The Derivation of Current Rock from Musical Influence

Seth Lampel
Independent Research G.T.
May 10th, 2017

Ms. Julia Bakhru

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Abstract

Where did current rock and alternative music derive from? There exist so many

variations in music that sometimes the musical origin itself becomes lost. Different music

comes from different places, and some components of one type of music can have

connections drawn from another type of music. Some of these connections are commonly

argued about or have not been discovered yet. Rock, according to researchers, has had

multiple influences. Rhythm and Blues influences can be seen in rock. The Vietnam War

brought about rebellion, in which rock stemmed from. Research also indicates that

African tribal music may have also had influence on rock due to its relation to Rhythm

and Blues. Current rock and alternative music derived from music from the Vietnam

War, Jazz and Rhythm and Blues (R&B).

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Introduction

Where did rock and alternative music derive from? Qualitative research was conducted to

find if the thesis, rock and alternative music derived from music from the Vietnam War, African

tribal music, Jazz and Rhythm and Blues (R&B), is true. The independent variable for the project

is rock and alternative music. The dependent variables are the Vietnam War, African tribal

music, Jazz and Rhythm and Blues. Descriptive research was done and a qualitative model was

made. Quality over quantity was chosen because the subject of this project is very commonly

argued and legible proof for evidence pertaining to the topic was needed. The hypothesis was

originally focused directly on jazzs relation to rock, but it was decided to expand it due to other

origins being found in African tribal drumming, R&B, and the Vietnam War. Evidence was

collected in the form of books, online databases, and personal analyses of albums/other

entertainment sources to put the connections into context. A few human sources were also used

to examine personal experience. Materials were gathered from libraries so no money was needed

for this project.

Jazz

There is a type of music called fusion, which is a modern jazz improvisation,

accompanied by the bass lines, drumming styles, and instrumentation of rock music

(Encyclopedia Britannica). Since the 1920s, jazz has had a hot swing beat with a staccato

rhythm, that contrasts with popular music characteristics (Encyclopedia Britannica). As the jazz

tunes progressed, more rock-esque rhythms were included in the music. The swing era ended in
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the 1940s (Encyclopaedia Britannica). A later development of jazz-rock appeared in the 1980s

and 90s. It abandoned jazz elements almost completely and frequently used a minimum of

improvisation (Encyclopedia Britannica).

Rock bands are more small compared to big bands like jazz ensembles. It is an idea to

take away from visual influence and change over time and not just to look at the sound that is

being produced. This demonstrates that performing bands have become smaller over time. A big

band such as some sort of jazz composition contrasts in comparison to the setup of rock bands,

helping to come to the conclusion that jazz bands are large in comparison to rock bands, having

been made up of more instruments like horns. Rock bands traditionally do not involve a sort of

wind instrument.

Vietnam War

For rocks influence from The Vietnam War, Billie Joe Armstrong, the lead singer of the

alternative band Green Day, and bassist, Mike Dirnt, have been playing together since childhood

and have taken great influence from the 70s punk band, The Ramones (Marc). The Ramones

brought a new type of music to America, following extremely popular bands like The Beatles

and The Rolling Stones work. Green Days 2016 album, Revolution Radio, truly shows their

new, iconic look that has been evolving throughout their career. This is a great example of a

band that has been around long enough to have experienced the progression of rock.

The Ramones was one of the first punk bands that emerged in the early 1970s. Their

melodic tunes and basic beats appealed to the public and sold quickly. The Ramones is a great

example of what original punk music sounded like. They also gave great influence to other, more
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current rock bands such as Green Day.

The song Black Dog is a classic hard rock song from the minds of early rockers, Led

Zeppelin. With a dirty, unprocessed sound, Black Dog is unlike many current feats of music.

With hardcore guitar riffs and hard yet simple drum beats, Black Dog is a classic in itself.

Protest music emerged during the 1960s and the Vietnam War. Folk songs by artists

such as Bob Dylan were made with a more peaceful outlook on the war. They represented a hope

for change, but with an aggressive tone. This led into more rebellious music from bands such as

Jefferson Airplane, Mystery Trend, and The Beatles. The August 1969 Woodstock Music

festival was an influential musical event that spread the message of peace towards the close of

the decade (Hopkins). The performance included Hendrix manipulating his guitars sound by

using distortion and whammy-bar techniques, a type of guitar playing involving sound

modifications. He imitated several war sounds, including machine gunfire and explosions. Edwin

Starr also sang his anthem, War, which demonstrated the many complex horrors of the

Vietnam War. This article demonstrates when rock music came into the spotlight in the late

1960s.

