School of Rock
Posted on December 27, 2007 by David
The BBC recently produced a programme entitled “The Seven Ages of Rock” that was picked up in the States by everyone’s favourite station, VH1 Classic. This was how I spent my winter break, watching them all, so you don’t have to.
And I can’t say I recommend catching them all. Which is not to say there weren’t high points, such as rare footage of a few icons in their youth, and a historical context for songs that I know only as good radio candy. But while any project with such aspriations is inevitably doomed by the breadth of the subject matter, there were some notable absences that border on the unforgiveable: Beatles, Elvis, Hendrix, and, well, everything before 1964.
The breakdown of the 7 Ages was questionable and very British-driven, but I don’t know that I could’ve done much better (though I would have at least nodded to the fact that some of the bands readily fit at least 3 of the Ages). Dennis Hopper was a fine choice as narrator but this was muddled every 2 minutes by cliches such as “came to epitomize the voice of his generation”, and “music would never be the same”. Speaking of cliches, I never realized how irrelevant rock journalists really are.
So, after the jump, my own foray into journalism:
Age 1: The Beginning
Apparently the Stones, the Kinks, and the Who started rock and roll, the Animals inspired Dylan to go electric, and declaring Altamont the end of the 60′s has given way to going back further still, to Woodstock or even Monterrey depending on the speaker. Overall, B+
Age 2: Art Rock
Excellent footage of Pink Floyd and the Velvet Underground, WAY too much time spent on Genesis, and nary a mention of Alice Cooper, Zappa, or Beefheart. First 20 minutes = A, last 40 = C.
Age 3: Punk
45 minutes of the Sex Pistols with a few brief nods to the Ramones, Television, Patti Smith, and The Clash. Basically a waste of time since, if you like this stuff, you already know the stories, and if you don’t, then why bother? C for the decent footage of a bleeding Sid Vicious.
Age 4: Heavy Metal
A nice reminder that Sabbath, which formed in 1966, was basically just another hippie band that happened to choose the dark side. Excellent to see them on stage with a psychedelic light show, straight out of Spinal Tap, with Ozzy so young and handsome. But, as with Ozzy, so goes the piece after that: strictly downhill. Interspersed amidst pretty bad music is a vaguely interesting story of how Smoke on the Water was written, and you learn that the black leather and studs metal look comes from Judas Priest’s lead singer’s gay fetishes, but the music just keeps sucking more up through Iron Maiden and Motely Crue. Then no mention of Guns N Roses, and Some Kind of Monster does Metallica so much better. C- overall.
Age 5: Arena Rock
Oh, that’s where Zeppelin fits in. Also Kiss (sad old men now), Queen, The Police, Bruce, Dire Straits (my favorite part) and a touch of U2. Wasn’t that fun? C+
Age 6: American Alternative
Mentioned: REM, Pixies, Nirvana, and a brief allusion to Sonic Youth
Not Mentioned: Everyone else from the last 30 years
Grade: B, but mainly for the Kim Deal interview
Age 7: British Alternative
Starts with the Smiths–God Morissey really is an insufferable puffed-up prat. Stone Roses–perhaps blown out of proportion, but a nice capture of club drugs’ spawning Brit Pop. Some crapola band I’d never heard of called Suede, then the retelling of the 90s with Oasis and Blur, and then this century with the Libertines (really?), Franz Ferdinand, and the Arctic Monkeys even. What I took most from this was realizing that I like Oasis much more than I’d've admitted 10 years ago, and that the guys in the band themselves are actually likeable. Fast-forward through the entirety of Suede and you’ve got yourself an A-.
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2 Responses to “School of Rock”
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I watched the same thing, all seven episodes. My biggest question, what’s the difference between a music journalist and a rock writer? Did you notice that used both labels?
I did not notice that. Was Klosterman the “rock writer” perhaps?