The historical background of rock music is not straight-forward, due to the involvement of different factors. The rise of rock and roll music in 1950s definitely paved the path for the birth of 'real' rock as a mature genre of music and more importantly as a culture. There are many styles connected to rock, which are occasionally considered as branches of rock music; but the term 'real' rock is referred to the kind of music having all elements of rock music (as were introduced late 1960s, and completed in 1970s).
In addition to musical significance, rock was introduced as a response to a variety of social problems. Consequently, a new way of thinking was spread among youth led to a new culture in fashion, language, etc. Later, different ideologies results in the formation of various styles of rock.
Musically, rock formed a new framework for the combination of a small group of musicians. In the styles like pop, the duty of all instruments was (and is) to provide a suitable musical environment for the voice of singer, i.e. the most important part of the music.
In rock, all instruments are parts of a united orchestra in favor of the whole composition (somehow with the same importance), and vocal is also treated as another instrument in the whole orchestra of the band. In this musical framework, instrumental songs and instrumental solos by almost every instrument were appeared in rock music, and performing very short or long songs altered the common structure of vocal-centered (pop) music.
First Rock 'N' Roll Record
The first credit definitely goes to the rock and roll pioneers of the United States. Bill Haley and his band The Comets performed the first rock and roll song 'Rock Around The Clock', which went to the top of chart. This success provided a great opportunity for the progress of this kind of music. Later, Elvis Presley, as a superstar, introduced it to public. Rock obviously has roots in other genres like Blues, Jazz, folk; as rock and roll itself derived from such music genres.
The Rise of British Rock
In early 1960s, Cliff Richard introduced a British version of Elvis Presley's American rock and roll. This background paved the path for the formation of many British bands mixing rock & roll and British pop, but the overall structure was still vocal-centered; while instruments (mainly guitars) were providing a rhythmic background for the music. The Beatles is the best example of this class, and had a key role in the popularity of rock music in 1960s, though they had not such influence on the evolution of rock music technically.
During the years 1962 – 1964, numerous bands with this style were formed both in the UK and US, and this was the dominant style continued until 1968. Nevertheless, some prototypes of the so-called 'real' rock music were appeared in this period. An early example is the British band, The Animals, and more specifically their famous song 'The House of the Rising Sun'.
Another important step taken in the evolution of rock music was the electric guitar revolution made by Jimi Hendrix. During his short career, he widely introduced new possibilities for the magic of guitar sound in this class of music. In addition to his innovative shows like playing the guitar with teeth or on his back, he is famous for innovative amplification experiments producing astral-quality feedback and roaring distortion. This is the reason that he is still ranked among the top guitarists of rock music.
Note: This article is Part I in the series of Rock In Time.
Part I in the series of Rock In Time is The House of the Rising Sun.
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