Hold the Funeral, Rock n Roll isn't Dead
By: Sharon Martin
The coffin has been built, the grave has been dug and the guests dressed in black are set to arrive. The funeral for rock n roll is set to happen as it looks like the influential genre and culture is thought to finally be dead.
However, rock n roll isn't dead, despite what comedian and musician Jack Black told Rolling Stone magazine.
"When you think about rock, at its origin, you think of the Beatles and millions of kids screaming as loud as they can and running as fast as they can toward the Beatles," Black said. "There is no one that is that kind of lightning rod. I contend that the last band to really have that kind of power was Nirvana."
History and Culture
Rock n roll began in the 1950's from the roots of blues music in urban areas like Memphis and Chicago. The genre has evolved through decades from Muddy Waters to Elvis Presley to The Rolling Stones and to Led Zeppelin. According to Reebee Garofalo, author of Rockin' Out, Popular Music in the USA, the genre has had an impact on culture since the 1950's.
“By the mid 1950s, rock n roll had become the focal point for all of society's fears of miscegenation, sexuality, violence, juvenile delinquency and general moral decline,” Garofalo said.
Hope Munro Smith, assistant professor of music at Chico State, says rock n roll has always been directed and the most appealing to young people.
“Rock music meant that young people had their own music, “ Smith said. “It defined a period in people's lives so that they identified themselves as teenagers, not as adults.”
The Current and Future State of Rock n Roll
Rock n roll isn't as mainstream as it was in the past. It doesn't dominate the popular radio waves and doesn't dominate television like in the past. Of course, the reason for this does have a lot to with the fact that Internet has dominated the music industry more that traditional media.
Rock n roll isn't dead because music festivals have also played a role in the growth and strength of rock music. Live music is one of the strongest features about rock n roll. Woodstock is an example of the influence a festival has on culture.
“The symbolism of Woodstock was overpowering, and its music was compelling,” Garofalo said. “Creedance Clearwater Revival and The Band represented good old American rock n roll...the festival summed up the counterculture.”
Live music is what is keeping rock n roll alive today, Smith said. Bands like Arcade Fire and The Black Keys have traditional instruments and carry the rock n roll sound today.
“These are rock n roll bands that play traditional instruments that have a sound that somebody 20 or 30 years ago would understand,” Smith said.
Billboard and the Grammy's have struggled to fill the rock category for the past few years. However, it's not necessarily a problem with rock music that is causing this, but rather a problem with those making the decisions on the award.
“I think the people in the academy who choose these awards are just not looking hard enough,” Smith said. “ Rock music is out there, it's just harder to find.”
Live music will always drive fans and continue to fuel and support rock n roll. Rock music is no where near dead, it's generational music that will continue to thrive despite not receiving loads of attention on television or radio.
“Rock music will always be driven by the fans,” Smith said.
“A missive to all you metal bands, the world is totally over the rock thing. Rock is deader than it’s ever been.”
Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins - 1996
“Rock and roll is a nuclear blast of reality in a mundane world where no-one is allowed to be magnificent.”
Kim Fowley, former manager of the Runaways - 2005
“We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first -
rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity.”
John Lennon on The Beatles - 1966
Famous quotes on rock n roll
“Rock and roll keeps you in a constant state of juvenile delinquency.”
Eddie Spaghetti - 2000
“There was a time I thought I couldn’t enjoy rock ‘n’ roll unless I had heroin in me”
Joe Perry of Aerosmith - 1989
“Rock n roll is about drugs.”
Marilyn Manson - 1998
