The power of Rock: from its origin to its influence on the big screen

Music, as a universal art, is capable of uniting us all. Although some of us prefer specific styles and others prefer others, the emotion it causes in people is always similar and at the same time different. Some genres like Jazz or music Classic evoke more complex and purer feelings in us, others, such as Reggaeton, he Drill, he Dembow or the Pop They involve us in a lighter and more festive situation.

For its part, rock is the set of varied genres of popular music, very close to pop, depending on the time, which descends from Rock n' Roll original born in the United States in the 1950s, as a fusion between music Country and the Rhythm and Blues. Let's get into the Rock, its origin, history, songs and influence on cinema.

Origin and history of rock

Traditionally, the Rock It is a gender recognized for the predominance of the electric guitar, 4/4 time signatures and a verse-chorus structure. Although given its evolution, currently it is difficult to see reliably common characteristics. Its themes point to the social, political, personal relationships and emotion, and places emphasis on aspects such as composition, live performance and originality.

Rock has its origins in 1950s in the United States and that of 1960 in the United Kingdom. The first is known as the 'golden era' or the 'classic rock' period, in which the Rock n' Roll. During the 1950s it would become popular on a large scale in the United States and the West, thanks to artists such as Eddie Cochran, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison, if not the great musicians of the black rock: Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley or Little Richard.

The success would be such that in Detroit, United States, Rock and Rhythm and Blues began a common path, from which the soloist and dancer would emerge in the following decade. Michael Jackson, who would become the King of Pop. With the 'British invasion' in the 60s, groups were born that have written the history of the genre, such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Animals or The Who, among others.

He hippie spirit of the time predetermined a veritable explosion of variants of the Rock, in the heat of the countercultural movement. Psychedelia, free love and the Sexual Revolution were the hallmarks of rock in the 60s and 70s, and they included artists of the caliber of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed and bands like Pink Floyd, Velvet Underground, Greatful Dead or Jethro Tull, with a more experimental edge.

In the 70s, bands like Queen, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple, took elements from other musical genres such as Opera or Soul, to take a giant step in the genre and give birth to different styles and evolutions, such as Psychedelic rock or the Progressive rock.

In this same decade, also notable is the Punk rock, born in the United Kingdom at the end of the decade and clearly oriented towards political content. During those years, great figures stood out such as Génesis, Ramones, Yes, Alice Cooper, Van Halen or other more eclectic ones such as David Bowie.

The 80s were marked by the return of Rock towards more commercial aspects, giving birth, in a way, to Pop. In this context, bands and soloists such as Duran Duran, Madonna, Michel Jackson or Billy Idol emerged. At the same time, the so-called Alternative Rock was present on the scene mainstream with The Cure, REM, U2, Pixies and others, at the same time that punk was maintained and genres like heavy metal They filled stadiums.

The 90s reinvented a new british invasion and the birth and rise of new, more disenchanted and melancholic aspects, As the grungy, with Nirvana at the helm or the britpop, and even more mechanizing such as Industrial Rock, which took the sounds of factories and factories, and which would later give rise to electronic music. legendary bands like Guns n' Roses, Metallica, Nirvana, Radiohead, Oasis, Blur and Placebo made their entry into the scene.

What message does rock transmit?

He Rock It is a musical genre that has been valued by millions of people around the world and not by chance. It is a form of artistic expression that allows its performers and composers to transmit their feelings, thoughts and emotions in a very intense and direct way. It is characterized by its energy and intensity and has influenced multiple generations over the years.

Since its beginnings, rock has carried with it a message that has been able to change the lives of many people. Rock music reflects a message of freedom and rebellion that has influenced and inspired many people throughout history. Its message has witnessed different historical milestones, from the 60's with the hippie counterculture to the 90's with the hippie movement. grungy. Rock music is a form of struggle against the status quo, oppression and social injustice. “The greatest thing about rock and roll is that someone like me can be a star,” said Sir Elton John.

What was the first rock song in history?

Searching for the first rock song in history is, in itself, a controversial topic. Some sources indicate that the milestone occurred with That's all right, Mama by Elvis Presley, considered the King of the genre, and other researchers attribute the creator of this style to 'Fat Man', by Fats Domino.