Bob Dylan said that his songs didnt get here by themselves. He has had many influences

that inspired his work. Early on, Country and Western music. Later, the rock n roll of Chuck

Berry and Little Richard. He moved to Greenwich Village in New York in 1961 and discovered

folk musicians like Odetta, Woody Guthrie, even imitating Guthries Oklahoma twang (Gates).

He also learned from fellow performers, from records, and from books like Alan Lomaxs Folk

Songs of North America. ...Not only other music inspired him poetry, literature and film

have all made their way into his work (Gates). He was able to internalize these influences and
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transform them into a sound that was his own. He created new poetic expressions within the

great American song tradition (Gates). Bob Dylan represents a musician who emerged in the

1960s, the time of protest, and took the influences that he got from country and western music,

rock and roll, and from fellow performers and books. He took these influences, mended them

together, and added his own poetic expression in order to make the music that he became

known for. This proves the indie rock that emerged in the 1960s from other music such as

rhythm and blues derived rock. Western country music was also introduced into the equation by

Bob Dylan. Many connections can be draw from these crossroads, so it was expected to find new

influences throughout my research.

Rhythm and Blues

Kanye West is the first artist to bring the most bold experimentation and cathartic

emotional energy of rock to rap (McQueen). In this interview, West mentioned his creative

process. I try to get as close to a childlike level as possible because we were all artists back

then. So you just close your eyes and think back to when you were as young as you can

remember and had the least barriers to your creativity. West expressed that much of his musical

ideas are influenced from his family and his and their life experiences, hence the statement that

maybe the creative process has a stronger connection to personal things than we know. This

interview shows that current rap music, which stemmed from the African culture, shows

characteristics that are shared with rock music. Sub Pop, a record company which first earned its

reputation as a tastemaker in the late 1980s, signed and recorded bands such as Nirvana and

Soundgarden and other exponents of what came to be known as grunge. More African groups are
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making their way into America and as proof for crossroads for nomadic peoples resulting in an

unusual blend of cultures and musical styles (Rohter). This shows an example of R&B coming

back out of alternative record labels.The fact that African culture is making its way back into

rock music is proof of the relation of early African music and Rhythm and Blues making its way

into rock music in the late 60s with bands such as Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrixs powerful

guitar-driven style marketed as desert blues (Rohter).

Recently French label Buda Musique began reissuing what has become known the

Ethiopian Series, which now consists of more than 20 CDs of music from Ethiopia and Eritrea,

originally recorded in the 1960s and 1970s (Rohter). Ethiopiques was huge, very influential,

transformational even, said Jonathan Poneman, a founder of Sub Pop. Not only was it great

stuff, but it was put out in a way that was high quality, that looked good and was engaging. This

engaging nature was shown in the August 1969 Woodstock Music festival. Another current

band called Vampire Weekend has built a bigger interest in the music and some indie music

observers compare the impact of Vampire Weekend to a similar phenomenon in the late 1960s,

when the popularity of blues-inspired bands like Cream, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin

(Rohter).

The Rolling Stones was one of the most popular bands that emerged in the 1960s, along

with The Beatles. Rolling Stones offered a kind of primal, dark, Dionysiac alternative to the

Beatles more sunny, well groomed Apollonian appeal (Tolinski and Perna). Unlike the

Beatles, the Stones started out as blues and R&B purists. While theyd been profoundly affected

by the birth of rock and roll in the mid-fifties, theyd focused their attention on the musics

African American antecedents in a way that the Beatles hadnt (Tolinski and Perna). The small
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blues/r&b scene apparently started in London. It originated in an enthusiasm for trad, or

traditional African American jazz that came to England in the fifties. Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones

even gave the Rolling Stones their name based off of a song titled,Rollin Stone, from

bluesman Muddy Waters. The Rolling Stones emerged in England, but became popular in

America after signing an endorsement deal with Vox. The main point is the influence that was

taken from England to the United States by The Rolling Stones, and how the crossroads of music

can have a competitive effect when it came to The Rolling Stones being labeled as a sort of

anti-Beatles genre.

Data Collection

I interviewed 5 musicians whose contacts were provided to me by a retired teacher at

Wilde Lake High School. Here is some key information we discussed.

Florida Provinzono Jones Uribe Coleman

What Drumset, Singer, Singer, Guitar, Singer, piano,

instrument(s) concert snare harmonica, ukulele, keyboards, flute and
do you play? and hand guitar and guitar and drums, bass, ukulele
drums keyboards piano etc.

