| Rock has always been about
social and cultural conflict ever since its birth in the boogie
blues of artists such as John Lee Hooker. The social alienation
and angst of the black experience permeated the predominantly
white middle class rock 'n' roll. That was until whitey in the
shape of Elvis took control and introduced new brands of
alienation like parents, society and girls along with clothes and
attitude to symbolise that alienation. |
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| "I had never seen
anyone put on a show like that ...it was just shocking...he
looked like a real street kid...that show really changed my life...I
was overwhelmed by Elvis, I was overwhelmed by the musicians. I
could feel the playing." Jerry Nolan (Heartbreakers, New
York Dolls) from the book 'Please Kill Me' |
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| Yep
welcome to Elvis Presley and a thousand other rockabilly
cats riding the crest of a teen culture and rebellion.
Money and leisure and advances in technology were opening
up an untapped market of the teenager. The parents hated
it but the kids loved it. The first barbarians were at
the gate. 24 years seperate us from Punk76. 24 years to
that previous was Elvis. We tend to see Elvis as a
bloated drug addict dying on the toilet and dismiss his
songs through over exposure, but its weird how he can catch
you off guard.
Elvis was young, sexy and mixed up blues
and bluegrass and everything else. Hearing Heartbreak
Hotel at high volume it can suddenly hit you just how
good he was and how radical he was. But check out his Sun
Sessions album (Mystery Train, Good Rockin Tonight,
Thats All Right) and tell me the boy don't rock. Music
and clothes that were different could give teenagers
identity and annoy. At the same time as Elvis came Jerry
Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard; hard rockers
like Gene Vincent and the Bluecaps and of course Eddie
Cochran. Mix in black singers like James Brown and you
start to get the over the top singing and the wild front
man. Rock'n'roll was dangerous and it was rebellious.
Years later Malcolm Mclaren would resurrect these times
and clothes in his shops and use it as a basis for his
own teen revolution.
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Gene
Vincent...real rebel rock. |
Elvis and
rock 'n' roll was the start of the US relationship with the UK
music scene which would see us trade sounds and ideas... well basically for ever. Rock'n'roll brought the birth of
the teenager and as such brought the idea of teenage
rebellion and a desire to forge your own identity through
clothes and music. Music was a rush, it was a bout cars, clothes, love,
shagging and dancing... three
minutes of a slice of youth without responsibility. Rock'n roll had a profound influence on England where to
celebrate we slashed cinema seats. It also gave us shite
like Tommy Steele, Cliff Richard, The Dakotas and worst
of all The Beatles. |
Tommy
Steele - What a rebel !!!!....Not!!! |
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But the Beatles
once they dropped their early leather gear and became loveable
mop tops made music more accessible which, allied with advances in
technology, meant greater exposure for bands. Music began to exert
an influence and generate publicity. Rock'n'roll was dangerous it was rebellious and it
sold. As the shock of the new began to wear
off capitalism like the all consuming beast it is absorbed the
rebels and their clothes and styles and made them popular and
made money while awaiting the next attack which wasn't long
coming.
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