Music Midterm
- Early 1920s:
100 million records being pressed each year in U.S. - Mid-1920s: Total national sales of phonograph discs surpassed those of sheet music for the first time
Enrico Caruso
1902: who records a series of opera arias - Released in America in 1904 - Showed commercial potential of recorded music
Elvis moves to RCA
1955: Elvis signs with new manager Colonel Tom Parker Parker sells Elvis to RCA who pays Sun $35,000 plus $5000 in back royalties for Elvis Parker's strategy is to _lood the media with Elvis -‐ Television, movies, and merchandise -‐ Resulted in #1 hit after #1 hit for Elvis 1958: Elvis enters the army, partly to clean up his image 1960-1968: Elvis focused on making movies - Songs from this period mostly ballads and pop tunes, no longer rock 'n' roll 1970s: Elvis becomes a Las Vegas staple, develops addiction to various pills August 16, 1977: Elvis dies at age 42
Bill Haley and his Comets
Bill Haley (1925-‐1981) originally a country-‐western singer -‐ Bill Haley and his Saddlemen Started combining western swing music with R&B jump blues of Louis Jordan First white artist to create a distinct rock style Rockabilly -‐ Early style of rock 'n' roll that combined hillbilly music with R&B
Little Richard (b.1932)
Born Richard Wayne Penniman in Macon, GA Sang gospel and played piano Transformed from traditional R&B singer to an outrageous rock 'n' roller with wild stage shows and appearance - Raised issues of cross-‐dressing and ambiguous sexuality in appearance Began recording for Specialty Records in New Orleans in 1955
Muddy Waters (1915-83)
Born McKinley Morganfield and grew up in Mississippi delta "Discovered" by music scholars John and Alan Lomax in late 1930s 1943: Moved to Chicago and worked while playing nightclubs before signing with Chess Records Ensemble included 2 electric guitars, piano, bass, drums, and harmonica - Would lead to rhythm & blues sound then rock & roll
Hillbilly Records
Developed mainly out of the folk songs, ballads, and dance music from the British Isles - also incorporated African American influences 1923: Ralph Peer records Fiddlin' John Carson - first successful hillbilly record Indicated audience for country music among rural southerners and recent migrants to the city Gained popularity through radio 1927: Bristol, TN recording sessions - Ralph Peer held open recording sessions to find some hits - Carter Family - Jimmie Rodgers, the "Singing Brakeman"
Dick Clark and American Bandstand
Dick Clark (b. 1929) a marketing genius from upstate New York 1956: Begins hosting Philadelphia television show Bandstand which features local high school students dancing to popular records 1957: Bandstand nationally televised as American Bandstand Aired from Philadelphia every weekday afternoon and brings a new respectability to rock 'n' roll Clark becomes very wealthy through various music industry investments
Surf Rock emerged as the preferred music for the surfing subculture
Dick Dale (b. 1937) 1961: Dick Dale & the Del-Tones originate instrumental genre of surf rock Born in Beirut, Lebanon & moved to CA in 1950s Tried to musically simulate surfing experience "Let's Go Trippin'" (1961) - First surf rock song released "Miserlou" (1962) Surf Rock in the Mainstream The Beach Boys formed by Brian Wilson in 1961 with his two brothers, a cousin and a friend Softened instrumental surf rock & added an upbeat 50s rock sound with lyrics celebrating a southern California lifestyle Gave surf rock national popularity Beach Boys - "Surfin' USA" (1963) - melody taken from Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen" Jan & Dean - "Surf City" (1963) - written by Brian Wilson The Beach Boys Drag City Cars and hot rod culture an important part of teen life nationwide Songs about cars in a surf-rock style appealed to young people all across the country Jan & Dean - "Drag City" (1963) - Written by Brian Wilson and L.A. DJ Roger Christian Surf rock peaks in 1963 - care-free songs about surfing & drag-racing lose their appeal for many listeners
Popular Music
Distinct from art music and folk music, it is Mass mediated, Mass distributed, and marketed Mass consumed Associated with charismatic performers
The Rise of Teen Idols
Early 1960s: Manufactured teen idols become major part of music industry - Songs written by Brill Building songwriters (Tin Pan Alley) Most idols had clean-cut image to fit into American Bandstand model Major teen idols included Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Neil Sedaka and Bobby Rydell Fabian - "Hound Dog Man" (1959)
Elvis's Success at Sun
Elvis record became an instant hit on the radio in Memphis -‐ DJ announced which high school Elvis went to Live shows are a success partly because of his wild dancing and hip gyrations 1954-‐55: Toured the South and appeared on the Grand Ole Opry and Louisiana Hayride radio shows By late 1955, Elvis is at the top of the national country-‐and-‐western chart
Black Face minestry
Started around 1830 by poor white urban youth to express sense of marginalization • Entrepreneurs and promoters organize standardized, traveling show "____ show" - subversive elements disappear - gains widespread popularity • 1840s-1880s: Primary genre of popular culture in the U.S. • "Ethiopian" songs - name for popular songs featured in minstrel shows - very successful as sheet music - "Zip Coon" (1834)
Elvis Presley (1935-1977)
The King of Rock 'n' Roll Grew up poor in Tupelo, MS where he started performing music Moved to Memphis in 1948 While a truck driver in 1953 he went to Sun Records to record some songs for his mother In July 1954, recorded Arthur Crudup's "That's All Right (Mama)" and Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky"
Electric Blues
Urban blues style that incorporates electric guitar Derived directly from Mississippi Delta blues tradition - rough, gritty style. Electric guitar used to play over noisy crowds in packed night clubs Flourished in Chicago (sometimes referred to as Chicago Blues), especially on Chess Records in the late 1940s and early 1950s
The Grand Ole Opry