What Church Mainstream The Beatles South Father was a

originally got singing, 80s rock n and American singer,
you family band roll, mainstream cultural mother was a
interested in and college classic rock pop-alt rock music and music
music and gigs and grunge creative professor,
what were teaching style exposition to
your in school classical
influences as music,
a child? musical
theatre,
Motown, jazz
and gospel

Why do you Emotional It all depends Enjoys music Doesnt Emotional

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like the music language, on the mood with complex support release and
that you applies to a hes in. instrumentati separating big band
listen to? vast Knowledge on and lyrical genres, but music
What styles knowledge of based off content. listens to jazz because of
are most different Billy Joel and Knowledge and psyche singer-songw
apparent to cultures and and lyrical based off rock riter
your professions. story telling. poetry and nowadays, background
knowledge of Knowledge Doesnt like written word songs with and live
music? based off of todays music high performances
classic indie complexity . Proficient in
gospel music and chord classical/chor
and a Celtic structure. al music,
style of Knowledge gospel, jazz
singing. Now based off standards and
listens to a love of music progressive
modern theory and soul
iteration of relationships
arena rock built with
with collected
passionate vinyls
singers and
in-pocket
drummers

What type of Grew up in Grade school Howard David

music was Tennessee. was 80s hair County, early Matthews
popular in the Rap and metal. High 2000s Band. did not
area that you country school was country and have
grew up? Did music 90s grunge pop influence on
this influence her. Did not
have any big listen to radio
impact on
you?

What is your Iteration of 80s had 50s Woodstock Rock n roll Rock in
knowledge of African influence and caused an became rock America used
rock? Hip American 90s had 70s incredible when it came to be a
hop is style music influence. change at the to America genuine live
making its into white 80s had time from Europe. performance
way back into business end bebop R&B and but as
the charts of music. For influence and rock should technology
with artists instance, jazz 90s doowop never have improved it
like Bruno was looked been became a
Mars and The down upon separated show, using
Weekend. Do because it technologies
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you think was initially such as

This will lead something smoke
to a new from New machines,
wave of Orleans, but costumes,
rock? it was and backup
primarily a dancers
type of
African
American
music. If you
go even
further back
than that, you
can talk about
Afro-Cuban
music
because its
Africans who
came to Cuba
and began
playing this
style of
music. With
rock and roll,
rock and roll
is not Elvis.
Elvis took
that. It
continued to
evolve
outside of
African
influence.

Analysis

What I learned from interview 4 is that Rock n Roll and Rock have two different

meanings. A similarity between all interviews is that they all mentioned how emotion expressed

through music affects the style and culture that it is associated with. Florida said Indian
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Gamelan music, for a while I didnt get it, just because I didnt know that language. But I think if

the style of music is in your cultural language and you emotionally respond to music, then I think

that all styles of music in that realm can kind of connect (Provinzono).

Product

I plan on recording myself playing the drums along to a YouTube video created by a

music college in Chicago. The video of a guitarist documents the 100 most influential songs over

the span of the timeline I am studying.

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Accessed 2 Nov. 2016.

Coleman, Trina. Personal Interview. 2017.

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Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016, www.britannica.com/art/
jazz-rock. Accessed 22 Sept. 2016.

Florida, Jesse. Personal Interview. 2017.

Gates, Guilert. "Listen to Bob Dylans Many Influences." The New York Times, New
York Times Company, 15 Oct. 2016, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/10/14/
arts/music/bob-dylan-influences-playlist-spotify.html?_r=2. Accessed 10
Feb. 2017.

Hopkins, Alexander E. "Protest and Rock n' Roll During the Vietnam War."
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Student Pulse LLC., 2012, www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/713/
protest-and-rock-n-roll-during-the-vietnam-war. Accessed 17 Jan. 2017.

"How to Make a Stage Plot/Input List for Your Band." DIY Musician Blog, CD Baby,
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Jones, Carly. Personal Interview. 2017.

McQueen, Steve. "Kanye West." Interview Magazine, 19 Jan. 2014,

www.interviewmagazine.com/music/kanye-west#_. Accessed 21 Sept. 2016.

Provinzono, Frank. Personal Interview. 2017.

Ramones. "Blitzkrieg Bop." Ramones, CD-ROM, Sire Records, Philips Records, 1976.

Rohter, Larry. "Indie Rock Embraces an African Invasion." New York Times, New
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30indieafrica.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&. Accessed 17 Jan. 2017.
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Spitz, Marc. Nobody likes you: inside the turbulent life, times, and music of
Green Day. Hyperion Books, 2006.

Tolinski, Brad, and Alan Di Perna. "Keith Richards on the Rolling Stones Shift
from R&B to Rock and Roll." Radio.com, CBS Radio, 1 Nov. 2016, radio.com/
2016/11/01/keith-richards-on-the-rolling-stones-shift-from-rb-to-rock-and-roll/.
Accessed 10 Feb. 2017.

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Zeppelin, Led. "Black Dog." Led Zeppelin, CD-ROM, vol. IV, Atlantic Records,
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