1970s Popular Music

1. 1970s Popular Music

2. Day 29: The Fragmentation of Pop • The 1960s rolled into the 1970s, leaving behind a series of unresolved issues. As a result, the 1970s are often viewed as a decade of retreat. • Rock became scattered and unfocused, breaking up into little genres.

3. Merger Mania Warner Communications Empire • Warner Brothers Records • Signed the Grateful Dead in 1967 • Steve Ross became President of the company • By 1973, Warner Communications owned: • A couple dozen record labels • Holdings in film and television • Mad magazine • 63 comic books • A piece of Ms. magazine

4. Connection between music and the military • Recording Technology – multi-track recording • Promotional Power – new visual dimension to live rock shows, new small venues for performances with new effects…eventually went out of business as shows became too big and moved to stadiums and arenas • Progressive FM Rock Radio – replaced Top 40 format • Rock Press • Rolling Stone Magazine and JannWenner • Launched on October 18, 1967 • First issue featured John Lennon on cover

5. Day 30: Rock as Art • Music became at the same level as the status of art • Musicians became central to the creative process • ‘Rock’ became the mature form of R&R • Change in race relations that devalued the contributions of African Americans to rock

6. Art Rock continued… The Who Andy Warhol Most famous pop artist Designed many famous album covers • Treated their stage act as performance art • Experimented with noise, and destroyed instruments and sound systems • Their image established them as the first pop art band • First rock opera in 1969, Tommy

7. Pink Floyd First British group to perform with a light show Reached their pinnacle in 1973 with release of Dark Side of the Moon album Introduced the 360 degree sound system Another Brick in the Wall

8. Rock as Art continued… • Inclusion in the art rock category was linked to art school training, to the appropriation of classical and other obscure resources, and even to being British as well as a white male. • Art Rock focused on extended songs and LP suites • Art rockers usually sold far more albums than singles • Art rock music was music of the mind, not a music of the body.

9. Day 31: Sweeter Soul Music • Resurgence of AAs on the pop charts in 1972 • AA artists emerged as album-oriented acts • Popularization of softer soul sounds build the foundation for disco • Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff • Writer-producer team who pioneered Philadelphia soft soul music • Formed Philadelphia International Records (PIR) • Their groups set the standard in black popular music

10. Jackson 5 Saved Motown when its other artists were leaving to go with other labels First 4 releases went to #1 on the pop charts in 1970: I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save, & I’ll Be There

11. Motown continued… Stevie Wonder Marvin Gaye Spent years trying to convince Berry Gordy to back him as an album artist What’s Goin’ On (1971) & Let’s Get It On (1973) • Began career at the age of 12 • Challenged Motown’s formula mentality • I Was Made to Love Her Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye introduced Motown to the financial joys of independent production and album-oriented releases. Both challenged Berry Gordy and his Motown formula.

12. James Brown adapted to a new political era by singing a new political tune. • In 1970, he voiced that he didn’t want to “help Nixon.” By 1972, his loyalties changed. He went from ‘Soul Brother No. 1’ to ‘Sold Brother No. 1.’ • Living in America from Rocky IV (1986) • Aretha Franklin • Also faded from the Top 10 charts in mid-70s. • Roberta Flack • Killing Me Softly with His Song • Barry White • Took romantic sincerity all the way to self-parody with his Love Unlimited female trio and Orchestra

13. Day 32: Singer/Songwriters, Soft Rock Solutions, and More • Singer/Songwriters of 1970s were intensely personal • Soft Rock was gentle…the opposite of ‘hard rock.’ First style that allowed women to sing in their own voice. • Joni Mitchell • 3-octave range for her voice, started the feminism movement • Big Yellow Taxi

14. Singer/Songwriters, Soft Rock, cont… James Taylor Carly Simon Signed to Elektra in 1970 Her #1 single, You’re So Vain, is still a mystery Nobody Does It Better from James Bond movie (1977) • One of the most successful careers of the 1970s • Very talented and polite • Married Carly Simon in 1972 • Fire and Rain & Country Roads

15. Carole King Was genuine and wrote with a personal touch, sang in conversational tone Outsold everyone in the music business in 1971 Began career as Brill Building songwriter in 1960 Her 2nd album, Tapestry, broke all existing records (1971). You’ve Got a Friend

16. Bruce Springsteen Singer/Songwriter A working-class hero, promoted as the new Dylan Signed to Columbia Records 1975 – Born to Run album broke him into the Top 10 1979 – Headlined No Nukes (weeklong concert series protesting the construction of nuclear power plants)

17. Singer/Songwriters continued… • Bob Marley • First black international superstar • Singer/songwriter from Jamaica • No Woman No Cry • Van Morrison • Brown Eyed Girl