Weekly country music radio program on WSM radio in Nashville - Made Nashville the center of country music Broadcast since October 1925, it is the oldest continuous radio program in the United States Largely defined early country music - Strict rules about membership, instrumentation Gave rise to numerous early stars
"St. Louis Blues" (1925)
Written by W.C. Handy and published in 1914 Performed by Bessie Smith (The "Empress of the Blues") with Louis Armstrong on cornet 12-bar blues form, AAB lyrical structure, call & response between voice and cornet I hate to see the evenin' sun go down. (Cornet response) I hate to see the evenin' sun go down. (Cornet response) It makes me think I'm on my last go-round (Cornet response)
Muddy Waters - "Hoochie Coochie Man" (1954)
Written by Willie Dixon 16-bar blues Written by Willie Dixon 16-bar blues The Gypsy woman told my mother Before I was born I got a boy child's comin' He's gonna be a son of a gun. He gonna make pretty women's Jump and shout Then the world wanna know What this all about But you know I'm him Everybody knows I'm him Well you know I'm the hoochie coochie man Everybody knows I'm him I got a black cat bone I got a mojo too I got the Johnny Concheroo I'm gonna mess with you I'm gonna make you girls Lead me by my hand Then the world will know The hoochie coochie man But you know I'm him Everybody knows I'm him Oh you know I'm the hoochie coochie man Everybody knows I'm him
Lou Pearlman
created and managed boy bands like the Backstreet Boys, NSync, O-‐ Town, LFO, Take 5, Natural, US5 -‐ 2008: sentenced to 25 years prison for illegal Financial activities Disney Records manufactures pop stars through TV, Film, radio & record production synergy -‐ Has not suffered same losses as other record companies in 2000s ARK Music Factory produces records and music videos for new young singers for a fee, including Rebecca Black's "Friday"
Thomas Edison
invents mechanical phonograph cylinder in 1877 -Transformed energy of sound waves into physical impressions on a cylinder that could be replayed •First seen as toys for preserving voices - "Laughing records" were popular
Hillbilly Records
recordings of rural southern whites and marketed towards rural whites • Terms used from early 1920s until late 1940s to classify and advertise southern music • • •
protest songs
songs associated with movements for social change and current events - "Blowin' in the Wind," "Masters of War" and "Oxford Town" Dylan gains greater recognition after Peter, Paul and Mary cover "Blowin' in the Wind" - Nicknamed the 'voice of a generation' Oxford Town (1963) Protest song about James Meredith integrating the University of Mississippi On The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan Oxford Town, Oxford Town Ev'rybody's got their heads bowed down The sun don't shine above the ground Ain't a-goin' down to Oxford Town He went down to Oxford Town Guns and clubs followed him down All because his face was brown Better get away from Oxford Town Oxford Town around the bend He come in to the door, he couldn't get in All because of the color of his skin What do you think about that, my frien'? Me and my gal, my gal's son We got met with a tear gas bomb I don't even know why we come Goin' back where we come from Oxford Town in the afternoon Ev'rybody singin' a sorrowful tune Two men died 'neath the Mississippi moon Somebody better investigate soon The Beatles Formed in Liverpool, England 1957: Paul McCartney (b. 1942) joins John Lennon's (1940-1980) skiffle band The Quarrymen
Post-War America: Cultural and Musical TransformationsHistory Lesson - WWII
• 1929:The Great Depression begins • 1939: • 1941: 1942: 1943: • 1945: Record sales drop, radio takes on new importance Germany invades Poland, World War II begins Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, America enters the war Musician's Union Recording Ban creates opportunities for black musicians to be heard by wider audience Muddy Waters moves to Chicago Germany surrenders to Allied forces. United States drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. World War II ends & the Cold War begins. The House Committee on Un-American Activities begins hearings
• December 1955: NAACP member Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus launching the Montgomery Bus Boycott. • September 1957: President Eisenhower sends the National Guard to intervene on behalf of the students attempting to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Ark.
• 1947: on communists in the entertainment industry Civil Rights in Post-War America • July 1948: President Truman signs Exectuive Order 9981 desegregating the military • May 1954: Supreme Court rules that the segregation of public schools is unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas • August 1955: 14 year old Emmett Till murdered visiting family in Mississippi. Two white men are arrested for the murder and acquitted by an all-white jury.
Rhythm and Blues
• 1949: Billboard begins using the term "Rhythm and Blues" instead of "Race Records" • Recording ban of 1942-44 opened doors for many black musicians, exposing many to white audiences for the first time • White musicians on major labels covering songs first recorded by black musicians also raised the awareness of R&B • Independent record companies allowed R&B to flourish - Would work with artists who were ignored by major labels - Important independents: Atlantic Records - founded by Turkish immigrant Ahmet Ertegun Vee-Jay Records - Early African American owned label
Arrival of the Baby Boomer Generation
• Baby Boomers: Those people who were born during the post- World War II baby boom (approximately 1943-1960) • The term teenager enters common lexicon in the 1950s • Fears of juvenile delinquency Number of Births in the U.S., 1934-Present The Return to "Normalcy" • Flight of middle class from urban centers to suburbia - Construction of interstate highway system begins • Image of the nuclear family pushed in magazines and on TV • After WWII, the United States is in better economic condition than any country in the world - Families have disposable income, adolescents begin to receive allowances
1860, 2008
Martinville records the song "Au Claire de la Lune" - Phonautograph paper of "Au Claire de la Lune" is discovered. Researchers scanned it into a computer in order to replay it.
Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville
Phonautograph invented in 1857 by?? (Visualized sound waves on paper, but not meant to reproduce sound)
1920s & 1930s: Music Business Transforms
• Phonographs, radio, and Hollywood films begin creating unified national popular culture with a new generation of national celebrities • "Talkies" became important medium for promoting songs and entertainers, and Los Angeles began to compete with NYC as a center of the national entertainment industry • Unprecedented profits in the music industry bolster centers of influence established at the end of the 19th-century, especially big music publishing firms and record companies in New York City
Women in R&B
• R&B functioned as a medium for the negotiation of sexual politics Ruth Brown (1928-2006) - Raised singing gospel - Signed with Atlantic in 1949 - "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean" (1953) Big Mama Thornton (1926-1984) - Daughter of a Baptist minister in Montgomery, AL - Sang in nightclubs in Houston where she started recording - "Hound Dog" (1952) Big Mama Thornton Louis Jordan (1908-1975) • Jump Blues, the first commercially successful category of R&B - Downsized big bands - Humorous lyrics and wild stage acts - Played major role in transition from race music to R&B • Most successful jump group was Jordan's Tympany Five - Appeared in series of short, comedic films to promote band • Gained popularity during and just after World War II • "Saturday Night Fish Fry" (1949)
Help! (1965)
• Soundtrack to Help! film - Side A in film - Side B additional tracks • Fifth full album • Advances in songwriting • "Yesterday" - Sung by Paul alone with string quartet - One of most covered songs of all time • "Act Naturally" - Sung by Ringo - Country cover song Rubber Soul (1965) •Expands conventional rock •& roll sound Cohesive album instead of a •set of singles Songs feature a darker look at relationships •"NorwegianWood (This Bird Has Flown)" - First rock song to use the sitar •"In My Life" - Personal song about Lennon's childhood •"Run ForYour Life" - Threat to the singer's unnamed girlfriend The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1966) Brian Wilson - 1964: Stops touring with Beach Boys after nervous breakdown - Focused solely on songwriting and studio production - Inspired to write Pet Sounds after hearing the U.S. version of Rubber Soul
Columbia Records and the Victor Talking Machine Company
•What dominated American market by 1900 •-- The purchase of a phonograph a sign of upward mobility
Chuck Berry's songs
"Maybellene" (1955) - Modeled on country song "Ida Red" - One of first songs Berry recorded for Leonard Chess - Lyrics about a lovers' quarrel as a car chase - Made Chuck Berry first black artist to reach Top 10 on Billboard Pop Charts Chuck Berry's trademark style: - Arresting instrumental introduction for unaccompanied electric guitar - Intensity produced by a very fast tempo and loud volume - Formal and stylistic elements related to earlier rhythm & blues music - Clearly enunciated and witty lyrics designed to appeal to his young audience "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956) "Johnny B. Goode" (1958) "Sweet Little Sixteen" (1958) 1959: Chuck Berry arrested for bringing an underage girl across the border to Mexico; not released until 1963
Ragtime
"Ragging" - playing a song with an emphasis on the off-beat (playing with syncopation) Scott Joplin and James Scott - African American musicians and originators of the ragtime piano style in late 1800s - Marketed black exoticism of music - Rags performed on minstrel stage Most popular rags also distributed as piano rolls for player pianos - Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" (1899) Early 1900s: Popular songwriters in New York City start composing rags
Motown
"The Sound of Young America" • • Creative and financial aspects of business under African American control Music aimed at widest possible audience: black and white • 1959: Founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in Detroit A Musical Assembly Line Berry Gordy maintained tight control of all levels of creation and production Unpolished artists would be given vocal training while also being groomed for mainstream America A stable of songwriters wrote everyone's music - Ashford-Simpson - Holland-Dozier-Holland - Smokey Robinson The Funk Brothers - house studio band that played on everybody's records - On more #1 hits than Elvis, The Beach Boys, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined Performers went through choreography training before appearing on stage or television
Little Richard, cont.
"Tutti Frutti" became Richard's =irst hit in 1955 -‐ Uses nonsense lyrics along with suggestive lyrics -‐ High shouting style with falsetto whoops -‐ Accompanied by loud band and Richard's uninhibited piano Recorded many hits that helped de=ine rock 'n' roll -‐ "Long Tall Sally," "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Lucille," "Ready Teddy" and many moreIn 1957 he became a born-‐again Christian and quit recording and performing secular music
The other Sun Records stars Jerry Lee Lewis (b. 1935), "The Killer"
- Piano player from poor background in eastern Louisiana - Auditioned for Sun Records in 1956 - Began touring and recording prolifically - Biggest hits: "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" (1957) - 1958: Career imploded after marriage to 13 year old cousin is revealed
"Love and Marriage" (1955) • Tin Pan Alley song In A - A - B - A form
A - "Love and marriage..." Presents main melody, basic pattern of lyrics, and set of chord changes to support them A - "Love and marriage..." Music of the A Section repeated with new lyrics or a variation on the lyrics B - "Try, try, try..." "Bridge" presents new material - melody, chord changes, and lyrics A - "Love and marriage..." The A melody and chord changes repeated, with slight variation
a change is gonna come 1964
Appeared on March 1964 album Ain't That Good News - Cooke wanted it released as a single but RCA did not think it was marketable December 11, 1964: Sam Cooke is shot and killed at a motel in Los Angeles under mysterious circumstances December 22, 1964: "A Change is Gonna Come" is released as a single - Became a hit on pop and R&B charts - As a Civil Rights anthem, it was heard at many marches throughout the 1960s James Brown (1933-2006) • "The Godfather of Soul" • Not a successful recording artist until releasing Live at the Apollo LP in 1963 • Would become an overtly political figure in late 1960s "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" (1968) • Pioneer of funk in late 1960s • Biggest 60s hits: "I Got You (I Feel Good)" (1965) "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (1965) • • • • "Respect" Written and recorded by Otis Redding in 1965 Covered by Aretha Franklin in 1967 to become a huge hit Aretha Franklin (b. 1942) - Daughter of a Baptist pastor - Began recording gospel at 14 - Recorded secular music for Atlantic - Known for powerful vocals Lyrics slightly altered to be from a woman's point of view, becoming a feminist anthem • •
end of 1950s
As the 1950s end... Chuck Berry is in jail Little Richard quit playing rock 'n' roll to be a preacher Jerry Lee Lewis disappeared because of his marriage scandal Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins have gone back to primarily country music Elvis is in the army Buddy Holly is dead
