Music final
major elements of soul music
combines the two major counterparts of African-American music (sacred & secular) - until that point had been separate, opposed traditions ★major city: Memphis, TN (home of Stax Records), but also came out of Detroit ("Long Hot Summer" in 1967) ★major record labels: Stax, Atlantic Records ★thought of as black music, but many soul bands feat. good deal of integration (e.g. Booker T. & the MGs) ★musical style: raw, powerful, unpolished - meant for vinyl records!!!★1954: first successful fusion of R&B with gospel, "I Got A Woman" by Ray Charles (based on 2 gospel songs)
rolling stones early influences and hits
heavily influenced by Chicago blues & R&B; got name from Muddy Waters song 1st #1 hit, 1965: I Can't Get No Satisfaction (based on a riff!) 1966: album "Aftermath" - picks up on Beatles-inspired psychedelia; includes song Paint It Black late 60s: troubles with law (drugs); Brian Jones - "death by misadventure" 5/68: work with producer Jimmy Miller, hit song Jumpin' Jack Flash 12/68 album "Beggar's Banquet": hit song Sympathy For The Devil
joni mitchell
incredibly influential singer-songwriter coming out of folk era -a "musician's musician" & cult figure with extremely devoted fans (Prince, Tori Amos, Led Zep, Björk, Alanis, Kanye...)one of the greatest lyric writers ever (IMHO...)innovative guitarist known for radically new "alternate" tunings -of any other figure of the 1960s and 70s, she had more influence as a songwriter than anyone not named Bob Dylan! (although she never achieved mainstream popularity...)
otis redding
one of the greatest soul singers; died young in plane crash★enthusiastic live performer★fantastic, classic songs, terrific ballad singer!★most famous is "Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay"; also "Try A Little Tenderness," "These Arms of Mine," "Respect," "I've Been Lovin' You Too Long"... 1941-1967
funk music: major elements
originates from soul music but edgier, harder driving, rhythmic-based sound★almost always featured horns playing tight, percussive riffs ("play a trumpet like a drum")★MOST IMPT.: heavily dependent on "groove" (Thomas Larson: "layers of syncopated patterns that form a tightly woven rhythmic fabric")★minimal phrases (2-4 bars) that repeat★the rawest, earthiest, most "Africanized" version of American pop music (emphasis on rhythm); singers would shriek/grunt more than "sing"★HUGE influence on modern rap/hip-hop; earliest rap artists sampled funk beats to rap over
elton john
outrageous, flamboyant personality; enormously successful during 1970sgenius pop songwriter despite the theatrics!perfectly crafted pop songs! master at creating lots out of very "basic" materialsco-wrote many songs with Bernie Taupinone of first openly gay pop stars?now known for writing Broadway musicals!
led zepplin
perhaps THE defining band of "classic rock"?★very versatile band - could rock like nobody's business, but also had a softer folky side ★led by lead singer Robert Plant, also included guitarist/producer Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones and fantastic drummer John Bonham ★evolved out of The Yardbirds, British guitar-focused band which originally included Eric Clapton ★name "Led Zeppelin" came out of comment made by drummer Keith Moon, who turned down their invite to join the band & said they'd "sink like a lead balloon"; band took this and spelled "lead" as "led' to avoid mispronunciation!
pink floyd
perhaps best fit into category of "art rock": rock that had aspirations to be taken seriously as "art," often borrowing forms and techniques from classical music (other 1970s "art rock" bands include: Yes, Genesis, The Moody Blues, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, etc.) ★began as typical R&B cover band led by Syd Barrett until Roger Waters took over leadership and guitarist David Gilmour joined in 1968 ★like many art rock bands, Pink Floyd produced stage shows with extremely elaborate visual effects (light shows), which seemed to flow directly out of psychedelic era - music as total sensual experience!
jimi hendrix
perhaps the most famous guitarist in American history? ★huge influence as a relentless musical explorer, true original and legendary showman ★embodies the black-white divide in rock?★emphasis on improvisation ★began as R&B session player in Nashville; "I want to do w/ my guitar what Little Richard does with his voice." ★1966: moves to the UK, forms "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" with Noel Redding (bass) & Mitch Mitchell (drums) ★becomes a major star first in the UK, then returns to the US and is embraced here ★album "Are You Experienced" contains early hits: Hey Joe, The Wind Cries Mary, and Purple Haze (introduction features a "tri-tone" interval!)
the beatles
the most dominating cultural force of the 1960s; highest artistic level of pop music? wildly popular throughout different phases of their career -best-selling musical act of all time in the US -ranked #1 on Rolling Stone's list of Top 100 Artists -lengthy career featuring a staggering # of high-quality songs -demonstrated that a rock band could be more than just a group of musicians, but a institution capable of affecting social change!
De La Soul
classic early 1990s rap group from Long Island, merged rap w/ jazz & soul grooves✦1989 album "3 Feet High and Rising"; 1991 album "De La Soul Is Dead" criticized mindless nature of mainstream rap
stevie wonder in 1970s
"Music of My Mind" (1972) - 1st album with complete artistic control★"Talking Book" (1972): feat. "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Superstition"★"Innervisions" (1973): incl. songs "Living For The City" & "Higher Ground"; wins 1974 Grammy for Album of the Year★"Fulfillingness First Finale" (1974): wins 1975 Grammy, Album of the Year★no album released in 1975; at 1976 Grammy Awards, Paul Simon jokingly says "I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder for not making an album last year."★"Songs in the Key of Life" (1976): wins 1977 Grammy for Album of the Year!; classic double-album; one of the greatest records in pop history; many famous songs incl. "I Wish," "Sir Duke," "Isn't She Lovely," "Village Ghetto Land," "Pastime Paradise"...★more hit songs in 1980s, incl. "Happy Birthday," "I Just Called to Say I Love You," "Part Time Lover," "Ebony and Ivory," beautiful ballads "Lately" & "Overjoyed"; appeared with dozens of other stars in 1985 benefit song "We Are the World"; recently collaborated with Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, & American Idol!
