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British Invasion – Blues Rock – Heavy Metal Mid-‐late 1960’s = rock rhythm starts to mature -‐Adding other rhythmic layers, often conflicting w/ the timekeeping layers -‐Adding faster rhythms -‐Varying the timekeeping, even to the point of completely omitting it for long stretches -‐Focusing particularly on the rock rhythm layer Influence of the Blues on Rock: Alexis Korner and the London Blues and Barrelhouse Club: Alexis Korner nurtured a generation of British musicians who had grown up listening to the blues. Korner’s club was a regular stop for American bluesmen (Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf…) touring England and a mecca for British blues fans. It was also a place where British blues musicians could network and gain valuable performance experience. Korner’s club alums included Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, etc.… Korner’s house band was called Korner’s Blues Incorporated. -‐Clapton and others went on to transform their blues experience into a completely new music Deep Blues and Rock: -‐The blues revival that paralleled the folk revival of the late 50’s and early 60’s exposed young rock musicians to the power and emotional depth of deep blues. -‐British musicians who immersed themselves in the blues took from it several of its most distinct features:
• The attitude and posturing of the bluesmen • Lyrics that told their stories in plain, direct language, often with a nasty edge • Rough declamatory vocal style • Heavy guitar riffs and string-‐bending blues-‐scale guitar solos • Strong beat • Thick, riff-‐laden texture
*The 1960s blues-‐influenced rock was identified as hard rock, a subgenre of rock music. Hard Rock in the Mid-‐Sixties: British Invasion… Mid 60’s blues-‐influenced British bands had a tougher sound than the Beatles; more prominent and more distorted guitar, a stronger beat, rougher vocals, and a more aggressive attitude. –The Kinks, The Animals, the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, etc… The Kinks: -‐ Ray and Dave Davies (brothers) formed the band in 1963 -‐Ray (b. 1944)-‐lead vocalist and main songwriter, Dave (b. 1947) –lead guitarist, Pete Quaife –bassist, Mick Avory (b. 1944) –drummer -‐Had two big hits early on –“You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All Night” -‐They laid down the formula borrowed from the blues that would become a hallmark of hard rock styles. -‐Their careers kind of fizzled out after their first few hits, though the Davies bros. have maintained the Kinks in some form since 1963.
”You Really Got Me” –The Kinks (1964) The idea of building a song over a short, repetitive guitar riff came directly from electric blues. The Kinks expand on the idea by:
-‐Harmonizing the riff w/ power chords -‐Adding distortion -‐Speeding up the tempo -‐Substituting a rock beat for a slow shuffle -‐Repeating the riff a successively higher pitches throughout the song (modulations) The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones began by covering blues and rock-‐and-‐roll songs (like many British bands). Within a year, Jagger and Richards, inspired by the success of Lennon and McCartney, started writing original songs for the band. Mick Jagger (b. 1943) and Keith Richards (b. 1943) spent a lot of time at Korner’s club. There, they met Brian Jones (1942-‐69) and Charlie Watts (b. 1941). Watts and Jagger were both in Korner’s Blues Incorporated after 1961. The band was complete upon adding Bill Wyman (b. 1936 –William Perks) on bass. -‐Keyboardist Ian Stewart (1938-‐1985) was also a member of the band at that time but stopped performing w/ them when their careers took off. Stewart did do some studio work w/ the Stones.
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – The Rolling Stones (1965) –their first U.K. hit in 1963; reached the top of the American charts in 1965. Every aspect of the song embodied the rebellious image the band wanted to project.