1963
August 1963: - Bob Dylan performs at the Civil Rights March on Washington - MLK Jr. gives his "I Have a Dream" speech November 22, 1963: President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, TX February 1964: The Beatles arrive in the United States Last #1 Songs of 1963 in the United States Bobby Vinton - "Blue Velvet" Dale and Grace - "I'm Leaving It Up to You" The Singing Nun - "Dominique" Early Musical Style Original songs attributed to Lennon-McCartney Combined 50s American rock and roll, R&B, and pop Catchy, clever lyrics mostly about young love Tightly arranged vocal harmonies Paid attention to and were influenced by contemporaries Lennon & McCartney The British Invasion The Animals Success of The Beatles leads to huge wave of British musicians coming to the United States None reach the success of The Beatles The Animals - "House of the Rising Sun" (1964) The Rolling Stones Part of the British blues revival Formed in 1962 by multi- instrumentalist Brian Jones along with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman Took their name from Muddy Waters song "Rollin' Stone" 1963: First single contains Chuck Berry's "Come On" and Muddy Waters' "I Wanna Be Loved"Presented as raunchy, rebellious alternative to The Beatles Mick Jagger and Keith Richards pushed to be a songwriting team like Lennon and McCartney "Satisfaction" (1965) Other British blues revival groups included The Who and The Yardbirds The Beatles meet Dylan August 1964: Bob Dylan visits the Beatles in New York City Dylan introduces them to marijuana, convinces them to write more personal & serious lyrics Beatles repopularize electric rock sound - Encourages Dylan to go electric
Musical Qualities
Avoided the blues for a cleaner, more sophisticated R&B with gospel and doo-wop influences Simple rhythm emphasizing beats two and four Used new and innovative recording techniques to achieve a unique sound Songs avoided controversial issues, stuck with universal themes that appealed to young people Simple songs that could be hummed after a few listenings Musical Examples The Marvelettes - "Please Mr. Postman" (1961) - Motown's first #1 hit - Written by Brian Holland & Robert Bateman - Popular girl group style - Inspired a sequel, "Twistin' Postman" (1961) - Covered by The Beatles The Temptations Originally formed as The Elgins in Detroit Known for iconic choreography, vocal harmonies, and flashy suits "My Girl" (1964) - Written by Smokey Robinson - Sequel to "My Guy" (1964) performed by Mary Wells - The Temptations' first #1 hit The Supremes Motown's premiere act in the 60s Renamed Diana Ross and the Supremes in 1967 "You Can't Hurry Love" (1966) - Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland - Very complex song form, but still very catchy - Number 1 hit again when covered by Phil Collins in 1982 Smokey Robinson Second at Motown only to Berry Gordy Performed with The Miracles The Miracles - "Tracks of My Tears" (1965) - Written by Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore and Marvin Tarplin - Most covered Miracles song Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson
The Urban Folk Revival
Baby boomers now reaching college age, becoming politically aware Centered in Greenwich Village in New York City Based upon older folk music of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and the Weavers Stresses acoustic instruments and songs that anyone can sing Bob Dylan (b. 1941) Born Robert Zimmerman in Duluth, MN 1961: Moved to New York City to perform and visit Woody Guthrie Performed regularly in Greenwich Village and got a record deal in 1962 "Song for Woody" (1962) Dylan's second album contained almost all original songs
hillbilly
Both musics rooted in long-standing folk music traditions Record companies eager to develop new markets Popularized across the country by new media - electric recording, radio, and sound film Time of massive migration from Southern rural communities to cities such as New York, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, and Nashville
1950s
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper played a show in Clear Lake, IA on Feb. 2, 1959 Decided to charter a plane to their next stop in Fargo, ND Their plane crashed shortly after takeoff at 1:00am on Feb. 3
-‐ Cofounders Patrice Wilson (lyrics) and
Clarence Jey (music) also write the songs ✤ ✤
the beats??
Concept album inspired by Pet Sounds - Beatles performing as fictional band Advanced production techniques Elaborate arrangements even incorporating a full orchestra 1:"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" 2:"With a Little Help From My Friends" 3:"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" - Often understood as a reference to LSD 8:"WithinYou,WithoutYou" - Written by George Harrison - Explicitly influenced by Indian classical music 9:"When I'm Sixty-Four" - Tin Pan Alley style novelty song 13:"A Day in the Life" Lennon & McCartney each wrote separate sections The 1960s Counterculture Peace, Love, and LSDSan Francisco and The Beats
"Classic" Blues
First race record - Mamie Smith's "Crazy Blues" Fusion of blues with Tin Pan Alley elements Typically a female singer performing with an instrumental jazz ensemble Sold well among both black and white listeners Examples: Mamie Smith - "Crazy Blues" (1920) Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong - "St. Louis Blues" (1925)
The Byrds
Formed in Los Angeles in 1964 Pioneers of folk rock - Urban folk musicians adopting electric British Invasion sound Many lineup changes over years - Jim McGuinn only consistent member - Original lineup included David Crosby "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965) - Bob Dylan cover1965: Dylan Goes Electric The Beatles and The Byrds inspire Dylan to go electric Begins using electric instruments on Bringing It All Back Home Plays electric set at Newport Folk Festival and alienates folk fans Continues electric instrumentation on Highway 61 Revisited - "Like a Rolling Stone" - Moves away from overt political statements Bob Dylan at Newport The Beatles' Musical Experimentation Begin incorporating classical instruments and influences Use experimental techniques in the studio George Martin has more creative input as producer Add experimental instruments, song forms, and lyrical content
Alan Freed
Freed is hit especially hard by the payola investigations Freed loses his job Charged with commercial bribery and income tax evasion 1965: An unemployed, broken Alan Freed dies from complications arising from alcoholism Dick Clark ✤ ✤ ✤ Dick Clark comes under close scrutiny during investigations Clark had owned a share in 33 corporations, many of which were in involved with the music industry Clark escapes the payola investigation with both his job and reputation intact
Jimmie Rodgers (1897-1933)
From Meridian, MS and discovered at the Bristol Sessions "The Singing Brakeman" and quintessential rambler who celebrated allure of the open road Most progressive and influential of all early hillbilly performers Very receptive to African American influences Incorporated "blue yodels" into songs. - "Blue Yodel No. 2" (1928)
Chuck Berry (b. 1926)
Grew up middle-‐class in St. Louis Sound successfully combined country and the blues Highly skilled lyricist Solidi=ied the central role of the guitar in rock and roll Signed with Chess Records in 1955 Audiences began to integrate at his shows
