On February 24th, at about 11:59 pm, EST, an era was brought to an end. The Philadelphia station Y100.3 fm changed its programming to “The Beat”, “Philly’s newest hip-hop station”. This extinction of Rock and Roll from the nation’s 6th largest radio station marked the end of a career spanning 54 years.
Rock and roll was born in rural America, it is believed, by the rhythm and blues styles of the south, a style of music that, a century later, would strangle this most profound and beloved types of music.
Perhaps the most well-known characteristic (thought not necessarily a necessity) of rock was the electric guitar, another American invention born of foreigners. Adolph Rickenbacker, forerunner of the Rickenbacker guitar company of Erics Harrison and Clapton fame, collaborated on the first electric guitar dubbed “the frying pan” in 1931, instrumental (no pun intended) in the birth of the revolution of rock and roll. Many recognize the name Les Paul, who used telephone parts to create the first solid body electric guitar in the 1930’s, and was followed by Leo Fender in 1943 with his product bearing his name. Recently, 55% of guitar retailers reported sales that were flat-to-behind those of 2003. This represents a trend that has steadily been on the increase since 1997, with a marked worsening in 2000.
Some would attribute this to a new style of better music on the rise. I refute this and supply only two options to explain these tragic figures.
On the one hand, could you dare to claim that perhaps it is for the best that Rock and Roll dies? One surely could make sufficient argument, but that would imply another musical trend on the rise which is better fit to replace rock. Where is it, then?
Billboard reports of it’s top 40 albums, only 5 are rock and roll (including the perennial favorite of preteen swooned hearts, John Mayer, who I only include for his extensive utilization of the guitar and his feat of generally staying the heck away from country). Who are these survivors?
#3 Green Day- formed in 1989, they have somehow managed to release a chart-topping “rock opera” American Idiot that has been eaten up by the scavengers of rock, those searching desperately for one last morsel of rock and roll. Still, is a band that is over 15 years on the market really count as a part of the evolution of rock and roll?
#9 3 Doors Down- formed in 1999, more on them later.
#12 The Killers- formed in 2002 out of Las Vegas. Self-described “pop-synth-rock”, they released their album “Hot Fuss” with the prophecy that it would be “to sum up, a triumph. A triumph that will see the light of day concurrently in the UK [and the US]”. Out of all major rock bands to come out in the past two years, the Killers are, somehow, the only ones to have had such lengthy success in the charts (37 weeks).
#18 Maroon 5- admittedly, Maroon 5 is not my cup of tea, they are, however, the last remaining pillar of rock and roll today. These boys formed in junior high and still play today. That sort of attitude, reminiscent of Eve6 and Aerosmith, is typical of the rock and roll style. They are signed to Octone records, one of the last major labels to openly accept unsolicited demos from struggling artists, but if this is the kind of music they're after, I think I’ll keep Almost Positive on the computer.
#33 John Mayer- well, he’s a white boy playing guitar, that’s something.
These are the last of the best. These are they who are left to be overtaken by the likes of Omarion, formerly of B2K fame, and Tori Amos. And I suppose that’s what one may argue the fate of rock must be, in the end.
On the other hand, one could argue that rock and roll has been murdered by an inside confederate. Consider:
Creed releases its first album, My Own Prison, in 1997. The very same year, EryKah wins 3 grammys, Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot wins 2 Billboards, and Death Row severs ties with Interscope records, becoming one of the top major labels with such artists as Dr. Dre and “Fiddy” Cent.
Creed’s second album, Human Clay, is released in 1999. This same year, a flood of white rappers came on to the music scene, most of whom are unheard of now, so don’t feel bad: Cex, cLOUDDEAD, Ten, Bottle of Humans, Sole, and Cannibal Ox. Consider that just one year later the decline in markets shares of guitar manufacturers and retailers would begin. Weezer dies the first time:
“By this point, for whatever reason(s), not much was happening in rehersals, and they werent happening with much frequency. Management, concerned at spiralling costs of production without a known product (very little music was leaked out of the rehersals, leading people in various offices to worry that there was no music to justify the expenses) suggested that the band simply take a break until things started to move again”
This attitude would be a common one, with slowed production in rock resources.
In 2000, 3 Doors Down came out with their single “Kryptonite” and album of the same moniker. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Rather, I claim they were cohorts with Creed to commit “Rock and Roll Suicide” to the genre, working from within. Although their intentions may have been good, they no doubt played a crucial role in its demise.
At any rate, Rock and Roll is dead. Creed and other rockabilly stemming from mid-western America were the cancer that killed it slowly and surely. An influx in Mexican immigrants and the popularity of R&B on Mtv (or, some would claim, their refusal to actually air rock and roll) would create an inflation in the tap market to the point where today’s top artists are in terms of gangsta rap magnates “Fiddy” cent and the Game.
I do not, however, expect those who loved rock to cease their patronage. Quite the opposite, embrace it. Go to Virgin Records and buy yourself Abbey Road, or Rocket 88, or even, if you want to, Seventeen Days, the newest trash from 3 Doors Down. Anything you do in memorium of rock would no doubt make it very happy as it joins its departed disciples in the sky- Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Jerry Garcia, Keith Moon, and Buddy Holly. Play those vinyls. Play those indie labels. Doe your part and smile as you remember the good ol’ days.
Just don’t turn on the radio.
Somewhere, off in the distance over the river Styx, the soul of Rock and Roll sings quietly a dirge: “Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away…”
