning of a record -> better control of the music and mix two records together over only a few seconds.
The idea of process vs product always existed, even before the Beatles and the Rolling Stones
R&B -> all about the process, the performance TPA -> all about the product and the song The different approaches to making music always existed but they were divided by race
The name of the first rap hit? how many artists does it feature? where is the music from?
Rapper's Delight -> features 3 local artists -> lyrics rapped over song of the year (disco hit) Good Times by Chic (June 1979) (#1 Pop/RnB)
During the 40s and 50s British teens express themselves using a specific style that was popular called?
Return to the DIY culture -> skiffle
Which album by the Beatles has one of the most striking pieces of music? When was it released? what is the name of the song?
Revolver August 1966 - Tomorrow Never Knows by John Lennon
What type of music did MTV broadcast and who were the target audiences?
Rock and Pop -> white people. Did not feature much rap
Which soul music outlet had cathartic performances with unrestrained energy
STAX eg. Try a Little Tenderness Otis Redding 1966
Whats James Brown's first FUNK song? Whats it like?
Say it Loud 1968 - (I am black and Proud) introduces the style of funk. very powerful song with very powerful lyrics
how did cc use loudness to make music psychedelic?
So loud that the music actually vibrates your body, you feel it inside of you. here they stimulate tactile senses, the idea is to stimulate as many senses as possible in order to be psychedelic
What is a revival in music?
Something is popular and then dies out, then someone rediscovers it and then it becomes popular again.
Describe the format of Please Please Me
Song by the Beatles: AABA form - Numerous rehearsed details -> Change in rhythmic density in vocal -> Highest note at the end of the B section - TPA style attention to arrangement
What type of music becomes popularized in african american culture during the late 50s?
Soul Music
Who leaves the Beatles in July 1961, who replaces him
Stu Sutcliffe to pursue a career in painting, McCartney takes over the bass.
Woodstock year? what is it?
Summer (August) 1969 It is a music festival organized by the CC
When did MTV start?
Summer 1981
How did the career of the Rolling stones start??
Summer of 1962: July They were a house band for the Marquee Club
What is the difference between TPA and Motown
TPA was always a collection of people and was not a single business, whereas Motown has all its people under one roof.
"Would you let your daughter date a Rolling Stone?"
That was their first publicity campaign. Shows how the Rolling Stones were seen as bad, reckless, rebel jerks -> anti Beatles, who are cute and loved by all. They draw on danger and sexuality. They go left when everyone goes right
Brian Epstein tried to get the Beatles a record, how successful is he?
The Beatles are rejected by every record because they are now in the in B/W years and theres no guitar music -> until June 1962 Parlophone (division of EMI)
Who comes to cheer up the Americans and when?
The Beatles in 1964
Shea Stadium Performance
The Beatles. Play a concert at a baseball stadium -> first time this ever happens -> use stadium lights cause fancy stage lights were not invented yet (Beatles are the reason the lights get invented) they are also using the worlds largest amplifiers.
The Beatles vs The Rolling Stones, in terms of image
The Beatles: - matching suits and their haircut, they are the darlings of the middle class - come from the working class The Rolling Stones: - non matching clothes, rough aesthetic - come from the middle class
What mvmnt is the counterculture's biggest influence?
The Beats
Which band was invited to Woodstock and rejected the invitation?
The Rolling Stones
Where did the Beatles perform on November 4th 1963. What is special about this show?
The Royal Variety Performance in the London Palladium. The best of the best each year are invited to come and perform. by the end of 1963 they become the most famous band in GB
Which songs shows that "soul" has now come to stand for "black" not just a style of performing?
The Soul Man - Sam and Dave 1967
What was the name of Led Zeppelin, when they were part of the British blues revival ?
The Yardbird (british blues revival)
How successful is AC/DC
The album "Back in Black" released in 1980 has sold over 50 million copies, and has the second largest amount of albums sales ever (first in Michael Jackson - Thriller)
Which uniques instrument was in Deep Purple, who played it?
The electric organ -> John Lorde
Why was there so much booing, why did the audience of the newport folk festival hate what Dylan did so much?
The fanbase is obsessed with authenticity. It wasn't a debate over electric or acoustic, it was about what the electric guitars represented. Negative -> because it represented the music industry which fold is "not part of". "you can play r&r and be considered as having "integrity"" When Dylan goes electric he reminds everybody that Folk is part of the music industry...
Who is Bryan Jones?
The founder of the Rolling Stones. A well known musician who loves R&B. Created the band for the sake of playing his favourite music, R&B
When is the peak of the counterculture? which group is still very powerful?
The peak is 1967 -> Same year that the Beatles release Sgt. peppers -> they are still very powerful and in keeping with psychdedelic.
