Some irrefutable truths about rock and roll


1) Robert Johnson invented rock and roll, and is the rightful King of it. Elvis Presley's title should be amended to "Poster Boy of Early Rock and Roll."

2) Jeff Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is infinitely better than the Rufus Wainwright version and is the definitive version of the song.

3) The Rolling Stones were and are the most overrated band in the history of rock and roll.

4) If it's too loud you are, indeed, too old.

5) The Stone Roses' self-titled debut is the best debut album ever in the history of ever.

6) John Mayer needs to stop that right now.

7) A good song is a good song, whether it's played on an Audiovox tape deck and a single factory speaker in a 1976 Buick Skylark or a complete Linn Klimax system.

8) A couple of Les Pauls, a Fender Precision bass, and a decent set of drums sound every bit as good as the most disciplined orchestra.

9) There is absolutely nothing wrong with having the occasional urge to crank "Hungry Like the Wolf" from time to time, so long as it doesn't become a habit.

Did I forget anything?

*yes, I realize everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, and this is meant to be tongue-in-cheek.
theraiguy
I'm not at all convinced Gatemouth Brown ever played rock. He could swing and play the blues, but is almost unique in the way he usually played ahead of the beat (which I find annoying), but little or no backbeat ("you can't lose it.")
I like Abba. Better than many popular rock acts. Good songwriters, good singers, mass appeal out the gazoo.

Its all music, even the mindless stuff.

I do find the music and entertainment industries obsession with making money and producing mostly mindless garbage these days appalling though. Rock music was a catalyst for that no doubt. I might dislike the corporate warlords, but not the musician pawns that end up successful as a result in general, though I am indifferent to most these days. Music can just be fun though. I love a good pop song still despite all the dreck that runs the system as a whole.
Marqmike, I was a young adult when the rock-era started, in a year people went from romantic couple slow-dancing to individual shake exhibitionism.
And it's been all downhill from there.

Two worst thing that have happened , at a psychological level, in my almost 80 years are TV and R&R .
Rock and Roll was just black slang for sex, just added drugs and away it went.

I'll tell ya 'bout the magic, it'll free your soul
But it's like trying to tell a stranger 'bout rock 'n' roll

--John Sebastian