The Promise of Rock & Roll

Chpt. 17 MUSH 261: History of Rock & Roll

Trickling Down with Ronald Reagan • Ronald Reagan took office in 1981• Resulted in a dire economic recession • Divided America into Rich & Poor• “Trickle Down” – Gave government aid to corporations in the hopes

of increasing profit and translating to higher wages and increased employment.

Reagan's Reign

• In office for 8 years • Sent America into an economic tailspin

– Offered corporate incentives – Slashed domestic programs – Padded the military budget

Reagan Antics

• The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) declared strike – Reagan fired all 11,359 Controllers

• Economic Recovery Act – Gave tax breaks to businesses and wealthy

individuals. Many baby boomers who expected the prosperity of

their youth to continue especially felt the effects of the recession

The Boss

• Bruce Springsteen • Sang about Americans who felt the hard times • From Freehold New Jersey • Learned to play the guitar at age 14• 1971: 10-piece Bruce Springsteen Band • 1972: Solo Act – auditioned with

Columbia/John Hammond who worked with Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin

Bruce Springsteen Band

The “New Dylan”

• Bruce was described as the the “New Dylan” • Even looked like Dylan at one point • 1973: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.– Only sold 12,000 copies to the Jersey Shore

• End of 1973: Renamed band, E Street Band • 1974: Rolling Stone Journalist named him the

future of Rock and Roll

Dylan Springsteen

1980’s Springsteen

• Springsteen switched his sound with the economy

• “Darkness on the Edge of Town” • Acoustic Album: Nebraska • chronicled the alienation of aging baby boom

Americans

Born in the USA

• Downbound Train: lumber worker who lost his job and wife when hard times hit

• My Hometown: bleak changes affecting a town located in the depressed heartland of industrial Middle America

• Benefit Concerts for Vietnam Vets • Other Benefit Concerts by other Bands called:

Band Aid

Children of the 60’s

• Renewed interest in social causes shaped new bands

• U2 – From Dublin – Bono: Paul Hewson– The Edge – David Evans – Adam Clayton – Larry Mullen Jr Won a talent contest in 1978

U2

• Debut Single: 11 O’Clock tick tock – Failed to chart

• Political Message – Sunday Bloody Sunday – Political troubles in Ireland

• Commitment to 1960’s ideals • Producer Brian Eno • “Pride (In the Name of Love)” dedicated to

Martin Luther King Jr.

Classic Rock

• Return of the 1960’s style protest & advent of the C.D. brought the rebirth of 1960’s rock

• Radio helped to promote 1960’s rock • Ignored the T.V. Generation that preferred rapid-

fire videos of MTV• Radio programmed oldies for the baby boomers• 1988 – 10,000 station, more than 50 were

broadcasting oldies

Compact Disc• Created in 1982

• Provided record buyers with high-quality, digital, durable, long-lasting format

• Less than 5 inches in diameter

• Could hold 75 minutes of music

• Could not easily be scratched like vinyl

CD & CD players

1983

• CD Player: $900

• CD: $18

1987

• CD Player: Less than $150

• CD: $14

Death of the Cassette • CD’s began to outsell cassettes and cassette

players • Predicted the end of vinyl • 1992: vinyl shrunk to 2.3 percent of the U.S.

music market • CD’s convinced people to buy their favorite

music all over again

Growing Record Industry

• Dominated by 6 Record Companies

• Time-Warner (WEA) • Sony/CBS• Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG)• MCA Matsushita • N.V. Philips of Holland • Thorn-EML (CEMA)

Bruce goes Country

• Paved the road to country success with anthemic tales of working class and the downtrodden

• Steve Earle • Dwight Yoakam• Lynyrd Skynyrd • The Allman Brothers

Garth Brooks

• Addressed current social concerns • “We Shall Be Free” – Supported gay rights

• “Last Night I had the Strangest Dream” – Anti war songs

• “Thunder Rolls” – Effects of domestic violence

• “Face to Face” – Condemned date rape

Shania Twain

• Garth Brooks led the way • Grew up near Ontario Canada on the

Mattagami Indian Reservation • “From This Moment On”• “Come on Over”