What event ended the CC movement?
The protest at Kent State University in May 1970
How does double tracking work exactly?
The singer sings the song in the best most amazing way, then he has to match exactly what he did in that recording.
What is interesting about Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles
The song is based on a drone which is a characteristic of Indian Music. The Beatles spend a lot of their time in India and that is why we see their influence in their music.
How does the corporate like framing of HM and HR bands influence their fanbase?
Their fans look up to them, they want to embrace success and want to be like their idols (like ambition to become a CEO) -> a way to appeal to people who felt the world was out of control. This was a way of creating/ obtaining control.
What did the Beatles do for the first time ever
They had a concert in a major sports arena, first time ever for something like this to be done. They are opening doors for potential locations where bands can perform.
What kind of publicity were the Beatles using to advertise their arrival to the US
They had huge publicity "The Beatles are Coming" Play on the "The Red Coats are Coming" during the Invasion of the English
How was it organized
They wanted it to be an outdoor concert -> decide on woodstock but no space there so they pick a spot just outside of new york on a farm -> town called Bethel (70 km south from Woodstock)
Why were the Beatles losing interest in playing publically?
They wanted people to actually listen to their music and to their lyrics and with screaming fans in an arena that never happens.
What was different about Yesterday - The beatles, compared to their previous songs?
This one has a complex harmonic and lyrical structure. It has a string quartet.
How does shift of focus form melody and harmony to rhythm and articulation symbolize reafricanization
This shift is based on James' perspective of what West African culture is like and since he has never been to Africa he is improvising, but to some extent he is accurate.
What was the lyrics of Tomorrow Never Knows based on?
Tibetan Book of the Dead -> Spiritual book
In which song was Flanging first used?
Tomorrow never knows
Which song is Otis Redding's biggest hit?
Try a Little Tenderness 1966
What examples of self-consciousness do we see in the music of the Beatles?
Unique breaks in between lines A A B A B - double the speed of A, highest note comes at the end of the B section Kind of like Somewhere over the Rainbow - Golden Age influence, use of guitar -> ohooooohooo -> Little Richard
What are some of the characteristics of the sound of AC/DC
Very strong blues influence, steady tempos (mid range) and used rock n roll lyrics eg. Whole Lotta Rosie and Highway to Hell (both are very blues influenced)
Where does signifying originate form?
West Africa
Beatlemania
a condition used to describe chaotic hysteria of Beatles fans. No one has seen such a response toward a band before, nothing of this intensity.
What song in Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band is the most important?
a day in the life
What is signifying or playing the Dozens
a form of storytelling/ritualized insulting -> in the form of a game -> points for speed, rhyme, creativity -> part of Af Am culture for generations originating in West Africa
The Quarrymen
a skiffle group formed by John Lennon in July 1957, Liverpool -> JL meets Paul McCartney and they become song writing duo -> George Harrison (1958 as guitarist) -> Pete Best (1960 as drummer) & Stu Sutcliffe (1960 as bass) Later the band changes its names -> silver beatles Finally become the Beatles.
What is the result of having the Funk Brothers for Berry Gordy's label?
absolute consistency in all the product that comes out of Motown
The Beatles vs The Rolling Stones, in terms of music production
all about the process vs product The beatles are all about the product while The rolling stones are all about the process (the journey) there is always a perfect way to play a Beatles song, but there is not always a perfect way to play a Rolling Stones songs (they are played differently each time)
What kind of singles did The Rolling Stones release from 1963-64
all singles are covers (Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Willie Dixon)
What was the result of the disaster of Altamont, California?
all the optimism and goodwill that woodstock created was wiped away -> the media views this as a failure of the counterculture
Metallica
an example of a heavy metal band. founded in Los Angeles in 1981
AC/DC
an example of hard rock band from Australia -> founded in 1973
Whats happening in Universities during the early 70s?
anti war protests become part of uni life
Who are the beats?
artists from the 1940->the 50s in San Francisco -> led by Jack Kerouac and Allan Ginsberg -> among the first to actually question authority. questions about the government and whether what they are doing is actually in the best interest of the people.
JFK famous quote
ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country
What were the interests of the counterculture movement?
at their peak in 67 -> its the long hot summer and CR mvmt is looking pretty bad. Although they had interest in it, CR was not CC main focus -> they cared more about abolishing the draft for the Vietnam war
What happens to CR mvmt and music following the death of Kennedy
backlash against the CR mvmt, Af Am music about to reflect what is happening. by 1967 things are changing within the african community and they respond to the stumbling block that is the difficulty of progress (slowing down of CR mvmt)
What is the style of making music at Motown like?
based on the experiences of Gordy with Automotive plants. Assembly line for talent.
