1970′S Rock Essay, Research Paper

The seventies were calmer and more individualistic then the sixties. The first British invasion had run its course-the Beatles had disbanded and the who were between projects. Pioneering guitar kings Clapton and Hendrix had given up their thrones, Clapton to heroin and Hendrix to the grim reaper. But Eric Clapton along with the Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper and Kiss continued to score commercial success.

The pop music scene was a jumble of styles from earlier days plus new styles and artists. Many people say that the mainstream styles of popular music in the seventies were generally dull and unimaginative while there were more interesting things happening in the “underground” and progressive movements.

Rock continued to move in several different directions at once. High-energy groups like the Rolling Stones continued to perform in much the same way they did in the sixties.

With song like Satisfaction still in the minds of fans we can see why the Rolling Stones continued to stay popular. They released the live Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out in the fall of 1970. It was their last album for Decca/London. There was more musical influence on 1971’s Sticky Fingers. Following its release, the band retreated to France on tax exile, where they shared a house and recorded a double album, Exile on Main Street.

The band remained popular throughout the ’70s, but their critical supportwasn t all there. Goats Head Soup (with the hit Angie), released in 1973, reached number one, as did 1974’s It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll, but neither record was particularly well received. In 1976 they released Black N’ Blue. During the mid- and late ’70s, all the Stones pursued side projects. The band reconvened in 1978 to record Some Girls, an energetic response to punk, new wave and disco.

The record and its first single, the thumping disco-rocker “Miss You,” both reached number one, and the album restored the group’s image. The group continues to sell out concerts in the ’80s and ’90s, their records didn’t sell as well as previous efforts, partially because the albums suffered due to Jagger and Richards’ notorious mid-’80s feud. Starting with 1983’s Undercover, the duo conflicted about which way the band should go, with Jagger wanting the Stones to follow contemporary trends and Richards wanting them to stay true to their rock roots. As a result, Undercover was a mean spirited, unfocused record that received relatively weak sales and mixed reviews.

Even a more influential band then the Rolling Stones is Led Zeppelin- solidifying a trend begun by the Who, Cream, and Hendrix. Sex, drugs, and Rock and Roll! became the rallying cry.

Led Zeppelin were never afraid to try new musical directions, drawing inspiration from such styles as blues, rock, folk, country (and everything in between!) to create a unique sound that almost defies description, probably the most appropriate way to describe their vast repertoire is simply as “Led Zeppelin”. During their reign they created one of the most enduring and diverse catalogues in modern music and firmly secured their status as one of the most influential groups ever (probably second only to The Beatles!).

Throughout their years at the top they were shrouded in mystery and intrigue, and seemed to leave behind a trail of question marks wherever they went. They were not a “public” band (they didn’t hire a publicist until their 9th US tour, almost five years after their formation!); they continually distanced themselves from the media, instead relying on word of mouth and their often-astounding live performances to promote themselves. Not surprisingly, this low profile led to wild rumors about their lifestyles and habits and as a result little was known about the men behind the music.

Groups like Alice Cooper and Kiss moved into a bizarre, ghastly style that was more theater than music. And one tries to classify Phil Collins soft rock”, also called “middle-of-the-road” or “adult contemporary” music – rock without the noise, energy, or threat of some of the other styles. Many critics say that this aspect of 70’s rock music (along with “disco”) made the decade a very trite and unimaginative one as far as popular music is concerned.

In the early and mid seventies Disco became a very popular style. Derisive rock fans have often proclaimed its demise, but it continues to be successful in modified forms. The main elements of the disco sound are a heavy beat in an overlay of elaborate brass and string parts, accomplished through the recording studio technique of overdubbing. It is single-purpose music, as is much of contemporary pop music, designed to accompany dancing. The Progressive Rock movement in the seventies was a direct reaction against these styles. Progressive rock groups and artists deliberately set out to compose complicated and sophisticated musical statements. Many rock pieces and albums became large-scale works of art. Much of this music borrowed ideas from the world of classical music as well as the jazz style. Any “traditional” form of rock expression was ignored in favor of the more grandiose expressions of the more polished and expansive ideas of progressive rock. Bands like Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, and Gentle Giant were the leading proponents of this approach to rock and they consistently produced music of high quality and standards.

Late in the decade, punk rock and New Wave became the music of a new generation of young rebels. The style is deliberately crude musically, featuring simple chord patterns, narrow-range melodies sung in dull, flat voices, and robot-like movements. The instrumental backing usually consists of staccato chords and “science-fiction” sounds from a synthesizer.