Why rock and roll?

[discokicks]

I was just in my mid-teens when I first realized that my taste in music didn’t coincide with the others. While my interests went in the direction of joyous dancing and fun, I watched Peter Frampton Comes Alive go to number one and all the time thinking “who the hell is Peter Frampton?” And though I soon heard the hits from the album on the radio, I thought what’s the universal attraction to this kind of music over my beloved disco.

Thirty years later, I still wonder and as I see current excitement as more rock bands come to my city for concerts (Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi...etc), I can’t help but still feel some sense of isolation. My tastes...these tastes for dancing and partying....why isn’t it universal? Don’t we all want to have a good time in life? Isn’t boogie-ing the night away a better time than raucous guitar and gloomy lyrics? Why I ask?

And if rock and roll is the music of the people, why is it not for me? I’m not the rebellious type. I just liked music that made me move and smile.

[Billy72]

I hear ya. I do get into rock from the late 70s (arena rock era) through the 80s Hair Metal (or Pop Rock as its called). Simply, this era of rock is NOT straight 'avant guard' guitars and drums. I can't get into the rock of the late 60s and early 70s at all; or the folk stuff. I've tried hard to understand peoples fascination with artists like Bob Dylan. While I know he writes great lyrics; I can't get into his musical style, or understand how people could dig his singing lol. IF I HAD BEEN AN ADULT in the later half of the 60s I would have been in Motown (big time). I do LOVE The Beachboys Album Pet Sounds though (a personal fav.), totally beautiful harmonies and instrumentation. There were others in the late 60s; Gary Pucket and Union Gap etc. BACK TO SUBJECT of 70s rock, sorry :)

In the late 70s-80s rock, there is alot more pop influence; with keyboards, organs, horns included in the music. I do like late 70s rock bands like Queen, Styx, ELO, and Framton is someone I'd listen too on the radio (but he's not one I would seek to see in concert, like I would have Queen). My favorite rock songs of the late 70s would be Manfred Mann "Blinded by the Light"; ELO "Telephone Line", "Strange Magic", Gary Wright "Dreamweaver"; Kansas "Carry on my Wayward Son"; Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody", "We are the Champions"; and Styx "Babe". ONE THING you'll notice, these are all 'keyboard/piano' influenced, something that caused me to like some of the late 70s rock.

I agree with you though, Disco is much more important to me OVERALL; equal to light rock, and R & B stuff of the 70s and early 80s (I love these genres all equally).

So did you get into any rock; like Queen etc? What other type/types of music did you get into during the disco era?

OH, ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION: My favorite rock band of ALL; STEELY DAN (a band who I love as much as any Disco, or any musical style). I'm talking vocal harmonies, and great instrumentation. I'd call it MELLOW rock.

Was there any rock you dug back then? ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE dig any of these bands? This is a good topic of discussion, I've been REALLY WONDERING what some of you (in here) dug back then besides disco???

[discokicks]

So did you get into any rock; like Queen etc? What other type/types of music did you get into during the disco era?


Was there any rock you dug back then? ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE dig any of these bands? This is a good topic of discussion, I've been REALLY WONDERING what some of you (in here) dug back then besides disco???

I certainly did like other music as well. Strangely enough, my other preference was for country-oriented rock (or rock-oriented country)....the Eagles, Poco, Dr. Hook, Linda Ronstadt and even Bob Seger (even though you couldn't get him to go to a disco)...in fact, Night Moves is one of my most favourite tunes of all time.

My thought though is why wasn't the "feel-good" music of disco and dance music the preference for the majority of society. We've discussed the whole disco sucks thing but why did the majority of society eventually side with those who wanted music that was more on the listening/ head-banging realm rather than music with danceable rhythm that helped one feel good inside. It's a question I ask over and over.

[Tim Tam]

Hi Discokicks,

I have a couple of ill thought out theories.

1. Youth culture seems to be obsessed with the idea of rebellion and Disco isn't really rebellious music. Most of it sounds nice, often beautiful so it doesn't alienate older listeners so much. Young people want something that is their's and no one else's. Mainly to differentiate themselves from their parents I would think.
In fact, when you hear something like death metal (which has no beauty in in it at all) the only thing I can think of to explain it's popularity among certain groups of young people is that they can be certain their parents won't like it.

2. As you said, Disco is about dancing and many guys (at least white guys) are threatened by the very idea of dancing. I don't know why but it seems to be that way. I witnessed an example of this when my very placid brother (rock fan) was being pestered by a woman to get up and dance. He was getting so angry that I thought he was going to punch her. All because he might have to dance. No-one expects you to dance to rock.