PHIL SPECTOR & BERRY GORDY Philles Records and MotownPhil Spector (b. 1940)
One of the most influential record producers of all time Owned and operated Philles Records by age 21 Extremely controlling, he supervised every aspect of a record's sound and musician's performance/appearance Put his name very clearly on recordings, sometimes even above the performers "The Wall of Sound" Wall of Sound: Spector's trademark production technique with densely layered orchestration - Doubling & tripling instrumental parts - Recorded in an echo chamber - Clear vocals up front "A Wagnerian approach to rock & roll ... Making teenage symphonies" Recorded in Mono - Reproduced well on AM radio - Spector felt he had greater control with mono than stereo Wrecking Crew - Studio musicians on Spector's recordings
BEFORE WW1
Hit records before World War I: - Sentimental, nostalgic songs like "Old Folks at Home" - Popular syncopated ragtime songs
Honky Tonk Music
Honky Tonks: rough bars in the deep south and the southwest with a working-class clientele Often had a jukebox or small stage for live performers Country music style associated with honky tonks became very popular after WWII Common themes: family instability, failed relationships, the attractions and dangers of alcohol, and the importance of enjoying the present
Themes
Identity, Technology, Buisness, history & politics, Centers and peraphies, and genre
Race Records
Included blues, jazz, gospel, vocal quartets, string bands, jug-and-washboard bands, and spoken word records Term "race music" first applied by Ralph Peer, a talent scout for Okeh Records 1920: black vaudeville performer Mamie Smith records first record featuring a black vocalist Okeh Records - first label to market race records African American-owned record companies emerged in the 1920s 1927: over 500 new race records issued annually
Sun record stars
Johnny Cash (1932-2003) - Grew up a poor sharecropper in Arkansas and enlisted in the Air Force - Auditioned for Sun Records in 1955 - Songs ranged from country to rockabilly to folk and gospel - Biggest hits at Sun were "Folsom Prison Blues" and "I Walk the Line" (1957) - In 1958, Cash left Sun for Columbia where his country career took off Carl Perkins (1932-1998) - Rockabilly singer and songwriter from rural Tennessee - Signed with Sun in 1954 - Most successful song: "Blue Suede Shoes" (1955) - Sam Phillips thought Perkins would be his next Elvis, but he was never as popular Buddy Holly (1936-1959) Born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, TX Began performing rock 'n' roll after seeing Elvis perform in Lubbock 1956: Opened for Bill Haley and the Comets at a local show After that show, he was signed to Decca Began performing and recording with his band The Crickets By the end of 1957, "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue" were chart-topping hits For a week in August 1958, they played a series of shows in Harlem's Apollo Theater Split up with The Crickets in late 1958 and moved to New York City to become more active in the music industry Style- Influential lead and rhythm guitarist Highly skilled songwriter - Sophisticated lyrics - Complex harmonies not previously in rock - Classical music influences and instruments "Hiccup" technique Wrote, produced and performed own songs Precursor to many rock acts to follow "The Day the Music Died"
MUSICIANS UNION RECORDING BAN
Lasted from 1942 - 1944 • Banned union instrumentalists from recording - no big bands or orchestras • Started because of disagreements over royalty payments Allowed Race and Hillbilly records from the American South to gain major marketshare Race and Hillbilly RecordsRace Records - recordings of African American musicians and marketed primarily towards African American listeners
in the late 19th and early 20th Century Popular Music in the 1800s
Latter half of century included the Civil War and reconstruction Piano ownership becomes an important sign of upward mobility in U.S. Mass mediation, distribution, and consumption through: - Standardized touring shows - Sheet music sales
1920s & 1930s: Music Business Transforms
Licensing & copyright agencies set up to control flow of profits from sale and broadcast of popular music - ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) pioneered the payment of royalties for use of music. Early 1920s: Most leading publishing houses and composers belonged to ASCAP Mid-1930s: Tens of millions of dollars in licensing fees being paid annually
Other Motown Artists
Mary Wells Marvin Gaye Stevie Wonder Martha and the Vandellas The Four Tops Jr. Walker & the All Stars The Elgins Gladys Knight & the Pips Rare Earth The Jackson 5 R. Dean Taylor The Isley Brothers Soul, Stax, and the SixtiesSoul music •Emerged in late 1950s as gospel vocal techniques were applied to secular rhythm and blues - Term "soul music" would not be used regularly until late 1960s •Inextricably linked to the growth of the civil rights movement •Themes not directed toward teenagers •Marked by catchy rhythms and a more spontaneous-seeming sound Ray Charles (1930-2004) - Was completely blind by age 7 - Signed with Atlantic in 1952 performing adaptations of gospel songs - "I Got a Woman" (1954) - First national hit on R&B charts - Based on gospel hymn "Must Be Jesus" - 1962: Releases Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music - "Hey Good Lookin'" - "Georgia on My Mind" - First #1 pop hit - An old Tin Pan Alley standard • • • • • Sam Cooke (1931-1964) The son of a Baptist minister First gained fame recording gospel with The Soul Stirrers - Youth, voice & good looks attracted new, younger audience - "Nearer to Thee" (1955) 1957: Left the Soul Stirrers and gained crossover success with "You Send Me" High level of control over career for a black artist at the time (owned a publishing company and record label) "Chain Gang" (1962) "Twistin' the Night Away" (1962) "A Change is Gonna Come" (1964) Sam Cooke in 1963: • • • • • • Inspired by Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" May: Meets sit-in protestors in Durham, NC and decides to write his own song about the Civil Rights movement June: 18 month old son,Vincent, dies Oct: Arrested & jailed after refusing to be turned away from segregated hotel in Shreveport, LA Nov. 22: President Kennedy assassinated Dec. 21: Records "A Change is Gonna Come"
1880's
Minstrel shows began losing popularity in the what??? - Transformed into vaudeville variety shows that remained popular through the early 20th-century
Irving Berlin (1888-1989)
Most successful Tin Pan Alley composer - Composed over 1,250 songs "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (1911) - First big hit - Bing Crosby & Al Jolson recording Some other hits: - "White Christmas" - "Puttin' on the Ritz" - "Happy Holiday" - "There's No Business Like Show Business" - "God Bless America" `
1925
New device called the microphone is introduced and electric recording replaces acoustic recording - Produced higher fidelity recordings and gave recording engineers - greater control in manipulating sounds Could isolate and amplify particular sounds, such as the human voice
The Carter Family
One of the most important groups in the history of country music From southwestern Virginia Included A.P. "Doc" Carter (1891-1960), his wife Sara (1899-1979), and sister-in-law Maybelle (1909-1978). Performed adaptations of songs from Anglo-American folk tradition, old Sacred Harp hymns, and sentimental songs reminiscent of Tin Pan Alley Carter Family - "Gospel Ship" (1939)
