Live Music Archive

Rock music features vocals, electric guitars, a persuasive backbeat, and the opportunity al saxophone. A key element is Rock n Roll, and the terms are used inter vary ably. ” Rock n Roll” is a nautical expression and refers to the motions of a ship. It entered black spiritual music in 1916; “Rocking” was used by African Americans to describe the bliss they experienced at religious events and their accompanying music. Simultaneously, black secular artists used the term for dancing or sex.

Wynonie Harris’ ‘Good Rocking Tonight’ started the “rock” fad in 1947, though people became aware of it only in 1954, owing to tracks prefer ‘Shake, Rattle, and Roll’ and ‘ Rock n Roll Around The Clock‘. In the mid-50’s, when Rock n Roll n Roll scaled popularity charts, record businesses began promoting singers. RCA backed Elvis Presley – the first superstar rock musician, Decca backed Bill Haley and Buddy Holly, while Capitol  encourage d Gene Vincent. Thus, Rythm & Blues musicians faded into oblivion.

In 1955, ‘ Rock n Roll Around the Clock’ was the biggest hit in rock history. Bill Haley & His Comets toured Europe and Britain was quick to adopt rock. Cliff Richard scored the first “”British Rock”" hit with ‘Move It’. Subsequently, The Beatles rose in popularity and launched a United States tour with a rapturous response, dubbed ‘Beatlemania’. In their wake other British bands headed to the US, notably Rolling Stones. This spawned crude imitators in the US, dubbed as “”Garage Rock”". In late 1950s, there was an antagonism towards electric instruments and revival of traditional music, leading to the birth of “”Folk Rock”".

Rock as a socially-unifying force has been seen in rock festivals of the late ’60s, the the majority famous of which has been Woodstock – a three-day arts and music festival. It represented the culture of the 1960s and the “Hippie Era”.  Many famous artists appeared during the rock festival, which has been captured in the movie, ‘Woodstock’.