Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
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Post by Confessor on May 6, 2017 10:52:18 GMT -5
There are those who argue that this is the first Rock & Roll song. And those who don't. I just know it's a pivotal moment in the evolution of rock & roll from jump blues. That's Ike Turner on the piano. Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats - Rocket "88" "Rocket 88" is a great record, but I'm in the camp that says that this isn't quite rock 'n' roll yet, I'm afraid. For me it is still jump blues, but as you point out, it's getting awfully close to being Rock 'n' Roll. Actually, there are a fair few of those old jump blues or "Jukebox Blues" records that were getting close to sounding like Rock 'n' Roll: Amos Milburn's 1946 cover of "Down the Road Apiece" is an even earlier example than "Rocket 88" that really does sound very rock 'n' roll-ish. For my money, the first bona fide rock 'n' roll record is Bill Haley & the Comets' "Rock Around the Clock", which was recorded in early 1954 but wasn't actually a hit until 1956, thus diluting it's historical impact just slightly. The song predated Elvis Presley's cover of "That's All Right" and, although it was not Haley & the Comets' first release, it is the first time in the band's recording history that you can point to one of their songs and say, "yeah, that's rock 'n' roll". For example, the band had had a hit with "Crazy Man, Crazy" in 1953, which, while it certainly has a new kind of aggression to the drumming that hadn't really been heard in popular music up until that time, instrumentally it comes on more like "very energetic western swing", rather than rock 'n' roll. "Rock Around the Clock" predates Haley's own "Shake, Rattle & Roll" too, even though that record was released first. To me, there's something about the sheer energy and excitement of "Rock Around the Clock" -- a degree of abandon to the lead guitar solo, a heightening of the music's groove, the forceful impact of those snare drum hits, which go off like a shotguns! -- that, to me, marks it very definitely as rock 'n' roll, in a way that earlier records simply aren't. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 6, 2017 11:12:39 GMT -5
I think "Rock Around the Clock" is probably too late. As early as '49 you've got "The Fat Man" by Fats Domino, which again is probably Proto-Rock, but much less blues. Big Joe Turner's version of "Shake, Rattle & Roll" two months before "Rock Around the Clock" and I can't buy an argument it's not full-on Rock & Roll. Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog" was two years earlier.
I will largely agree with what Nick Tosches said, "It is impossible to discern the first modern rock record, just as it is impossible to discern where blue becomes indigo in the spectrum." Rock evolved from blues, jump blues, country and jazz...it's a spectrum that includes "Move it on Over" by Hank Williams, "Boogie Chillun" by John Lee Hooker, and "Mess Around" by Ray Charles.
And now I need to pull out my jump blues and early rock and give more stuffs a listen.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 6, 2017 11:23:47 GMT -5
Some other proto-rock 'n roll songs
From 1949 by Louis Jordan, which includes some electric guitar riffs that Chuck Berry acknowledged influencing him
Also from 1949 by Jimmy Preston. I think it cetainly is rock 'n roll
From 1948, Wynonie Harris. Elvis did a remake
From 1938 by Joe Turner and Pete Johnson. Jerry Lee Lewis based his career from this
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 6, 2017 11:27:37 GMT -5
Boogie Woogie music was a precursor to Rock. And this song seems to be the first time that term was used. And this is from 1928
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 6, 2017 11:31:31 GMT -5
One more, a fantastic Boogie Woogie piano duet with Joe Turner and Albert Ammons. And that's Lena Horne watching them play. From 1944
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 6, 2017 14:32:17 GMT -5
Love it. I'm a huge fan of Jump Blues, Proto-rock of all sorts and early Rock & Roll. People who frequent here should know that my tastes are pretty non-mainstream for my age. I'm just honestly bored and tired of Rock from about the British Invasion on. I've just heard it all so damn much.
