Happy weekend, my readers. Something a little different with this blog. Its early. On a Sunday, no less. Today I want to talk about Rock and Roll music and a little of its history.
The music genre known as rock and roll has been around for almost 60 years, give or take, and it is still a highly successful form of music. Alot of bands regardless of genre say rock music inspired them to do what they do and if you were to read interviews with some country artist,r&b artist and even alot of Christian artist's you would find what they have to say about who influenced them surprising perhaps.
James Hetfeild, the lead vocalist for a heavy metal band called 'Metallica' was highly influenced by country legend Waylon Jennings and he still to this day almost 10 years after Jennings death, a fan. All though you probably wouldn't have known that from the music he plays.
Depending on who you ask, I think it is difficult to say in all of the close to ( or perhaps over) six decades of rock music which one of those six would stand out the most and dare I say, the end all be all, ain't gonna repeat it self best. Opinions vary, would be the best thing to say.
But, I would say in my opinion maybe the 1960's. Rock music was still if you will, a child, not even past its first decade. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, even though his music was close to ten years old had already earned the moniker 'king of rock n roll', to countless others, alot of them good, and a alot of them bad.
What I am about to say is just my hypothesis, but it probably can explain why it happened.
Can you actually picture famed writer/ director Orson Welles, or even Lenard Nemoy from Star Trek in a recording studio covering classic '60's songs of the day. Hard to believe, but its true. Both are on an album.
The reason for that, I think was once again, the genre was new. Some one some where obviously must have thought,'hey lets get actors and actress's who can't carry a tune in a bucket butcher the Beatles or the stones something fierce' No, not a good idea. If you should come across Nimoys or Welles's singing, pass it. It has to be nothing but pure torture.
But, than again, there is the rare exception where an actor or an actress who isn't known for their singing ability can make a decent song that to this day, can stand the test of time.
Actress Shelly Fabares, who while in her teens starred in 'The Donna Reed Show' in the early 1960's recorded the song 'Johnny Angel'. Even though the song was a hit and I'll say it again, still a popular song on 'Oldies but goodies' radio, Fabares, her self did not want to do the song.
According to Fabares ( and this is a true story) when she was asked to do the song for a record she turned it down at first because she never thought of her self as a singer. It was one of the producer's of 'The Donna Reed Show' basically told her it was either her job on the show or record the 'Angel' song. Once again, alot of actors and actress's were asked to record songs from this new genre
I really don't know if the 60's were the greatest decade for rock music. There is no denying that some great stuff came out of that first decade, but to say it was or is the best, its debatable.
Maybe you can choose a decade and say, "yeah, that was the best".
My suggestion would be to ask some one who really follows rock music like say a singer or a rock music critic.
Don't ask me, I'm just a screen writer.
