Chuck HinsonWhy The INVASION Bands Caught On ...
September 15th 2008 14:31
And one of the most frequent pieces of RelicMail I get includes the question: What was so special about them? Why did they catch on so strongly?
Oh. You mean ... "them" as in the bands! Well ...
Actually, there were a number of reasons -- all of which can make an act stand out from this crowded world of rock-and-roll today:
First, they relied on something that too many bands seem to forget about in today's music: a steady, solid rhythm focus! It laid a solid foundation for the songs (after all, ya learn a song by playing rhythm first), and created its continuity!
Next up: they had a good, strong backbeat! The drummers didn't try fancy fills or anything like that; they simply complemented the song and filled in when it was called for! (Natch, there were exceptions, like Keith Moon! But, then again, The Who's brand of rock called for his lunatic style!)
Fourthly? The bands were, for the most part, strong on harmonies! This gave more body to the vocals themselves.
The songs had lyrics that were understandable, easy on the earlobes and, generally, were sung within a two-and-a-half to three-minute song
Lastly (on this part), the bands were lively ... and genuine! They didn't have to use gimmicks or strange get-ups; they just came onstage as themselves, and showed they were playin' because they enjoyed doing it!
PERSONALITY-WISE, these young rockers had come "through the trenches", as such: No internet or YouTube, MySpace or TheirWhatever; from Indra to Cavern, Star to Kaiserkeller, streets to private functions, they'd paid their dues the old-fashioned way: They'd worked hard, lived hand-to-mouth, gone through a million guitar strings, sore throats and broken drumsticks. To them, finally making it in America was the ultimate reward.
When they arrived, they brought energy, wonder and a refreshing wit. Onstage, they mixed those things into their music to produce tremendous shows. They didn't have to resort to gimmickry, thug exteriors or weird histrionics -=
they just got onstage, used all the elements shown above, wrapped them in the energy of their personalities -- and drove the audiences wild.
I'll have more on this in the next post later today. Right now, I've gotta be honest, yardbirds; yer Uncle Relic ... er, fell "asleep at the wheel" last night after about 24 straight up (hey ... don't believe me? Ya oughtta see these keyboard marks on my forehead! lol).
So I'm gonna wrap this up and get back to it after catchin' a quick one. See ya in just a few ticks over on the FLIP SIDE ...
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Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Check this out...
In retrospect, even the bands I didn't like back then are pretty cool to watch these days! I wonder it that energy will ever come around again!