Huge fan of what is sometimes called Crescent City Soul...the blues-soul sound that was coming out of New Orleans in the late 40s and into the 50s. Particularly as produced by Dave Bartholomew.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,203
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Post by Confessor on May 8, 2017 6:14:40 GMT -5
I think "Rock Around the Clock" is probably too late. As early as '49 you've got "The Fat Man" by Fats Domino, which again is probably Proto-Rock, but much less blues. Big Joe Turner's version of "Shake, Rattle & Roll" two months before "Rock Around the Clock" and I can't buy an argument it's not full-on Rock & Roll. Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog" was two years earlier. I will largely agree with what Nick Tosches said, "It is impossible to discern the first modern rock record, just as it is impossible to discern where blue becomes indigo in the spectrum." Rock evolved from blues, jump blues, country and jazz...it's a spectrum that includes "Move it on Over" by Hank Williams, "Boogie Chillun" by John Lee Hooker, and "Mess Around" by Ray Charles. And now I need to pull out my jump blues and early rock and give more stuffs a listen. Sorry for the late reply, Slam, it's been a mad busy weekend... I agree that it's largely a futile exercise, much like trying to identify the first country rock song or some such. Still, it's fun to try and I certainly like to play this game.  Of the records you mention, "The Fat Man" by Fats Domino and Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle & Roll" are still jump blues to my ears. Of the latter, and comparing it to "Rock Around the Clock", there's a level of energy or excitement to Haley's record that is absent from Turner's "Shake, Rattle & Roll". Turner's record comes on as slinky and casually confident, while Haley's is strutting and excited, as well as having a much faster tempo. Also, I feel that the fact that Haley was white and ostensibly a country musician should not be overlooked here. Rock 'n' Roll is a collision of blues and country music, and it's the Comets' country roots and experience with western swing styles that gives such records as "Rock Around the Clock", "See You Later Alligator" and "Shake, Rattle & Roll" their swing. Remember, it's rock and roll, with "the roll" being the music's groove and danceability. The jump blues records you list above do not have the exciting, energised groove or swing that Haley's records do. Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog" is an interesting one though, because I've always heard proto-soul in that record, more than proto-rock. I don't know Thorton's backstory, but to my ears, she sounds like a gospel singer who is "bluesing it up". |
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Post by antoine on May 9, 2017 10:28:42 GMT -5
Hey guys! I have a small Facebook page where I post one song a day! It's just for fun, to discover new music. Mostly punk, but some other stuff once in a while. I thought some of you might enjoy it, thanks to whoever checks it out! www.facebook.com/1chansonparjour/?ref=aymt_homepage_panelPS - are shameless plugs allowed? This is kinda revenant to the thread, as the song featured are what I currently listen to. But fell free to let me know if I should remove this! |
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,203
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Post by Confessor on May 9, 2017 13:56:29 GMT -5
PS - are shameless plugs allowed? This is kinda revenant to the thread, as the song featured are what I currently listen to. But fell free to let me know if I should remove this! No, it's fine. You're a forum regular mentioning a relevant blog in the appropriate thread. That isn't spamming. |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 9, 2017 14:26:41 GMT -5
50 Years Ago Today-Week 2 May 1967
The rise of the Flower Children has claimed it's first revolutionary change, the toppling of the Sinatra's "Somethin' Stupid". It's now on to end the war in Vietnam. In it's place is the ever dependable Diana Ross and the Supremes with The Happening. That song was first released in March as well as the movie by the same name. Starring Anthony Quinn as a mafia chieftain, the story was about a group of hippies who kidnap Quinn for kicks and a $200,000 ransom. Since Quinn was such a meanie, no one in the mob was willing to pay the ransom. So Quinn teams up with the hippies to get revenge.Faye Dunaway plays a hippie chick. It's not a good movie, the best thing are the 2 Supreme songs in the soundtrack. But at least it's not somethin' stupid
Lou Rawls had been recording since 1962. His biggest song till this point was "Love Is A Hurtin' Thing" in 1966. He was soulful, he was classy and I believe he appealed more to the older crowd. His biggest hit would come in 1976 with "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine". 1967's Dead End Street was at it's peak position this week at # 29. This clip comes from Hugh Hefner's Playboy After Dark syndicated TV show from that year with Playmates and other beautiful people in the living room
James and Bobby Purify were actually James Purify and his cousin Robert Dickey. They scored a huge hit with their first single, 1966's "I'm Your Puppet" that climbed to #6. Here they remake the old Five Du-Tones classic "Shake A Tail Feather" , later to be more widely known as performed in The Blues Brothers and Howard The Duck movies. This version would reach #25
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels were a great party band of the mid-60's. "Devil With The Blue Dress On","Sock It To Me Baby" & "Jennie Take A Ride" were just some of their hits that guaranteed kids on the dance floor. "Too Many Fish In The Sea/Three Little Fishes" would be their final hit single reaching #24. Mitch Ryder's manager convinced him to ditch the group and go solo. He bombed and the manager went on to work with McLean Stevenson to similar results
How the hell did the U.S. mostly ignore The Who up to this point? They already had 5 Top 10 songs in England but those songs hardly made a dent on the charts in the states. "Happy Jack" would be their most successful at this point of time, climbing to # 24. Otherwise, I'm embarrassed over "My Generation". "I Can't Explain", "The Kids Are Alright"-not.
