31 – ROCK AND POP OF THE SEVENTIES

THE BEATLES - SOLO

Beatles

JOHN LENNON

PAUL McCARTNEY

GEORGE HARRISON

RINGO STARR

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POP/ROCK

Pop/RockDuring the 1970's, there was a return of sorts to the innocence of the pure pop eras of the 1950's and early 1960's. It seems that whenever music trends go to extremes, simple accessible pop eventually if not briefly, makes a comeback. Pop is definitely where the money is. Its target audience makes up for a much larger percentage of the record buying public than any other genre. The major difference between 1970's pop and earlier styles was the fact that for the first time it was directed at a more mature audience. The older generations were furiously scanning the radio dial for anything other than hard rock. The baby boomers had aged and were more apt to appreciate a more soothing selection of music styles.

The mainstream charts presented a complete new crop of M.O.R. (middle of the road) artists whose main output was slick, well produced pieces of candy coated fluff reminiscent of The Sing Era.

The writing was top calibre, both lyrically and melodically strong. Many ex-Brill Building styled composers like Neil Sedaka managed comebacks as artists as well as writers. The Bacharach & David catalogue was in great demand and the middle aged housewife found a new hero in Barry Manilow, a young singer/songwriter whose flaccid crooning style gave Tom Jones and Neil Diamond a run for their money on the charts. ABBA, The Bee Gees, Carpenters and Tony Orlando & Dawn seemed to have a choke hold on the top ten.

It was inevitable that the trend would run its course. The baby boomers had finally lost control of the charts by the end of the 1970's when a new generation of music fans were once again searching for something different to call their own. The public is a fickle lot to be sure but sooner or later, be prepared for the return of another wave of pure pop.

THE MAJOR POP ARTISTS OF THE 1970'S

CHER

CARPENTERS

EDISON LIGHTHOUSE

BREAD

TONY ORLANDO & DAWN

THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY

DAVID CASSIDY

SHAUN CASSIDY

THE OSMONDS

DONNY OSMOND

MARIE OSMOND

DONNY & MARIE

HELEN REDDY

BETTE MIDLER

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN

ABBA

BARRY MANILOW

CAPTAIN & TENNILLE

THE BAY CITY ROLLERS

DEBBY BOONE

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REGGAE

ReggaeThe origins of reggae go back to Africa. However, immediate sources can be traced to the influence of American R&B on the Jamaican music scene. The Caribbean being so close to the American South, the availability of black radio stations made a substantial impact on traditional island music. Migrant West Indian farm workers brought back American records. One basic style much admired and heavily imitated in the Indies was New Orleans style boogie. The prominent off-beat evolved and over a period of time was accentuated and exaggerated. The tempo was eventually slowed down a great deal and combos were often augmented with brass.

In West Kingston, Jamaica, travelling disc jockeys like Duke Reid and Coxsone Dodd began cutting their own recordings. The colourful new sound, originally labelled ska swept the Caribbean through the talents of artists such as Prince Buster and Owen Grey. In Britain, ska remained relatively underground in London's West Indian communities until the mods (see The British Invasion) picked up on the style. And after Millie Small's rollicking "My Boy Lollipop" (March, 1964)#2 UK became a hit worldwide, ska or bluebeat was taken much more seriously. One of the first companies to promote it heavily was Chris Blackwell's newly formed Island Records. Blackwell had arrived in London from Jamaica in 1962. There, he opened up an official ska export market with Lee Gopthal, later forming a distribution company called Beat & Commercial. In 1967, Island formed a partnership with Blackwell launching a series of labels with Jamaican producers.

By 1966, the music had become much more relaxed and predominantly electric. The off-beat was even more pronounced and rhythmically complex. Brass was abandoned for the most part and the main emphasis was created by the interaction between the rhythm and bass guitars. Lyric content became more topical, raising attention to social conditions. Sometimes it featured revolutionary elements. A new movement called Rastafarianism had taken root in Jamaica, its religious aspect involving the revering of the late Haille Selassie of Ethiopia as godhead. The movement also advocated the return of Western hemisphere blacks back to Africa. "Rude Boys" (outlaws of the Jamaican shanty towns) moved into the studios, creating rougher, heavier sounds later labelled rock steady.

