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Rock and Roll: an Examination of History, Culture, and Influence

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Rock and Roll: an Examination of History, Culture, and Influence ROCK AND ROLL: AN EXAMINATION OF HISTORY, CULTURE, AND INFLUENCE ROWAN B. What is the significance of rock and, furthermore, what is the history of rock and roll? What kind of culture does rock and roll represent and how has it changed society? What rock and roll songs are important, what do they mean, and how have they influenced me? “Rock and roll” is a general term used to define a broad range of music. I chose a specific definition of rock for clarity. Rock is the music that was directly influenced by the blues, folk, and country music of black artists; it catered to the teenagers of the baby boomer generation. Rock had a sound dominantly produced from guitars, harmonica, drums, vocals, bass, and keyboard. Under this definition, rock and roll was influenced by and influenced the hippie movement and uncovered new ideas in the 60’s and 70’s. I also focus on Led Zeppelin because I am passionate about their music and I feel that Led Zeppelin is a symbol of the appreciation I have for my parents. My artwork is experiential, a response to the sound within it. It can be described as “visual poetry” or, in more technical terms, a surreal-experimental time based media. Rowan B What is the history of rock and roll? What kind of culture does rock and roll represent and how has it changed society? What rock and roll songs are important, what do they mean, and how have they influenced me? This paper includes the following: a brief history of rock and roll, an argument about whether or not rock and roll is dead, the cultural impact of rock and roll, and an analysis of a Led Zeppelin song, and the impact this music has had on me. INTRODUCTION My love for rock and roll music is hardly my own love, but a love given to me from my parents. I will never forget my mom blasting “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin on the way to first grade and me commenting that Robert Plant sounded like Veruca Salt going down the garbage shoot in Willy Wonka listen. As a young child, I rejected the music my parents seemed to be so fond of -- Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin, The White Stripes, and the Rolling Stones. At the time, I was set on listening to the Jonas Brothers, The Black Eyed Peas, and Katy Perry. It was not until one of my mom’s boyfriend started playing The Black Keys in the car that I opened my mind to the music that I have now come to love listen. As The Black Keys started to grow on me, I began to despise the pop music that all my 5th grade friends were listening to. After The Black Keys came my absolute obsession with The White Stripes. On my 14th birthday my dad took me to a Jack White (the former star of The White Stripes) concert and it was then that I started to really feel invested in music. I started to think that what I was listening to was shaping me, even though it had been shaping me all along listen. As I have further matured in high school I have started to perceive the music of Led Zeppelin as a symbol of my gratitude for how I have been raised. It’s not necessarily that Led Zeppelin preaches the values that my parents have raised me with, not even close, but rather that Led Zeppelin represents the things I love in life not just through their lyrics, but moreover through their sound. I see Robert Plant and Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin’s front men) as the epitome of “cool” in the 70’s, a time that seems so foreign to me yet seems present through my parents and in myself. I have always been one of those kids who wished they were a teenager in the 70’s instead of the 21st century, which is ok; I like being the girl who loves Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin’s Tolkienesque lyrics and their mystical sounds resonate with me in a way that I have a hard time even putting into words. It is almost as if the music of Led Zeppelin reaches something in me that is above reality or comprehension. Rock and roll reminds me of hot road trips and always moving forward...of letting go...of sunshine. To me, this music is more real than any other, which is something I really seek in life. The music that has been ever-present in my life is not generated in the sky by computers but rather seems to come from grit and the deepest humanness. As much as I love the exposure to rock and roll I have had, I don’t know how this music came to be. I don’t know the history of my favorite music genre, which is almost shameful. I want to understand the inner workings of not just a music genre, but a culture rooted so deeply in my daydreams. Which leads me to wonder: What is the value of rock and roll? What is the history of rock and roll? What kind of culture does rock and roll represent and how has it changed society? What rock and roll songs are important to me, what do they mean, and how have they influenced me? CULTURAL INFLUENCE Rock and roll had a powerful and ultimately positive impact on society that has rarely been equaled and in relation to race it has proved to be beneficial. Because so much of rock and roll was derived from blues, many black performers were playing for a white audience and, as rock continues on, many white performers begin to appropriate music that was traditionally played by black musicians, therefore creating a desegregation (Fisher 53). “White teenagers listened to music not just inspired by, but often performed by African Americans. By doing this they embraced a part of culture that seemed or in many households actually was forbidden. They went to concerts where performers and parts of the audience were black. They watched movies such as Blackboardjungle (1955) that showcased integration in schools and inspired youth to question authority. In the 1950s, rock ‘n' roll was able to do what jazz couldn't when it created a common culture amongst white and black teenagers (Vaillancourt).” With the formation of white youths and black music, rock and roll created a breaking down of racial barriers, giving this music that was controversial at the time a very beneficial effect (Bertrand 95-6). Many have seen rock and roll as a step towards desegregation and it provoked racial cooperation and shared experience (Bertrand 95-6). While the joining of black and white proves to be a positive outcome of rock, there are other aspects to the music that are even more controversial. While rock and roll is heavily associated with drugs and sex, the exposure of rock stars’ drug and sex related lives to the public had beneficial effects. Carlos Santana (20/100 greatest guitarists) gives partial credit for his exploration in style to his acid intake stating, “You cannot take LSD and not find your voice (Rolling Stone).” Pete Townshend when talking about Jimi Hendrix commented that “when he was onstage he changed...it wasn’t just people taking LSD, though that was going on there’s no question… he had a power that almost sobered you up… he was bigger than LSD (Rolling Stone).” When the Beatles acknowledged using LSD, many fans followed, but after members of the “27 Club” died of drug overdose, being Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison, the drug scene in rock and roll declined (Altschuler 35). Many rock musicians, including John Lennon, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Elton John, David Bowie, and Bob Dylan, and many others, have admitted to having addictions to substances such as alcohol, heroin, or cocaine (Altschuler 30). Many of these artists have undergone rehabilitation, but others have died (Altschuler 30). While the drug aspect of rock and roll is not beneficial, it does shed a light on an issue experienced by many, especially as rock stars set examples in later years by going to rehab. Greil Marcus states that “Rock ‘n’ roll may be most of all a language that, it declares, can say anything: divine all truths, reveal all mysteries, and escape all restrictions” (Marcus 10) which argues that rock and roll was a step towards a greater understanding of what it is to be human. Rock and Roll is not the only music genre associated with this behavior, but may be one of the most notorious. A lot of rock and roll’s lyrics usually linked to sex, but that may have been because sex is one of the most basic and universal actions of human life. Even as rock stars were having sex and doing drugs, which is and was viewed as bad or sinful, they were also influencing a time of sexual liberation, open mindedness, and an increase in empathy and understanding for the darker but realistic sides of life. Shedding a light on this behavior to such a widespread and young audience gave many people the feeling that they were not alone and that they did not have to hide themselves or problems they were having. Rock greatly contributed to the feminist movement as well and gave women a stronger voice in society. With sexual liberation came a greater respect for women as well and many women experienced a greater appreciation and acceptance of their bodies and themselves.
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