To be sure, rock n' roll is usually a flagrant commercialization of rhythm & blues, but the music in many cases depends on materials that are so alien to the general middle-class, middle-brow American culture as to remain interesting. Many of the same kinds of cheap American dilutions that had disfigured popular swing have tended to disfigure the new music, but the source, the exciting and "vulgar" urban blues of the forties, is still sufficiently removed from the mainstream to be vital. For this reason, rock n' roll has not become as emotionally meaningless as commercial swing. It is sill raw enough to stand the dilution and in some cases, to even be made attractive by the very fact of its commercialization. Even its "alienation" remains conspicuous; it is often used to characterize white adolescents as "youthful offenders." (Rock n' roll also is popular with another "underprivileged" minority, e.g., Puerto Rican youths. There are now even quite popular rock n' roll songs, at least around New York, that have some of the lyrics in Spanish.) Rock n' roll is the blues form of the classes of Americans who lack the "sophistication" to be middle brows, or are too naïve to get in on the mainstream American taste; those who think that somehow Melachrino, Kostelanetz, etc., are too lifeless
Amiri Baraka
Related I wanna show that gospel, country, blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll are all just... ETTA JAMES I liked all music when I was a kid: blues, rock 'n' roll, country and reggae. I don't think I can pl... GEORGE THOROGOOD I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at le... KURT VONNEGUT JR. There's rock n' roll in hip-hop, there's rock n' roll in pop music, there's rock... JOHN VARVATOS I have always believed that there is nothing greater than a life in rock n' roll - it has to be ... ATUL GAWANDE When you sit down and think about what rock 'n' roll music really is, then you have to chang... LITTLE RICHARD The blues was the foundation on which rock 'n' roll was built. CHAD KASSEM I love rock-n-roll. I think it's an exciting art form. It's revolutionary. Still revolutionary and i... NICK CAVE I started off doing rock 'n' roll, and then I went back, a couple of albums ago, into writing rock '... JOHN CALE Because the blues is the basis of most American music in the 20th century. It's a 12-bar form th... WYNTON MARSALIS I love rock-n-roll. I think it's an exciting art form. It's revolutionary. Still revolutiona... NICK CAVE There's always gonna be rock n' roll bands, there's always gonna be kids that love rock ... DAVE GROHL If you're looking for youth, you're looking for longevity, just take a dose of rock 'n' roll. It kee... HANK BALLARD Rock n' Roll came from the slaves singing gospel in the fields. Their lives were hell and they used ... MEAT LOAF How should I know?" said Alice, surprised at her own courage. "It's no business of mine." The Q... LEWIS CARROLL As I discovered music, especially Rock 'n Roll, new territory was opened to me. I was lured by t... TAYLOR HANSON All the traditional iconography around rock 'n' roll - sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll - wasn't so much... BRAD TOLINSKI Popular culture - above all rock 'n' roll, with its African-American R & B roots - did f... CAMILLE PAGLIA The unfortunate thing is that, sometimes, we slip, but, fortunately, consciously or unconsciously, w... ERNEST AGYEMANG YEBOAH Be kind. We never know what people are going through. Give grace and mercy because one day your circ... GERMANY KENT I don't really get the same kinda romance that I would get from, like, jazz. And even to a lesse... LUPE FIASCO America is tough for rock music. Rock n' roll used to be the main music for the youth, and it... TAYLOR HAWKINS One of the things that makes it just like rock 'n roll [is it is] quite a difficult business to budg... IAN ANDERSON Elvis made it the singer, not the song. He's the reason rock 'n' roll is still alive. GLENN GASS I'm the Connie Francis of rock 'n' roll ELTON JOHN I use rock and jazz and blues rhythms because I love that music. I hope my poetry has a relationship... ADRIAN MITCHELL I don't think rock 'n roll is necessarily a young man's game. I think Neil Young is just... ADAM CLAYTON I didn't plan on rock-n-roll. I wanted to learn jazz; I got to know some people doing rock-n-rol... ROBBY KRIEGER CRCR ... goodbye to the rock 'n' roll era. STEPHEN MALKMUS (She) is classically trained, but amazing enough, she's got a rock 'n' roll heart. She was playing b... GRAEME EDGE rock 'n' roll of comedy. ANDREW CLAY rock 'n' roll of comedy. ANDREW DICE CLAY Hip hop is the new rock n' roll, you know what I mean? And anybody who doesn't think that is... DAN AUERBACH Finn, listen!" Trevanion said, his voice raw."I prayed to see you one more time. It's all I prayed f... MELINA MARCHETTA Be prepared for the worst, my love, for it lives next door to the best. MELINA MARCHETTA Kindness is universal. Sometimes being kind allows others to see the goodness in humanity through yo... GERMANY KENT No matter how long you play rock n roll songs might change just as the balls are there, the rock bal... BON SCOTT Commercial rock 'n' roll music is a brutalization of the stream of contemporary Negro church music a... RALPH ELLISON Rock 'n Roll is the most brutal, ugly, desperate, vicious form of expression it has been my misfortu... FRANK SINATRA The reason kids like rock 'n roll is their parents don't. MITCH MILLER It's undying. It's the pinnacle of rock 'n' roll. GARY KOENIG Michael Anthony is the Diplomat of Rock N Roll. He is the regular guy. GARY CHERONE I was listening