-‐Low register riff w/ strong, syncopated accents -‐Riff acts as the introduction and the refrain
-‐The verse starts w/ the title lyrics –usually found in the chorus, but then builds to a chorus exclaiming the same phrase -‐“Four on the floor” beat w/ snare & kick -‐Rock beat & syncopation
“I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” –The Rolling Stones –live 1966: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoxRFOr_sQ0 Neither “You Really Got Me” nor “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” is a blues song. Still, they embrace essential aspects of blues style and sensibility, i.e., rough vocal quality, heavy reliance on repeated riffs, and dense, dark texture resulting from the interplay of instruments in mid-‐low registers; also in gesture and movement we see in live performances. Power Trios: -‐Bare bones bands; just guitar, bass, and drums; set up to showcase the skills of their exceptionally able guitarists; guitarist now have the role of rhythm and lead guitarist. Rock as a soloist’s music Blues Guitar and Rock: The guitar had been a solo instrument from the earliest days of rock and roll, however, their (Chuck Berry, Scotty Moore…) solos were mainly riff-‐based. None were vocally inspired. Electric bluesmen like Freddie King, Buddy Guy, and Guitar Slim were playing the guitar in a style that paralleled their raw, earthy singing, sometimes adding severe distortion in the process. Their style served as a direct inspiration for a new generation of rock guitarists, most notably Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix -‐both would help transform the electric guitar into the transcendental solo instrument of rock.
Eric Clapton and Cream: Eric Clapton (b. 1945) -‐In 1963 he joined the blues-‐influenced rock and roll band, The Yardbirds –he was w/ the Yardbirds from 63-‐65; the only big hit they had in the U.S. was “For Your Love” (not even written by the Yardbirds, but by pop songwriter Graham Gouldman) –Clapton moved on because he didn’t like the pop direction. -‐In 1965 he joined John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, -‐recorded the highly regarded Bluesbreakers album. This album best showcased his blues playing to date. -‐In 1966 Clapton formed the power trio, Cream, with bassist Jack Bruce (b. 1943) and drummer Ginger Baker (b. 1939 –Peter Baker); Cream was the first of the power trios. Because of AM radio’s 3-‐minute target song length, their studio material gravitated toward blues-‐influenced psychedelic rock. It is important to mention how loose and syncopated the bass and drums play behind the guitarist. -‐By this time, Clapton had developed into rock’s premier guitar virtuoso; the “Clapton is God” slogan became popular around ‘65/’66 –until Jimmy Hendrix came to London. -‐He was the first major rock performer to play extended improvised solos, especially in live performances
“Strange Brew” –Cream (1967) –shows the psychedelic side of their musical personality; an example of their studio style; what is the “strange brew”? Notice the huge blues influence.
-‐Deep blues influence is most evident in solos, form, and texture -‐Bruce’s syncopated bass lines w/ a freer rhythm -‐Guitar overdubbing in the studio -‐Power trio instrumentation augmented w/ a second, active guitar line Clapton’s solo work demonstrates how he brought the essence of blues guitar style into rock. Jimi Hendrix: James Marshall Hendrix (1942-‐70). -‐Grew up in Seattle, Washington -‐Was very familiar w/ the blues and jazz due to his father’s record collection -‐Went into the army but got discharged due to a back injury he got from a parachute jump. -‐Worked in the backup bands for artists like B.B. King, Little Richard, the Isley Bros, etc… -‐1966 –Hendrix formed his own band –Jimmy James and the Flames; they were heard in NYC by ex-‐Animals’ bassist turned talent scout Chas Chandler who encouraged Hendrix to come to England -‐In England, Chandler introduced Hendrix to Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell who began jamming w/ Hendrix; they began performing on the London club scene as “The Jimmy Hendrix Experience” -‐Their first hit “Hey Joe”, released in the fall of ’66 made him a star overnight -‐Early 1967 they released their first album, “Are You Experienced?” -‐1967 –Monterey Pop Festival; (set his guitar on fire w/ lighter fluid – a sacrifice); his first big U.S. performance was an amazingly huge success and helped him gain U.S. popularity as the word spread about his performance. -‐1968-‐ Hendrix released another monumental recording –“Electric Ladyland”. -‐One of the most flamboyant performers of ‘60s rock; he developed unconventional ways of playing the guitar (between legs, behind neck…);on stage his guitar was an erotic as well as a musical one; No rock musician before him had so graphically connected the guitar with male sexual potency. -‐Hendrix set the standard for solo improvisation in rock –deep blues influence, funk influence, dazzling array of new sounds (effects) –(wah-‐wah, delay, distortion, roto-‐vibe, whammy, feedback), stage/performance antics -‐His brilliant improvisations are the expressive focus of the performance; in a Hendrix solo, how the note each note sounded became just as important as its pitch and rhythmic placement.
