First there was Elvis and then the Beatles. After that came the Third Generation. But what exactly was it that separated this new (and perhaps last) era in rock 'n roll from the mode of the music that came before? Some like Metal Mike Saunders would say that this new generation was part and parcel to the downer groove not only in music but life, the hard edged thud that was being produced by the likes of Black Sabbath not to mention Grand Funk Railroad and other practitioners of the metallic groove that mirrors youthful depression so magnificently. Peter Stanfield, however, begs to differ --- somewhat.
In this tome for the times (the times being the early-seventies that is), Stanfield dishes out his own take on a musical era that some might have called a total washout in the history of music (which it was) but others like Stanfield believe was one of the more engrossing, vibrant eras in that monster we call rock 'n roll (which it was as well). That is, if you think rock 'n roll is music but anyway this is a hotcha historical (re)vision regarding those highs in the early-seventies that were sorta looked upon as the swan dive into the mung after the huge rush of sixties sounds seemed to make everyone under thirty mad with the Big Beat. As time crept on a whole load of people began to look upon them days with rather rose-colored rear view mirrors, and after reading this book I'm sure many of you readers will understand why.
Maybe Stanfield is making too much of a stretch beginning his book with the doings of one Mick Farren, a guy who may have been a big if incendiary name over in Merrie Olde but hardly rated a ripple o'er here in the boonies. But eh, this book's devoted to the English side of things, a time when the best moments of the sixties (talking the early-Who, Velvets, Troggs...) gave way to the new guard and a really swinging London where expats such as Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and the Flamin' Groovies settled down adding an extra oomph to an era that at least gave people somewhat of a respite from the whole grain Marin County hokesterisms that were emanating from the western portion of these here United States.
Naturally plenty of space is given to the men who made it move from Marc and David to Roxy Music's Clockwork Orange future shock (and yeah, even the Clockwork movie worms its way into the narrative) along with the guys and gals (and who could tell 'em apart?) whose fashion sense might have been too glitzy for some peoples' tastes. It sure was a vast improvement over the denim shaggy fringe that epitomized the David Crosby portion of the music scene, and although the laid back trend would continue on in Ameriga for some time well, at least this new era of sonic grog was a welcome relief. Heck, even the Sweet make a hearty appearance in these pages and I'm sure glad that someone is remembering these hitmaking wonders a good five decades after it all came tumbling down and we're still trying to sort out the rubble!
One nitpick --- Jymn Parrett is Canadian not Amerigan but otherwise Stanfied seems to get his facts straighter 'n some of the musicians he's discussing were!
You like this blog? You like your old rock papers and mags with all of those flipped out "gonzo" writers who either made you glad or mad? Still have those T. Rex singles snuggled in your collection? Did you get your fashion tips from Lisa Robinson's "Eleganza" column (or, if you were a Clevelander, Charlotte Pressler's "Pizzaz")? Well, this one one book, and perhaps one of the ONLY ones extant, that will tell you the plain and simple truth that you were right all along!
1972 was fine.
ReplyDeleteAlice Cooper, T Rex, Poco, Bowie, Yes, Reed, Zep, Groovies, Jackson, Neil, Pink Floyd, Joni.
No complaints.
Thank you . . . reading this has made my day
ReplyDeleteBest, Peter