The Rise Of Rock

The lack of experience that of independent mid 50's rock and roll labels became evident when the first wave of rock and roll excitement died down. By the early 1960's, music publishers specializing in mass production of teen pop dominated American. The industry was now marketing singers as the ideal boyfriend for the typical suburban teenage girl. Although this era of "bubblegum music" gave rise to voices such as Paul Anka and Neil Sedaka, the music had lost it's edge when compared to the early antics of Elvis and Little Richard. The new generation was ready for someone to take the spotlight of popular music. Enter four British lads with mop-tops and music would never be the same again.

Buddy Holly, who in 1959 died in a plane crash, the day known as "The Day the Music Died" (Public Domain)

The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, 1964 (Foto: Dan Grossi/AP/Scanpix)

On the 9th of Febuary 1964, time froze, as 73 million Americans watched 4 young British men on the Ed Sullivan show revitalize rock overnight. The music sounded bigger and more provocative than ever, as if picking up where Elvis had left of 7 years prior. The "Fab Four", who by this point already had established themselves in UK and Europe, what shot into American stardom and the "British invasion" had begun.

Their sound was heavily influenced by the first American rock and roll wave, which can be heard on the Chuck Berry-esque lead guitar of "I Want to Hold Your Hand". Alongside the Beatles

wholesome pop music, another British band was enjoying tremendous success on the American charts; the Rolling Stones. Their rebellious and nonconformist image and electric blues inspired sound became the foundation of the British blues revival.

In the early summer of 1967 the Beatles released their eighth album titles "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band"; a testament to their tremendous lyrical ability, and evolution as a band. The album is often credited as the first concept album, i.e an album where the songs collectively convey a bigger message. It broke boundaries as to what a pop album is, becoming a catalyst for the flower-power movement of the late 60's and 70's. Mick Jagger's flamboyant stage performances, and Keith Richards fuzzy sounding guitar in the intro to "(I Cant Get No) Satisfaction" had cemented them as the bad boys of rock and the Beatles antithesis. But the American response to the "British invasion" would be a force to be reckoned with.

Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, 1964 (Public Domain)

Cover art of the Beach Boys album Pet Sounds, 1964

American folk-music was a genre brewing with young talents such as Bob Dylan and the duo Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Inspired by the Beatles, both Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel shocked the folk-music establishment as they went electric and entered, or according some; created the folk-rock genre. Bob Dylan's "Like a rolling stone", featuring an electric guitar, went on to become his greatest hit. Simon & Garfunkel would re-release their 1964 song "The Sound of Silence", now electrified and saw great success. The duo enjoyed their greatest commercial success with albums "Bookends" (1968) and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (1970).

In late 1964, instead of touring with the band , Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys decided to stay in the studio in pursuit of new experimental

sounds. What resulted was the bands greatest success, the 1966 album "Pet Sounds"; a 36 minute classic that set new standards for musical production and sophistication. It would become one of the most influential albums of the 60's, encouraging the Beatles to even more experimentation, resulting in "Sgt. Pepper"

Eric Clapton of Cream, a student of the early American blues, took the US and UK rock scene by storm with his virtuosic and psychedelia inspired playing. Although celebrated in the UK as the worlds greatest guitarist, Clapton himself had another personal favourite; Seattle-born Jimi Hendrix

Nothing ever came as natural as a guitar in the hands of Jimi Hendrix. With his long and fast fingers dancing across the fret board, Hendrix pushed the technological limits of the axe. With the use of fuzz, distortion, bending and feedback he brought intensity and sexiness to the rock guitar unlike anything before him. A sound that especially can be heard all over the Jimi Hendrix Experience's 1967 album "Are you experienced?" which topped second on the charts only behind "Sgt. Pepper".

The Woodstock Rock festival, held in the late summer of 1969, saw 400,000 people gather for "3 days of peace & music" in what was to become a highlight in the hippie- and counterculture. Acts from rock and blues giants such as Janis Joplin, Creedance Clearwater Revival would take the stage and most notable of them all; the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Jimi's fuzzy, psychedelic yet honorable rendition of the American national anthem became a symbolic protest against the unnecessary war fought in Vietnam, yet celebrating the aspects of the American life worth fighting for

Jimi Hendrix at the Woodstock Festival, 1969 (Getty Images)