james brown
"The Godfather of Soul"/"The Hardest Working Man in Show Business"/"Soul Bro. #1" musical pioneer with huge influence on contemporary pop music★the major figure who transitioned betw. 1960s soul and 1970s funk★the major star of funk, helped codify the style★famous for his dance moves, incredibly tight, complex rhythmic sensibility★one of the most legendary live performers in American pop history
what is folk music
"folk music" = music of the "folks!" so not corporate, not industry-backed, not high-art or studied -exists in every culture of the world -in America, comes from same "roots" base as country, rock and roll (check out anthologies by Alan Lomax and Harry Smith); informs both traditions both white and black influences musically: lots of harmony singing, acoustic instruments, emphasis on songwriting, personal storytelling -continues today, though never on mainstream radio
george clinton
"poppier" side of funk?★bands: Parliament, Funkadelic; genre labeled as "P-Funk"★the most sampled funk artist of early rap!★"Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)," "P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)"
ray charles
"the genius" singer & pianist; one of the most successful, influential, versatile artists in American history★blended elements of sacred & secular music traditions that would create new musical genres★straddled the worlds of pop, soul, jazz, even country!★highly respected by wide variety of musicians
KRS one (Kris Parker)
co-led the "Stop the Violence" movement with Sister Souljah✦"Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone"
sly and the family stone
multi-gender, multi-racial funk band led by keyboardist Sly Stone★hit songs incl. "Everyday People," "I Want to Take You Higher," "Family Affair"
pop music in 80s
music for the "me" generation: CONSUMERISM connects disparate genres from 60s & 70s to today importance of the visual (MTV); extravagant, bold fashionCELEBRITY WORSHIP musically: new dependence on production, studio effects, synthesizers
rolling stones later
Dec. 12, 1969: freak accident at Altamont Raceway; a "nail to the coffin" of 1960s "hippie culture" 1971 album "Sticky Fingers"; hit song Brown Sugar (demeaning to women?); featured famous zippered cover art other work includes 1972 double-album "Exile On Main Street"continue to tour today (how much $ for tickets?)
bob dylan hero of folk community
3/62: 1st album, "Bob Dylan" sold poorly; after, he began writing original songs, most dealing w/ social commentary, war, & love -these songs heard on his 2nd album, "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" (3/63): A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, Blowin' In The Wind, & Don't Think Twice It's Alright -also 1963: Peter, Paul & Mary introduce Dylan (at Newport Folk Festival) as "the most important folk artist in the country today"; Dylan worshipped by folk community -folk music = music for adults! (educated, intellectual, socially concerned)1964, next album: "The Times They Are A-Changin'"after 11/22/63, idealism of folk community begins to crumble; Dylan moves away from writing political songs, begins writing cryptic, personal songs, releases album "Another Side of Bob Dylan"
surf music
-early 1960s white, middle-class, teenage-focused music coming out of CA in the early 1960s media promoting CA as a "mythical place"; surf music = "lifestyle music" mostly an instrumental music, (twangy, metallic guitars) king of surf musicians: Dick Dale (& his Del-Tones); rec. hit song "Misirlou" (aka... ?)other surf hits: "Walk Don't Run" by The ventures (1960) (top selling inst. band ever!), "Wipeout" by The Safaris (1963)
the beatles (middle period)
-mid 1960s Beatles begin to experiment with drugs in mid-1960sbegin to insert more political and social leanings into their musicAug. 1965: "Help!"; 1st album to have advance sales over 1 million; 1st Beatles album to use "studio" musicians Yesterday: written by Paul McCartney; uses acoustic guitar and string quartet; original lyrics were "Scrambled eggs..."; was most performed song in American history for some time Dec. 1965: album "Rubber Soul" their "coming of age" album; uses sitar (Indian instrument)George Harrison: studying sitar with Ravi Shankar March 1966, Lennon famously says "We're more popular than Jesus now!" Aug. 1966, album "Revolver": often considered 1st "psychedelic" album (exotic instruments, whacked-out studio effects, drug references) Beatles quit live performances (to focus on studio); last official concert @ Candlestick Park in San Francisco , Feb. 17, 1967
aretha franklin
-queen of soul -best-known female soul singer of all time; one of the best "pure singers" in American pop music history ★her soulful, "melismatic" style of singing a huge influence on modern pop music (e.g. American Idol) ★born in Memphis but raised in Detroit; her father was Rev. L.C. Franklin, nationally-known pastor (and friend of gospel singers Clara Ward, Mahalia Jackson)★signed at 18 by John Hammond, tries to mold her into a jazz singer a la Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington
beach boys major influences
1) Chuck Berry2) surf music3) lush vocal harmonies of "The Four Freshmen" (terrific jazz-inflected vocal group)
5 elements of early rap culture
1) FASHION: baseball hats w/ upturned bills, Adidas tennis shoes, heavy gold chains/rings...2) BREAK DANCING: kids with cardboard boxes after school!; featured in films Flashdance (1983) & Breakin' (1984)3) LANGUAGE: coming from the streets - new words like chill, sweat, dope, posse, wack, b-boys, fly girls, etc.4) GRAFFITI: speaks to visual element of hip-hop culture; seen all over NYC subway trains in 1980s, huge controversy5) TECHNOLOGY: impossible to separate from hip-hop, dependent on turntables & "sampling"
the folk revival and folk music as political statement
1960s "folk music" = tradition of politically-driven "protest songs" dating back to the early 1900s, associated with labor/union movements folk music labeled by big business as "communist," "socialist," "a left-wing folk song conspiracy..." association between progressive politics, social activism, and American folk music dates back almost 100 years & continues today after initial excitement of rock & roll had died down, people wanted music outside of empty teenage "rebellion" -folk music reappears on the national scene around 1960; becomes a national craze ("folk revival"), supported mainly at college campuses -1960s: the age of "idealism": sit-ins, protests, boycotts, freedom rides; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "I Have A Dream" speech on Aug. 28, 1963, after the March on Washington
motown
1960s-70s African-American record label based out of Detroit, MI; also came to refer to musical genre★founded by Berry Gordy in 1959; Gordy applies techniques learned on car assembly line★created incredibly high % of hits during mid-1960s★Gordy influenced by Phil Spector's "wall of sound"; recordings thick with horns, strings, background vocals, Gordy called it "the Sound of Young America"★best-known songwriting team of Motown: Holland-Dozier-Holland (Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland): created 46 Top 40 hits, including "Heat Wave," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)," and many hits for the top female group of Motown...