The first internationally prominent reggae recording was Desmond Dekker's "The Israelites"(March, 1969)#1 UK, (May, 1969)#9. It served as a harbinger for several other pioneer reggae recordings including The Melodians' "Rivers Of Babylon"(1970). However, reggae defiantly hit its commercial peak with the emergence of the charismatic Bob Marley. In the West Indian community, Marley achieved hero status and to this day, he remains the greatest force in the history of reggae music.

The commercial impact of reggae proper was relatively short lived, yet it began filtering into several other popular music styles, especially late 1970's and early 1980's new wave music, becoming a base for bands such as The Police and Madness. It was also a contributing factor of sorts in the development of a Louisiana hybrid music style called zydeco.

A decade before black Americans developed rap, Jamaican D.J.'s chanted over pre-recorded instrumental tracks. The voice-over style was called "toasting."

THE MAJOR REGGAE ARTISTS

BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS

JOHNNY NASH

DESMOND DEKKER

JIMMY CLIFF

TOOTS & THE MAYTALS

PETER TOSH

THIRD WORLD

EDDY GRANT

UB40

ZIGGY MARLEY & THE MELODY MAKERS

OTHER CLASSIC REGGAE RECORDINGS

ARTISTS INFLUENCED BY REGGAE

ZYDECO

Zydeco (sometimes known as zodico) evolved from the unique blending of traditional Creole and Cajun folk music of Southwestern Louisiana at the end of World War Two. It was originally an acoustic music form called LaLa. The principle instruments involved were the accordion (both button and piano style), fiddles, triangle and washboard (or rub-board as it was termed). Later, guitars and saxophones were added. It is basically a repetitive up-tempo music consisting of reggae, folk, soul, country and boogie elements. The genre is performed by "jump bands" fronted by vocalists who sing in French patois. The definitive style evolved at house dances and social gatherings. Now, zydeco has become so popular that several major festivals are held annually. As a music form, it is extremely accessible and entirely enjoyable. The term zydeco and the original style was pioneered by a relatively unsung hero called Clifton Chenier.

INFLUENTIAL ZYDECO ARTISTS

CLIFTON CHENIER

DOUG KERSHAW

BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO

ROCKIN' SIDNEY

SOUTHERN AND COUNTRY ROCK

Rock's country affiliations go back to the 1950's with the beginnings of rockabilly. And by the 1970's, several home grown rock styles fusing the rural sounds of hillbilly, blues and folk with rock had began to break out of the limited market designation and go mainstream.

Basically, most of these styles owe much to The Byrds and an unsung innovator called Gram Parsons. Long before southern or country rock had been defined and especially before it became fashionable or successful, Parsons was blazing new trails by combining two music forms which had previously influenced each other without acknowledgement. His legacy can be detected in everything from The Flying Burrito Brothers to The Kentucky Headhunters, Emmylou Harris to Lacy J. Dalton and Don Henley to Garth Brooks. His contributions are staggering when one considers he never had a hit record. He died in 1973 just as his efforts were starting to bear fruit.

The 1970's saw a renewed interest in root music. The blues had made a substantial bid for a commercial comeback and country was evolving and accumulating an immense following. The many new country rock styles could be divided into several classifications including a bayou style often termed swamp rock, the bar band sounds of the good ole boys and rednecks, soft core country rock and mainstream commercial southern rock. There of course were numerous other styles which defied designation and some which managed to ignore musical boundaries, crossing over into unknown territory.

Characteristics common to many of these styles include country flavoured vocal harmonies, the sounds of bottleneck slide guitar or pedal steel guitar and laid back attitudes. There is a distinct emphasis on lyrics and melody. Songs deal with heartache, take a proud rebel stance or adopt a unique humourous outlook on life, all essentially southern in emotion and scope. Vocal characteristics can range from dramatic whiskey voiced blues styles to the high pitched close harmony associated with bluegrass and traditional country. In presentation, there is generally a lack of flash with the emphasis placed on the music rather than the show. Almost all of the artists involved got their start playing the small town bar circuits.

