Lecture 17: Rock as Art
I. Rock as Art
A. Catchall chapter attempting to classify a lot of hard to classify bands and artists of late
60s-early 70s
B. Main thrust is bands that reach out to either
1. Classical music
2. Other forms of modern art
3. or both
1.
C. With the end of using rock to make an artistic statement of some kind
II. Musical styles of Art Rock
A. Music created for rock group and classical ensemble
1. Example: Eleanor Rigby, by the Beatles
2. Other groups compose works for rock band + symphony orchestra
a. The Moody Blues – Nights in White Satin
b. Procul Harum
c. Electric Light Orchestra
d. Deep Purple (sometimes)
B. Fusion of rock + classical music
1. In part, inspired by experiments of Sgt. Peppers, Pet Sounds
2. But more like, once permission granted, others free to use ideas that were
around anyway
3. Most sophisticated beyond Beatles
C. Quick intro to avant-garde
1. Def. - Intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts
2. Musical avant-garde: Composers addressing large questions of music
a. Like, “what is music”?
b. How many traditional aspects of music can you change and have it still
be music?
c. Are all sounds – Western, non-Western, musical, non-musical, and
accidental valid?
3. Dominant force in musical avant-garde of second half of 20th c. - John Cage
(1908-1990)
a. In early career, Cage writing music that is revolutionary, but within
comprehension of most Classically-oriented musicians
i. Works for percussion ensemble – new at that time
ii. Prepared piano
iii. Some use of electronic manipulation of sounds
b. Then gets very philosophical
i. Chance music – notes determined at random
ii. Pieces like 4’33”
4. Another major force, and one particularly important to rock – Edgar Varese
(1883-1965)
a. Becomes interested in using non-musical sounds in music early in
career
b. Satisfies desire by experimenting with percussion instruments
c. 1930s - becomes interested in idea of composing music using electronic
means
i. Gets much easier after 1947, with access to tape
ii. Concept - all sounds available for musical use
ii. “Natural” sounds - instruments, bird calls, jackhammers, etc.
iv. Can record, then manipulate
v. Can also create musical sounds
e. Called Musique Concrète (Concrete music)
5. We’ll hear in combination with another important movement, called
minimalism
a. Pieces created out of minimum of musical material
b. Single idea that is repeated incessantly, then slowly changed over time
c. Closely affiliated with some African and Asian classical music
d. Steve Reich – “Check It Out” from Street Life
i. Short Introduction – chords
ii. Three note motive (like a riff, but less melodically interesting)
introduced - forms basis for rest of movement
iii. Shortly thereafter, recorded sound introduced - sample of cab
driver saying "check it out"
iv. Number of repetitions and permutations of 3 note
motive, sometimes with other ideas or events happening,
sometimes alone
v. And more sampled sounds: door slamming, bus, subway doors
aa. Electronically manipulated
bb. Combined with orchestral sounds
vi. But central idea of whole piece is the 3 note motive
C. Number of bands explored these avant-garde musical ideas
II. The Doors [Jim Morrison (1943-1971); Ray Manzarek (1943 -- ); John Densmore (1946 - )
Robbie Kreiger (1944 - )
A. Essentially, literary group
B. Jim Morrison a beat poet, who sang, rather than recited lyrics
1. Free association
2. Themes of exploration of altered states of consciousness, including sex, drugs,
death
3. Most of lyrics by Morrison, music by Kreiger
C. Characteristics
1. Blues-based mainstream rock (doubt it? Roadhouse Blues)
2. Very narrow range, highly repetitive melodies
3. Most pieces in minor keys
4. Long, extended solos
5. Highly poetic lyrics of unquestionable quality, dealing with dark subjects
D. Light My Fire
1. Five bar intro establishes organ riff/melodic hook
2. Verse (8 bars long)
3. Refrain (7 bars long)
4. Verse / refrain
5. Long instrumental section
a. Organ solo
i. Based on version of organ riff
ii. Repeats ideas, adds to and extends
iii. Like Clapton solo, but change is much slower
iv. Organ "winds down" over the course of 4 bars, solo passed to
b. Guitar with organ accompaniment
i. Same type of solo
ii. Highly repetitive
c. Ends with repeated statements of triplets; lead to
c. repeat of intro
6. Verse refrain- verse refrain
7. Extension, based on refrain
8. Outro = intro
E. Morrison himself defines, to a certain degree, dark excesses that are associated with
rock
II. Velvet Underground [Lou Reed, John Cale (classically trained violinist, composer),
Maureen Tucker, Sterling
Morrison]
A. Associated with NY avant-garde art scene
B. Mentor - Andy Warhol
i. Premiere of 1st album coordinated with "Exploding Plastic Inevitable"
ii. avant-garde happening including music, film, dance, visual displays,
theatre
C. Primary rock influence is Bob Dylan - but like Dylan if he were really arty
1. Images very concrete, specific
2. Lyrics are the focus
3. Example – Waiting for the Man – on website
4. Music inspired by minimalism
1. Ex. Heroin
2. Intro –
a. Guitar sets up 8 beat rock rhythm
b. tablas (Indian drums) on beat 4 - "hearbeat"
