Define and be able to recognize Art Rock music through the chapter readings and in the songs included in the Listening

LESSON 6
FROM ART ROCK, LED ZEPPELIN, AND HEAVY METAL, TO THE AVANT-GARDE, PINK
FLOYD, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, AND PUNK ROCK.
Reading: Rock and Roll: A Social History, Chapters 15, 16, 17, & 18
LESSON 6 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Define and be able to recognize Art Rock music through the chapter readings and in the songs included in the Listening
Selections for this lesson.
• To become familiar with, recognize, and apply specific music characteristic terms to describe the music of Cream, Led
Zeppelin, The Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Metallica, David Bowie, The Velvet Underground, The Ramones, The Sex
Pistols, The Clash, and The Dead Kennedys.
• To become familiar with, recognize, and apply specific music characteristic terms to describe the music you listen to in this
lesson.
Students are encouraged to repeat the listening examples as necessary. It would be counterproductive to listen to this great music
only once.
LESSON 6 QUESTIONS
1. Listen to and describe the following songs by The Yardbirds:
“Louise” a John Lee Hooker composition; this performance features Keith Relf singing and playing blues harmonica, and Eric Clapton
on electric guitar
“For Your Love” – from 1965, this is the original promotional film version of the song.
“I’m A Man” – The Yardbirds from 1967 featuring Keith Relf singing and playing blues harmonica, and Jimmy Page on electric guitar
From your reading, viewing, and listening, briefly evaluate the significance of The Yardbirds to the history of rock music? ]
2. What is the connection between The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin?
3. As you listen to Eric Clapton play with the band called Cream (one many bands Eric has been a major contributor to), compare and
contrast the following songs. Friedlander’s discussion of the musical characteristics present in the famous Cream song, Sunshine of
Your Love are common to many of their other songs as well. Listen and list those that you recognize in these two examples:
a) Crossroads
b) White Room
4. What does Friedlander have to say about the guitar playing of Jimmy Page? What future genre did his playing style help “lay the
foundation” for?
5. As you listen to the following selections by Led Zeppelin, list any characteristics or unique aspects present in these recordings.
What are the major differences between their music and that of the majority of other late 60’s/early 70’s bands?
a) The Lemon Song
b) Whole Lotta Love
c) Communication Breakdown
Notice the tremendous influence of the blues in their music. The music is louder, more intense, at times, almost raw. This truly is
“rock which had not been dissipated by a softening of its integral nature—of its Afro-American, blues centered character.” Listen
especially for the combination of Jimmy Page’s blues guitar playing and Robert Plant’s exceptional blues vocal stylings. There are
moments when I directly hear Janis Joplin, and Big Mama Thornton in his vocal timbres.
Friedlander states, “the music beyond the advent of Led Zeppelin fell into two categories—hard rock/heavy metal and art rock.”
About Art Rock—”Arguments that rock could be improved by the absorption of Brahmsian piano technique or entire pieces
composed by Mussorgsky, misunderstood its archetypal role as a revolt against colonial mentality—as a purgative which, like
Artaud’s theater, had as its purpose the elimination of European chauvinism.” (Nathan Rubin “Rock and Roll: Art and Anti Art”,
217)
Rubin is correct. Rock did not “improve” thanks to groups such as The Moody Blues and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (nor was that
their purpose)—it branched out, taking the very music that represented “Western cultural superiority”, and fused it with rock and
roll.
6. Explore the list below of Art Rock or Progressive Rock bands. Select two different bands to listen and respond to from the single
songs and full album selections below. You may elect to respond to the single tracks or to entire albums. Be sure to list
characteristics you notice on your particular recording that Friedlander presents in his discussion of Art Rock. Please list any other
characteristics you hear that are not outlined by him. This music is fun to explore and offers a variety of characteristics–Enjoy!