The Rise Of Rock

Flower Power

By the 1970's, the hippie counterculture of the 60's had become mainstream. Long hair, peace signs and tie dyed clothing were now popular in the middle-class suburbs. Nonetheless, the problems that caused the movement was far from solved, but things were going in the right direction. The women's rights movement gained mainstream attention, gay rights advocates became more visible in pop and racial segregation and division instead became a problem of diversity.

Diversity was more than ever evident in the music at the as punk and folk, progressive rock and disco and funk all fought for - and received - attention. Every socioeconomic group of society seemed to have their own music, and every band their own following. All of them in some sense sharing the same predecessor; 60's rock.

Although not trditionally considered a rock musician, Stevie Wonder's is one of the most influencial artists of the 1970's (Wikipedia Commons)

The king of the 70's

Having left the shadow of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones would go on to enjoy great success throughout the 70's (and further). But contrary to the Stones longevity, bands of the British blues revival such as the Yardbirds and Cream had begun to break up, and former members joined new bands or went solo. Guitarist Jimmy Page, who by the end of 1968 found himself as the sole remaining member of the Yardsbirds, had touring dates coming up in Scandinavia. Feeling an obligation to not let his fans down, Page took to seasoned performing veteran and bassist John Paul Jones to assemble a squad that could finish the tour. Together with vocalist Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham, the New Yeardbirds was born, or as they would later be known as; Led Zeppelin.

From 1969 to 1971 Led Zeppelin would release four untitled albums, often called Led Zeppelin I-IV; considering all four are seen as some of rocks finest albums, this was an unprecedented show of efficiency, hard work and dedication to their craft. Their approach to marketing, releasing no singles and rarely making any public appearances added to the bands mystical aura.

Jimmy Page, 1977 (Wikipedia Commons)

While this period gave rise to songs such as "Whole Lotta Love", "Immigrant Song" and "Black Dog" that defined the genre of hard rock and psychedelia, it was an 8 minute behemoth of a song that stole the show. "Stairway to Heaven" from Led Zeppelin IV, often regarded as one of the greatest and most iconic song of all time, is a mashup of folk music, medieval references, heavy distorted guitars and a face-melting guitar solo by Page to top it off. Throughout the 70's Led Zeppelin conquered the world of rock with their emphatic live performances, where Page sometimes even could be seen playing his dubble-necked Gibson with a violin bow. Their immense talent in the studio and fascination with foreign cultures led to songs like the riff-heavy "Kashmir", who's lyrics Plant wrote while venturing through the Moroccan desert.

Prog Rock

As bands were pushing the limits of technology and genres at the time, rock grew into more and more sub-genres. With the use of dissonant riffs and gothic touches, Black Sabbath pioneered the metal genre with their 1970 album "Paranoid". Inspired by the psychedelic counterculture movement of the late 60's, bands began to explore the idea of the album as a self proclaimed artistic statement. The focus was turned away from pop-rock topics such as romance and sexual prowess, instead addressing philosophic ideas such as religion and spirituality, authoritarianism and power, mental health and existential angst; the progressive rock was born.

Pink Floyd

After having to part with the viciously creative Syd Barrett due to mental illness, Pink Floyd found themselves in a musical drought in 1968, and in desperate need to fill that hole. Drummer Nick Mason invited the humble yet talented David Gilmour to replace Barrett as lead guitarist. Gilmour's fast improvement as a musician, studio engineer and vocalist shot Pink Floyd into progressive rock stardom by 1971 with the release of "Meddle". Featuring "Echoes"; a poetic 23 minute acoustical masterpiece, the album was a hint of what the band was capable of.

Pink Floyd, early 70's (Getty Images)

In the world of descriptive songwriting, few bested the Pink Floyd co-founder, lyricist and bassist Roger Waters. Waters, who had lost his father in WW2 and had since developed an ability to view the world in a nuanced and critical way, begun in the summer of '72 to assemble of songs around the concept 'what makes you insane?'. The album, initially called "Eclipse", was played during their "Meddle" tour and released on 24 March 1973 under it's final name; "The Dark Side Of The Moon".

Music note Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Click me!