c. Ninth bar - drums take over rock rhythm, guitar has more
melodic riff
3. Section A - slow
a. Accompaniment based on repetitions of riff
b. Drums become more active
c. Slight increase in tempo into…
4. Section B
a. Much faster
b. 8 beat pattern in drums becomes the organizing principle
c. Guitar has new riff
5. Return to A section - drone added
6. And so on - exchanges between two sections
7. As song progresses, new sounds added, piling up of textures
8. Until chaotic final B section, with screeching solo by viola, feedback
and distortion
9. Returns to A section for end
E. Frank Zappa (1940-1993) and the Mothers of Invention
A. Zappa studied classical music in college
1. very influenced by avant-garde Classical music
2. especially Edgar Varese
B. First gained attention with Freak Outs
1. Multimedia "happenings"
2. Slides, music, interpretive dance, theatre, etc.
C. His Freak Out (1965) might be the first concept album
D. Best known as rock satirist
1. Words are important - but only half the story
2. Have to recognize musical styles expressed in song to understand
E. Ex. What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body, from We're Only In It For the
Money (1967)
a. Juxtapositions of textures, tone colors
b. Can "read" on a number of levels
c. Stylistic contrast and juxtaposition
i. Section A Doo-wop -- musical irony
ii. Section B: avant-garde classical
iii. Section C: ??? Psychedelic pop?
d. Rhythmic contrast
IV. The Who - Tommy
A. In 1969, manager suggests that Pete Townsend write a rock opera
1. Which he does
2. Tommy not really an opera, in certain Classical sense of the word
a. BUT it is, 'cuz tells story without spoken dialogue
b. And if it isn't, what IS it?
i. Concept album?
ii. But one composed with operatic convention in mind
3. Not much of a plot, except that deaf, dumb, and blind kid, driven to isolated
state by parents, tortured and exploited by basically everyone until
demonstrates prowess at pinball, becomes new Messiah.
4. Songs come together to tell story (in loose outline)
a. Unlike Beatles, even Stones, don't attempt to emulate classical music by
incorporating symphony, Classical musicians
b. Performable (and was) live -- very little production
5. Pinball Wizard
a. Basically, Beatles-like form: verse/refrain with contrasting middle 8
b. See listening guide
V. Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett, David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright)
1. Formed by Syd Barrett as blues-rock band in 1965
2. By time recorded first album in 1967, sound was far more psychedelic
3. Replaced Barrett with Gilmour in 1968; band more attracted to classical
influences
4. Classical/artistic influences evident in
a. Song cycles: Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here (theme:
lost, including Syd Barrett),
b. Quasi-operatic: The Wall
c. Use of musique concrete on albums
d. Incorporation of complex time signatures, layering of sound, sound
masses, long, classical forms
5. Ex: Money
a. Note - cash register sounds at beginning
b. Seven/four time signature: 3+3+2
c. But based on 12 bar blues progression (adjustments made)
V. Last kind of art rock - attempt to create rock music that adopts not only techniques,
but forms and stature of Classical music
A. Often known as progressive rock
B. Examples:
a. Genesis (early)
b. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer,
c. King Crimson
C. Yes - longest lasting art rock group (Jon Anderson, Peter Banks, Rick Wakeman,
Chris Squire, Bill Bruford)
1. Classically trained musicians, interested in creating rock structured like
classical music
2. Most of songs quite long, multi-sectional, use classical devices and
approximate structures of established classical genres like symphony,
suite, concerto
3. Most popular work one of their shorter ones, but still demonstrates these
principles - Roundabout (1971)
4. Introduction:
a. crescendo of sound
b. dissolving into guitar playing harmonics
i. Two pitches sound at once
ii. but different sound than double note guitar line
iii. responsible for "ringing" guitar sound
c. Classically influenced melody
2. A - Verse
a. 10 bars long
b. Extra 2 beat bar added at beginning and ending makes it feel
somewhat off-kilter
3. A - Verse
4. B section
5. Another A B exchange
6. A theme and vocal line, + repetitious pattern established - minimalist
influence
7. Interlude - same as intro, but repetitious pattern continues
8. Organ solo
9. A and B sections repeat
10. Choral section
a. Blocks of sound mass
b. Seven beat measures
10. Outro = intro
11. Repetition of instrumental sections parallel form of many
VI. Question: Is rock trying to "legitimize" itself, or lots of people from arts finding rock a good
platform?
VII. Glam Rock
A. Offshoot of art rock; rock as theatre and spectacle
B. Bands, but primarily singers, assume a personae or character
1. On stage
2. Occasionally in studio as well
C. Examples
1. T Rex (Bang A Gong)
2. Kiss
3. Queen
4. Alice Cooper
4. Most famous - David Bowie
D. Bowie (David Robert Jones, 1947- )
1. Throughout career, pretty much different character for every album
2. Ex. Aladdin Sane (1973), Thin White Duke (1976)
3. David Bowie – Hang On To Yourself
a. During reign of most enduring Bowie character, Ziggy Stardust
-- Introduced with album of same name
b. Role playing throughout song
c. Lyrics constantly shift tense, personna
d. Vocal tone altered for every section
e. Vocal and instrumental hooks saturate texture
---Hallmark of the Bowie style
f. Spare, uncluttered texture