Rock Dresses Up?
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Rock Dresses Up? Art Music of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s Art Rock • Basically, any band or artist who reaches out to Classical music, or to other forms of modern art (visual, theatrical, etc) or both to make an artistic statement The Who • Physicality, stage behavior important characteristic of band – Windmill strumming of Townshend; leaps and splits – Daltry strutting, mic twirling – Townshend calls “pop art” • Openly hostile on stage - early punk aesthetic – “Anti-anti Beatles” Tommy • Concept album with operatic conventions in mind: tells story without spoken dialogue • Minimal plot • Doesn’t incorporate symphonic sounds, additional instruments: performable (and performed) live Pinball Wizard • Beatles-like form: verse and refrain with contrasting middle eight Pinball Wizar d Š The Who Intro: 9 bars - 8 beat acoustic guitar line (riff A) 4 bars - 16-beat acoustic guitar riff (riff B) 4 bars - electric guitar enters with harmonie s (riff B+) A Ever since I was a young boy I've pla yed the silver ball From Soho down to Brighton I must have played them all But I ain't seen nothing like him In any amusement hall That deaf, dumb and blind kid Sure pla ys a mean pinball Bass line enters with beginning of verse Accompaniment, with riff B+ refrain Stop time drums re-enter Elec tric guigar riff (riff C) as bridge A He stands like a statue Becomes part of the machine Feeling all the bumpers Always pla ying clean He pla ys by intuition The digit counters fall That deaf, dumb and blind kid Sure pla ys a mean pinball Same accompaniment as A above, with "pinging" chord added refrain Stop time Drums re-enter Rif f C as bridge B He's a pinball wizar d There's got to be a twist A pinball wizar d He's got such a supple wrist New accompanying riff (D); hints of riff A C How do you think he does it? (I don't know) What makes him so good? Same accompaniment as above A He ain't got no distractions Can't hear those buzzers and bells Don't see lights a flashin' Pla ys by sense of smell Always gets a repla y Never tilts at all That deaf, dumb and blind kid Sure pla ys a mean pinball Rif f B+, bass line, new choked riff derived from B Rif f C as bridge B I thought I was The Bally table king But I just handed My pinball crown to him He ain't got no di stractions Can't hear those buzzers and be lls Don't s ee lig hts a flashin' Plays b y sense of sme ll Always ge ts a replay Never tilts at all That deaf, dumb and bli nd kid Sure plays a mean pinball Riff B+, bass line, new choke d riff derived from B Riff C as bridge B I thought I was The Bally table king But I j ust h anded My pinball crown to hi m Last 8 of int ro, repeated 2x A Even on my favorite table He can beat my be st His discipl es lead him i n And he just does the rest He 's got crazy flip per fingers Never seen him fall That deaf, dumb and bli nd kid Sure plays a mean pinball Norma l accomp animent to A Outro - guitar solo over electrified riff A Note: Ri ff D, with different r hythm ic prof ile, is the opening riff to " I'm Free" The Doors • Literary orientation • Lead singer Jim Morrison a beat poet – Free association – Themes of exploration of altered states - sex, drugs, death The Doors - Style characteristics • • • • • Blues-based mainstream rock Narrow range, highly repetitive melodies Most songs in minor keys Long, extended solos,esp. for keyboard Poetic lyrics, dealing with dark subjects Light My Fire • • • • Five bar intro establishes organ riff/melodic hook Verse (8 bars long) Refrain (7 bars long) Long instrumental solos – Based on version of organ riff – Repeats ideas, adds and extends – Passes idea to guitar - same type of repetitive development Types of Art Rock • Music created for rock group and classical ensemble – Ex. Eleanor Rigby – Beatles + string quintet – Ex. Moody Blues – Nights in White Satin – rock band + symphony orchestra – Other groups of this type • Procul Harum • Electric Light Orchestra • Deep Purple (sometimes) Art Rock - types • Fusion of rock + classical music • Inspired by experiments of Sgt. Peppers and Pet Sounds • Exploration of musical avant-garde Avant-garde classical music • Avant-garde – intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts • Musical avant-garde in the 20th c. exploring questions like – “What is music”? – Are all sounds valid as musical sounds? – How can you incorporate non-Western musical ideas into Western music? John Cage (1908-1990) • In early career, writing revolutionary, but