Phil Spector (b. 1940)
One of the most influential record producers of all time Owned and operated Philles Records by age 21 Extremely controlling, he supervised every aspect of a record's sound Wall of Sound: Spector's trademark production technique with densely layered orchestration, a lot of echo, and clear vocals up front
The Delta Blues
Original blues style that emerged in Mississippi Delta region in the late 1800s Music of impoverished, rural black work force Influenced by various African American folk musics in late 1800s Not recorded by phonograph companies until the mid-1920s Solo performance style: - Typically male singer - Accompanies self with guitar Common musical forms: - Established 12-bar blues form - Typically uses AAB lyrical form Blind Lemon Jefferson - "That Black Snake Moan" (1926) A: I ain't got no mama now A: I ain't got no mama now B: She told me late last night, "You don't need no mama no how" Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room Some pretty mama better come and get this black snake soon Ohh-oh, that must have been a bed bug, baby a chinch can't bite that hard Ohh-oh, that must have been a bed bug, honey a chinch can't bite that hard Ask my sugar for fifty cents, she said "Lemon, ain't a child in the yard"
"The Twist" (1960)
Originally recorded by Hank Ballard in 1959 and covered by Chubby Checker in 1960 Accompanied by a non-contact social dance with simple, hip- swinging movements Chubby Checker's version becomes a huge sensation after appearing on American Bandstand Conway Twitty, Chubby Checker, and Dick Clark doing the twist Ricky Nelson (1940-1985) • First 'modern' teen idol • Played himself in sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet •Debuted as a singer on the show in 1957 and transitioned into a musical career ✤
Sun Records and Rockabilly
Owned by Sam Phillips in Memphis, TN and specialized in recording R&B Home to Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash. Success inspired the creation of many more rockabilly labels and brought rock 'n' roll to broader audiences
The Payola Scandal
Payola: "Play for Pay" - the act of paying radio DJs to play a song on the air 1959-1960 congressional investigations begin because of fraud in television game shows ASCAP uses payola investigations to lash out at rock and roll and are joined by congressmen hoping to impress conservative constituencies The investigative committee focused on disc jockeys who played rock and roll Resulted in many rock DJs being fired Payola, Alan Freed, and Dick Clark
Spector and Girl Groups
Preferred working with female vocal groups Worked with songwriters from New York's Brill Building - Tin Pan Alley tradition The Ronettes - "Be My Baby" (1963) Female vocal groups with Brill Building songs flourished Convicted of murder in 2009
Bill Haley - "Rock Around the Clock" (1954)
Recorded in 1954 and released as a B-‐side to "Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town)" -‐ Upon original release is considered a commercial disappointment In 1955 is added to the =ilm Blackboard Jungle -‐ Tackled the issue of juvenile delinquency -‐ Becomes a huge hit among youth around the world -‐ Resurrects "Rock Around the Clock" to huge commercial success and relaunches Bill Haley's career Haley has 12 Top-‐Forty records in 1955 and 1956 In 1957 Haley appears in two movies, Rock Around the Clock and Don't Knock the Rock
Stephen Foster (1826-64)
Regarded as first important composer of American popular song - first person in the U.S. living as a full-time songwriter "Old Folks at Home" (1851) - sold over 100,000 copies of sheet music in first year Success fueled by changes in mid-19th century - Growth of public music education - Expanded domestic production of cheap pianos Died in obscurity and poverty at age 37 - Loose copyright enforcement
Rock 'n' Roll Explodes! 1954-1960From R&B to Rock 'n' Roll
Rhythm & Blues begins to cross over and gain popularity with white listeners, first in the South and spreading from there Rock 'n' Roll was neither a "new" style nor any single musical style The designation "rock 'n' roll" was introduced as a commercial term - For identifying and marketing to teenagers Early to mid-1950s: Rock was an unexpected musical choice for increasing numbers of young people Later 1950s: Rock becomes a mass-market phenomenon exploited by the mainstream music industry Alan Freed (1921-1965) Radio DJ, started playing R&B records on his show in Cleveland Coined the term "Rock and Roll" Organized racially integrated rock and roll concerts in Cleveland, OH 1954 - started a show in New York, massively increasing his audience Also managed R&B acts and began appearing in movies
The Backlash Against Rock 'n' Roll
Rock performances strongly criticized in the media and condemned by religious and political leaders Rock and roll records burned along with effigies of Elvis, other rock stars Generation gap between baby boomers and their parents generation continues to raise fear of juvenile delinquency Fear of teen riots led some city leaders to ban rock concerts ... controversy just made rock 'n' roll more popular among teens.
STAX RECORDS
STAX RECORDS Memphis based record label Founded by Jim Stewart and sister Estelle Axton in 1957 - Intended to record country Quickly became synonymous with soul Open-door policy - Racially inclusive - Musicians could walk in off the street Lacked mainstream appeal of Motown - Edgier, sometimes controversial music THE BEACH BOYS, THE BEATLES & BOB DYLANCalifornia 1950s and 1960s: Mass migration of people from the Midwest and East Coast to California Late 1962: California's population expanding by 1700 people daily Major economic boom. - State had abundant natural resources, many government and electronics jobs Fun, sun and recreation were stressed in depictions of California Surf Culture Early 1900s: Surfing brought to California from Hawaii Surfing gains popularity in late 1950s and becomes a major cultural phenomenon in the 1960s Predominantly male, teenage surfers began developing own culture, style of dress, and speech
skiffle
Skiffle: genre combining American folk, blues, and country that promoted the use of homemade instruments and was popular in Britain in the 1950s - Lonnie Donnegan - "Rock Island Line" (1954) George Harrison (1943-2001) joined their band the following year Bass player Stuart Sutcliffe and drummer Pete Best added before an extended engagement in Hamburg, Germany in 1960 ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ The Beatles return to England in 1961, but Stuart Sutcliffe stays in Hamburg Brian Epstein begins to manage the Beatles - Puts them in suits and markets them to record companies Liverpool sound known as "Mersey Beat" centered in The Cavern Club 1962: Pete Best is fired and Ringo Starr joins the band just before the Beatles explode ✴ January 1963: Release first album, Please, Please Me ✴ Hugely popular in Britain by late 1963 John Lennon: Rhythm guitar, Main songwriter George Harrison: Lead guitar Paul McCartney: Bass, Main Songwriter Ringo Starr: Drums "The Fab Four"
Concept album: an album in which all the songs contribute to a single overall theme or narrative One of the most influential albums of all time
