Given the influence that rockabilly music has had on the planet of pop music, it's pretty surprising how short the life span of original-generation rockabilly was. The music that spawned rock and roll and inspired everyone from the Beatles to Bruce Springsteen and is still inspiring a new generation of rockers today was definitely only at the leading of the charts for a short five- or six-year period from 1954 when Elvis changed every thing with "That's All Correct" by means of to 1959 or 1960 when music fans' tastes began to alter and the huge record companies started to put slick polish on its rock stars. But the genre has survived since of contemporary artists who consistently breathe new life into the old music.
Rockabilly music all but died into the history books throughout the mid 60s through the end of the 70s. With all that was going on in rock and roll through the 1960s and the way the music had changed and progressed, rockabilly was rapidly outdated in the minds of the record-buying public. The youngsters were right after the sophistication of the Beatles and their musical experimentations, the Rolling Stones and their anti-authoritarian attitude, The Doors and their psychedelic mind trips, the Moody Blues and their neo-classical musings, and so countless other bands that had been taking music in so a large number of other directions. The simplicity of rockabilly just couldn't compete and was seriously all but forgotten.
Thankfully, there have usually been modern bands that didn't forget. Bands that wanted to continue the rockabilly legacy. Rockabilly continued to be revered, especially in Europe where it was in no way forgotten. Towards the end of the 1970s when disco was sweeping the pop world, numerous rockers were, frankly, disgusted by where their beloved music had ended up. Countless rock and roll musicians began searching for a way back to their roots. As they explored a a lot more pure form of rock and roll, a large number of began to rediscover rockabilly music. Others invented yet another totally diverse form which they labeled "punk rock".
As the 70s drew to a close and the 80s dawned, American bands began to be interested in rockabilly once more. Robert Gordon began turning out really fine rockabilly recordings. Bands like The Blasters out of Los Angeles returned to the roots of rock and roll and began recording a modified version of rockabilly. Although neither of these acts (nor other people who had been reviving the rockabilly art form) ever produced it large, they did have fairly great success and they began a revival that picked up steam until it broke into the top of the charts with the Stray Cats' superb first American release "Built For Speed" in 1981. The Stray Cats sold over 10 million records and clearly proved that rockabilly music could indeed sell.
Considering that then, countless modern day rockabilly bands have kept the genre alive. New bands are continually breathing new life into the old genre and rockabilly music is thriving all through the planet. It's been some time given that anyone's hit the best of the charts with rockabilly once more, but as opposed to the 60s and 70s, there doesn't appear to be any danger of the genre slipping into obscurity. Now that rock and roll is practically 60 years old, there are plenty of older musicians keeping rockabilly alive. But what's most impressive is the number of young youngsters who are discovering their love for rockabilly and forming new bands of their own to write and perform fresh, new rockabilly. As lengthy as these youngsters maintain studying from the older generations, rockabilly will stay alive and nicely for many years to come!
No comments:
Post a Comment