Hardly ground breaking thoughts but there you are.

Cheers,
Tim Tam

[wever]

hey! i think all is about the feeling! and people not only have theese "feel-good" emotion. I still love so much Hard Rock and Grunge (always my favourite ones) because of the raw sound of the guitars and the energy it brings. And also because of the loud bass, i think that was my big connection with funk and then disco. You know, i love so much Jimi Hendrix and OF COURSE Funkadelic, as a funkateer that i am. I have to recognise that i haven't been a declared disco addict before being a big rock fan (despite i loved it during all this time thanx to my brother musical influence). I was a Red Hot Chili Peppers fanatic! i still am, but not in the same level (now i won't travel to see them, i've only go if they play in my city). but once again here it is the relation between funk and rock (check their early days!). I had enough of "hiding" my funk love and after a little reflection i realized that the elements i liked the most, my reason to hear that music are the rythm and the bass, what ends in DISCO.:icon_cool:

[ol'skinflint]

nearly all my favorite rock bands are British: Procol Harum, Roxy Music, Jethro Tull, Humble Pie (awesome singer!), Mott the Hoople, Free, Deep Purple and early Stones, Beatles, Zep. Haven't heard any recent rock that impressed me......

[Cdnbob]

Well I was in high school in the 70's when disco began and I was considered weird because I didn't listen to bands like Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Elton John, The Police, Rolling Stones and other popular mid to late 1970's bands/performers. I didn't like this type of music either, I was listening to - and I'm sure some of you are going to laugh - The Osmonds, David Cassidy, Jackson 5, Partridge Family, Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis and others before enjoying music by people like Chic, Vicki Sue Robinson, Boney M, Donna Summer, et al. I don't think I finally listened to an Elton John record until I was 18 or 19 and then started to discover his pre-1980 material - btw, I really love his Victim of Love album. From there my tastes moved to disco, r&b, soul - a white kid listening to what was usually labelled black music. I like to dance so that made me weird too, well according to people back then.

Today my musical tastes are all over the map, but like already mentioned previously in this thread, there are some people I just don't understand their popularity - people like the Rolling Stones, Sting, Fleetwood Mac etc. It was never the kind of music I'd listen to. Mind you, I can't stand a lot of rap, grunge, techno, stuff either. Getting old I guess. :icon_lol:

[wever]

i can understand perfectly if u dont like grunge! :icon_lol: that has NOTHIN to do wih disco!

[discokicks]

Hi Discokicks,

I have a couple of ill thought out theories.

1. Youth culture seems to be obsessed with the idea of rebellion and Disco isn't really rebellious music. Most of it sounds nice, often beautiful so it doesn't alienate older listeners so much. Young people want something that is their's and no one else's. Mainly to differentiate themselves from their parents I would think.
In fact, when you hear something like death metal (which has no beauty in in it at all) the only thing I can think of to explain it's popularity among certain groups of young people is that they can be certain their parents won't like it.

2. As you said, Disco is about dancing and many guys (at least white guys) are threatened by the very idea of dancing. I don't know why but it seems to be that way. I witnessed an example of this when my very placid brother (rock fan) was being pestered by a woman to get up and dance. He was getting so angry that I thought he was going to punch her. All because he might have to dance. No-one expects you to dance to rock.

Hardly ground breaking thoughts but there you are.

Cheers,
Tim Tam

These are legitimate reasons for sure. The whole rebellious youth culture certainly is a lengthy discussion in itself. Did rock and roll music come about because of this new rebellious teen movement? Why the mid-50s? Were teens rebellious before that or was it something that was brewing?

So keeping the idea that rock and roll relied on this "rebellious", society-sucks feeling that was out there, how did disco eventually become the music of the late 70s? What was happening at the time that cooled down the hot-headedness of mainstream society?

When you look at the year end pop charts of '78 and '79, there were a lot of singles classified as disco that hit the top of the charts. Was it rebellious youth that put those songs there? :icon_confused:

[Billy72]

DISCOKICKS, you mentioned liking SEGER; you know if I'm gonna conversate MUSIC with guys at work (who graduated in the 70s-mid 80s especially) I usually have to talk about Seger music, or Steely Dan (Both artists I really dig). There arent too many rock acts that are MANCHO enough for them that I like. MANCHO (too me) is the key word; which is really silly, but I think they think 'strings' in music, danceable tunes etc. just seem 'girly' to them. Too me, dancing and romantic lyrics (another fear they have in tunes) is MANCHO, sexy, and so on.