The Dark Side Of The Moon

Clocking in at around 40 minutes, "The Dark Side of the Moon" shattered rock album stereotypes and production quality standards even to this day. Featuring broad, effect-heavy psychedelia inspired guitar playing, gospel and band-members spontaneous responses to questions like "Do you ever think you're going mad?", the album is a journey to the 'dark side' of you own mind and Pink Floyd is your tour guide.

Although not as flashy as Hendrix, Gilmour of Pink Floyd had by this point established himself on the Mount Rushmore of rock guitarists. Coupled with Waters poetic and brutally honest lyrics,

Cover art for "The Dark Side Of The Moon", released 1973

Gilmours elegant, emotional and dreamy playing, yet still being able to rip your face of with a soul-wrenching solo, is why "Dark Side of The Moon" has spend 17 years on the Billboard 200, the most of any album ever. Their '73 to '79 albums "DSOTM", "Wish You Were Here", "Animals" and "The Wall" is often seen as the greatest stretch of four albums ever.

Glam Rock

Glam Rock pioneer Little Richard, 1972 (Getty Images)

As rock and roll matured, bands grew more serious about their craft, tackling bigger and bigger social problems of the day. In some sense, 70's rock had grown further detached from it's roots; the flower power and counterculture of the psychedelic 60's. In part as a reaction to this, a different kind of rocker emerged in 70's Britain who didn't want to change the world; they wanted to escape it.

These "glam" or "glitter" rockers added a new splash of color and personality to the relatively

unadventurous mainstream rock at the time, kick-starting a very different cultural evolution which had not been seen since the days of Little Richard. Although not moving to far away musically, Glam rock dove deep into the marvel of identity, performing in spectacular costumes, extravagant make-up and most importantly; a healthy amout of provocative sexual tension.

David Bowie & Elton John

Elton John in his legendary Donald Duck costume (Photo: Dan Grossi/AP/Scanpix)

The early 70's turned big names in glam rock into big names in music. Art lover and rocker David Bowie's refusal to be confined to a narrative or genre established him as a giant in the rock world, but most importantly as a cultural figure for the ages. Elton John is one of the most gifted and genius musicians of all time, and of course, making sure he looked damn good holding that title. To make an entire stadium sing along to his

emotional "Your Song", while wearing a Donald Duck costume, is beyond bad ass. Although transcending generations and influencing countless musicians, they all come short of the glam giant, Her Majesty: Queen

Freddie Mercury

As flamboyant as they come, confidence like no other and a voice in a category of it's own; Simply put, Freddie Mercury is the greatest front-man of all time, period. Seducing the crowd with his charismatic and explosive stage presence, Queen's live performances blurred the line between a hard rock concert, a fashion show and a theatre.

Coming out of the London music scene of the early 70's, Queen first gained exposure with the release of 1974 "Sheer Heart Attack" with hit single "Killer Queen" about a seductive diva who enjoys the finest of lifestyles, perhaps drawing inspiration from the writer and lead singer himself. From 1975 to 1978, the band would gift the world with 4 all time albums containing "We Are The Champions", "We Will Rock You", "Don't Stop Me Now" and "Somebody To Love" to name a few.

Freddie Mercury, mid 70's (Getty Images)

God Save The Queen

Although Mercury has contributed greatly to the bands legendary status, Queen was jam-packed with legendary talent. Drummer Roger Taylor has been credited to have inspired countless future legendary rock drummers of the 80's and 90's. Although being a phenomenal bassist, John Deacon wrote some of Queen's biggest hits like "Another One Bites The Dust" with it's iconic bassline which made Queen a household name on the other side of the Atlantic.

At the end of the day, Queen's success is much thanks to their laid back, curly-haired axeman; Brian May. Rocking one of the most iconic guitars of all time, May's "Red Special" has blessed the world with melodic and soaring solos and riffs that everyone and their mother know by heart and have danced and sung their soul out to.

Brian May, mid 70's (Getty Images)

EH-OH Click cursor

Queen at Live Aid, 1985 (Wikipedia Commons)

In true glam fashion, Queen was all over the place genre-wise, and has struck world wide hits in every one imaginable. In 1975, this was taken to the extreme when Mercury, who had just presented a piano piece for his fellow band mates, calmly announced "And this is where the opera section comes in!". On the 31 October 1975 Queen releases the 6 minute single "Bohemian Rhapsody" featuring a ballad section, an operatic section, topped of with one of Brian May's finest hard rock performances. Collectively recognized as

one of the greatest song of all time, "Bohemian Rhapsody" from the album "A Night At The Opera" combined polar opposite genres in a prog rock manner, all without a chorus.

