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Focus Study: Rock ’n’ Roll

Bernie Howitt - Narara Valley High School

Outcomes
Applying the distinguishing characteristics
The creation of early rock ’n’ roll
The consumption of early rock ‘n’ roll
The control of early rock ‘n’ roll
Different perceptions of early rock ‘n’ roll
The contribution of early rock ‘n’ roll to social change
The future
Activities
More

Outcomes

H3: accounts for cultural diversity and commonality within societies and cultures (which helps to explain why some people accept rock ‘n’ roll, and some reject it)

H4: evaluates continuity and change, and assesses social futures and strategies for change and the implications for societies and cultures (which is necessary if you are to properly develop scenarios of future directions in rock ‘n’ roll)

H5: evaluates the influence of power, authority, gender and technology on decision-making and participation in society (that links into the issues of control of popular culture, access and change)

H7: applies appropriate language and concepts associated with society and culture (which you should do every time you write or think about the subject)

Focus

The focus of this study is the interconnection between the individual and rock ’n’ roll as a focus study of popular culture.

What follows is the application of the syllabus requirements to a specific example of popular culture, in this case, the music genre of early rock ‘n’ roll music. This pattern should be able to be followed by any appropriate focus study.

Applying the distinguishing characteristics:

There are a number of commercial products associated with early rock ’n’ roll, most notably, 45rpm vinyl records.
The music may be traced from a local , e.g. Elvis Presley in Memphis, to national level, e.g. Elvis on the Ed Sullivan TV show through to global success, e.g. the tours of Australia and Europe by artists like Bill Haley, Little Richard and Buddy Holly.
Consumers have access through the purchase of products like records, watching films, reading magazine articles and listening to radio programs.
Early rock ’n’ roll evolved from the rebellious sound of Elvis Presley’s Sun recordings and Little Richard’s early recordings to the more commercial recordings of Elvis at RCA, and the “safe” ballads of artists like Fabian.

The creation of early rock ’n’ roll

The origins of rock ‘n’ roll may be traced culturally from the emergence of teenagers as a distinct social and economic group in the United States after World War Two. Musically, its origins may be linked to the merging of African-American musical forms, such as blues, jazz and gospel, with traditional rural white musical forms, such as country music and western swing.

The local level of development can be seen in the emergence of independent recording companies in local sites. Examples are Sun Records in Memphis, recording Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, and Chess Records in Chicago, recording Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. Television is the key element in explaining national success, particularly through appearances on successful national shows such as Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle. The signing of artists to companies with national distribution power, such as Elvis signing to RCA is also significant. Global success comes through live performances and the media. Most artists toured Australia and Europe at the peak of their success, allowing widespread access. This was supported with stories and photographs appearing in magazines, appearances in films, and the global distribution of records.

Mythology was important from the start of rock ’n’ roll. Elvis Presley’s career, for example, is interspersed with a genuine mythology. From the media bestowed title of The King through to his appearance on a live tour of Australia in November, 1999, over twenty years after his death, Presley’s career has thrived on mythology.

The consumption of early rock ’n’ roll

The initial consumers of early rock ’n’ roll were the emergent social grouping of teenagers. As 45rpm vinyl records emerged as the currency of the popular culture, access was made easier through the provision of hire purchase arrangements allowing the purchase of portable record players, that could be used in the privacy of a bedroom, or at a party. Technology has had a major impact on the nature of the product, as the currency has changed from vinyl to cassette to compact disc. Radio has remained a key player in both consumption and interaction, but has been joined by television and more recently, computers. Technological developments are crucial in allowing evolving processes of interaction, with the Internet providing opportunities for a much more direct interaction through fan sites and official band web pages.

The control of early rock ’n’ roll

Rock ’n’ roll has always generated controversy, as various institutional groups have attempted to portray it as a threat to community values. When Elvis Presley’s appearance on the Milton Berle show performing “Hound Dog” generated a conservative reaction from parents, churches and other adult authorities, the official response was television networks banning the filming of Presley from the waist down during televised performances. This raises issues of power and authority, censorship and mythology. The role of television in breaking down problems of locational access is also noted.

Different perceptions of early rock ’n’ roll

There were generational differences evident in the acceptance of early rock ’n’ roll and these provide the basis for a detailed study of different perceptions. For example, Botany Council in Sydney banned rock ’n’ roll from its halls in 1957, the same year the Filipino government was using it to draw potential Communist sympathisers into towns to hear army sponsored lectures on democracy.

The contribution of early rock ’n’ roll to social change

With African-American artists such as Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino attracting a racially mixed audience for TV and live appearances, the sustainability of racism across succeeding generations became very difficult in the United States. When 1983’s “Thriller” by African-American Michael Jackson became the largest selling album in history, it reflected the huge commercial opportunities rock ’n’ roll had opened for some African-Americans. For many females, their interactions with rock ’n’ roll also provided a liberating experience. It was frequently their first opportunity to confront parental expectations, and rebel against stereotypical expectations of female behaviour. Adults argued that incidents such as the public revelation of Jerry Lee Lewis’ marriage to his thirteen year old second cousin revealed the negative aspect of rock and its influence on social change and morality.

The Future

The impact of technology is having a dramatic effect on rock music. As the Internet develops as a major source of product, access and interaction, there are considerable implications for rock music as a popular culture. Will major record companies be able to control the new medium, or will more artists choose to represent themselves directly to their fan or consumer base? Will CD burning replace home taping as a form of piracy or economic liberation? Will independent companies be able to survive against the increasing globalisation of the record industry into a handful of major corporate conglomerations?

Activities

Develop a timeline of significant developments in rock ’n’ roll. Next to that develop a timeline of major social and cultural developments across a similar time frame. Can you find any links between the two timelines?
Compile a list of specific examples from the history of rock ’n’ roll that could be used to illustrate each of the headings, used in this tutorial.
What are the main continuities and changes you can see across the history of rock music?

The Society and Culture Association journal Culturescope has published a number of articles on aspects of rock ‘n’ roll as popular culture.

The CD-ROM Real Wild Child should be available in all school and public libraries, and contains information on Australian rock ‘n’ roll in particular.

Rock Through History by Bernie Howitt (Longman Cheshire. 2^nd ed. 1994) contains valuable information and examples on Australian and international rock music.