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1966) Although a Beach Boys release, Pet Sounds was essentially a Brian Wilson project Recorded with the Wrecking Crew and inspired by Spector's Wall of Sound Elaborate song arrangements with unconventional instruments "Wouldn't It Be Nice" "Sloop John B" "God Only Knows" "Good Vibrations" (1966) - Hit single recorded but not released with Pet Sounds Revolver (1966) •Expanded studio innovations and complex songs made many songs impossible to perform on • stage One of the first psychedelic albums •"Eleanor Rigby" - Poetic lyrics, classical instrumentation and song form •"Tomorrow Never Knows" - Lyrics from a book by LSD guru Timothy Leary - Tape loops, irregular drum pattern, Indian- inspired drone Scandals & Challenges 1966: John Lennon's "More popular than Jesus comment" "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I'll be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first—rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me." No public reaction in U.K. but caused huge uproar in the U.S. with protests, album burnings, and threats The non-stop schedule of touring, writing, recording, and making movies over the last 3 years were taking a toll While growing as musicians, much of what they were trying to do was not being heard or appreciated on stage The Beatles stop performing live after 1966 tour Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band (1967)
the beats
The Beats: A group of American writers who during the 1950s wrote about rejecting mainstream American values and celebrating non-conformity - Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs • Resurface in San Francisco Bay area in the mid-1960s to inspire countercultural hippies • Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco becomes the counterculture capital Beat poet Allen Ginsberg Hippie counterculture • Baby boomers who rejected the lifestyle of their parents • Embrace recreational drug use, communal living, and casual sex • Escalation of the war in Vietnam meant college-aged baby boomers risked being drafted leading them to embrace the anti-war movement • Culture war - Political rift between conservative and progressive ideologies that became apparent with disagreements over Vietnam, Civil Rights, sexual liberation, and drug use among other issues in the 1960s Acid Rock • A sub-genre of rock music that attempts to recreate the effects of an LSD trip or that is intended to accompany a psychedelic trip • Emerged in San Francisco with Ken Kesey's acid tests • Emerged out of Dylan-esque folk music, but was loud and experimental • Characterized by extended guitar improvisations, distortion, and world music influences • Popularized by radio DJ Tom Donahue on FM radio The Grateful Dead • Former folk musicians in San Francisco • Formed as The Warlocks in 1965 before changing name to The Grateful Dead • The house band for Ken Kesey's acid tests • Pioneering jam band known for eclectic style, long improvisational jams, and generally upbeat songs • The band lived communally in Haight- Ashbury • Jerry Garcia was the frontman and unofficial leader
1965: Dylan Electric
The Byrds, inspired by the Beatles, record an electric cover of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" Dylan begins to tire of being the "voice of a generation" Begins using electric instruments on Bringing It All Back Home Plays electric set at Newport Folk Festival and is booed Continues electric instrumentation on Highway 61 Revisited
Jimi Hendrix (1942-70)
• Began playing blues guitar at 15 in Seattle • Moved to London in 1966 and formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience • Gain international popularity after releasing 1967's Are You Experienced • Jimi Hendrix Experience first seen in America at Monterey • Creatively used feedback, distortion, and sound-manipulating devices Janis Joplin (1943-70) • Lead singer for San Francisco band Big Brother and the Holding Company • Inspired by blues singers like Bessie Smith and Big Mama Thornton • Breakthrough appearance at Monterey - Big Mama's "Ball & Chain" • "Piece of My Heart" on Cheap Thrills (1968) Otis Redding's death • After playing Monterey, begins to gain much wider following • Dec. 10, 1967: Redding dies at 26 in a plane crash • Jan. 8, 1968: "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" is released and becomes his most successful song 1968 • Civil rights and anti-Vietnam riots occur on campuses across the country • April 4: Martin Luther King Jr. killed - Lorraine Motel in Memphis - James Brown helps quell riot in Boston 1968 • Civil rights and anti-Vietnam riots occur on campuses across the country • April 4: Martin Luther King Jr. killed - Lorraine Motel in Memphis - James Brown helps quell riot in Boston • June 5: Robert F. Kennedy shot and killed • August: Anti-War riots become violent at Democratic convention in Chicago • November: Richard Nixon elected President 1969 • Jan: Beatles perform on roof of Apple Records • July: Brian Jones dies at 27 • Aug 15-18: Woodstock Festival - near Woodstock, NY - Anti-war peace festival - 32 acts - Over 500,000 attendees 1969 • Jan: Beatles perform on roof of Apple Records • July: Brian Jones dies at 27 • Aug 15-18: Woodstock Festival • Aug: Manson family murders in Los Angeles - The Beatles - "Helter Skelter" • Dec. 6: Altamont Free Concert - Meant to be California's Woodstock - Organized by Rolling Stones - Hells Angels used for security - 1 murder, 3 accidental deaths May 4, 1970: - Kent State University in Ohio - Students protesting American invasion of Cambodia - Ohio National Guard opened fire - 4 students killed, 9 injured May 21, 1970: - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young write "Ohio" Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - "Ohio" (1970) Deaths and ends • The Beatles officially break up • Jimi Hendrix dies September 18, 1970 at 27 • Janis Joplin dies October 4, 1970 at 27 • Jim Morrison dies July 3, 1971 at 27
Frank Sinatra 1915-1998
• Born into working-class Italian family in New Jersey • 1939 - joins the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra becoming a successful big band singer • Combined Bing Crosby crooning style with Bel canto opera style • 1942 - first solo recording • First case of modern pop hysteria - direct predecessor of rock'n'roll teen idols • "Bobby Soxers" - young female fans After being arrested in 1938 on charges of seduction and adultery
Technology Changes Popular Music
• Commercial radio born in 1920 after military broadcasting restrictions were relaxed following World War I • 1926: First nationwide commercial radio network, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), established - Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and the American Broadcasting - Company (ABC) soon followed 1927: Over 1,000 radio stations in the United States • Great Depression caused major decline in record sales, but radio listeners increased greatly
White cover versions of black artists
• Cover Version - the practice of recording a song that has previously been recorded by another artist or group. - In the 1950s it became common for white artists to cover rhythm and blues records • Motivation usually a major record company trying to capitalize on the musical discoveries of independent labels. • Covers could get greater airplay - Cleaned up controversial lyrics - Sometimes covers increased popularity of original • The Chords - "Sh-Boom" (1954, original recording) The Crew Cuts - "Sh-Boom" (1954, white cover version)