Why is this song unplayable?
because of all the recording tricks they used, it would be impossible to play live on stage
why is the White Airplane - The Jefferson Airplane only 2 minutes long
because the song is structured on a crescendo form low to high volume -> when reaching the max volume that's when the song ends.
Why is Jimi Hendrix a technical virtuoso
because, like Chuck Berry and Robert Johnson, he invents new guitar playing techniques that no one has ever seen before.
How did the Beatles transition from the first to the second song in A Day in the Life?
brought in a group of classical musicians into the studio and told them you have 24 seconds to go from the lowest note on your instrument to the highest note on your instrument -> whichever way you like (important pm element -> element of chance is important in avante garde)
Why was the CR mvmt not central focus of the CC
by 67 the black community has totally withdrawn and turned inward from white culture, CC was a middle class white people mvmt
how do the grateful dead personify counter culture?
by playing lots of improv -> the song was just an excuse for them to Jam -> they embody the idea of the community over individual.
Story about Pete Seager's reaction at the newport folk festival in 1965? what does it tell us about Bob Dylans move?
he got and axe and wanted to destroy the fuse box but two people had to pin him down. Tell us that everyone absolutely hated what he did -> there was significant overwhelming booing
What is special about John Lord
he is a keyboard player (electric organ) -> means that he took many piano lessons and knows lots about classical music -> we see this influence in the organ solo in Highway Star on the other hand guitarist are usually self-taught.
Being Catholic, how does that affect JFKs perspectives?
he know what its like to be different which made him open to the CR mvmt and had sympathy for Af am.
Was Sgt Peppers a concept album?
history puts it down as the first concept album but the Beatles said it wasn't meant to be a concept album the songs were just supposed to be about their childhood growing up in Liverpool. Many other contenders exist for the title of the first concept album and some of those were recorded before sgt peppers
what is folk rock?
ideas of folk with sound and approach of recording or rock -> rock that tells stories -> becomes the starting point of bands of the counterculture.
What difficulties did Booker T and the M.Gs face when playing on different stages
in some areas in the US it is illegal for both black and white musicians to be on the stage simultaneously
As a result of the events of the 60s, what do we see happening in the 70s
inability to enact change. Inward, selfish decade. World sucks, stuff is more complicated. People turn inwards to forget about what's going on in the world.
After the Assassination of Kennedy in 63 - CR mvmt is stalled and by 65 there is civil unrest within the black community, this leads to...
inner city riots 65-67
What were the protests that happened on uni campuses during 1970
it followed a script day 1: peaceful -> at nights things begin to get roudy day2: national guard (tear gas) called in and things settle down by the end of day 2
What important about Please Please Please?
it is the first song to stray away from the R&B sound and lean more towards the soul sound
What is a drone
it is when an instrument holds a single note, on top of which everything is built
What is happening to hippie music as the culture becomes more engaged in their goal of ending the Vietnam draft? what genre is created?
it keeps getting louder and louder -> there is a return to Blues influence (especially in San Fran) -> creates Psychedelic blues
What was different about their movie
it was actually a good band movie, all others suck. primarily because the beatles were funny
Why was the location altamont?
it was in december so it was too cold for an outdoor concert, they had to look for a location south.
Audience reaction to I am Black and I am Proud 1968
loses his white audience over night.
how did cc use longer songs to make music psychedelic?
lots of experimentation in the music -> artists adding new stuff so that the music sometimes catches you off guard -> maybe that stimulation will help you see the true nature of the world
What was the problem with using drugs as something psychedelic in the counterculture?
lots of people got addicted and many died. it was a naive attempt at finding an alternative way of thinking -> to access/stimulate parts of the brain that human couldn't use or stimulate before.
how are lyrics different b/w HR and HM?
lyrics of both respond to the counter culture HR -> the world is screwed and I dont give a ... (insert whatever you like) so lets R&R all night HM -> expression of a sense of disconnection from society -> topics like alienation, mental instability, loss of control etc). war often used as analogy of conflict
how did cc use jamming to make music psychedelic?
making it up as they go, no concrete form some are 12 bar blues some are AABA some are no structure -> as long as it is stimulation that is unique -> jamming together, the idea of a community working together not an individual on his own
Whats special about Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band?
most important album in the history of western pop music, pushes recording beyond what is known, introduces the modern idea of what a recording is. shift away from an album of singles to the idea of the concept album
Describe the lyrics of soul songs
moving away from the adult content to the topic of idealized relationships like TPA songs.