ray charles songs
1961 album "The Genius Plays the Blues" feat. song "The Night Time (is the Right Time)" (vocal soloist: Margie Hendricks)★1962: impt. album "Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music" (!!!)★2004 film "Ray" (Jamie Foxx won Oscar for Best Actor); Kanye West song "Golddigger interpolates Foxx singing "I Got A Woman" ★many other great songs: "Hallelujah, I Just Love Her So," "I've Got News For You," "Drown In My Own Tears," "A Fool For You"...
james brown biggest hits and fame
1962, famous live concert at Harlem's Apollo Theatre, incredible display of grit, sweat, energy; record makes JB a hero in the black community★two of his biggest hits were civil rights anthems: "Say It Loud (I'm Black and Proud)" (1968), "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" (1971)★1965, his 2 biggest hits: "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)"★JB's music distilled down to its most basic element: RHYTHM★within his band: numerous rhythms going on at once = "polyrhythm"★famous for leading "the tightest band in show business" (fined them for mistakes!)★not known for making albums, but singles★other impt. songs: "Cold Sweat" (1967), "Get Up (I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine)" (1970), "The Payback" (1973), "Get Up Offa That Thing" (1976)...
the beach boys later 1960s psychedelia
1965: Wilson experiments with LSD, brings energy of "psychedelia" into recording studio -1966, landmark album: "Pet Sounds"; one of the classic albums of rock history; made in response to "Rubber Soul" by The Beatles -"Wouldn't It Be Nice": wacky form!"God Only Knows": elaborate orchestration & complex counterpoint (individual voices singing complex harmonies that blend in complimentary ways)after Pet Sounds, release of classic song "Good Vibrations" (uses many exotic instruments: theremin, etc.)
aretha franklin biggest hits and legacy
1967: signed with Jerry Wexler to Atlantic Records; encourages a poppier, more soulful sound (more in touch with her gospel roots)★hit songs: "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)", "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" (uses call-and-response); Aretha continuing "the secularization of gospel!"★many other hits in 1960s (many were covers): "Respect" (Otis Redding), ""(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" (Carole King), "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (Simon & Garfunkel)★seen by many as African-American spokeswoman (e.g. 1968 song "Think" - chorus demands "freedom!")
joni mitchell, blue
1971 album "Blue": one of the best albums in pop history; perfect collection of songs dealing with pain, lost love & regret features songs like:Little Green (about daughter she gave up at birth)River (song about seasonal depression - now reappearing on Xmas playlists?!)A Case of You (brilliant song about love = addiction!)other similar albums: "Ladies of the Canyon" (1970), feat. songs Woodstock & Big Yellow Taxi (famous lyric "Don't it always seem to go..."; ripped off by Janet Jackson & Counting Crows!)also album "For the Roses" (1972); great driving song You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio
pink floyd albums
1973: classic album "The Dark Side of the Moon" ... fantastic, famous record often synched up with "The Wizard of Oz" to make "The Dark Side of Oz"; many great songs on this record, including "Money," (in 7/4 time!)★other famous album: rock opera "The Wall" in 1979, featuring a children's choir!
led zepplin albums
1st album: "Led Zeppelin" (or just "I") in 1969: blues riff-based originals, includes "How Many More Times" (cover of Howlin' Wolf's "How Many More Years")★2nd album ("II"): features great song "Whole Lotta Love" (the quintessential song of hard rock?)★album "IV" (or "Zoso," based on symbols) contains famous epic song "Stairway To Heaven" = inspiration for signs found in guitar stores stating "No Stairway!!!
the british invasion early 1960s
British musicians influenced by American music, especially Rock & Roll -when music returns to the US as British "versions" of R&R = "British Invasion!" -groups included: The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Dave Clark Five, Herman's Hermits, The Animals, The Troggs, and solo singers like Dusty Springfield & Donovan... but most popular was... duhhh! -British musicians: influenced by dixieland (traditional jazz from New Orleans) and skiffle (British adaptation of American "jug band" music)... -but even more, the music of black rhythm & blues artists (Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf) and early rock & roll artists (Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly) - all from America -port town of Liverpool: "a sponge for pop culture from the US"
how did they find a record company
Epstein helped to create the early image of The Beatles (cleaned up & focused their shows; added coordinated outfits & "moptop" haircuts)group rejected by many record companies (most famously by Decca in 1962, who passed on them!) Epstein gets the band an audition for George Martin at EMI Records Epstein has the band replace Pete Best with Ringo Starr
the beatles early success
Feb. 1963: rec. their first full-length album: "Please, Please Me" (incl. title song, Love Me Do, & I Saw Her Standing There) July 1963: began work on 2nd album, "With The Beatles," released on Nov. 22, 1963 (!)Beatles mobbed all over Europe; London newspaper coins term "Beatlemania" when they finally came to the US in 1964, their popularity explodes 1st US hit, Jan. 1964: I Want to Hold Your Hand; by end of March '64, they held the Top 5 selling records in America! (Can't Buy Me Love, Twist and Shout, She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand, and Please, Please Me) Feb. 1964: made 3 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show; 73 million watch each show
famous disco songs
Gloria Gaynor's "Never Can Say Goodbye" (1975): 1st disco hit?KC & the Sunshine Band, 3 #1 hits in 1975 ("Get Down Tonight," "That's the Way I Like It," "Shake Your Booty")Donna Summer (major diva of disco), "Love To Love You Baby" (1976)village people: 6 gay men in costume; many "insider" gay jokes; tradition of "camp"disco goes mainstream!: 1977 film "Saturday Night Fever" (John Travolta, etc.): music by the Bee Gees; hit song "Stayin' Alive"inspired notorious "disco sucks" campaign from young white male hard rock fans (burned disco lps @ comiskey park, 1979!)late 1970s: hip-hop's pioneers began in NYC
bob dylan electric controversey
Jan. 1965: Dylan records "Bringing It All Back Home," his 1st album featuring electric guitar; many in the folk community felt Dylan was "abandoning" them!; feat. his 1st Top 40 hit, Subterranean Homesick Blues, plus Mr. Tambourine Man -Dylan's most controversial moment @ Newport Folk Festival, 1965: plays his electric material in front of a crowd of angry "folk purists"; he's almost booed off the stage!Aug. 1965: album "Highway 61 Revisited" (powerful rock song Like A Rolling Stone)May 1966: fantastic hard-rocking double-album "Blonde On Blonde"summer 1966: "The Basement Tapes" with The Band
bob dylan country rock
Jan. 1968: album "John Wesley Harding" - Dylan goes country!; songs I'll Be Your Baby Tonight & All Along The Watchtower (covered by Jimi Hendrix)next album "Nashville Skyline" also country (liner notes by Johnny Cash!); Dylan's experiments with country music confused folk fans - country music associated with Southern, right-wing, pro-war politics!Dylan's experiments with country music pave way for country-rock sound of 1970s: The Eagles, The Band, CCR, CSNY, The Allman Brothers, The Steve Miller Band, solo artists like Neil Young & Gram Parsons...releases albums throughout the 1980s and beyond (e.g "Blood on the Tracks"); continues to buck expectations!