One of the most influential new labels was Capricorn Records in Macon, Georgia. It was founded by Phil Walden (ex-manager of Otis Redding) and became a major force in the patronization of southern rock. Its biggest acts included The Allman Brothers, Bonnie Bramlett and Wet Willie. Unfortunately, on Jan. 27, 1981, the company was forced to file for bankruptcy.

The following artist categorizations are definitely not binding since almost all of the acts profiled cross musical boundaries.

SWAMP ROCK

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL

TONY JOE WHITE

DR. JOHN

THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS

OMAR & THE HOWLERS

CRUZADOS

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN

SOFT CORE COUNTRY ROCK

POCO

THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS

GRAM PARSONS

LITTLE FEAT

OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS

THE SOUTHER HILLMAN FURAY BAND

THE AMAZING RHYTHM ACES

COMMERCIAL SOUTHERN ROCK

DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS

BOZ SCAGGS

THE EAGLES

RITA COOLIDGE

STEELY DAN

BOB SEGER

WET WILLIE

REDNECKS AND GOOD OLE BOYS

RONNIE HAWKINS

BOBBIE GENTRY

J. J. CALE

LEON RUSSELL

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND

ZZ TOP

BLACK OAK ARKANSAS

RUBY STARR

ALABAMA

LYNYRD SKYNYRD

LACY J. DALTON

THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND

GEORGIA SATELLITES

STEVE EARLE & THE DUKES

KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS

DAVID WILCOX

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WHITE BLUES

During the late 1960's, the blues enjoyed a brief commercial resurgence due in part to its promotion by a great number of British musicians who revered American bluesmen, especially the artists on the Chess label. Through all of the attention, many blues greats enjoyed a rekindling of their slumping careers, but the new generation of blues performers was predominantly white. Heavily influenced by the big sound of post World War Two Chicago style blues, whites had discovered root music. The new generation of blacks considered the blues old hat, preferring soul and funk, while white musicians and audiences saw the blues as a fresh, exciting, emotional music. It was also much more accessible when fused with rock and its high volume.

The blues proper had rarely been a money making music form. An acquired taste for whites, outside of the classic blues heyday of the 1920's, it had never really dominated the commercial charts. However, the new blues artists took a more contemporary approach, utilizing bigger and better equipment and recording technology, recycling the blues without losing its intrinsic value and depth. Modern blues became more refined, structured and above all, more rock oriented with a decisive emphasis on the beat.

During the British blues boom of 1965-1968, guitar virtuosos such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Alvin Lee had elevated and redefined the art of blues guitaristry, taking it into commercial arenas. Producer/impresario Mike Vernon had founded a new label called Blue Horizon in order to promote much of the new British blues talent.

In the United States, crusaders like Paul Butterfield had honed their craft in Chicago dives, listening to and eventually playing with the masters. As the new wave of blues performers developed their art, the blues evolved, becoming more streamlined and controlled. A whole new spectrum of sounds and styles emerged, each artist taking the essence of the blues and stamping it with their own distinct manner and personality.

THE MAJOR WHITE BLUES ARTISTS

JOHN PAUL HAMMOND

CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE

ALEXIS KORNER

JOHN MAYALL

LONG JOHN BALDRY

PAUL BUTTERFIELD

THE BLUES PROJECT

JANIS JOPLIN

BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS

MIKE BLOOMFIELD

JOE COCKER

JOHNNY WINTER

TEN YEARS AFTER

MAGGIE BELL

ERIC CLAPTON

ROD STEWART

ELVIN BISHOP

BONNIE RAITT

THE BLUES BAND

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ARENA ROCK

By the 1970's, rock had moved into large scale venues. This section deals with artists, mostly mainstream rock, who dominated the stadiums, arenas and festivals.

THE GUESS WHO

BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE

FLEETWOOD MAC

CHICAGO

GRAND FUNK

ROD STEWART

AMERICA

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS

ERIC CLAPTON

JEFFERSON STARSHIP/STARSHIP

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA

PETER FRAMPTON

DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

HEART

BOSTON

MEAT LOAF

FOREIGNER

EDDIE MONEY

JOURNEY

CHEAP TRICK

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS

TOTO

JOHN MELLENCAMP

A SELECTED LISTING OF OTHER NOTABLE ARTISTS

ALSO SEE

BIBLIOGRAPHY