Don't laugh: What exactly IS rock?

[NewWaveBasser]

Oh that great philosophical question...

but anyway...

Where I live we are stuck in Headbangers Ball Land or so it seems.

Where I live only the 80s exist.

I see too many progmetalheads... talking about rock music as if it were an off-shoot of classical greats such as... Mozart or Beethoven. They talk as if you need a PhD in Music Theory from some hotshot Austrian university to play rock music.

Yeah, for too many round here in my land rock is about cramming all known theory in 7 minutes of solo fury. Soul not required.

While metal and progressive rock are part of the big and undefined spectrum that is rock, the fact that these people IGNORE things such as the origins of rock'n'roll in Southern Black America in the 1950s (as really a popular form of music) is astounding.

Some so-called rockers say something is crap because it's simple. Funny, rock suffers the same rap from jazz people.

I am just truly confused now.

Then again it's usually guitarists with dreams of being the next Yngwie Malmsteen.

No bassists are like that. Hmmm...

But wankers, and drummers with endless kits too, aside...

What is rock?

[NewWaveBasser]

OK, do laugh.

[Matt Till]

What is rock, baby don't hurt me.


Well, your post left me a little confused as to why you are questioning what rock is. I honestly see ROCK as an attitude that you don't even need to see... you can hear it... an attitude that oozes through the speakers.

Led Zeppelin
AC/DC
T-Rex
Clutch
Motorhead
The Who
Cream

These are bands that I feel rock radiate from... the list could go on of course. Above all, I feel ROCK is an attitude thing. It's not so much an ego as much as a "We are bad ass and we know it" kinda vibe.

[FaithNoMan]

Originally Posted by NewWaveBasser

Oh that great philosophical question...

but anyway...

Where I live we are stuck in Headbangers Ball Land or so it seems.

Where I live only the 80s exist.

I see too many progmetalheads... talking about rock music as if it were an off-shoot of classical greats such as... Mozart or Beethoven. They talk as if you need a PhD in Music Theory from some hotshot Austrian university to play rock music.

Yeah, for too many round here in my land rock is about cramming all known theory in 7 minutes of solo fury. Soul not required.

While metal and progressive rock are part of the big and undefined spectrum that is rock, the fact that these people IGNORE things such as the origins of rock'n'roll in Southern Black America in the 1950s (as really a popular form of music) is astounding.

Some so-called rockers say something is crap because it's simple. Funny, rock suffers the same rap from jazz people.

I am just truly confused now.

Then again it's usually guitarists with dreams of being the next Yngwie Malmsteen.

No bassists are like that. Hmmm...

But wankers, and drummers with endless kits too, aside...

What is rock?

See this here?? What you are doing?? analizing??




Very "Not Rock"!!






...now, go smash some stones into each other to clear mind.

[Wrong Robot]

Ya know, it's loud and simple guitar music that white people play.

[page]

Rock'N'Roll is heathen Devil music.

[seanm]

Originally Posted by page

Rock'N'Roll is heathen Devil music.

Except, of course, for Christian Death Metal.

[page]

Originally Posted by seanm

Except, of course, for Christian Death Metal.

Christian Death Metal = Death to Christians Metal


See, Lucifer is all over that one.

[Munjibunga]

I always laugh when I ask young musicians (usually guitar players) what kind of music they play, and their response is "rock", with a look of slight disdain on their faces.

Dude. I was born in 1948. Rock was born in 1953. I've seen and heard every version of rock from then to now. Sorry, but you're going to have to be a touch more specific, k?

[page]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I always laugh when I ask young musicians (usually guitar players) what kind of music they play, and their response is "rock", with a look of slight disdain on their faces.

Dude. I was born in 1948. Rock was born in 1953. I've seen and heard every version of rock from then to now. Sorry, but you're going to have to be a touch more specific, k?

Ahem....Hows about Shoegaze-Ambient-Cowpunk rock ? Muwahahahahaha

[Kronos]

Rock has so many subgenres anymore, and I think that people are too concerned with classification.

When people ask me what I listen to, I give them band names. It's too hard to categorize everything anymore. Most bands nowadays are an amalgam of their influences.

It is futile to figure out what the genre of Rock is.

It's like asking what is Classical without going into different sub genres of classical, like Baroque for example.

[AxtoOx]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I always laugh when I ask young musicians (usually guitar players) what kind of music they play, and their response is "rock", with a look of slight disdain on their faces.

Dude. I was born in 1948. Rock was born in 1953. I've seen and heard every version of rock from then to now. Sorry, but you're going to have to be a touch more specific, k?

Yeah but then some get real specific, " I play post-punk-progessive-emo-deathmetal". HUH!!!

[page]

Originally Posted by AxtoOx

Yeah but then some get real specific, " I play post-punk-progessive-emo-deathmetal". HUH!!!

Exactly, refer to my above post. Genres are poop and sub genres are the little nuts you sometimes see.

[AxtoOx]

Originally Posted by page

Exactly, refer to my above post. Genres are poop and sub genres are the little nuts you sometimes see.

You must have posted while I was still thinking, I didn't see that. Same point.
I just say Classic and Blues based Rock, I'm happy w/ that. Though I do enjoy laying down a Funk groove.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by page

Ahem....Hows about Shoegaze-Ambient-Cowpunk rock ? Muwahahahahaha

See? Now that wasn't so hard, was it?

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by AxtoOx

Yeah but then some get real specific, " I play post-punk-progessive-emo-deathmetal". HUH!!!

Now you've got it. Way to go!

[remo]

rock is simple music for simple people.

here are the rules of "rock".

• it is in 4/4
• it uses lots of 5th chords and no maj or min 7th's
• the drum beat is very simlple and rhythmic
• it is based around I-V
• guitars must be mildly distorted at all times
• you must be an active or recovering alchoholic or a heroin addict to truly be "rock".
• you or a family member must have spent time behind bars
• you must come from a working class background
• you must have a "who gives a $#%$" attitude
• you must have tattoos
• you must have a marshall amp
• you must only solo in the first position blues pentatonic scale at the 12th fret
• all songs must be in E
• all your songs must be about jail, women, cars, sex and drugs.
• you must NEVER say words like "fragile", "sympathetic" or "texture".
• and above all you must wear very tight jeans

[Bruce Lindfield]

A 5th is not a chord - it's an interval!

[Trevorus]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

A 5th is not a chord - it's an interval!

Thar's totally not rock...


You're right, though. Chords with fifths.

[kserg]

Noise Polusion