Why Rock N Roll

Why Rock ‘n Roll

Haven’t there been numerous articles written about Rock and Roll being dead. Yeah, yeah, yeah I have read this often about the demise of rock by music critics and authors much too often.

And, just as often I have heard songs singing about it being still very much alive. Often these tunes are written by bands who have arrived and find they need a song with a backbeat and some energetic rhythm to it. They suddenly get the urge to write a song about their renewed love for Rock ‘n’ Roll and proclaim that it is very much alive and with a strong beating heart.  Their new song tells the world that Rock is not dead, even when some in the public, its critics, may think or wish it should have been buried long ago. Maybe it seemed a threat to these individuals, but I assure you every time the argument of its death is found to be nothing but wishful thinking. Today, as it has in the past, a new rock song hits the airwaves with as much force as ‘Rock Around the Clock’ had in 1954 when it was introduced to the airwaves.

Styles get dated and often laughed at when listened to in retrospect. but unlike past manufactured songs or outdated song-craft, Rock n Roll remains very much alive and by its nature as energetic as ever and even fresh. It doesn’t matter the decade it was written in. Other styles or trends die or are forgotten. No one remembers songs written at the turn of the 20th century. Mention Tin Pan Alley, and the beginnings  of pop music and few know what that means or even care. But Jazz is not dead, and neither is Blues, and the same goes for Rock n Roll. In fact it always comes back to the fore and there is a very good reason this may be so.

Get with the times I have often been told. Well you know what, the times they talk about have also changed as they were talking. Rock n Roll is still very much alive because it is a living style of music. It is still here with young performers eager to learn its main instruments guitar, drums, bass, brass and piano “keyboards”.

When the Rock ‘n Roll hall of fame changes its name then maybe we should worry.