1) Robert Johnson invented rock and roll, and is the rightful King of it. Elvis Presley's title should be amended to "Poster Boy of Early Rock and Roll."
2) Jeff Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is infinitely better than the Rufus Wainwright version and is the definitive version of the song.
3) The Rolling Stones were and are the most overrated band in the history of rock and roll.
4) If it's too loud you are, indeed, too old.
5) The Stone Roses' self-titled debut is the best debut album ever in the history of ever.
6) John Mayer needs to stop that right now.
7) A good song is a good song, whether it's played on an Audiovox tape deck and a single factory speaker in a 1976 Buick Skylark or a complete Linn Klimax system.
8) A couple of Les Pauls, a Fender Precision bass, and a decent set of drums sound every bit as good as the most disciplined orchestra.
9) There is absolutely nothing wrong with having the occasional urge to crank "Hungry Like the Wolf" from time to time, so long as it doesn't become a habit.
Did I forget anything?
*yes, I realize everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, and this is meant to be tongue-in-cheek.
I see that they're some very misinformed folks here. I suspect that most folks who believe the Beatles invented rock & roll were born after 1965. The truth is the Beatles would have starved to death if it hadn't been for Little Richard. Chuck Berry and Little Richard, were playing rock & roll in the middle to late 1950's before the Beatles were old enough to even go to clubs to see them.
Madhf is exactly right! In fact, it seems like we dropped the "roll" a long time ago and it is usually referred to as just "Rock". BTW, I listen to classical music as well, but some of these classicalphiles sound like my grandparents!
Rock and roll was not invented. It evolved from its roots of rythem and blues, gospel, jazz country etc. The term was invented by Allan Freed with the greatest influence being the appearance of the electric guitar. The other "truths" are just opinions.
I'm with Audiofeil. As much as I've tried to convince myself otherwise over the years, no other rock and roll act is/was in the same league as the Beatles.
It's sad but true.
Maybe rock and roll has finally truly died. Maybe still it will be resurrected someday soon.
Or maybe I'm just an old geezer now and rock and roll as it was is less relevant nowadays and something new, different and more relevant is on the horizon?
I basically agree with you Martykl. It's just that when 'rock stars' get idolized and Joshua Bell can play for a full hour in a New York Subway (yes, this really did happen) and hardly get noticed; there's something wrong with this picture. Garbage in...garbage out. Fill our world with noise and we can't even recognize a true genious when he's standing right in front of us!!
Okay...I have been holding off for a long time. This does not apply solely to this thread – it’s all over the place here…..THEN is THEN and THAN is THAN. Use the terms correctly! Sorry….sorry…I just couldn’t bear it any longer….no offense really. Good grammar is important (okay, now go look through my posts so you can point out my bad grammar and call me a hypocrite). It’s just that the then and than thing is really annoying!!!!!
I understand your point, but that's a pretty narrow view of art (and life). Rock is a minimalist art form and, as such, it's easy to dismiss as simplistic. Particularly when you compare it to the structural complexity of most (Western) classical music. However, simplicity often has its own power.
I'm not gonna argue that Chuck Berry achieved more than Mozart. Merely that -IMHO-it's kind of misguided to compare the two. Some may regard Joel Robluchon or Thomas Keller (or fill in the blank) as the greatest chef in the world. There's no arguing the creativity and mastery of technique that these guys posess, but that doesn't diminish the appeal of a perfect pizza.
The 'irrefutable truth' is that everything associated with Rock and Roll is over rated. Classical music may not be everyone's 'cup of tea', but compared to Rock and Roll it's in a different stratosphere. The master composers had more creativity and excellence to share on a bad day then the best R&R artists have in a lifetime. A good thread for AudioGon might be 'where is the line drawn between music and noise?'. I have to admit that sometimes I like to hear noise from my 'reference system'. I just hope I have the courage to admit to what it really is!!
I'd insert "odd opinions" for "irrefutable truths".
Not necessarily "wrongheaded", just odd.
Marty
PS Johnson played the blues. He clearly inspired many of the early rockers who followed. Who was really first? Many say Louis Jordan's big band. I'd call that a stretch. The earliest recording that I'd call rock n roll would be Gatemouth Brown's Peacock recordings from 1951-1955 (ish). Just my take.
1) Chuck Berry invented Rock and Roll with that one guitar riff that starts Johnny B. Good 2)May very well be true, cannot comment but I did enjoy "Dead skunk in the middle of the road". 3)Aerosmith 4)True 5)Debatable, I have not yet heard this album but I'm inclined to believe that "history of ever" might be an overstatement. 6)Word. 7)Very True. 8)Even Better. 9)True. Nicely Done.
The Beatles are sorely 'underated', especially by those who have little appreciation of they're context in history. The Beatles will continue to touch people because they spoke fearlessly, and were the centre of a cultural phenomenon.
Love the list - especially the point about too loud / old. I already imagine a day when I'm decapacitated in most ways, but can still hit the volume button on the remote and want to crank up the Joe Satriani of 2049 when I'm in my 80's and annoy the hell out of everybody else at the home.
Hmm number 5, hmmm...gee I don't know about that... Are You Experienced, Led Zeppelin, Boy, Outlandos d'Amour, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, The Clash, Black Sabbath, Kill'Em All, Rush, Bleach, Please Please Me, Van Halen, Creedence Clearwater Revival...
In that company, yeah, Stone Roses is great but not necessarily the "best" debut rock album ever. By the way I must disqualify myself simply because I detest the word "best" and our culture's obsession with it.
1. No, it was the Beatles. 2. Who cares. 3. Agreed 4. Don't agree 5. Don't agree 6. I like John Mayer 7. Agreed 8. Agreed, but only if played by capable people. 9. Agreed...Duran Duran, a band so nice, they named it twice.
Some prefer Ludes over Reds. Some feel that they are the best to ever come down the pike. Then again, they weren't any better than any of the others! To each his/her own ...
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