The Reaction to RockThe Reaction to Rock

Civic ReactionCivic Reaction

• Rock is…Rock is…

– unwholesomeunwholesome

– obsceneobscene

– morally corrupting morally corrupting

– encourages racial integrationencourages racial integration

Reaction from major record Reaction from major record labels:labels:

• How do we cash in on this????How do we cash in on this????

• How do we make it acceptable to How do we make it acceptable to white America?white America?

The Major Label Takeover - The Major Label Takeover -

Cover versions of rock and roll hitsCover versions of rock and roll hits Take advantage of weaknesses of small labelsTake advantage of weaknesses of small labels Create teen idolsCreate teen idols Hire songwriters to pen “rock n’ roll songs”Hire songwriters to pen “rock n’ roll songs” Create dance crazes for the kidsCreate dance crazes for the kids

Cover VersionsCover Versions• R&B hits, early rock songs re-recorded R&B hits, early rock songs re-recorded

by white artists on major labelsby white artists on major labels

– Potentially offensive lyrics changedPotentially offensive lyrics changed

– Performed by teen idolPerformed by teen idol

– Appeal to mainstream audienceAppeal to mainstream audience

Take advantage of scandalTake advantage of scandal• PayolaPayola

– Congressional committee Congressional committee investigates charges that independent investigates charges that independent companies paying DJs to play their companies paying DJs to play their recordsrecords

– Used to force several indie labels out Used to force several indie labels out of business, attack rockof business, attack rock

Scandals, part 2Scandals, part 2• Jerry Lee Lewis marries 13 year old cousin while Jerry Lee Lewis marries 13 year old cousin while

still married to previous wifestill married to previous wife

• Chuck Berry arrested and imprisonedChuck Berry arrested and imprisoned

• ““The Day The Music Died” - 3 Feb. 1959The Day The Music Died” - 3 Feb. 1959

• Elvis drafted in late 1958 Elvis drafted in late 1958

Create Teen IdolsCreate Teen Idols• Major labels manufacture “rock and rollers”Major labels manufacture “rock and rollers”

• White, good looking, teen idol typesWhite, good looking, teen idol types– Fabian (Fabian Forte, 1943- )Fabian (Fabian Forte, 1943- )– Frankie Avalon (1940- )Frankie Avalon (1940- )– Bobby Rydell (1942- )Bobby Rydell (1942- )

• Pop music with rock and roll flavoringPop music with rock and roll flavoring

Hire professional songwritersHire professional songwriters• Aldon Music Co. = Aldon Music Co. = Brill Building Brill Building • Songwriters hired to create “rock and roll Songwriters hired to create “rock and roll

hits”hits”– Pop crafted songs with teen themes, Pop crafted songs with teen themes,

rock sensibilitiesrock sensibilities– Occasionally artists produced pop rock Occasionally artists produced pop rock

hits of some notehits of some note• Ricky NelsonRicky Nelson• Dion and the BelmontsDion and the Belmonts

Brill Building songwritersBrill Building songwriters

• Gerry Goffin and Carole KingGerry Goffin and Carole King

• Neil SedakaNeil Sedaka

• Paul AnkaPaul Anka

• Jerry Lieber and Mike StollerJerry Lieber and Mike Stoller

““The New Tin Pan Alley”The New Tin Pan Alley”

• Distinctive, homogenous soundDistinctive, homogenous sound

• Popular songs heavily influenced by doo-Popular songs heavily influenced by doo-wopwop

• More animated beat, more storytelling More animated beat, more storytelling elementselements

• Harmonically simpleHarmonically simple• Many layers of soundMany layers of sound

Multi-track recordingMulti-track recording

• Different layers of song recorded on to audio tape Different layers of song recorded on to audio tape == overdubbedoverdubbed

• Mixed onto master tapeMixed onto master tape

• Effects added to any or all layersEffects added to any or all layers

• Then committed to acetateThen committed to acetate

• Controlled by the producerControlled by the producer

The ProducerThe Producer

• Selects which arrangement, takes are usedSelects which arrangement, takes are used• Can use overdubbing to add instruments, sounds, etc.Can use overdubbing to add instruments, sounds, etc.• Approves (if doesn’t do) Approves (if doesn’t do) mixmix

– Relative levels of each trackRelative levels of each track– Effects: changes to audio signalEffects: changes to audio signal

• Echo or reverbEcho or reverb• PanningPanning• CompressionCompression• PhasingPhasing

Phil Spector (1940- )Phil Spector (1940- )• Part of Brill Building crowdPart of Brill Building crowd• Thought of pop songs as “symphonies for the Thought of pop songs as “symphonies for the

kiddies”kiddies”• Spector Spector wall of soundwall of sound

– Thick, full textures created byThick, full textures created by overdubbing overdubbing– Large orchestra with lots of percussionLarge orchestra with lots of percussion– Pre-recorded soundsPre-recorded sounds– Background vocalsBackground vocals– Rock ensembleRock ensemble– GroupGroup

Shirelles – Will You Still Love Me Shirelles – Will You Still Love Me TomorrowTomorrow

• Fairly quick tempoFairly quick tempo• 4 bar intro4 bar intro• Form: five 16-bar phrases, each AABAForm: five 16-bar phrases, each AABA

– End-weighted to end of sectionEnd-weighted to end of section• Lead vocals plus doo-wop style accompanimentLead vocals plus doo-wop style accompaniment

Shirelles – Will You Still Love Me...Shirelles – Will You Still Love Me...• Rhythmic layersRhythmic layers

– BeatBeat– 8 beat rock rhythm8 beat rock rhythm

• Second beat of measure subdivided into 2 Second beat of measure subdivided into 2 parts - parts - rebound backbeatrebound backbeat

• Common in Brill Building hitsCommon in Brill Building hits• Lyrics - Not typical Brill Building fare!Lyrics - Not typical Brill Building fare!• Heavily ProducedHeavily Produced

Girl GroupsGirl Groups• Trios or quartets of female singersTrios or quartets of female singers• Sound controlled by producerSound controlled by producer• Image controlled by producer, labelImage controlled by producer, label• Marketed to appeal to young, female Marketed to appeal to young, female

audienceaudience

Pop rockPop rock

• Electric bass replaces acoustic bassElectric bass replaces acoustic bass

• Melodic diffusionMelodic diffusion: distribution of melodic : distribution of melodic ideas throughout parts of songideas throughout parts of song

• More balanced textureMore balanced texture

• Greater variety of formsGreater variety of forms

• ““Sound” defines songSound” defines song

American BandstandAmerican Bandstand• Began broadcasting from Philadelphia in 1957Began broadcasting from Philadelphia in 1957

• Projected clean-cut, safe, mostly white image of Projected clean-cut, safe, mostly white image of rock and rollrock and roll

• Launched careers of teen idolsLaunched careers of teen idols

• Created & promoted dance crazesCreated & promoted dance crazes

Create dance crazesCreate dance crazes• Dances created to go with popular songsDances created to go with popular songs

– Often include instructions for danceOften include instructions for dance

• Manufactured by Brill Building (or other Manufactured by Brill Building (or other professional) writersprofessional) writers

• Many recorded by Chubby CheckerMany recorded by Chubby Checker

Dance recordsDance records

• All similar in styleAll similar in style– Rely on 12-bar blues as verse or refrainRely on 12-bar blues as verse or refrain– Straight rock ensemble, with backing vocalsStraight rock ensemble, with backing vocals– Not heavily producedNot heavily produced– Strong beatStrong beat

• Help to remove stigma of rockHelp to remove stigma of rock

• Ex. The TwistEx. The Twist