The Kinks (Video Clip: Disc 2, Ep 1. Chapter 14)

Formed by the Davies brothers, Ray and Dave.  First hit in August 1964, with “you really got me.”  One of the prototypes of hard rock/heavy metal.

Continued success on and off throughout the 80’s and 90’s.

Not as successful as the other three, but important.  Famous for not getting along, ala the Oasis brothers.  Had physical fights on stage.

The Who (Video Clip: Disc 2, Ep.1 Chapter 21)

“No one can explain Rock and Roll.  Except maybe Pete Townsend” .  Jeff Beebe, Almost Famous.

Formed in 1963 as the Detours.  Original members Pete Townsend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, John Entwistle.  Became a early favorite of the mods, a English subculture, focused around Fashion, music, and scooters.  Second single, “Can’t explain” was released in January 1965.  “My Generation” Released in late 1965.

One of the first bands to experiment with the concept album, with a mini opera on 1966’s “A quick one”.

We’ll do more next class.

Yardbirds

Influencial rock/blues band.

Featured guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page.

The Beach Boys (video Clip: Disc 2, Ep. 1, Chapter 6)

Formed in in 1961 by Brian Wilson two brothers, their cousin Mike Love and Al Jardine.  Changed name from “the Pendletones”.  Even though only one member of the group surfed, got into surf music early.

Started to have many huge hits in 1963. First hit was Surfin’ USA.  Between 1963 and 1966 they had 16 top 20 hits, including 3 #1’s (I get around, Help me Rhonda, Good vibrations)

Leader of the band was Brian Wilson, who was brilliant and crazy.  After a nervous breakdown in 1964, he quit playing live and focused on the studio.  The group also stopped playing their own instruments frequently as the music became more complex.

in 1966, the beach boys released Pet Sounds, what many people consider their greatest album.   Wilson's growing mastery of the recording studio and his increasingly sophisticated songs and complex arrangements would reach a creative peak with the acclaimed LP Pet Sounds (1966). The tracks "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows," showcased Wilson's growing mastery as a composer, arranger and producer. "God Only Knows" is said to have been the first pop single ever released in the U.S. to include the word "God" in its title; supposedly for this reason, it was denied radio airplay on many stations and only reached #39 on the national singles chart.  It remains one of the more evocative releases of the decade, with a distinctive strain of melancholy and nostalgia for youth. The album is still widely regarded as a classic of the rock era. Among other accolades, Paul McCartney has named it one of his favorite albums of all time (with "God Only Knows" as his favorite song). McCartney has frequently said that it was a major influence on the Beatles' album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, similar to Brian Wilson stating he was inspired to make Pet Sounds upon listening to The Beatles' Rubber Soul. Despite the critical praise it received, the album was poorly promoted by Capitol Records and failed to become the major hit Brian had hoped it would be (only reaching #10). Its failure to gain wider recognition hurt him deeply.

After Pet sounds, the next album was to be called Smile .  The first single was “Good Vibrations” and took several months to record.  The rest of the group didn’t like the new direction, and eventually the album was completely shelved in early 1967.  This marked the end of Brian Wilson’s leadership, and the downfall of the popularity of the group.  Wilson returned to the group from time to time in the 70’s, but the Beach Boys quickly became a nostalgia act.

Brian Wilson recovered somewhat in the late 90’s and eventually recorded and finished Smile, which was released in 2004.  He also has toured on occasion.

Hard Music to define; For the most part a combination of Gospel and R & B.  Came into being in the early 1960’s on two labels: Atlantic records which we have already discussed, and Stax records out of Memphis.

Stax Records

Started in 1959 by Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton as a record shop called satellite records.  They moved into the recording industry in 1961, changed the name to Stax, and signed a distribution agreement with Atlantic.  The first Stax artists were the Mar-Kays, Carla and Rufus Thomas, and Booker T. and the MG’s.

Booker T. were a racially intergrated band, and were the house band for Stax.  Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, and Al Jackson.  They backed up most of the soul groups on Stax, and had a few hits on their own, including “Green Onions”.

Later in the 60’s, Stax started developing major artists:

Otis Redding:   Had his first hits in 1965 with “I’ve been Loving You Too Long (to Stop Now)”, followed up by his original song “Respect”, which was a small pop hit, but a big hit on the black charts.  He was killed in December 1967 in a plane crash.  His single “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” was his only no. 1 hit and was released just after he was killed.

Sam and Dave: Also on Stax, had the soul anthem “Soul Man” as well as “Hold on I’m comin’” and “I thank you” before Sam developed an almost fatal drug addiction.

Issac Hayes : Songwriter-producer from Stax (Wrote “Soul Man”) was the last Stax artist before it all went away.  Had his big hit in 1971 with “Theme from Shaft”.  won an oscar and became Stax’s major artist before the label fell apart in the early 70’s.

