The devil's music!

I always wondered about the controversy surrounding early rock and roll. It's been called lewd, crude, and in extreme cases, demonic. Listening to it today though it is the most mild music ever. I don't see how this was so controversial or why people were so closed minded toward this style of music. Even as late as the 1980's when I was a kid I remember some of the more religious old folks still complaining about Elvis, The Beatles, 80's hair metal, and rock in general and how it's destroying the youth. I imagine there must be people even today who think the same, although I don't know any. Why so closed minded?

This Buddy Holly video is interesting in the fact that the woman in the beginning hints at the possible controversy and differences of opinion about rock and roll in her introduction. "Keep an open mind.." Lol.


And here is the King of musical controversy of his time, Elvis Presley. It's absolutely mild compared to modern rock, it's amusing to think of parents back in the 50's and 60's getting angry over something like this.

It was really just an overreaction to the more overt sexuality of the music and live performances compared to most mainstream music of the time by conservative types. It's increased exponentially since.

Compared to the blues or other forms outside the mainstream it was mild even then.

Originally Posted by Ter

It was really just an overreaction to the more overt sexuality of the music and live performances compared to most mainstream music of the time by conservative types. It's increased exponentially since.

Compared to the blues or other forms outside the mainstream it was mild even then.

This is correct. I would say, however, that rock'n'roll introduced elements of black culture into the white mainstream generally (more overt sexuality was just one aspect of secular black music).

Thats what I was thinking, that is it more of a racial difference and a manifestation of the still racism of the 50's and 60's.

Originally Posted by Old_Scratch

Thats what I was thinking, that is it more of a racial difference and a manifestation of the still racism of the 50's and 60's.

I don't think it was racism so much as a bit of shock at the different culture. Jazz had probably already taken much of the racism.

Some people thought Elvis danced to erotically didn't they?

Just a huge change in culture was a bit of a shock, it was a bit of a rebellious era then, Rock n Roll was only part of it.

It would be awesome to go back and play some Slayer or something back then.

Originally Posted by Kamos Haimon

It would be awesome to go back and play some Slayer or something back then.

Lol, I'm pretty sure it would cause heads to explode like hardcore fireworks.

Reminds me of Back to the Future when Marty McFly busts into some Chuck Berry and then goes into his solo and starts going nuts on stage. And everyone is just shocked!

But that is what Rock 'n' Roll is suppose to be! It is the genre of music that is suppose to defy modern conventions of morality and be so shocking that socially conservative people begin to demand the heads of those devil worshippers!

Ask GG Allin!

Originally Posted by vizi

Reminds me of Back to the Future when Marty McFly busts into some Chuck Berry and then goes into his solo and starts going nuts on stage. And everyone is just shocked!

But that is what Rock 'n' Roll is suppose to be! It is the genre of music that is suppose to defy modern conventions of morality and be so shocking that socially conservative people begin to demand the heads of those devil worshippers!

Ask GG Allin!

JJ Marvin is better!

it's also a euphamism for sex.

Both of those songs are far more potent then anything modern rock really has put out as far as I remember.

Also, blues is the devil's music by label, but it's sorta the same thing. The music is dynamically different and far more rebellious then what people were used to. They're used to classical theory and scripted performance, not ostinato and crappily tuned acoustic guitar and sloppy bass playing.

I think a good comparison is how the general population treated rap in the '90s. It was viewed as a step above what was accepted at the mainstream level for that time, singing about subjects that most people didn't discuss in a public setting as well along with the style of dance that came with it which was viewed as erotic and sexual.

Originally Posted by Old_Scratch

I imagine there must be people even today who think the same, although I don't know any.

Yes there are, and I am one of them. So you have e-met one of those people now

Who cares if this is the devil's music...it's just awsome

Wait until you have children, then you will understand why whatever is current is the devil's music.

The Devil's Sergeant should theoretically know about The Devil's Music...