In 1967, violent, race-driven riots broke out in a score of American cities, with the ones in Newark and Detroit by far the worst. We're still feeling their effects today. One consequence of the riots was the acceleration of the decline of the inner cities and white flight to the suburbs.
Partial list:
June 2-7: Boston (Roxbury) riots
June 12: Cincinnati riots
June 26 - July 1: Buffalo riots
July 10: Waterloo, Iowa riots
July 12-17: Newark riots
July 12-14: Hartford riots
July 12-13: Erie, PA riots
July 23-28: Detroit riots
History in the context of the debates over public housing: The Buell Hypothesis
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
On the music of 1967
If a word characterizes the music of 1967 it is "hopeful." There's also a note of "what's music going to be?," which expresses itself as either scattered or creative.
Divided then, closer now
Back in those years we divided rock/pop into genres. Folk rock, British, San Francisco, LA, etc. Listening now, all of this music sounds more similar than different. I'm not denying subgenre differences and individual styles. Still, from this distance an overall style that unites them all is discernible, especially when you contrast it to today's music and what's come inbetween. The commonality about music of the period is the use of a standard palette of instruments, fewer digital techniques of production, and a looseness of song structure.
Which years were prime?
1973 was the only one.
1967 = 7 x 281
1968 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 41
1969 = 11 x 179
1970 = 2 x 5 x 197
1971 = 3 x 3 x 3 x 73
1972 = 2 x 2 x 17 x 29
1973 PRIME
1974 = 2 x 3 x 7 x 47
1967 = 7 x 281
1968 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 41
1969 = 11 x 179
1970 = 2 x 5 x 197
1971 = 3 x 3 x 3 x 73
1972 = 2 x 2 x 17 x 29
1973 PRIME
1974 = 2 x 3 x 7 x 47
Monday, March 26, 2012
Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead
I am going to publish some more posts that aren't about specific records. They will be tagged "posts."
Anyway, one of the biggest revelations so far has been how good the Jefferson Airplane were. Especially After Bathing At Baxter's (1967), Crown of Creation (1968), and Bark (1971). Based on the recorded evidence, they were a much better band than the Dead. And yet the Dead got and get all the attention. The Dead are about mystique, not music. They were better at promotion, toured constantly, and had a longer career. The Airplane were not as cuddly, not as user-friendly. A little harder to understand.
Anyway, one of the biggest revelations so far has been how good the Jefferson Airplane were. Especially After Bathing At Baxter's (1967), Crown of Creation (1968), and Bark (1971). Based on the recorded evidence, they were a much better band than the Dead. And yet the Dead got and get all the attention. The Dead are about mystique, not music. They were better at promotion, toured constantly, and had a longer career. The Airplane were not as cuddly, not as user-friendly. A little harder to understand.
Easy Action, Alice Cooper, 1970
Awful, just awful. Sub-Pink Floyd/Mothers of Invention claptrap. Not a trace of what Alice Cooper would turn into later.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan, 1974
There are two good songs on this album -- "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" and "Pretzel Logic" (which is the name of the "over a long time ago" song).
The rest of it is too surface, too glossy, doesn't have the cutting quality you expect from Steely Dan. The playing and production are sophisticated, but there’s something missing. Passion, humor, something. I feel the monkey in your soul? WTF?
The rest of it is too surface, too glossy, doesn't have the cutting quality you expect from Steely Dan. The playing and production are sophisticated, but there’s something missing. Passion, humor, something. I feel the monkey in your soul? WTF?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)