Jazz and Popular Dance Music
• During and after World War I new dances gained popularity in the U.S. - Tango, turkey trot, fox trot, charleston, rumba - Tin Pan Alley songs arranged to accompany certain dances • Dance crazes coincided with the rise of jazz as a popular music in the 1920s • Late 1920s: Swing music played by big bands became most popular style • Late 1930s: the most popular big bands were known for their singers who performed Tin Pan Alley arrangements • By World War II, the big band singers start going solo
The 1960s: "The New Frontier" 1960:
• Greensboro sit-in at a segregated lunch counter inspires other sit-ins throughout the South • First televised U.S. presidential debate held between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon • Kennedy is elected President • Birth-control pills made available to the public1961: • Kennedy announces goal of landing a man on the moon • Berlin wall erected • 400 U.S. Army Special Forces • personnel sent to South Vietnam The Bay of Pigs invasion • Malcolm X advocates black power and separation of races to black Muslims • James Meredith integrates the University of Mississippi and Kennedy sends in the army to quell the uprising that followed 1962: • Cuban Missile Crisis • Betty Friedan writes The Feminine Mystique
The Chords The Crew-Cuts Big Joe Turner (1911-1985)
• Known as The Boss of the Blues • Turner successively made the transition from big bands to jump blues to rhythm and blues, and finally to rock and roll. • Signed with Atlantic Records in 1951 • Biggest hit with "Shake, Rattle and Roll" (1954) - covered by Bill Haley and Elvis Presley "Shake Rattle and Roll" (1954) Big Joe Turner version Get outta that bed, wash your face and hands Get outta that bed, wash your face and hands Well, you get in that kitchen, make some noise with the pots 'n pans Way you wear those dresses, the sun comes shinin' through Way you wear those dresses, the sun comes shinin' through I can't believe my eyes, all that mess belongs to you I believe to the soul you're the devil and now I know I believe to the soul you're the devil and now I know Well, the more I work, the faster my money goes I said shake, rattle and roll, shake, rattle and roll Shake, rattle and roll, shake, rattle and roll Well, you won't do right to save your doggone soul I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store Well I can look at you, tell you ain't no child no more Ah, shake, rattle and roll, shake, rattle and roll Shake, rattle and roll, shake, rattle and roll Well, you won't do right to save your doggone soul I get over the hill and way down underneath I get over the hill and way down underneath You make me roll my eyes, even make me grit my teeth I said shake, rattle and roll, shake, rattle and roll Shake, rattle and roll, shake, rattle and roll Well, you won't do nothin' to save your doggone soul "Shake Rattle and Roll" (1954) Bill Haley and His Comets cover version
Black face minestry
• Minstrel troupes competed by claiming more "authentic" representations of southern black culture - Attempts to emulate music with irregular rhythms could not capture complexity of real thing • Throughout the 1800s African Americans appeared in minstrel shows, but still had to apply blackface to be "authentic negroes" on stage
Tin Pan Alley
• New York City publishers and songwriters • Center of music industry by 1900 • Sheet-music for home performers • Also composed songs for vaudeville, Broadway, and eventually recording artists • Songs were written to be easily rearranged for new contexts - Standardized forms (AABA) - First written for voice/piano then rearranged as needed
Technological developments
• Television becomes more popular and affordable - As network radio shows transitioned to television, more radio space was opened up for African American musicians • Portable transistor radio invented in 1947 and made available to the general public in 1953 • Car radio introduced and made standard in the early 1950s • Rapid growth of FM radio • Magnetic tape recording becomes common after WWII • Les Paul invents eight-track tape recorder • 1948: Columbia Records introduces 12-inch long-playing disc (LP) • 1949: RCA Victor introduced 7- inch 45 r.p.m. single - Could be used with a record changer
Robert Johnson (1911-38)
•Extremely influential delta blues musician Brief life shrouded in mystery and legend. Supposedly sold his soul to the devil to play the blues •Only 22 songs (11 records) released during his lifetime •Apparently died after being poisoned by a jealous husband •Robert Johnson - "Cross Road Blues" (1937) - Guitar as chordal instrument - Generally follows AAB form
Hank Williams (1923-53)
•Most significant figure in country during post-WWII period •36 Top-10 records between 1947 and 1953 •Image of hard-living rambler reinvigorated postwar country audience •Extremely skilled songwriter - one of the most covered artists - "Hey, Good Lookin'" (1951) - "Cold, Cold Heart" (1951) •Died at 29 from complications related to alcoholism and drug addiction
deadheads
•• Deadheads - community of Grateful Dead fans known for following the band and attending long strings of shows The Doors • Formed by vocalist Jim Morrison and keyboard player Jim Manzarek in 1965 • Based in Los Angeles • Took their name from Aldous Huxley's book The Doors of Perception • Jim Morrison known for his cryptic lyrics and unpredictable stage actions • Achieve commercial success in 1967 with their LP The Doors • "Light My Fire" and "The End" Jefferson Airplane • Formed in 1965 in San Francisco during folk music boom • Grace Slick - lead singer • Jan. 1967: Headlined the Human Be-In in San Francisco • One of the first commercially successful psychedelic rock groups • "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" on Surrealistic Pillow (1967) 1967: "The Summer of Love" • Over 100,000 people flocked to Haight- Ashbury - A living social experiment • June: The Beatles release Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band • Monterey International Pop Festival: ✴Held in Monterey, CA from June 16-18 ✴First widely promoted & attended rock fest ✴60,000+ people in attendance the last day ✴Organized by John Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas ✴Template for future music festivals The Who • British blues revival group, formed in 1964 • British "Mod" image • Pete Townshend: Lead guitar and primary songwriter • Gain popularity in 1965 with first album My Generation • First major U.S. performance at Monterey Pop - "My Generation"
crooning
‣ Microphones allowed for a feeling of intimacy between the singer and listener, giving rise to a new manner of singing: Crooning ‣ Intimate, gentle singing style initially popularized by singers like Bing Crosby ‣ Crooners the first modern superstars with images carefully honed and promoted across various mass media ‣ Performed Tin Pan Alley songs ‣ Often accompanied by orchestra or big band (first popularized during the swing era in the 1920s) FRANK SINATRA, BING CROSBY AND DEAN MARTIN
Spector and Girl Groups
✤ Preferred working with female vocal groups - The Righteous Bros. one of the few male groups he worked with ✤ Worked with songwriters from New York's Brill Building ✤ The Ronettes - "Be My Baby" (1963) ✤ Female vocal groups with Brill Building songs flourished
