MAINSTREAM ROCK OF THE 70’S & 80’S

70’S MAINSTREAM ROCK

•  Decade of Non-Direction •  Beatles Disbanding •  The Three J’s – Death’s •  Altamont Festival

•  Society Fragmented into hundreds of Self-Interest Groups. “Me-Decade” •  TV expanded into over 40 channels •  Radio discovered Formatting – Segregation of Music

•  Included both American & British Influences

6 MAJOR COMPANIES

•  By the end of the 1970s, the Rock market would be controlled by just six major companies. •  CBS •  Warner Communications •  Polygram •  RCA •  MCA •  Capitol – EMI

• Negative Side-Effect: Music was not an Art, It was a Product.

TWO SIDES OF BRITISH MAINSTREAM

HARDER SIDE •  Cream (Eric Clapton) •  Diraeli Gears (1967) •  “Sunshine of Your Love”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt51rITH3EA

•  Rod Stewart •  Gasoline Alley (1970) -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q64aVDA-s3U Style Fragmented into Hard Rock – Heavy Metal – Punk-Rock

SOFTER SIDE •  Fleetwood Mac •  “Go Your Own Way” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ul-cZyuYq4

•  Elton John •  “Rocket Man” - •  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LX7WrHCaUA

•  There was NO ONE star who equaled the success of Elvis or the Beatles

MAINSTREAM ROCK IN THE STATES

•  For Each British Mainstream Fragment, There was an American Parallel. •  Usually Less Hard than the British Counterpart

•  Creedence Clearwater Revival •  San Francisco Based Group •  “Suzie Q” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mxaA-bJ35s •  “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93S_l0qZrXA

•  CCR’s southern sound was closer to Rockabilly and sometimes to Original Blues. •  The group broke up due to a sibling rivalry between

Tom and John Fogerty. •  Doobie Brothers •  The Captain and Me (1973) -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8kJq4QAPxE

•  Good Vocals & Harmonies •  Clean Playing with Sophisticated Recording Prodution

•  Steve Miller Band •  Steve Miller, originally from Dallas, TX •  Achieved some success during the late-1960s but it wasn’t

until the 1970s that he reach his greatest success. •  “The Joker” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzSC2__LXk4

•  Steve Miller’s Style •  - Blues Roots, colored by touches of Country and the Old San

Francisco sound.

•  Journey •  San Francisco Based •  Began in the 1970’s but didn’t reach success until the 1980’s

•  Journey’s Style: •  Early Mainstream material was more milder.

•  Open Arms: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lLmYLw0WRI

•  Later songs reflect a style closer to hard rock and heavy metal •  “Edge of the Blade” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjk6HD0ZQEw

SOUTHERN ROCK

•  By the 1960s, most rock came from big cities: Detroit, LA, San Francisco, Philadelphia, •  In the 1970s, there was an effort to get back to

basics of Southern Rock & Roll

•  The Allman Brother’s Band •  “Midnight Rider” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBf48xUIBLo

•  Lynyrd Skynyrd •  “Sweet Home Alabama” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye5BuYf8q4o

MAINSTREAM ROCK OF THE 1980’S

•  Bruce Springsteen •  One of the only iconic Rock & Roll stars of the 1980s •  Not an overnight success (paid his dues during the 1970s) •  Raw, Unsophisticated voice like Dylan, Joplin, Hendrix •  Lyrics reference to the frustrations, confusions, dreams of the

average person.

•  Born to Run (1975) – Showed a multi-faceted musicians •  “Born to Run” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3t9SfrfDZM •  Instrumental breaks – sax solo

•  Went through several albums with relative success: •  The River (1980) •  Nebraska (1982)

•  Biggest Success came with Born in The U.S.A. (1984) •  “Born In The U.S.A.” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZD4ezDbbu4 •  “Dancing in The Dark” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYtwQ7DCWAo

U2

•  Irish Rock Group formed in 1976 •  Began by opening for several groups touring in

England and Ireland for four years. •  Signed by Island Records in 1980 •  Had several underwhelming albums for over 7 years.

•  The Joshua Tree (1987) Grammy for AOY •  “With or Without You” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmSdTa9kaiQ •  “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY75dw64sqI