easily understood, music • Later works more philosophical, testing boundaries of music – Chance music: notes determined at random – 4’33”: musicians do nothing for duration of piece Edgar Varèse (1883-1965) • Interested in using “non-musical” sounds in music • In late ’30 begins composing music using electronics – Idea: all sounds available for musical use – Record, manipulate sounds from natural environment – Called musique concrete Minimalism • Pieces created out of minimum of musical material • Single idea repeated incessantly, slowly changes over time • Ex. Solos in “Light My Fire” • Ex. Steve Reich, “Check It Out” from Street Life Steve Reich - “Check It Out” • Combines musique concrete and minimalism • Short intro: chords • Three note motive (like riff, but less rhythmically interesting) introduced; basis for rest of movement • Shortly after, recorded sound introduced – sample “Check It out” • Number of repetitions, permutations of 3-note motive • More sampled, electronically manipulated sounds Velvet Underground • Associated with NY art scene - Andy Warhol acts as mentor • Primary rock influence Bob Dylan, but fused with lofty poetry, minimalism • Ex. Heroin Frank Zappa (1940-1993) and the Mothers of Invention • Zappa studied classical music in college • influenced by avant-garde composers like Varèse • Gained notoriety with Freak-Outs – multi-media happenings with slides, music, dancers,etc. – Recording of one of these, Freak Out (1965) arguably first concept album • Best known as rock satirist Zappa, What’s The Ugliest Part of Your Body? • From album We’re Only In It For The Money (1967) • Juxtaposition of textures, tone colors • Stylistic contrast – Section A: Doo-wop influenced, musical irony (words and music don’t match) – Section B: avant-garde classical – Section C: ??? Psychedelic pop??? • Rhythmic contrast as well B Section-- 2 + 2 + 3/ 4 All yourchildren are poor unfortuna te 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 victim s of systems beyond their control 12 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 A plagu e upon your igno ranc e to the 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 grey d espair ofyour ug ly li fe 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 C Section –3/ 4 time Whe re did Ann ie go when she wen t to town? Who are all t hose creepsthat she br ings around? B SectionRepeats 2 3 Pink Floyd Created in 1965 as blues band • Became more classically, psychedelically oriented when Gilmour replaces Barrett in 1968 • Evident in – Song cycles: Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here – The Wall – operatic – Use of musique concrete on albums – Complex time signatures, layering of sound, sound mass, complex forms Pink Floyd - Money • Cash register sounds at beginning – musique concrete • Seven beats per measure: 3+2+2 = additive meter Progressive Rock • Adopts not only techniques, but also forms and stature of Classical music • Examples – – – – Genesis (early) Emerson, Lake, and Palmer King Crimson Yes Yes • Classically trained musicians, interested in creating rock structured like Classical music • Most songs long, multi-sectional, approximate Classical genres like sonata, suite, concerto • Yes – Roundabout Introduction – Crescendo (building) of sound – Dissolves into guitar playing harmonics • Creates “ringing” sound – Classically influenced melody • A – Verse – 10 bars long; extra 2 beat bar at beginning and ending create unbalanced feeling • • • • A – Verse (repeated) B section Another A B exchange A theme and vocal line + repeating pattern established = minimalist influence Yes – Roundabout • Interlude – same as intro, but repeating pattern continues • Organ solo • A and B repeated • Choral section – Sound mass – Seven beat measures • Outro = intro Glam Rock • Offshoot of art rock • Rock as theatre and spectacle • Bands, but primarily singers, assume persona on stage, in studio • Exs. – – – – – T Rex (Bang a Gong) Kiss Queen Alice Cooper David Bowie David Bowie (David Robert Jones, 1947 - ) • During early career, assumed different persona for nearly every album • Above: Aladdin Sane, 1973 • Below: Thin White Duke, 1976 David Bowie – Hang On To Yourself • During reign of most enduring Bowie character, Ziggy Stardust • Introduced with album of same name • Hang On To Yourself – – – – Role playing throughout song Lyrics constantly shift tense, persona Vocal tone altered for every section Vocal and instrumental hooks saturate texture • Hallmark of the Bowie style – Spare, uncluttered texture