to music long before rock 'n roll. BILL WYMAN To make a rock'n'roll record, technology is the least important thing. KEITH RICHARDS We wanted to bring a little more rock 'n' roll to Rock the Block. BRANDON BROWN Every actor I know pretty much wants to be a rock n' roll star, and we'd all give it up to b... DAVID COSTABILE It will be a kick-ass rock 'n' roll show. We like to rock out. BEN BREWER If you don't know the blues, ... there's no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll... KEITH RICHARDS If you don't know the blues... there's no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll o... KEITH RICHARDS May I never neither turn left nor turn right in my journey of life, but may I go straight to Christ ... ERNEST AGYEMANG YEBOAH Friendship is a double-edged sword one side it can be great and true but the other side it spells be... GARY F EVANS... When I write, I'm trying to put what I love into music. Everything through my life, the music that i... ANDREW YORK I think the rock'n'roll myth of living on the edge is a pile of crap. ROBERT SMITH The difference between blues, jazz, rock n' roll and rap is that rap stayed poor. Even the white... RUSSELL SIMMONS I was listening to music long before rock 'n roll. BILL WYMAN There comes a point where it is just undignified to be a rock 'n' roll star, TINA TURNER All the songs we do are basically about one of three things: booze, sex or rock n roll. BON SCOTT Let the rock 'n' roll outfits commence! TRE COOL When you put people right up there on stage, it's as unique of an experience you will ever have. Not... DALE SKJERSETH Everything that's rock n roll is ever meant to be is happening now. I need to get over the shock... BOB GELDOF Rock 'n' roll can be dangerous and fun at the same time, so thanks a lot. BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG Rock 'n Roll is monotony tinged with hysteria. VANCE PACKARD Most people are living lives of sort of survival. And constantly posing an existential crisis, eithe... BILLY CORGAN Food Allergies Are Not Due to Food, Rather Are Due to the Constant Contamination of That Food That Y... THEHEALTHFOODGURU My older sister was at the cusp of new wave, and I had older brothers from my father's first mar... PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON The great moments of rock 'n' roll were never off in some corner of the music world, in a se... BONO PEACE IS THE OBJECTIVE TO WAR, BUT THE BLOOD RUNNETH STILL NATALIE URQUIETA I like to open for a band as it brings on sort of a challenge and it makes things more interesting. ... KELLY JONES I feel like the Cal Ripkin of rock n' roll. BUTCH TRUCKS You know, there have been a lot of casualties in rock-n-roll. WARREN CUCCURULLO Three-6 Mafia, we were always doing different kinds of things, and we like rock music, we like whate... JUICY J The love you get, is equal to the love you give. BEN OAK I want to go back to the format that radio started with rock n' roll, with country artists and r... WOLFMAN JACK rock 'n' roll, jazz and traditional folk culture. ROBERT HUNTER Rock n' roll is not just a fashion statement; it is the attitude, and it has a political posturi... CEELO GREEN I don't know if I have a favorite color. KATE MIDDLETON It's very special having a new little girl. KATE MIDDLETON (The flute is) an instrument that doesn't lend itself very readily to rock music. It's a gentle and ... IAN ANDERSON Rock n' roll is very special to me. It's my lifeblood. JOEY RAMONE Rock Band is more like Stairmaster than it is like rock 'n' roll - it's the same steps w... CARRIE BROWNSTEIN Dick Clark really didn't make rock 'n roll safe for America, as many people think. ANNETTE FUNICELLO Rock 'n Roll is an asylum for emotional idiots. RICHARD NEVILLE He liked Kid Rock and most rock 'n' roll. EDWARD GOSWICK He used a lot of words. He tried to be very specific and descriptive, which is something I try to be... CRAIG FINN There comes a point where it is just undignified to be a rock 'n' roll star. TINA TURNER The primary math of the real world is one and one equals two. The layman (as, often, do I) swings th... BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN If you don't know the blues... there's no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock an... KEITH RICHARDS I saw rock n' roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen. JON LANDAU We're going to focus on exciting/up-tempo rock n' roll show. I'm excited, the kids are enthusiastic ... BRIAN SCOTT Jimi's music is so universal. And kids who are getting into rock 'n' roll guitar, who's the go-to gu... EDDIE KRAMER I'll do a cappella stuff, rock 'n' roll and swing stuff. JUICE NEWTON From the beginning, I've always had a knack for catchy melodies. But I went through a period whe... JULIANA HATFIELD Playing live is a lot of fun. You get one shot, ... But at the end of the day, it's all rock 'n' rol... JASON MRAZ We try to keep it rock 'n' roll. Everybody's welcome. BOB HUGHES We're not here to make the ignorant people happy. We're here to write our music for those pe... ANDY BIERSACK Books about books is like it's gotta be rock 'n' roll music if you wanna dance with me. JOHN ARNOLD Through the history of rock n' roll, you see lots of bands making the mistake of putting on the ... PATRICK CARNEY Rock n' roll is dream soup, what's your brand? PATTI SMITH I started doing radio at KMPX, the first of the underground rock 'n' roll stations. CHANDLER LAUGHLIN Punk rock seems like my childhood, the glorious, very exciting naivete of rock n' roll. Stenguns and... TONY JAMES
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