tommorow never knows
ne of 1st songs of psychedelia; uses highly compressed drums, reverse guitar, processed vocals, looped tape effects, sitar, & tambur (Middle Eastern lute)lyrics inspired by Dr. Timothy Leary's LSD-influenced, spiritually-based writings, based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead!
figures of 1960s folk revival
Joan Baez: major female counterpart to early Bob Dylan, called the "Queen of Folk"; became popular for her songwriting, singing voice and simplicity -Peter, Paul and Mary: most popular folk group of the 1960s; very associated with politics; gave an early boost to Bob Dylan when they covered two of his early songs, Blowin' in the Wind & Don't Think Twice, It's Alright (song played: All My Trials) -Simon & Garfunkel: incredibly popular folk duo; two childhood friends from Queens, NY, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel; associated with soundtrack for 1968 film "The Graduate"; left an endless collection of great songs: Mrs. Robinson, The Boxer, The Sound of Silence, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Homeward Bound, The 59th St. Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) -folk revival of the 1960s an "urban" phenomenon, enormously popular in cities (San Francisco, Boston, and NYC) -most important area: NYC's Greenwich Village, where folk musicians formed a "community" performing in coffeehouses and nightclubs
jimmi hendrix famous songs/movement
June 1967: Hendrix performs at the Monterey Pop Festival in CA - first outdoor rock festival, demonstrated commercial potential of the counter-culture ★1968: two classic albums, "Axis: Bold as Love" and "Electric Ladyland" ★1969: famous version of "The Star Spangled Banner" at Woodstock Festival, allegedly meant to protest Vietnam War ★Jimi had discussed recording with jazz legend Miles Davis, but couldn't work out details ★finishes construction of "Electric Lady Studios" and dies of a drug overdose on Sept. 18, 1970
late period: change we could believe in?
June 1967: participate in 1st worldwide satellite broadcast, performing song All You Need Is Love; watched by 350 million people worldwide "I'm a revolutionary artist. My art is dedicated to change." -- John Lennon, 1971Aug. 1967: manager Brian Epstein dies of a drug overdose; The Beatles attempt to manage themselves Feb. 1968: The Beatles travel to India to study meditation with Maharishi Yogi
early rap DJs
Kool Herc (aka Clive Campbell, from Jamaica)✦Afrika Bambataa (aka Kevin Donovan): from South Bronx; orig. a member of "Savage 7" gang but fought for rap as a positive force in the African-American community during 1980s✦Kurtis Blow (aka Curtis Walker; from Harlem; hit song The Breaks)✦Grandmaster Flash (& the Furious Five): born Joseph "Biggie Grand" Smalls in Barbados✦his band feat. Melle Mel, 1st "MC"; credited with creating the term "hip hop"✦1982 song The Message: proved rap was more than novelty, lyrics paint a bleak portrait of the streets
post-beatles
Lennon released albums "Plastic Ono Band" (1970) and "Imagine" (1970)Dec. 8, 1980: Lennon gunned down in the lobby of his NYC apartment complex by crazed fan Mark David Chapman (convinced he was Holden Caulfield from J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher In the Rye) Chapman said "I'm sure the large part of me is Holden Caulfield, who is the main person in the book. The small part of me must be the Devil. ="McCartney led new band called "Wings" during 1970s; now elder statesman of rock -George Harrison - rec. double-album "All Things Must Pass" (1970), helped organize the 1st all-star "charity concert": "The Concert for Bangladesh" (1971); died on Nov. 29, 2001 -Ringo still kicking around!
the beatles early years
March 1957: John Lennon forms skiffle band called "The Quarrymen"; meets guitarist Paul McCartney, invites him to join the band -Feb. 1958: they meet guitarist George Harrison; McCartney switched to bass in 1962; along with drummer Pete Best they formed their original incarnation went by different names in first years: "Johnny & the Moondogs," "Long John & The Beatles," "The Silver Beetles"...
who was manager of beatles and when did they meet him
Nov. 1961: The Beatles meet Brian Epstein, who becomes their manager
late period of beatles: 3 final albums
Nov. 1968: release of album "The Beatles" (aka "The White Album")many great songs: Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Dear Prudence, I Will, Blackbird, Julia...next album: live project called "Get Back," rec. at a surprise concert on top of the Apple offices on Jan. 30, 1969; concert cancelled task of producing the raw recordings in the studio left to Phil Spector, who added string arrangements - final album released as "Let It Be" in May 1970, after band had split final "official" album: "Abbey Road," released in Sept. 1969 great songs include: Come Together, Something, Here Comes the Sun...