Rocket 88by Jackie Brenston Rock Around The Clock, by Bill Haley and those mentioned, are the ones that are most frequently indicated as the first song of Rock n' Roll. For its part, Maybelleneby Chuck Berry, is usually considered the first rock and roll song with electric guitar. However, as we say, there is no agreement on this matter. In the book 'What was the first rock n' roll record', by Jim Dawson and Steve Propes analyze fifty possible songs, from Blues, Part 2 (1944), played by Illinois Jacquet, until Heartbreak Hotel (1956), by Elvis Presley, without being able to reach a definitive conclusion.

What was the influence of Rock on cinema?

The relationship between the world of Rock and that of film music has been, at all times, close and fruitful. The fusion has come from the hand of great musical geniuses, those most creative and open to art, such as David Byrne, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ry Cooder or Peter Gabriel.

The magnificent guitarist and composer Ry Cooder, has included his music in various film soundtracks such as 'Paris Texas', 'Primary Colors' either 'Crossroad'. Cooder started with Captain Beefheart and throughout his career he has covered different styles and influences. Together with Compay Segundo he recorded the Buenavista Social Club, an already essential album for Cuban music.

For the soundtrack of 'The last Emperor', Bernardo Bertolucci It featured Talking Heads singer David Byrne. He did it together with Ryuchi Sakamoto, composer, pianist, producer, Japanese actor and former member of the techno group Yellow Magic Orchestra, pioneer of electronic music and techno-pop in Japan, who had already worked on the soundtrack of 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. So, 'The last Emperor' got the Oscar for best soundtrack.

If we look at the filmography of another of the great film directors in history, we find Martin Scorsese, which for the soundtrack of 'The last temptation of Christ' turned to Peter Gabriel, then Mike Oldfield to 'The screams of silence', a film about the Cambodian genocide and David Bowie as a musician and actor in the fantasy film 'Inside of the labyrinth' either 'The Buddha of the Suburbs'.

There are many examples of great rock musicians who have played a relevant part in film music: Trent Reznor, Mark Knopfler, Nick Cave, Eddie Vedder... But if we look to the top of the seventh art, we find Stanley Kubrick, which at the same time became an important part of the development of the Rock.

In his cinema, quintessentially symbolist and of aesthetic relevance, films related to the Rock, as 'A Clockwork Orange', starring Malcolm McDowell, who in his role as Alex DeLarge, a juvenile delinquent, became a pioneer of Punk, in addition to showing a violence not seen until then and the anarchy that they would later show focusing on Punk Rock, bands and solos as The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones or Patti Smith. As to '2001: A Space Odyssey', was part of the process towards space rock and all the sounds that come from there, in addition to becoming the first to show life in space.

The best rock songs in the movies

If we go through the common history of cinema and music Rock, we find mythical themes such as Eye of the Tiger, from Survivor, included on the soundtrack of Rocky III. There cannot be a better synchronization between a song and a movie than in this case. It is the theme par excellence to face the worst adversities, motivate ourselves and “become the best in the world.”

Another great example is Lust for Life, by Iggy Pop, in the music of Trainspotting. A precise theme for a controversial film that portrays the excesses of a group of young people. Iggy Pop created the theme 19 years before the film was made, but it is still perfect for identifying the film and the plot, becoming one of the most controversial films in history.

Going back to the beginnings of Rock we find the inclusion of Johnny Goode, by Chuck Berry, on the soundtrack of Return to the future. The Zemeckis classic, with an original soundtrack by Alan Silvestri, includes this classic of the Rock n' Roll, in one of the most memorable scenes of eighties cinema.

But if there is a song Rock, who has become an icon of cinema, that is without a doubt, Born To Be Wild, by Steppenwolf, included in the music of EasyRider. Also a most controversial film, in full hippie effervescence, which at the same time forged the beginnings of a new rock genre, since some sources establish that it was the first time the term was applied. Heavy Metal.

Where to enjoy the best rock songs in cinema?

In our Henko tour, which will begin on September 29 at the National Auditorium in Madrid, you will be able to hear great songs that combine rock with film music, such as 007: Skyfall. Over the next few months, you can come and enjoy the most iconic movie songs with the new Film Symphony Orchestra tour. The orchestra par excellence of film and rock music!