18. Day 33: Women’s Music • Fanny – first self-contained all-female rock band signed to a major label (Reprise Records) • Helped give women access to electric instruments • Charity Ball • The Runaways – Made up of 4 southern CA teenagers • Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Micki Steele, & SuziQuatro • Broke up, formed separate bands, and had more success in the 1980s • Cherry Bomb

19. Women’s Music continued… • The failure of all-female rock bands and the hostility of the music industry toward women in rock bands led to the development of explicitly female, mostly folk-oriented alternative music. • Olivia Records – started in 1973 in Washington, DC • Formed a network called WILD (Women’s Independent Labels Distributors) to distribute records at concerts, in feminist bookstores, and door-to-door **Women’s music was originally conceived as music by women, for women, and about women.

20. Country Rock • Country Rock – genre started by Bob Dylan • Nashville, TN was the center for recording Country Rock • The Band was hired by Bob Dylan to play back-up for his 1965 tour. • The Byrds also moved to a country rock sound.

21. Country Rock continued… The Eagles John Denver A pop/country variant who scored 15 Top 40 albums and 32 singles in the Hot 100 between 1971 and 1982 Country themes and a jeans-and-flannel image • Had 16 Top 40 hits & four #1 albums in a row • Hotel California

22. Country Rock continued… • The Outlaws – country artists that were drawn to rock. • Challenged the conservative control of Nashville • Willie Nelson, Dollie Parton, and Kenny Rogers

23. Southern Boogie Bands The Allman Brothers LynyrdSkynyrd A phonetic spelling of the name of the high-school gym teacher who suspended the group for wearing long hair Sweet Home Alabama • Ramblin’ Man • Ain’t Wasting No More Time

24. Southern Boogie Bands continued… • ZZ Top • Texas-based trio • Influenced by acid rock and infused a Tex-Mex culture • In the 1980s, they adopted their anonymous bearded look The southern rockers could only be distinguished from their hard rock friends by geography, and, in some cases, personal appearance.

25. Day 34: Mad with Power – Heavy Metal • Heavy Metal represented the absolute rejection of the peace and love culture. It was hard rock taken to the extreme. • Distinctive Qualities: • Sound quality: power expressed as sheer volume • The Power Chord • The power of heavy metal was intended to overwhelm its listeners. • Origins lie in blues-based rock, psychedelic music, and classical music. • Three pivotal heavy metal bands – Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, & Deep Purple

26. Heavy Metal Led Zeppelin Black Sabbath 5 platinum albums in a row in less than 4 years Lead singer: OzzyOsbourne Iron Man • Became the standard for heavy metal groups, were a hit from their first self-titled album in 1969 • Stairway to Heaven

27. Heavy Metal Deep Purple Aerosmith Signed by Columbia in 1972 Was Boston’s answer to the Rolling Stones Steven Tyler (lead singer) Walk This Way • Added the influence of classical music • Ritchie Blackmore (guitarist) defined the generation of metal guitarists • Smoke on the Water

28. Heavy Metal Van Halen Grand Funk Railroad Played raw, basic rock that was usually out of tune We’re an American Band Achieved status with virtually no radio air play and no press coverage • Signed to Warner in late 1970s • Eddie Van Halen dominated the guitar, trained as a classical musician • (Oh) Pretty Woman

29. Heavy Metal: Glitter or Glam Rock Alice Cooper Kiss Made makeup their trademark Their image was their most important contribution to rock history. I Want to Rock ‘n’ Roll All Night • Group of white middle-class suburban athletes • Main influence was TV • Outrageous stage antics • Performed in spandex, high-heeled boots, and makeup • School’s Out

30. Glitter or Glam Rock continued… • Challenged traditional notions of masculinity and femininity as no other music had. • Men wore sequins, platform boots, and full makeup. • David Bowie • The ultimate glam rocker • Fame

31. Day 35: Punk and Disco (The Poles of Pop) • Popular music was on the verge of being tamed. • Fleetwood Mac • Album, Rumours, hit #1 and sold 10 million copies in the US

32. Elton John Billy Joel Piano player Intensely personal songwriter Piano Man We Didn’t Start the Fire • Piano player • Wore eccentric, glitter costumes, and wild eyeglasses • Early Hits were Rocket Man, Crocodile Rock, & Bennie and the Jets

33. Punk vs. Disco • Differences between punk and disco: • Disco was smooth, punk was rough. • Disco depended on technological sophistication in the recording studio, punk was easy to play. • Disco required dancing, punk had a ‘pit.’ • Disco was a black dance music style, punk aimed to deconstruct R&R. • Disco focused on leisure suits, punk adorned black leather gear and ripped t-shirts held w/ safety pins. • Similarities: • Both shunned by radio. • Both were seen as destroying Western civilization. • Both encouraged active participation. • Both arose in reaction to the “boring” music that preceded them. • Both wanted to intensify the feeling of the moment in an otherwise uncertain world.