What are some of the characteristics of the music of Metalica?
music is highly technical with frequent tempo changes -> has instrumental sections (virtuosic soloing with very intense orchestration like symphony orchestra) with classical influences -> heavy distortion
How did the name STAX come to be
names of the founders Jim Stewart & Estelle Axton
The Rolling Stones wanted to create their own Woodstock, was it the same? whats different?
not at all -> it was a disaster. Location was closed -> stuffed people into a track (Altamont, California), many were suffocating and couldnt breath. They also hired the Hells Angels biker gang as security and paid them with beer ($500 worth) so they were drunk and they beat up the attendees -> a man was murdered (stabbed) by gang as the festival as he approached the stage
how did cc use lighting shows to make music psychedelic?
oil in filters and shine light through it makes cool effect with stage lighting you start to see different lights, experimenting with colours, projections, time to turn on and off with the music ->visual stimualtion
Led Zeppelin
one of the British bands that helped establish the style of HR and HM
Deep Purple
one of the British bands that helped start HR and HM genres
The Beatles on Sullivan - February 9th 1964
one of the most important moments in music history. 70 million viewers. Hours prior and hours after the show, crime rates dropped.
What does Bob Dylan do at the Newport Folk Festival 1965? how does the audience react?
plays three songs at the last minutes of the festival with an electric blues band. increased the volume and used an electric guitar with amplifiers -> so loud people hated it. "Dylan Goes Electric" -> Pete Seager hated it.
How did CC attempt to stop the drafts
protests -> sometimes violent - organizations -> Youth International Party (Yippies)
describe the function of the rhythm and backbeat in soul music
rhythm has fast tempo -> suitable for dancing
Reafricanization: Master Drummer
sets the tempo and starts the song (JB himself)
Whats Skiffle? how does it develop in England?
style resemblant of American Rhythm and blues, brought by the Americans who are in England helping rebuild the country
How are the Rolling Stones, anti Beatles?
swear, be rude, dont show up for interviews, wear whatever they want. Clothes never matched, they never smiled, Mick Jagger had a death stare on his face the whole time he sang on stage.
how is tempo different b/w HR and HM?
tempo: HR tempo is fairly mid ranged -> once established it is rare for it to change during the song but in HM we see much more complex forms with changes in tempo.
What is the development of Funk music connected to?
the Civil Rights Movement and African American identity
What is the events that drives American to question authority collectively?
the US involvement in the Vietnam war -> no one questioned WWII or Cold War (gotta get rid of fascists, gotta be safe from commies) but Vietnam was never justified -> still to this day
How long was the woodstock festival and how many people attended it?
the Woodstock festival was 3 days long -> b/w 300000 & 400000
What concept do the Beatles bring back through their music
the concept of Rock and Roll
Not everyone felt included by HM and HR, what was the result of this?
the fanbase of Hr and Hm is mostly middle class white males as a result: 1- Punk: hate HM and HR (the idea of a star -> being privileged is not nice) 2- Disco: people alienated socially and culturally -> they want dance music (HM and HR reject dance) and want to be stars (Punk rejects stars)
What instruments do we hear in Stop in the Name of Love that are important for soul music
the first thing you hear is the organ ( an important instrument for soul - as well as the piano) vibraphone -> doorbell sound. there is an elaborate arrangement of vocals and instruments.
The intensity in I Feel Good explains why it was popular amongst black people, what made the song popular amongst white people?
the form - AABA
What culture emerged at the end of the Beatles career
the hippie aesthetic
What did hippie music focus on?
the homology of sensory stimulation
The burglary at Watergate Hotel
the hotel is the office of the democratic party -> the burglary was a distraction, since the main purpose was to place listening devices in the telephones of the party members -> the people who did it in 72 were connected to NIxon -> leads to Nixon resigning after the public discovers in August 74 to avoid the charges that were placed against him
What do black inner-city neighbourhoods look like by the early 70s?
the neighbourhoods are suffering -> Bronx NY -> rich moved to the suburbs leaving the poor behind in standards of living that are collapsing.
Which of the versions would be the one that STAX releases?
the one that contained the most energy, whether or not it was perfectly played.
From what sound do the genres of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal emerge from?
the sound of the 60s -> the psychedelic blues
How did the CC make everything psychedelic?
their posters-> were very difficult to read you have to think about them in order to decipher the information that is in them. their clothes-> very bright colours, checks, stripes, tie-dye they used drugs: the idea of maybe getting high can make you see the world in its true nature
Whats the appearance of the Rolling Stones and what is it changed to? -> why does Oldham make that change?
they first look like the Beatles. "the Beatles will always be better Beatles than you are" He makes them the one band that goes the other way.
How long do the Beatles spend in the United States and how many people show up at Heathrow?
they spent 2 weeks and 50,000 people show up to watch them get off the plane. Heathrow airport was shut off to people
What happened to the Americans
they went in thinking they're are at an advantage and underestimated the vietnamese, they got destroyed.
What does the music of Motown focused on?
this is the 1960s - so we are in the in between years -> focus on the singers not the bands.