Which Rock Star Will Historians Remember?

[-Asdfgh-]

John Cage and Philip Glass are played but ... you know, it isn't easy listening like say Mozart ... You need to be more aware of what is going on to appreciate them.

Not so long ago I went to hear a small orchestra play some Lasse Thoresen, Kaija Saariaho and Linda Catlin Smith

I find Glass (and Reich) much easier listening than Mozart.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Agreed. The Stones will indeed still be trying to play in 300 years.

Ho hum.....

 

[Zooberwerx]

Are we talkin' performance or material? I have strikingly different answers in both arenas.

Riis

 

[the yeti]

Not sure about that. While I don't think the US has a lot of "world music" or music popular in other countries compared to say the UK, I am surprised about what other countries make a point to listen to regularly. A friend of mine, a transplanted Liberian, upon noticing my Allman Brother's shirt, made a comment and was surprised to find out that apparently they are big over in Liberia. Was told me US music made up a good portion of the radio's playlist. Could have knocked me down with a feather.

that's present day tough. unless you have a hot tub time machine?

 

[aborgman]

Roll over, Beethoven. This post makes a huge and outdated assumption about how historical awareness works, that it's all about preserving Worthy Classics of Western Civilization that Garner the Admiration of Serious Old Men. That kind of thinking was largely jettisoned in historical scholarship starting in the 60s and 70s. People started taking an interest in ordinary people and marginal people, women and peasants and outsiders and such, who weren't part of the Canon of dead white males. Again, to use the example of medieval studies, it used to be the Middle Ages were about studying Charlemagne and Richard the Lion Hearted and Thomas Aquinas and Dante. We still study them, but we also study St. Guinefort and Margery Kempe and religious women who lived on the eucharist alone while their bodies exuded miraculous healing unguents from their pores. Umberto Eco, among others, led the charge here, recognizing that if you wanted to understand real human experience, you had to study the things that were meaningful to real human beings, not just rarified classics produced for elites.

Historically that is often difficult though - because the elite produced so much more material that survived to be historically/archaeologically examined.

In Mayan studies a lot of the focus on elites is due to the massive difference in ease of studying the elites.

 

[GregC]

On this subject, there's a great scene in the 1987 movie Hail! Hail! Rock'nRoll, which centers around a Chuck Berry tribute concert arranged by Keith Richards. (Wish I could find video, but no dice.)

Jerry Lee Lewis, in an interview, describes how he got in a fight with Chuck about which one of them was the king of rock'n'roll, and says Chuck kicked his ass. Then he went and asked his mother who the king was. Jerry then recounts, with great chagrin, "My mama said, 'You and Elvis are pretty good, but you're no Chuck Berry.' My own mama!"

 

[gjohnson441496]

Jimi Hendrix!

and Jimi Hendrix bass player Danny Partridge.

 

[jwilson67]

The reason I posted the pic of Freddie Mercury is that Queen were truly a future-proof band. My 13 year old daughter says that they are still very well known and liked in her age group and that hardly anyone could tell you who Zep, The Stones, or even The Beatles are.

 

[Matt O]

On this subject, there's a great scene in the 1987 movie Hail! Hail! Rock'nRoll, which centers around a Chuck Berry tribute concert arranged by Keith Richards. (Wish I could find video, but no dice.)

Legend has it, Chuck Berry punched Keef in the face after a gig (maybe the one you mention?) for touching his guitar.

So, if by some strange twist, Chuck doesn't become the face of rock and roll and Keef does, at least Chuck got to punch the face of rock and roll... in the face!

 

[GregC]

Legend has it, Chuck Berry punched Keef in the face after a gig (maybe the one you mention?) for touching his guitar.

So, if by some strange twist, Chuck doesn't become the face of rock and roll and Keef does, at least Chuck got to punch the face of rock and roll... in the face!

I've heard that, too. Keef said in the movie that Chuck gave him even more headaches than Mick.

Excellent point!

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

. Make an effort to see the movie, after which you'll see Keith has the patience of Job.

Not going to give it away, but I'm a fan of Chuck, but Chuck is a little eccentric to say the least.

I think Keith's movie on Chuck is probably one of his finest works and that even considering his music with the Stones and solo.

Don't know if anybody else could have managed to get it made.

 

[EVerderame]

The reason I posted the pic of Freddie Mercury is that Queen were truly a future-proof band. My 13 year old daughter says that they are still very well known and liked in her age group and that hardly anyone could tell you who Zep, The Stones, or even The Beatles are.

you are right, queen is a good bet.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Awesome pick. His greatest album:

Hey, I had that album when I was ~15 years old!

 

[Cat-A-Tonic]

 

[sissy kathy]

Elvis and the Beatles.

Fixed it for you. Musicians are remembered for their compositions, rather than their performances; I think Sir Paul and John have a lock on it. It won't exclude others though, like Tim Rice.

 

[madjazzbass]

This is an excellent point. Our discussion assumes perpetual western hegemony.

The future tellers of history may treat this subject as westerners have treated the subjects of non-European history. Almost like it didn't happen in a lot of cases.

What?! We recognize Paul Revere and Sherlock Holmes! HA!!

 

[DwaynieAD]

Ozzy

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

What?! We recognize Paul Revere and Sherlock Holmes! HA!!

Sherlock Holmes was fictional........

 

[madjazzbass]

Sherlock Holmes was fictional........

Oh, Yeah ... Well then Winston Churchill, HA!!

 

[Tom Bomb]

Nena

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