September 23, 2013

thelabcoatguy@gmail.com The Time Between World War II and Those Smelly Hippies World War II this was a big war the soundtrack to this era was Big Band Swing This was the Pop music it was dance-oriented - dance music focuses on the DANCER - on YOU the bands were, in some ways, interchangeable the bandleader was the star Some artists (musicians) in the band wanted to do something else they formed small groups and played Be Bop - impossible to dance to they were one of the groups that pioneered drugs and music in modern times they were losing themselves in the music Charlie Parker Dizzy Gillespie Miles Davis Lester Davis However a group of cool people got into this music - alt music The Beats - Beatniks Educated, white, many Jewish kids, urban, cool, group that was into this crazy jazz - they were also into weed - they brought pot into their culture This became a part on an alt culture Black music -> black audiences -> white coolios and people in alt scenes -> become tastemakers -> influence straight culture -> the original black vibe gets whitened (safened) and gets into mainstream AND THEN - black folks start doing the reverse - whitening their own sound and interests for white audiences and green dollars Post War Boom while the jazz thing was spreading into white, mainstream culture, there was something unusual happening in North America the most babies ever born in history (even still) were born between 1947 and 1961 this group is called the Baby Boomers they created a new audience for ALL kinds of stuff (not just music) They were THE force in creating pop music like we know today. There’s a HOLE in the music industry. There’s all music for adults, black and white, but all adults, it seems The difference between black and white music was huge There was a new kind of music that took the swing from big band dance, and was tighter, smaller and even faster. Cool, little black bands. Louis Jordan was a huge star Rhythm and Blues on that circuit of juke joints - illegal clubs loud, fun, fast, great for dancing cheaper than a big band jokey and goofy There were radio stations designed for black audiences and as they got bigger, their area went WAY out - all over America This happened EXACTLY when those kids in the Boom were hitting early teens. This crazy, fun, goofy, silly, catchy, dance-y music is all over the black world, and just sneaking little bits into the white culture Some artists and producers are making money in the black world and they say “If only we could get a white person to do this black R&B!” We could make MILLIONS. Enter the wonderful brain of Sam Phillips Sun Records - they record black artists Sam said - hey, why don’t I let this kid Elvis Presley sing some songs? Elvis randomly sang That’s Alright Mama - a huge hit Country Music + Black folk = something new (Rockabilly) This is the first Rock and Roll (black slang for sex, as always) Elvis channels a lot of black power into his beautiful white, nice southern boy religious respectful shape. Weird thing - sells millions and EVERYBODY tries to copy Even black guys started to copy the white guy copying black guys Chuck Berry Little Richard Fats Domino BUT this pattern goes another level. White guys copy black guys copying white guys copying black guys This results in a whole new reaction. SO, some black guys start playing blacker music. They take the blues and they electrify it and make it harder and more powerful. Electric blues - Chicago Blues - America voted NO THANKS to the black music that came from this However, another country voted COOL! ENGLAND There was a crazy trend in England - SKIFFLE music - bizarre folk Those Fabulous Fifties (or not) The Swinging Sixties (or not)