Video Clip:  Disc 2, Ep.2 chapter 9, 10 end at Aretha)

Aretha Franklin

Born in 1942 in Memphis.  Father was the famous preacher C.L Franklin. Moved to Detroit to become the pastor at the New Bethel Baptist Church.  Became so famous that Chess records released over 70 of his sermons on record. Aretha was singing in Church by the age of 8. Noting the crossover sucess of Sam Cooke, talent scout John Hammond found her and signed her to Columbia.  Even though Hammond had seen her turning into a soul singer, Mitch Miller at Columbia decided to make her a pop/jazz singer.  Her four Columbia albums all failed to sell, and once her contract expired she was signed by Atlantic, where Jerry Wexler recorded her with an integrated band of musicians at Muscle Shoals in 1967.  The Album spawned two top 5 hits, “I never Loved a man (the way that I love you)” and “Respect.” in 1967 and 1968 she had 7 top ten singles.  From then on, she was Atlantic’s top artist, being popular with both Black and White Audiences.

(Video Clip Disc 2, Ep. 2, chapter 11)

Aretha arranged her own songs, as well as wrote some of them.  She’d come into the studio with the songs all worked out on piano, and then they’d flesh out the rest of it.  She also picked the cover songs she’d do.

James Brown

If Aretha was “Lady Soul”, then James Brown was “Soul Brother #1.”  Or, “The Godfather of Soul”.  Born in 1933 in Augusta, Georgia.  Spent 3 years in Jail at the age of sixteen for breaking into cars.  Formed his first band in the 50’s.  First single was “Please, Please, Please” released in 1956, followed by “Try me (I need you)” in 1958, both being regional hits.  First National charting song  in 1960 with “Think”.

Started touring the country with a large review, consisting of over 40 performers, in the 1960’s, where he developed his peforming style, as well as his more funky music style.

Big hits include “Night Train” (1962) “Out of Sight” (1965).  Fully formed his sound by 1965 with “Papa’s got a brand new bag” and “I got you (I feel good)”.  

Hit his peak in the late 1960’s.  In 1967 alone he sold 50 million records.

His style was based on a long, repeating vamp, with one change that he cues vocally.

(Video Clip:  Disc 2, Ep.2, ch. 5) also, Youtube Clip.  

Motown

Started in 1959 by Berry Gordy in Detroit as Tamela records.  Detroit had the 4th Largest black population in the country.  He bought a house and converted it into a recording studio and lived on the second floor.  This property eventually took over other houses and was called “Hitsville, USA.” which competed with Stax’s “Soulsville, USA.”.  Motown went from being a new label to being the #1 label in the world in just 7 years.  

Gordy’s concept was a black record company to sell to blacks and whites.  Therefore, the product was extremely polished and controlled.  Used the same band for all the recordings (The Funk Brothers- "Standing in the Shadows of Motown"). Used the same songwriters and producers, as well as a choregrapher.  Kept lyrics down to a simple “Boy-meets-girl” Formula, no political overtones.  Had strict performance rules and conduct rules for the acts.  Even hired a etiquette coach for the female performers.

After HDH left in 1968, the label started to go downhill a bit, and had rough times in the 70’s.

Smokey Robinson (Born Feb. 1940)

Was a performer (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles) wihth 16 top ten hits.  After the Miracles broke up in 1972, he had several top 10 hits on his own.  Still performs.

Was a songwriter, writing all the songs for the Temptations from 1963-1966, as well as Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells.  Has 4,000 songs to his credit.

Was a producer for all the Motown acts.

was the vice president of Motown from 1961-1988.

Holland-Dozier-Holland

Songwriting team for Motown from 1963-1967.

Wrote 30 top 20 hits in those years.

Demanded an accounting of their royalties in 1968, subsequently quit Motown and sued.  Settled after 4 years in court.

Video Clip: Disc 2, Ep. 2, chapter 15,16,17,18)

Stevie Wonder (video clip: Disc 4, Ep. 2, chapter 10 end at Marley)

His parents brought him to see Barry Gordy when he was 10 years old, and named Steveland Morris.  He amazed Gordy by playing Harmonica, Drums, piano, organ, and pretty much everything else in the studio.  Gordy signed him and changed his name to Little Stevie Wonder.

First #1 hit “Fingertips (pt.2) was release in 1963 when he was 13 years old.  Taken from a live recording.  Soon started writing his own songs as well as songs for other Motown artists, including “Tears of a Clown.”

Had 12 top ten hits between 1963 and 1970 on Motown.  Clashed with Barry Gordy over artistic control frequently.  In 1971 he turned 21 and demanded full accounting of his royalties.  He took the money in his trust fund and set up his own studio and started producing his own albums.  Gordy gave in and gave him artistic control and agreed to distrubute his albums in exchange for 50 percent of the songwriting royalties.

This becomes Stevie’s Classic period, and where his best work was done.  We’ll talk more later.  34 top 10 singles, 12 top 10 albums,  22 grammys.