1970s glam theater and rock
Richard Nixon re-elected 1972, Vietnam War ends 1973; "hippies" becoming "yuppies"disillusionment of 1960s results in new cultural focus on consumerism, the pursuit of "personal pleasure"continued experimentation with sex, drugs (cocaine)extravagance reflected in the music: brash, colorful stars; bright, bold fashion; larger-than-life, epic music!
"2nd wave of rap"
Run D.M.C.✦ brought rap to the masses by combining it w/ heavy metal!✦ led by Run (Joseph Simmons), also included Jam Master Jay & D.M.C.✦ album "Run D.M.C": 1st rap album to achieve Gold status (selling 1 million+ copies)✦big hit: Walk This Way, rec. with Boston (woot) metal band Aerosmith - 1st Top 10 rap hit; also famous videoBeastie Boys✦1st mainstream white rap group; opened floodgates for white acceptance of/obsession with rap music✦began as a hardcore punk group in NYC, switched to hip-hop w/ release of 1986 album "Licensed to Ill," feat. hit song You Gotta Fight For Your Right (kick it!)✦ prod. by Rick Rubin, who partnered w/ Russell Simmons to form Def Jam Records, premiere record label of rap music
janis joplin
THE classic white female blues singer; central figure in late 1960s San Francisco rock ★grew up in TX listening to Leadbelly and her idol, Bessie Smith ★1966: founded her band, "Big Brother and the Holding Company" ★1967: breakthrough performance at the Monterey Pop Festival (CA) ★1968: album "Cheap Thrills" feat. Piece of My Heart, plus cover of Gershwin's Summertime ★challenged conventional notions that an overweight, acne-prone woman couldn't be a rock star (would she be accepted today?) ★Joplin's and Morrison's image so important: rock stars living hard, dying young! (mythology)
1990s hip hop and beyond
The Fugees: led by Wyclef Jean, feat. Lauryn Hill; lent Caribbean/reggae tones to rap ✦Eminem: one of the most virtuosic, technically gifted rhymers ever!; aka Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers; acted in rap film "8 Mile" ✦Jay-Z: huge media mogul & fiercely talented rapper ✦Mos Def: brilliant rapper/actor; formed politically conscious band Black Star w/ Talib Kweli; both have had solo success: Mos Def album "Black On Both Sides"; Talib Kweli's "Quality" ✦Dead Prez: great political rappers ("Turn Off The Radio") ✦OutKast: probably the most adventurous group of modern rap?; has been around for a while but had huge mainstream success w/ release of "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" (song "Hey Ya") ✦others: Blackalicious, J-5, Pharoahe Monch, Meshell Ndegeocello, The Roots, Nas, Common, M.I.A....
Notorious B.I.G.
Tupac's fierce, East Coast rival; brilliant technician, virtuosic rap star✦signed to NYC-based Bad Boy record label (owned by Sean "Puffy" Combs)✦killed in a drive-by shooting in LA; posthumous album "Life After Death" contains the brilliant song Hypnotize
a tribe called quest
brilliant, influential group from mid-late 1990s, also added jazz inflections to rap✦led by virtuosic rapper Q-Tip, also included Phife Dog✦released some of the most intelligent rap albums of 90s: "The Low End Theory" (1991, feat. LONS & Brand Nubian), & "Midnight Marauders" (1993) feat. hit Award Tour✦1996 album "Beats, Rhymes, and Life" feat. legendary bass player Ron Carter; song Phony Rappers✦Q-Tip: active solo career (great album "Amplified")
the pharcyde
West Coast rappers; playful, jazzy album "Bizarre Ride II" (1992)
woody gutherie and folk tradition
Woody Guthrie (1912-1967) a legend in the folk community, most important early folk singer grew up in poverty in OK; experienced economic devastation of Great Depression on poor, rural Southern families (see John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath); many families forced to move across countryGuthrie sang songs called "dust bowl ballads"; most famous was This Land Is Your Land (also The Great Dust Storm) musical style: half-spoken, half-sung, rambling, plain delivery, accompanying himself on guitar1940: Guthrie met folk singer Pete Seeger (b. 1919), toured US, playing at "hootenannies"lineage of politically driven American folk singers extending from Guthrie to Bob Dylan to Bruce Springsteen to who today? (Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes? Ryan Adams? Ani DiFranco?)folk music from outside US also popular in late 50s: e.g. "calypso" of Harry Belafonte
stevie wonder legacy
brilliant, innovative songwriter; his songs notoriously difficult to sing! ★exceptional musician: he's the favorite piano player of many pop & jazz pianists ★technological pioneer (influential producer), first pop musician to exploit the sonic possibilities of the synthesizer (an instrument that would dominate pop music in the 1980s) ★some of the most "listenable," joyful songs in pop history! ★major influence on contemporary African-American music (R&B, hip hop)
rolling stones legacy
calculated IMAGE-making: defined how a rock band should look, sound, & behave! classic guitar-driven sound; songs often based on blues riffs -ushered in era of the "guitar virtouso"lyrics dealing with sex, Satanism, violence; inspiration to punk & heavy metal$$$: 3 of the top 5 most lucrative tours of all time (made $88 million between June 2006 and June 2007!)Beatles expanded rock's edges while the Stones defined rock's center
the four tops
another male group of Motown; have been around for over 50 years with mostly the same personnel!★hits include "I Can't Help Myself," "Baby, I Need Your Lovin'," "Reach Out, I'll Be There"...
the beatles legacy
arguably the most respected, critically acclaimed, influential and popular rock band of all time!the most wide-ranging musical abilities of any popular band?studio pioneers; some techniques they helped to develop: guitar feedback, the use of classical musicians, close miking of acoustic instruments, use of sampling, backward vocals, artificial double tracking (Elliott Smith)...huge influence on modern pop music! -helped transition industry from singles to albums practically invented the "concept album"; probably 1st band to make a "music video?"probably the most "covered" band of all time! (greatest testament to their musical legacy?); many artists from different genres of pop music (pop, jazz, soul, folk, country) -seemingly endless collection of fantastic pop songs, many different styles so many "underrated" gems to discover: Two of Us, I'll Follow the Sun, And I Love Her, I'm So Tired, For No One...