The song is the embodiment of immortality and has stood the test of time for nearly 50 years, it's lyrics imprinted onto the minds of each coming generation. The 1985 Live Aid concert saw possibly the greatest moment of music history, as Queen and Freddie Mercury held 70,000 fans spellbound, belting out the lyrics "Mama, just killed a man" in unison.

1970's American Rock

To say that rock dominated the 70's music would be an understatement. As Led Zeppelin pulled crowds in the 40,000's, American music prospered as rock behemoths emerged from all corners of the country. To confine the history of so many generational artists to one paragraph would be an impossibility, let alone a dishonor to each of their immortal legacies. Therefore; ensue the hippie rapid-fire

Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, 1985 (Getty Images)

Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac, 1975 (Photo: Sam Emerson)

Originally a British blues band, the Fleetwood Mac line-up we all know and love would form in 1974 when Americans Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined. With their sound revitalized by influences of folk-rock and pop, Fleetwood Mac released their self titled "Fleetwood Mac", which reached no. 1 in United States. In the midst of drug abuse, jealousy and divorce between band members, the band then put out the immortal "Rumours"; each members musical and personal background beautifully fused together into an all-time album. With hits like "The Chain" and "Go your own way", "Rumours" is one of the highest selling albums of all time at around 40 million.

Aerosmith

With a lead singer nicknamed "Demon of Screamin" you can bet your ass Aerosmith put on a hard rock show all throughout the 1970's. The Boston natives made a name for themselves early on with their self-titled debut album, featuring "Dream 'On"; a masterful orchestration of piano and distorted guitars guided by the extraordinary vocal of lead singer Steven Tyler. As the best selling hard rock band in American history, Aerosmith has an impressive resume of genre-defying hits, legendary albums and infamous live appearances

Aerosmtith performing with Guns and Roses guitarist Slash, 2014 (Creative Commons)

The Eagles

With members from all different genres and backgrounds, the Eagles mastered and succeeded in several musical styles from 1971 until the bands breakup in 1980. With emotion-filled lyrics and a surf and country inspired guitars, the Eagles first two releases "Eagles" and "Desperado" defined the country-rock. But it wouldn't be until 1976, with the release of "Hotel California", that the band reached their musical and lyrical climax. The album yielded two nr.1 singles, one of course being the immortal title track. "Hotel California", with it's mystical lyrics, iconic intro and an absolute killer of a guitar solo played by both Felder and Walsh, has earned its place in the upper echelon of rock songs.

Cover art for "Hotel California", 1976

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1977 (Wikipedia Commons)

After opening for the british giants The Who in 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" became a crowd favourite with it's swampy slide electric guitar and 4 minute monster of an outro guitar solo which set stadiums into absolute flower power frenzy. The release of their debut album, "(pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd'Skin-'Nérd)", had built an nationwide following which only grew larger with the release of their commercially most successful album "Second

Helping". Featuring the all time classic "Sweet Home Alabama" with it's melodic intro, the band put Southern rock in the mainstream.

Following the death of three members in a plane crash, Lynyrd Skynyrd would disappear from the spotlight for a decade. Following a long awaited reunion of the band in 1987, their full scale tour and live album gave rise to a new hope - a second generation Skynyrd, which rocks on to this day.

Honorable Mentions

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Music note Fortunate Son

Journey

Music note Any Way You Want It

ZZ Top

Music note La Grange

KISS

Music note I Was Made For Lovin' You

Blondie

Music note One Way Or Another

Steely Dan

Music note Reelin' In The Years

Music is supposed to make you feel. It's supposed to make you do the twist and shout, give you the spine-tingling chills, make you smile from ear to ear or laugh. If you ain't getting the feels , it's not worth your time, keep searching. Because there's music out there to make everybody feel this way. If not, go make it yourself! Hey, the next chapter added to this story may be about you.