-‐His solos helped redefine the possibilities of improvisation w/in popular music. By 1967, Jimmy Hendrix was the foremost rock guitarist on the scene. And would go on to be one of the most influential rock guitarists of all time. “Voodoo Child” (Slight Return) –The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1968) -‐Dazzling new guitar sounds -‐Unprecedented virtuosity
-‐Strong blues connection/dramatic transformation: in form, heterophony, and expressive vocabulary -‐Open texture of Power Trio lineup
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHQkC7vcvmg Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival (first major rock festival); shows his flamboyance as a performer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opkOJrINJIA Hendrix vs. Clapton: Clapton’s playing is more focused than flamboyant The Perfection of Rock Rhythm: -‐One of the Rolling Stones’ most significant achievements was the perfection of rock rhythm -‐The breakthrough came in the late ‘60s, in songs like “Jumping Jack Flash” and “Honky Tonk Women”. -‐It involved 2 interrelated developments: 1. Increased emphasis on the rock rhythmic layer 2. The virtual elimination of steady beat keeping. “Jumping Jack Flash” –the Rolling Stones (1968) -‐Emphasis on rock rhythm and the backbeat; de-‐emphasis steady beat keeping
-‐Rich rhythmic texture, with effective balance between regular rhythms and rhythms that conflict with the beat (syncopation) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQSGw0hMd_I
Heavy Metal in the Seventies: For much of its history, heavy metal has existed with its audience in a largely self-‐contained world. -‐Main outlets = concerts & recordings; Metal has received relatively little airplay w/ few exceptions (Zeppelin, Van Halen, Metallica…). -‐Metal has been home to some of rock’s greatest geniuses (Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads…) -‐The words “heavy metal” probably first appeared in Steppenwolf’s 1968 song, “Born to Be Wild” (“heavy metal thunder”) -‐Extremely loyal fans -‐Music is main focus; much of the music is non-‐vocal; words serve a largely explanatory role (secondary to the music). Signature musical conventions of the Heavy Metal style:
• Extreme distortion • Blues/minor pentatonic and minor scales/modes (Aeolian, Phrygian) • Often unharmonized power chords • Extended, flamboyant solos • Very loud volume
• Screamed-‐out, often incomprehensible lyrics • Pounding rhythms, often at a fast speed (tempo)
-‐Heavy Metal has clear roots in the blues, especially electric blues (its diabolical overtones, lack of harmonic movement, reliance on riffs, pentatonic…) -‐Classical music is another source of inspiration for many metal artists (Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Eddie Van Halen…). What’s been borrowed?