jefferson airplane
began as a folk rock band but turned to psychedelic/acid rock when lead vocalist Grace Slick joined the band ★1967 album "Surrealistic Pillow" feat. song White Rabbit, based on Lewis Carroll's book Alice in Wonderland ★continued down a "relentless descent into mediocrity" (1985: released horrific song We Built This City (of Rock 'n Roll) - voted worst in rock history!)
tupac shakur
beloved LA-based solo rap artist of early-mid 1990s; one of the highest selling rap stars ever✦in his early death, has achieved a cult "martyr" status?✦instrumental in mid-1990s battle between East Coast (Biggie) and West Coast (Tupac) rap scenes✦Blender magazine voted him the most overrated person in music! ("While Shakur was a decent rapper with "insane rock-star charisma, he also larded records with self-mythologizing, mediocre filler.") 1971-1996
david bowie
best example of "glam rock" - the clothes & style say it all!constructing/manipulating image(esp. in media) and the theatricality of performance (also influenced punk!)1972: creates character/persona "Ziggy Stardust" (album "Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars"), also publicly declares his homosexualitypost-1975: explored innovative dance music, creates avant-garde disco music as the "thin white duke!" 1980s: active solo career
madonna
born Madonna Louise Ciccone in Michigan, moved to NYC to study dance in 1977smooth integration of music and dance one of first stars of MTV generation; IMAGE controversial songs; feminist reaction?AMBITION: has made more out of less than almost anyone? so career-drivenCHAMELEON: always shifting styles, always one step ahead of everyone elsepop songs with shelf life?
bob dylan, early years/influences
born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota; grew up playing rock & roll -took "Bob" from his first name and "Dylan" from Welsh poet Dylan Thomas -influenced by writings of the "beat poets": Allen Ginsburg (Howl), Lawrence Ferlinghetti, William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac (On The Road), etc.Kerouac, "beat generation": "members of the generation that came of age after WWII, who, supposedly as a result of disillusionment stemming from the Cold War, espouse mystical detachment and relaxation of social and sexual tensions."profoundly influenced by songwriting of Woody Guthrie; Dylan moved to NYC in late 1960 -began playing in Greenwich Village coffeehouses around Jan. 1961, influenced by Irish folk groups in NYC, wants to investigate "American" folk tradition; "discovered" by John Hammond
1970s singer/songwriter joni mitchell
born Roberta Joan Anderson in Alberta, Canada; debut album produced by David Crosby like Dylan, most of her early success came as a result of other singers covering her songs (e.g. Judy Collins, who covered Both Sides Now & Woodstock, covered by CSNY)1969 album "Clouds": contains many great songs, including Chelsea Morning, plus the autobiographical Both Sides NowJoni's music best characterized as "singer-songwriter": very popular style in the 1970s -other impt. 70s singer-songwriters: James Taylor & Paul Simon, both national treasures! (e.g. JT's Fire And Rain, Carolina In My Mind, Sweet Baby James, Simon's American Tune, Still Crazy After All These Years, Homeless, etc.)
ray charles early years
born in GA as Ray Charles Robinson; lost sight at 6; moved to Seattle & forms piano trio infl. by King Cole Trio★1954: signed by Jerry Wexler and Ahmet Ertugun of Atlantic Records ★1st Top 10 hit: "What'd I Say (Part 1)" (1959) ★1960: leaves Atlantic for ABC Records, follows with 2 #1 hits - "Georgia On My Mind" (1960) & "Hit the Road, Jack" (1961)
james brown early years
born in SC; raised in Augusta, GA★was a fighter from an early age; feisty, defensive attitude; became a very good boxer later in life★from early on, his live shows featured elaborate choreography, precise costumes & hairdos ★1st hit, 1956: "Please Please Please"; 1st #1 hit, 1958: soul ballad "Try Me" (incl. doo-wop background of his band, The Flames)
joni mitchell later career
continually explored new musical terrain during 1970s & after experiments with jazz & "world music": albums "Court and Spark" (1975; rare radio hit Help Me), "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" (1975), "Hejira" (w/ terrific electric bassist Jaco Pastorius), & "Mingus" (w/ legendary jazz bassist Charles Mingus)retired for some time to focus on painting - she's a world-renowned painter (painted most of her album covers!)still making records, now considers herself a jazz singer (almost sounds like late-period Billie Holiday!)the 2007 Grammy for Best Album went to jazz pianist Herbie Hancock's album "River: The Joni Letters" - a tribute to Joni Mitchell, feat. pop singers like John Mayer, Corinne Bailey Rae (River), Tina Turner, Norah Jones, & Joni herself
bob dylan legacy
contrived image-making: no one truly knows who this man is!; constant fodder for documentaries and biographies (e.g. 2007 film "I'm Not There") -often held up as "the voice of his generation"; the most influential American pop musician of the 1960s -many styles covered; all seem to come from "Dylan"incredibly prolific songwriter, many songs covered by others -often quoted as a poet, frequently mentioned as a candidate for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry?!***suggested two important sub-genres of the 1960s, 70s and beyond: folk rock & country rocklike The Beatles, demonstrated that rock could deal with something outside of teenage lust and romance: "protest music" which attempted to change society!
the byrds
country-rock band included David Crosby (later of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young fame)★known for applying Beatles-esque harmonies to folk music, especially Bob Dylan songs like Mr. Tambourine Man ("Beatlized Dylan")★big influence on "country rock sound" of 1970s ★recorded first major hit of psychedelia: Eight Miles High, a drug-influenced drone song inspired by the lengthy improvisations of brilliant jazz musician John Coltrane
will smith
duo w/ DJ Jazzy Jeff; The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV show, 1990-96) - rap further integrated into mainstream American culture
smokey robinson
ead singer/songwriter/producer for his group The Miracles (also went on to solo success in the 1980s)★composed more original songs for Motown catalog than anyone else★also a great lyric writer; Bob Dylan called him "America's greatest living poet" ★most famous songs include: "My Girl," "The Way You Do The Things You Do," "Get Ready," "My Guy," "You Really Got A Hold On Me," "I Second That Emotion," "The Tracks of My Tears", & "Tears of a Clown"...
early influences of the beatles
early influences: American R&B and Rock & Roll!