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Post by DanBintheUnderworld on May 9, 2017 15:16:05 GMT -5
How the hell did the U.S. mostly ignore The Who up to this point? They already had 5 Top 10 songs in England but those songs hardly made a dent on the charts in the states. "Happy Jack" would be their most successful at this point of time, climbing to # 24. Otherwise, I'm embarrassed over "My Generation". "I Can't Explain", "The Kids Are Alright"-not. Oddly enough, I never heard "My Generation" until about 1983. I remember the period because it came over the radio while I was on my back giving plasma while I was a grad student. |
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Post by Rob Allen on May 9, 2017 17:17:43 GMT -5
Lou Rawls was the uncredited backup "echo" voice on Sam Cooke's "Bring it On Home to Me" in 1962. That song reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Post by berkley on May 9, 2017 21:41:25 GMT -5
How the hell did the U.S. mostly ignore The Who up to this point? They already had 5 Top 10 songs in England but those songs hardly made a dent on the charts in the states. "Happy Jack" would be their most successful at this point of time, climbing to # 24. Otherwise, I'm embarrassed over "My Generation". "I Can't Explain", "The Kids Are Alright"-not. Oddly enough, I never heard "My Generation" until about 1983. I remember the period because it came over the radio while I was on my back giving plasma while I was a grad student. That's surprising - didn't they play it on your local FM station? I shouldn't talk, because I don't think I heard it myself until we got an FM station in the late 70s. I had heard or read about it long before then because of the rock magazines I used to read but it wasn't ever played on our AM station, that I recall. |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 9, 2017 22:10:36 GMT -5
Oddly enough, I never heard "My Generation" until about 1983. I remember the period because it came over the radio while I was on my back giving plasma while I was a grad student. That's surprising - didn't they play it on your local FM station? I shouldn't talk, because I don't think I heard it myself until we got an FM station in the late 70s. I had heard or read about it long before then because of the rock magazines I used to read but it wasn't ever played on our AM station, that I recall. Ah berkley, if you recall my opening posts on this thread about what makes 1967 special, essentially there was no FM rock stations until 1967. It was only classical or some jazz. In prior years, FM receivers were expensive and considered a luxury item only audiophiles would indulge. Hence an older crowd only. By 1967 FM receivers were dropping in price, being pushed by audio companies and stereo was growing big. Finally Rock stations on the FM dial began to pop up, first just as sister stations duplicating the AM parent and finally on their own in early 1967. So no, pretty much no Who on the radio. I don't recall hearing Happy Jack but I did hear "I Can See For Miles" later on that same year. The Who didn't even tour in the US until 1967 |
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Post by Ish Kabbible on May 11, 2017 3:26:53 GMT -5
50 Years Ago Today-The Essential Albums Of May 1967Just one for this month, but it's as essential and groundbreaking as it comes  in a nutshell, Jimi Hendrix, after his army discharge, bounced around as a session guitarist and landing gigs with The Isley Brothers band as well as Little Richard. He moved to Greenwich Village, NYC in 1966 and formed the Jimmy James and the Blue Flames band, playing at the Cafe Wha?. Keith Richard's girlfriend caught his act and was impressed and would introduce Jimi to Chas Chandler, former manager of The Animals. Jimi was struggling making ends meet and agreed to accompany Chas back to England to record a record.Chas hooked Jimi up with two other British musicians, bass player Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell. And so The Jimi Hendrix Experience was born. 2 singles were produced to moderate success, "Hey Joe" and "Purple Haze". March and April saw them in the studio to cut an album which was released in the UK on May 12th. The US release was delayed for 2 months Besides the difference in the timing of the album release, the configuration was different as well. The British version had the blues tune "Red House" as well as "Can You See Me" and "Remember". The US version had "Hey Joe" and "The Wind Cries Mary" Robert Christgau's review: Jimi Hendrix's first album is one of the most exciting and important records ever made, a reconception of the electric guitar as a symphonic instrument that still sounds fresh and unprecedented. So does Hendrix's fusion of galactic imagination, intense self-examination and deep-blues roots in the raging "Manic Depression," the R&B sigh "The Wind Cries Mary" and the sexy whiplash "Foxey Lady." Hendrix, bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell made Experienced? on the run, on rare days off the road. Hendrix wrote "Purple Haze" backstage at a London club; "Red House," a blues on the British version of the LP, was cut in fifteen minutes. But Hendrix also spent several sessions building the orchestral howl of "Third Stone From the Sun," with the passionate diligence he would soon apply to his magnum opus, 1968's Electric Ladyland. Besides achieving a style that that was individual and grabbed one's attention, I believe there was one other thing of note. In the US, Hendrix's singles from the album hardly got airplay on AM. "Hey Joe" had a US release in May and never made the Top 100. "Purple Haze" released in mid-June only reached #65. But the early FM rock stations played his album quite often and between that, word of mouth and rigorous touring Hendrix sold one million copies of Are You Experienced within months. I credit Are You Experienced as the first major album to prove that FM rock radio could launch it's own music stars I'll post some music clips but please note that the Hendrix estate seems to be insisting YouTube delete them and these might disappear at any time
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