• The virtuosity of the soloist and classical melodic patterns -‐Modality –Modes acted as a fresh new harmonic language w/in rock; the African pentatonic (minor) maps on to these minor modes. -‐Modes also hearken back to medieval and Renaissance classical music; bringing forth a mystical and/or gothic (dark, depressing) element to heavy metal. (Intro –“Stairway to Heaven”, w/ flute, etc…) -‐Heavy Metal is about power! Black Sabbath: -‐The third incarnation of a blues band from Birmingham, England. Vocalist Ozzy Osbourne (b. 1948), guitarist Tommy Iommi (b. 1948), bassist Terry “Geezer” Butler (b. 1949), and drummer Bill Ward (b. 1948) first came together as Polka Truck, then changed their name to Earth. -‐By 1969 they had become Black Sabbath; their first album appeared a year later. -‐Through relentless touring, they developed an international audience. -‐As a result, their second album, Paranoid (1971), sold over 4 million copies. -‐They remained the top metal act for the first half of the decade. -‐Ozzy left in 1979 to front his own group The first band whose music consistently laid out the most widely used conventions of the heavy metal world. The name Black Sabbath evokes the occult, as it was supposed to. -‐Their shows would feature crosses being burned or other images of devil worship -‐The lyrics of their songs sound like they come straight from a gothic horror film. Black Sabbath –1970: “Paranoid” (1:55-‐4:40) –music video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZyVZFJGX5g Deep Purple: -‐Also went through several incarnations before finding their groove and line up -‐The lineup during their most successful period (1970-‐73): Ian Gillan –vocalist, Ritchie Blackmore –guitar, John Lord –keyboardist, Roger Glover –bass, and Ian Paice –drummer. -‐The inclusion of a keyboard in a metal group was unusual; Ian Lord was an important creative voice w/in the group; he brought a lot of the classical influence. -‐Their music combined the classical and blue influences -‐Deep Purple is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the loudest rock band.
“Highway Star” –Deep Purple (1972); one of the chord progressions in the “Highway Star” solo is a Bach progression. In “Highway Star,” blues-‐based and Baroque-‐inspired musical ideas coexist happily; classical (baroque…) music is seldom as syncopated as rock music but the excitement comes primarily from the speed.
The Liberation of Rock and Roll: Other creative rock bands in the late 1960s/early 1970s -‐By the early ‘70s, the rock revolution was over; it took rock musicians about 15 years to really get it – that is, to completely assimilate the numerous musical influences and transform them into the now-‐dominant style and to become comfortable w/ the conventions of this new style. The Who and Led Zeppelin illustrate ways in which musicians could play with rock rhythm when they reached a comfort zone with its essential elements.
The Who: Pete Townsend –guitar, Roger Daltrey –vox, John Entwhistle -‐bass (1944-‐2002), and Keith Moon –drums (1947-‐1978). -‐Townsend, Entwhistle, and Daltrey had been in a band called the High Numbers; in 1964 The Who came together w/ Keith Moon joined.
“Won’t Get Fooled Again” –the Who (1971) -‐Innovative use of ARP synthesizer as rhythm instrument
-‐Expansive song form w/ strong contrasts among synthesizer alone, vocal sections, and instrumental sections -‐Timekeeping in synth part liberates the band rhythmically http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHhrZgojY1Q
Led Zeppelin: Often cited as a seminal heavy metal band, Zeppelin ultimately defies categorization -‐Many influences, strongest being that of the blues -‐Mystical/occult/mythical influence of Plant/Page -‐Amazing musicianship of –Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, & John Bonham (1948-‐1980). -‐Their tours sold out/broke attendance records and all of their recordings went platinum. -‐Their music is a rare combination of almost unrestrained power and subtle artistry, of raw emotion and superbly calculated craft. -‐First album -‐Led Zeppelin (1969), last album –Physical Graffiti (1975).
“Good Times, Bad Times” –Led Zeppelin (“Led Zeppelin” 1969) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAVB25yjY5I
The Essence of Rock: -‐Assimilating Deep Blues (lyrics, attitude, soloing, riffs, etc…) -‐Deep blues influence and evolution beyond blues style -‐The Maturation of Rock Rhythm
• Largely a process of liberation • Increased syncopation and other rhythmic interplay • Focus not only on timekeeping
-‐A Timeless Music: The years around 1970 were defining for the history of rock: it is during this time that rock emerged as a fully developed style. -‐Increasing influence of blues style until its completely absorbed in rock (1970) -‐A “rock and roll” song released in the 80’s, 90’s, or 2000’s is likely to have much the same basic sound as “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It).” -‐This music is classic rock –it epitomizes the style