34. Day 36: Punk - Rock as (White) Noise • Rivalry between London and New York in the competition for the punk throne. Started in NY 2 years before it erupted in London. • The Sex Pistols • British group • Never registered a Top 40 album & were not on the singles charts in the US, broke up before completing their first and only US tour. • Important feature of punk: ‘its myth is always more powerful than its reality.’

35. CBGB (Country Blue Grass and Blues) NYC bar that opened in 1974 and became the heart of the NY rock underground (punk scene) Velvet Underground Iggy Pop and the Stooges Iggy Pop was named “Godfather of Punk” The Passenger • Extremely important band to the punk scene • Added the electric viola to their sound which became their trademark • Sunday Morning

36. Punk continued… • Punk followed the maxim: Whatever is popular, do the opposite. • Refused to conform, the refusal to act with good behavior, and in some cases, the refusal to learn how to play music. • Every punk group was very different. • Television • First CBGB group to make a splash

37. Punk as New Wave Patti Smith First artist associated with CBGB to become famous Started out as a poet Used an independent single to attract major label attention Signed to Arista Records in 1976 Trademark was a man’s white shirt and tie Because the Night

38. The Ramones Formed by a group of middle-class kids from Forest Hills, NJ Played only original music Signed with Sire Records after performing in the CBGB Festival of Unsigned Bands in 1975 2nd punk band to get a major record contract I Wanna Be Sedated

39. New Wave Blondie Talking Heads Instant hit at CBGB Headlined for the Ramones Signed to the Ramones’ label, Sire Records Burning Down the House • London was the launching pad for their success in US • Lead singer is Deborah Harry • Call Me

40. New Wave • New York was not the only punk Mecca in US. There was also Boston and Cleveland. • Devo • Formed at Kent State University in Ohio in 1972 • Inverted flowerpot hats and jerky robot movements defined their image. • Whip It

41. Day 37: Anarchy in the UK Sex Pistols The Clash Name came from the word used in tabloid headlines concerning class and race relations in Britain Represented the working middle class in Britain London Calling Rock the Casbah • Had difficulty finding suitable venues to play in • Used scandals to generate free publicity • Anarchy in the UK

42. UK Punk continued… • The Punk Rock Festival • Stage at the 100 Club in England in Sept 1976 • Lots of problems…was a roaring success in punk terms! • The Roxy • The CBGB of London (home of punk)

43. Rock Against Racism • US was started to see “reverse racism” come into our social language • Rock Against Racism (RAR) was organized as a mass movement to oppose the National Front in Britain • Staged concerts, paired reggae with punk • Feeling of “black and white together” at events • Bob Marley was key to appeal of reggae in Britain • Crossed line of gender and sexual orientation • One of the most successful marriages of music and politics ever to occur.

44. Day 38: Riding the New Wave Elvis Costello The Police Viewed as too commercial by the punk community Appeared in TV commercials Sting – lead singer Roxanne Every Breath You Take • Bridged the gap between punk and new wave • Combined the words of a poet with the temper of a madman • Staunch supporter of RAR

45. New Wave continued… • The Pretenders • Immediate success in Britain and US • Back on the Chain Gang • Hardcore Punk – increase the speed of the music to the limits of human endurance • The Dead Kennedys • Straightedge Punk – found in Washington, DC, avoided drugs and alcohol

46. Disco • Defining elements: lights shows AND records rather than live performances. • Eurodisco: controlled, high-tech energy and pulsing beat • Funk Sound: • Wild Cherry, Play That Funky Music • Kool and the Gang, Jungle Boogie & Celebration

47. Funk side of Disco continued… Earth, Wind, & Fire George Clinton Wore sequined jumpsuits and a blonde wig Had two bands: the Parliaments and Funkadelic We Want The Funk • Turned out only platinum-selling Top 10 albums • Transformed their spiritual interests in Egyptology into a media-savvy image. • September

48. Up from the Disco Underground • When disco first began to emerge as a genre, most of the initial releases were by black artists…continued the development of black dance music. • Van McCoy and the Soul City Orchestra – The Hustle • Gloria Gayner, I Will Survive • Donna Summer became the first disco diva.

49. Day 39: Disco continued… • Disco was rarely heard on the radio. Its primary exposure was in clubs where music was played by disco deejays. • Disco fans loved to buy records. • A Fifth of Beethoven • Shake Your Booty & That’s The Way I Like It • Turn the Beat Around

50. K.C. and the Sunshine Band Integrated 10-piece Band (black, white, & latino) Get Down Tonight Boogie Shoes Their strong r&b sound became known as “Miami Sound”