You Are What You Were. Celebrate Retro Pop Culture At Retroland.
It would seem that within each decade of rock and roll's colorful history, there resides a handful of artists who reinvent the genre and make it their own. In the 1950's, it was Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. The 1960's belonged to the Beatles and Rolling Stones. And when it came to the hard rock [...]
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The 70s were dominated by hard rocking boys and their guitars so it was always nice to find a gal holding her own in the male-dominated music industry. Pat Benatar was not only a lone female in a sea of testosterone, but she also had one of the best voices to ever grace the charts.
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The emergence of “arena rock” in the late 70s, saw the rise of a number of bands that seemingly went from being completely unknown to filling stadiums overflowing with adoring fans. Perhaps one of the most successful in this genre was a group of five Chicago-based rockers who called themselves Styx. Talk about coming out swinging; the band would land four consecutive double platinum albums, the first band ever to do so, and quickly prove they were a force to be reckoned with.
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In the 80s, musical styles were exploring strange new territory, with the inclusion of synthesizers and drum machines adding a mechanical texture and giving a glimpse into the future. But one band in particular, decided to look back rather than forward, going to their roots to forge a retro sound that harkened back to a simpler time in music, the rockabilly era of Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and the famous Sun sessions of Elvis Presley. With plenty of pomade in their hair, flipped up collars, and a simple instrumentation, The Stray Cats were a welcome blast from the past.
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From the moment Elvis started swinging his hips on television, rock and roll’s cast of colorful characters have never disappointed when it comes to controversy, whether it be sexual scandals, jaw-dropping tales of substance abuse or even just the occasional television set sent cascading from the rooftop of a hotel. And yet, few have managed to achieve the notoriety of Ozzie Osbourne, a hard rocking singer whose tales of excess and bizarre behavior are the stuff legends are made of. But controversy is only part of the story. Ozzie is also one of the undeniable forefathers of heavy metal, and as a result, has enjoyed a wildly successful career that spans over four decades.
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Success came early to Peter Frampton. Embarking on a teen idol career in his native England, he soon crossed the pond to conquer the Americas as well. He had a prolific run with the band Humble Pie but he’s best remembered for his solo output in the 70s, including one of the best selling live albums ever to hit the street. Let's take a look back at this innovative musician, whose songs certainly didn't suffer from lack of airplay in the 70s.
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Once upon a time, there was no more fitting way to show your loyalty to your favorite teen idol or rock star than to adorn your bedroom wall (or ceiling) with a full-sized image of their smiling mug - staring at you lovingly, as if to say “You are the only one for me.” And if celebrity worship wasn’t your thing, perhaps you just wanted to ogle your favorite automobile, sports team, or a cat hanging from a pole reminding you to “Hang in there, Baby!” And if you happened to own a black light, there were hundreds of psychedelic scenes just waiting for their fluorescent colors to be vibrantly illuminated in your darkened room. Today, we take a look back at the iconic artwork that many of us spent hundreds of hours staring at through the course of our adolescence.
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Following the extraordinary rise of The Beatles, it wasn’t long before British bands were coming out of the woodwork, doing their best to imitate the Fab Four. And, at first glance, one might put The Zombies in that category, but to do so would be unfair. Sure, they had a similar look, lush harmonies, and catchy songs - but the sound was completely their own, in part due to the fine keyboard playing of Rod Argent. And their music is still praised and appreciated to this day.
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As if they hadn't done enough already, the Beatles introduced yet another new idea into the world of rock music by incorporating cellos, violins and other classical instruments into their songs. Inspired by the Fab Four's pioneer spirit, Roy Wood, guitarist for The Move, formed a new band that would experiment exclusively with the fusion of rock and classical. The result was the Electric Light Orchestra, a prolific group that quickly became a staple of 70s radio and beyond, thanks to an impressive 27 Top-40 hits.
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In 1973, as the Vietnam War wound down and the Watergate hearings fired up, it is no wonder that Americans were nostalgic for the simpler days. Filmmaker George Lucas certainly was, as he took us all on a virtual trip back to a small town in California, circa 1962, in his acclaimed film, American Graffiti. Filled with fast cars, angst-filled teens, sock hops, carhops, and a smorgasbord of classic rock and roll, American Graffiti won the hearts of anyone who happened to live through that bygone era, and many that didn't.
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