Disco
extremely popular variation on funk music, came out of NYC dance clubs, also connected to gay culture (liberation mvmt.) DJs playing dance music with thumping, driving beat, based on the rhythm of funk records (DJs create smooth transitions) helps bring DANCE back to rock & roll! focused on records, not necc. live performance importance of "audience participation"many successful singles & "one-hit" wonders disco culture attuned to fashion, style, extravagance like punk, a reaction against increasingly corporate rock of 1970s
queen
greatest "glam rock" band ever?epic stage-shows feat. epic costumes and epic rock anthems!led by flamboyant, cross-dressing, larger-than-life, thrilling singer Freddie Mercurymany hits, all rock anthems: "We Will Rock You," "We are The Champions," "Somebody To Love," "Another One Bites the dust," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (Rockabilly!), but most famously...1975: "Bohemian Rhapsody" - 3 "movement" mini-pop opera! one of 1st songs whose success was dependent on its music video
marvin gaye
grew up in Washington, DC, son of a minister; played piano and organ in his father's church★1961: "discovered" by Berry Gordy★late 1960s: collaborated frequently in duets with singer Tammi Terrell (Ain't No Mtn. High Enough, 1967)★began solo career in 1962, eventually had 40 Top 40 hits (incl. 3 #1): "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (1968; best-selling Motown single), "Let's Get It On" (1973), & "Got to Give It Up" (1977) ★renegotiated his contract in 1971; released the important, classic concept album "What's Going On" (1971); feat. 3 Top 10 hits, all politically motivated: anti-Vietnam War statement song "What's Going On," environmentally-conscious "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)," & "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (civil rights and poverty in the inner city) ★1982: song "Sexual Healing" a big hit (#1 for 10 weeks) ★Gaye abused cocaine - one of many conflicts he had with his religious upbringing; on April 1, 1984, shot dead by his father after an argument 1939-1984
stevie wonder b.1950
incredibly talented, prolific songwriter/musician; one of the greatest pure musicians in the history of American popular music!; the most influential black musician of the 1970s (and perhaps the past 40 years?) ★signed to a Motown recording contract by Berry Gordy at age 12!; had 1st hit in 1963 with song "Fingertips (Part One)" ★by the time he was 21, Wonder had 20 Top 40 hits and 11 Top 10s!★great early hits include: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)," "Blowin' in the Wind," "My Cherie Amour," "A Place in the Sun," "If You Really Love Me" and the joyous "For Once In My Life," & "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"... ★upon turning 21, Stevie famously renegotiated his contract with Motown (like Marvin Gaye), giving him complete artistic control over his recordings ★known for not only composing, arranging, and producing his records, but also for playing almost every instrument on them!
the who
influential British Invasion band led by singer Roger Daltrey; also included guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle, drummer Keith Moon -one of the loudest bands ever!one of the best live acts of all time -inspired punk/heavy metal -biggest hit: My Generation (1965), classic celebration of teen defiance & rebellion ("I hope I die before I get old!"), also I Can't Explain (1965)created 1st "rock opera": TOMMY (1969) - story of a "deaf, dumb, blind pinball wizard"The Who never looked back!
psychedelic rock
late 1960s/early 1970s: "counter-culture" coming out of cities like San Francisco★"hippies": rejected materialistic values of middle-class, embraced releasing sexual & social taboos★musically inspired by blues, British Invasion (esp. late Beatles), Eastern music (esp. long-form Indian improvisation)★also heavily influenced by (you guessed it)... DRUGS★1970: introduction of FM radio allows for complete albums to be played, without interruption!★psychedelic concerts: focused on wild, colorful imagery
early rise of rap
late 1970s nyc late 1970s: blacks living in squalid social conditions in urban cities✦many disaffected black teens w/out jobs or stable families (% of single mother households skyrocketed in early 1980s)✦1980: over 31% of blacks living in poverty!✦led to proliferation of GANGS, destruction of communities, dramatic rise in violence✦early 1980s: introduction of crack cocaine = systemic infection on African-American urban culture✦rap came out of these conditions, mainly in 2 areas: the South Bronx and Harlem (NYC)✦disco parties: DJs (Kool Herc) spin multiple records (disco/funk) to keep dancers busy, blending transitions between different sections of records ("breaks"); also sense of competition ("rap battles") 1st commercially successful rap single: Rapper's Delight (The Sugarhill Gang) - used the bass line from the middle (bridge) section of the disco hit Good Times (Chic)✦Sugarhill Gang signed to the 1st record label of rap: Sugarhill Records
"gangsta rap"
late 1980s N.W.A.✦ most important early group of gangsta rap; from Compton, CA; led by Dr. Dre/Ice Cube/Easy E✦1988 album/song **** the Police: extremely controversial (duhhh), a reaction to Darryl Gates's "Operation Hammer" in LAIce-T (aka Tracy Marrow)✦ led thrash metal/rap band Body Count✦ released extremely controversial (ya think?) song Cop Killer; faced opposition from PMRC, led to warning labels✦ merging of rap w/ aggressive thrash metal!
the supremes
led by charismatic lead singer Diana Ross, a versatile singer steeped in jazz tradition (played the part of Billie Holiday in film "Lady Sings the Blues")★Holland-Dozier-Holland hits for The Supremes include: "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," "Come See About Me," "I Hear a Symphony," "You Can't Hurry Love," "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
the grateful dead
major "jam band" of psychedelic era; "the quintessential communal-hippie-tripping-acid rock band"★led by banjo player/singer/free spirit guru Jerry Garcia ★associated with their seemingly endless legions of "Deadheads"★first major gigs: at "acid tests" held by Ken Kesey in San Francisco, mid-1960s (feat. strobe/black lights, colorful painting, etc. ★never had a Top 10 hit, known much more for live concerts ★major influence in modern "jam" bands (Phish, String Cheese Incident, etc.)
