The 70’s!

The Decade of Nondirection

• In the 50’s the music was revolutionary– All music looked and sounded similar– Elvis Presley

• In the 60’s the music began to fragment– Beatles modified pop– Bob modified Folk– Stones started Hard Rock– The acid rockers were the American Beatles

• Many looked to the 70’s for the next big thing.

There were no stars….

• Beatles disbanded• Kent state ended student protests• Jimi, Janice, and Jim died• Altamont• The San Francisco decline• The youth movement of the 60’s was over• There would be no big stars of the 70’s like the

50’s and 60’s. • The ‘Peace and Love for All’ became “To hell

with society; I must take care of Me”.

Musical Reactions

• There was a reaction against the heavy complexities of the 60’s.

• Many youths were tired of the heavy issues, the obscure texts, and the intricate complexities of the 60’s rock.

• They went “Back to the Basics” and embraced the simpler styles of disco, country-oriented rock, and hard rock.

Fragmentation

• People began to be more specialized, expect more choices, demand individualism.

• The music did the same thing, split into several categories– Reggae, punk, disco, heavy metal, jazz, classical, soul, folk,

easy listening, rock, and so on. • Everyone waited for the next Elvis, but the fragmentation

didn’t allow this to happen.– Elton John, Peter Frampton, and the Bee Gees came close.

• Music went from being an ‘art’ to a ‘product’– The commercial success of artists like Frampton made the

record companies push the popularity formula more then ever. – Do not get too experimental or innovative because it might not

sell; stick to the proven product.

Continuation

• Music in the 70’s was mainly a continuation of the trends of the 60’s. – Massive electronic exploration.

• Synthesizer• Studio technology• Live concert sound reproduction

– Many of the popular bands of the 60’s continued to have success into the 70’s

• Rolling Stones, Chicago, Emerson Lake and Palmer, the Who, and the Dead

The British Keep Coming

• In the last two years of the 60’s a host of new British bands launched a second invasion. – These groups split into two schools: The Beatles and

the Stones• The Stones side would lead to ‘hard rock’ and ‘heavy metal’. • Some went into the “Glitter Rock” or theatrical side of things. • Eventually went against everything and became “Punk”• The Beatles side would go towards ‘Art Rock’, ‘Progressive

Rock’, and commercially popular sounds.

Eric Clapton• Only 3-time inductee into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame• Started off with the Yardbirds• Split off and created “Cream”

– Sunshine of Your Love

• Split up the group– Formed two new pieces– Blind faith– Derek and the Dominoes

• Tortured with a drug problem and an on-and-off love affair with Patti Harrison (Georges Wife).– Eventually married – Dropped out of the limelight for a long time

• Had a comeback in the mid-90’s with his ‘Unplugged’ album– Tears in Heaven

Other ‘Second Wavers’

• Steve Winwood– Played with Clapton– Feelin’

Alright (with Traffic)

• Rod Stewart– Maggie May– Continued to be

popular into the 70’s

British Heavy Metal Evolves

• An exaggeration of the hard rock side of the mainstream. – If hard rock was loud, heavy metal was

louder; if hard rock was simple and repetitive, heavy metal was more so. If hard rockers shouted, heavy metal singers screamed. If hard rockers experimented with electronics and distortion, heavy metalers distorted everything. This was true for solos and counterculture. Heavy metalers were anticultural.

Led Zeppelin• The premier heavy metal band of

the 70’s• Jimmy Page (Yardbirds), Robert

Plant, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones.

• Became Led Zeppelin and recorded several hits. Albums I through IV proved many hits.

• “Whole Lotta Love:” best example of THE early 70s hard rock style

• Jimmy Page most expanded the guitar’s sonic vocabulary. Signature: distortion. Focused on cohesion and full sound.

• Most iconic song: Stairway to Heaven

Led’s Troubles• Began in 1975 when a

series of personal tragedies struck Robert Plant.

• John Bonham died in 1980• They broke up but reformed

several times to do albums. • Led Zepplin is only the third

group in existence to have four ‘diamond’ albums (10 million copies sold)

Ozzy Osbourne• Went deeper into the British Heavy Metal sound

and Black Magic.• Originally sang with Black Sabbath.• Had a distinctive voice, defiant aggressive lyrics.• Horror Movie concept to their albums

– Bark at the moon• Left Black Sabbath in 78’, became a major

heavy metal solo act– No More Tears

• Known for excessive drug use, bat decapitations, ant snorting, urine licking, and had a brief 15 minute return to fame with “The Osbournes” reality show.

Glitter Rock

• An offshoot of the British mainstream was what became known as glitter rock or glam rock.

• The leader of this trend was David Bowie, one of the true enigmas of rock.

• Has continually changed his look throughout his career.

David Bowie

• Born in London, originally David Jones, changed so as to not be confused with David Jones of the Monkeys.

• Spent much of his early life in the theater and even a mime.

• Not having much success he realized he would have to stand out from the rest

• Created Ziggy Stardust, a rock and roll alter ego.

Ziggy• Ziggy shot him to the top.

– Ziggy Stardust

• Had elaborate theatrical sets, costing over $250k

• Openly Bi-sexual, androgynous, white faced, orange hair.

• Bowie became so caught up in the life of Ziggy that he actually had to “Kill Ziggy Off” in order to not go insane.

• Bowie went on to have several solo albums, appeared in movies.

Elton John

• Anointed the Presley or Beatles of the 70’s Elton John was enormously successful.

• Didn’t quite reach the status of the Elvis or the Beatles though.

• Real name was Reginald Dwight, born in Middlesex, England.

• Began playing at the age of 4, and won a scholarship to London’s Royal Academy.

Elton• First big hit:

– Your Song• Elton’s biggest period was

from 71’-76’, seven top 20 hits 5 number 1’s.

• Had crazy costumes and stage show, similar to Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis.

• Began career as bisexual, eventually married his secretary, didn’t work, became a gay advocate for the remainder of his career.

• Popularity remained through 80’s had a resurgence in the early 90’s with “The Lion King”

Fleetwood Mac

• One of the most successful of the mainstream groups.

• Blues-based, softer. • Began in the 60’s, was

very popular in England, didn’t have success in the U.S.

• Moved to L.A., added Stevie Nicks. Became a commercial success.

• Good vocal harmonies, good music.

• Divorces sent the group in different directions– Go your own way

• Stevie Nicks continued to have hits as a soloist

Peter Frampton• The biggest selling artist

of the 70’s was Peter Frampton.

• Considered the Elvis and Beatles of the 70’s, had a two year stint of success before fading into obscurity..

• Frampton Comes alive!– Do You Feel Like We Do– Featured a ‘Voice Box’

• Follow up albums never achieved the same level of success