YOU MENTIONED country oriented rock; you know POP COUNTRY of the 70s-mid 80s is also SHUNED big time in the NASHVILLE media. I saw a VH1 show 10 years or so ago that was highlighting COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY; when it got to RANDY TRAVIS (a great guy btw, good voice but dont like his traditional style); the show talked about how he brought back COUNTRY from the SLICK style that was popular (like he resurrected it from ' deaths door' they suggested).

So it seems that Light Rock, Pop Country, and DISCO all fall into this 'sappy, girly label' (really SAD). They prefer TOM PETTY, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN type stuff; and I just can't get into that. The sound is just too dull for my tastes.

GREAT COMMENTS FROM EVERYONE; yes, white boys (generally) shy away from dancing. In fact (its funny), I remember HIGH SCHOOL dances with joy. The first time I ever got on the dance floor in Junior High I WAS A NERVOUS WRECK! You know the JUNIOR HIGH mentality, so worried what others might think (peer pressure; image ****; GAUD it was aweful).
However, by High School I was all over the gym floor, even alone if I didnt have a partner at the time. I remember black guys coming up and staring at me smiling; like man, you got guts for a white boy (they were probably thinking lol).

[Tim Tam]

These are legitimate reasons for sure. The whole rebellious youth culture certainly is a lengthy discussion in itself. Did rock and roll music come about because of this new rebellious teen movement? Why the mid-50s? Were teens rebellious before that or was it something that was brewing?

So keeping the idea that rock and roll relied on this "rebellious", society-sucks feeling that was out there, how did disco eventually become the music of the late 70s? What was happening at the time that cooled down the hot-headedness of mainstream society?

When you look at the year end pop charts of '78 and '79, there were a lot of singles classified as disco that hit the top of the charts. Was it rebellious youth that put those songs there? :icon_confused:

Hi Discokicks,

good point. Perhaps though the youth of the 70's were actually rebelling against the 60's generation that preceded them rather then their parents. We had the whole "Stop the War, Save the World, Peace Corps, Communal Living, Hippie" movement where people were exhorted to get out there, be active and change society. Maybe the 70's Disco people thought that was all too earnest and joyless and too much hard work. Also maybe the realization that "love" really can't change everything. They decided let's dress up , go out, dance and have fun. That may have been an act of rebellion in itself. They were certainly differentiating themselves from the previous generation. More of a "Me" generation I guess.

Cheers,
Tim Tam

[discokicks]

Hi Discokicks,

good point. Perhaps though the youth of the 70's were actually rebelling against the 60's generation that preceded them rather then their parents. We had the whole "Stop the War, Save the World, Peace Corps, Communal Living, Hippie" movement where people were exhorted to get out there, be active and change society. Maybe the 70's Disco people thought that was all too earnest and joyless and too much hard work.

I don't know if it can be called rebellion...perhaps it was more of complacency and content. Stuff arose out of the early 70s...feminism, gay movement, black power...and maybe from that, we had a tempered music revolution...certainly seems that way when you look at the variety of tunes hitting the top tens.

And as the decade came to a close, rockers came out of their hazy dormancy, grabbed their air-guitars and reminded us again just what constitutes good music :icon_rolleyes:

[Billy72]

Last Paragraph NICELY PUT, with sarcasm DISCO (lol).

You know, I'm a truck driver IN THE OILFIELDS of Texas. Sounds pretty redneck, rough n ready (dont it) lol! We have 2 way radios in EVERY cab to communicate back and forth. It gets pretty, darn fun I'll tell ya; there'll be songs played (just snippets of a song I mean); jokes etc. I'm always the one playing the 70s, and (real) early 80s stuff; talking about my FRIDAY night; how
"Its Friday night; I'm gonna put on the gold chains, polyester bell bottoms (so tight the seems about to bust in the rear), big collar shirt, n platforms, and HIT THE DISCO baby! Ladys watch out"!

Its all a joke, but NOBODY (as of yet) has EVER complained about my TUNES (Bee Gees ETC.), OR said anything negative about WHAT I JUST TOLD you (and I put it in those words). I think that THE DISCO BACKLASH is so far removed now, nobody (even rednecks) seem to care (AT LEAST SO MY TEST RESULTS seem to show lol).