the jackson 5
major family group of Motown★during 1970s, prominently featured a young, fiercely talented Michael Jackson (11 years old when their first song was released!)★many great, "feel good" dance hits including: "I Want You Back," "I'll Be There," "ABC," "Never Can Say Goodbye"...
public enemy
most famous/influential group of gangsta rap; very politically minded✦led by Chuck D, also included clock-wearing Flavor Flav✦along with other groups (Arrested Development), delivered a strong message of black pride & militancy harkening back to late 1960s "Black Power Movement" (Malcolm X, Black Panther Party, Nation of Islam)✦sold 1 million+ copies of album "It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back"; Chuck D famously called Public Enemy "CNN for the black community!"✦song Fight the Power for Spike Lee's 1989 film "Do the Right Thing"✦1990 album "Fear of a Black Planet" released by Def Jam Records, by then the biggest black record label since Motown!
the doors
most successful band of psychedelic era ★led by charismatic singer Jim Morrison, one of rock's great poets ★band took their name from Aldous Huxley book The Doors of Perception ★Morrison influenced by writings of the "beat poets," plus German existentialist philosopher Freidrich Nietzsche & French symbolist poet Arthur Rimbaud ★their self-titled first album one of rock's great debuts, features hit song Light My Fire and the 11-minute drone song The End ★quick rise to fame, rapid fall: Morrison found dead in his bathtub in Paris, buried in Pere Lachaise cemetary, his gravestone (sadly) a legendary pilgrimage site for graffiti artists
the temptations
most successful male group of Motown; led by David Ruffin★known for smooth stage choreography - although fairly far removed from funk/James Brown (much more "refined" and elegant)★many hits including: "My Girl," "The Way You Do The Things You Do"...
prince
pop singer/songwriter coming out of James Brown-inspired funkwide range of styles: R&B, soul ballads, dance numbers; terrific singer and multi-instrumentalistplays most of the instruments on his records (sim. to Stevie Wonder)classic soundtrack: PURPLE RAIN (1985)fashion icon
snoop
rapper/entertainer/pothead; "Nothin' But a G Thang" with Dr. Dre
the beatles late period "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
released in June 1967; probably the most anticipated, possibly most important album in rock history! often called rock's 1st "concept album": one overarching theme that tied all the songs together fantastic studio experimentation famous cover art: celebrities & artists gathered around the Beatles wearing costumes inspired by philosophies of American composer/philosopher John Cage and German avant-garde composer Karlheinz Stockhausen song A Day in the Life uses technique borrowed from contemporary classical music: "indeterminism" - allowing chance ("random") events to dictate the music (e.g. this song takes its lyrics from a newspaper article!)
what is soul
sim. to "swing" or "blues," "soul" describes an emotion AND a genre! many possible connotations...★deep feeling ★"authenticity" or sincerity★equated with cultural pride in the African-American community ★type of rhythmic groove ★musically speaking, soul = merging of sacred music (gospel) & secular music (R&B)
sam cooke
stunningly gifted vocalist; smooth, velvet-like voice★began as a star in the gospel world (w/ group The Soul Stirrers)★Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records: "Sam Cooke was the best singer who ever lived, no contest... everything about him was perfection!"★1957, 1st #1 hit: "You Send Me" ★other great songs: "Bring It On Home To Me," "Cupid," "Under the Boardwalk," "Wonderful World," "Twistin' the Night Away"... ★beloved by blacks and whites, killed in a bizarre incident at a motel ★released after his death was the sublime, spiritually/racially motivated song "A Change Is Gonna Come" (inspired by Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind") 1931-1964
doo wop
style of African-American vocal music popular in 1950s came out of Northern cities (NYC, Baltimore, Philadelphia); influenced by gospel singing and "street corner" singing (3-6 singers, a capella) influence on modern pop (Boyz II Men, Billy Joel. The Sing Off, etc.) major male groups: -The Five Satins: "In the Still of the Night" -The Platters: "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," "Only You," "Twilight Time," "The Great Pretender" -The Chords: "Sh-Boom" -Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers: "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" -The Flamingos: "I Only Have Eyes For You"
rolling stones
the "quintessential kick ass rock band throughout the 1960s"like The Beatles, came from UK, grew up listening to American R&R, R&Bled by famous lead singer/superstar Mick Jagger, also included Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts -called themselves "the world's greatest rock band" - was/is this true? -from early on, positioned themselves as the "anti-Beatles": wanted to be seen as dangerous, sexy, subversive - "rebellious hoodlums"
the beach boys
the major group to come out of surf era; often criminally underrated due to later success! founded in 1961; family-based group led by genius composer/producer/mastermind Brian Wilson, plus Carl & Dennis Wilson, Mike Love & Al Jardine -one of the few bands to be both critically acclaimed and wildly popular; one of the great "art" bands of rock history -many hits, mostly about girls, cars, or surfing: Surfer Girl (1963), In My Room (1963), I Get Around (1964), Help Me Rhonda (1965), California Girls (1965) -one of the first bands to have complete studio control; Brian Wilson the brilliant producer
rap music and hip hop
the most dominant cultural force in American pop music today?✦early rap = "protest music," emerging from deep struggle (racial & economic inequities)✦Tricia Rose: "The hip hop generation comes from the civil rights generation! Hip hop = what black music sounds like after legalized equality."✦has always been surrounded by tons of controversy!✦what is "rap" vs. what is "hip hop?"✦history of rap runs parallel to transformation into a consumer-based culture (consolidation of media; popular images returning blacks to old stereotypes!) ✦"corporate takeover of the practices of black culture" (T. Rose) - motivated solely by profit
female rappers
were around from the beginning, but never garnered same mainstream attention as the boys...✦Salt-n-Pepa: most successful female rap group, late 80s-early 90s hits including Push It, Shoop, Whatta Man, & Let's Talk About Sex✦MC Lyte: song Ruffneck the 1st Gold selling single by a solo female rapper✦Sister Souljah: Rutgers-educated rapper; famous controversy w/ Bill Clinton ("Sister Souljah Moment")✦Queen Latifah: rapper & activist; sought to make rap a positive force for kids✦Lauryn Hill: began in The Fugees, released brilliant album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" (1998), won 10 Grammys!
