Spirituality
"Do you believe in Rock & Roll, can music save your mortal
soul?"
Don McLean "American Pie"
It was most interesting that shortly after the beginning of the Golden Age, "disciples" of the Blues Rock genre bought their vinyl, and then Instinctively started to play it in darkened rooms, that were often lit with Black Lights, shining on special posters, or by "Color Organs", whose lights danced to the beat of the music. This arrangement allowed them to be TOTALLY FOCUSED ON THE MUSIC!! They didn't know it, at the time, but they were creating their own special ceremonies in a new type of Kiva where they could have a profound spiritual experience with this music!
This analogy continued as "disciples" gathered in dimly-lit clubs to see live Blues Rock bands wail away, and provide even more profound experiences as the bands Channeled the Power of the Universe through themselves and out into the crowd.
However, it did not take long to see the difference between the Power of the music, and the musicians who composed and played it! Few, if any, were anything like Hopi Shamans! These were, in the main, NOT highly-evolved souls! Their personal lives were usually train-wrecks, and their excesses with booze, drugs, sex,and other things were legendary. They could Channel the Power, but they were only the vehicle or instrument; NOT part of, nor the source of, the Power itself!
In addition, most of the musicians, in the bands under discussion, were members of the Matriarchal culture that caused the decline from the high water mark in 1965. They were part of the problem, and NOT part of the solution, so it is doubly ironic that they served, and continue to serve, the spiritual function that they do. The ones with great talent seem Destined to fulfill this role whether they understood it, or really wanted to do this, or not. It seems that a certain type of music MUST come through them, and they have little choice in the matter.
Conclusion
1965-1974 was an amazing time; a time that will never be seen again! It started with an invasion by a British band that had fused American Blues with Rock & Roll, so they taught the founders of this musical form a thing or two, and then it ended with that "little old band", that got its inspiration from the Life Force and Energy that begins in the muck and silt of the swamps, bays and bayous of the Southeast Texas Lowcountry, and finally produces a sound that is purely American, again!
Those who despair about the staleness, artificiality and stagnation of today's music offerings would do well to load up on recordings, from these bands. It is not a good idea to try to live in the past, but with music, you can live in the Present, and play the music from the past. And if it's from The Golden Age, it will provide another chance to re-experience some truly awesome music! When you're ready to listen, turn out the lights.If you're feeling really adventurous, fire up the Black Lights or Color Organs, and go inside your own personal Kiva for a real Peak Experience!
Post Script
The Beatles were clearly the dominate musical force during this period, but their vision was different than those who chose to develop Blues Rock. If they had stayed together longer, maybe they would have turned more in this direction. Their catalog of music was one of the great contributions to the 20th Century, BUT no matter how you look at it, "Hey Jude" is just NOT "Freebird"!!
The excitement that the bands, mentioned in this article, generated during the Golden Age, was electrifying! Each day, everyone waited to see what new creation would emerge. What was even more extraordinary was the fact that there was also a tremendous amount of fabulous music created by dozens and dozens of other bands, that emerged during this period, who were not mentioned in this article. This made the overall quality and quantity of the music produced during these times even more amazing!!
Remember:
The Supremes; The Byrds; The Zombies; The Dave Clark 5; The Young Rascals; The Mamas and Papas; The Association; Tommy James and the Shondells; The Righteous Brothers; Simon and Garfunkle; The Monkies; Paul Revere and the Raiders; Steppenwolf; The Bee Gees; The Animals; The Moody Blues; Them; Dusty Springfield; The Beach Boys; Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Donovan; Arlo Guthrie; The Grateful Dead; Elvis; Roy Orbison; Petula Clark; The Four Tops; James Brown; Sonny & Cher; The Four Seasons; The Temptations; Big Brother & the Holding Company; Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Jan and Dean; Gordon Lightfoot; Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels; Manfred Mann; The Grass Roots; Aretha Franklin; Ted Nugent; Sly & the Family Stone; Blue Oyster Cult; The First Edition; Chicago; The Fifth Dimension; B.B. King; Albert King; John Mayall; Gladys Knight & the Pips; Taj Mahal; Van Morrison; Wilson Pickett; Procol Harum; Traffic; The Turtles; Neil Diamond; The Buckinghams; The Blues Magoos; The Spencer Davis Group; Johnny Rivers; Herman's Hermits; The Grass Roots; Spanky & Our Gang; The Hollies; The Box Tops; Wilson Pickett; Lulu; Sam & Dave; The Cowsills; Smokey Robinson; Gary Puckett & the Union Gap; Yes; Blind Faith; John Denver; Rush; James Taylor; Joni Mitchell; The Carpenters; Deep Purple; Blood, Sweat & Tears; Fleetwood Mac; The American Breed; Iron Butterfly; David Bowie; King Crimson; Bob Marley; Genesis; Miles Davis; Johnny Cash; Country Joe & the Fish; Ten Years After; The Jackson 5; Jim Croce; Roberta Flack; Mott the Hoople; Bonnie Raitt; Judas Priest; Alice Cooper; Rod Stewart; The Doobie Brothers; James Brown; Ray Charles; Marvin Gaye; Dion; The Hollies; Elton John; Tommy Roe; Stevie Wonder; Frank Zappa; Rare Earth; Badfinger; The Guess Who; Bachman Turner Overdrive; Styx; Randy Newman; Mountain; Emerson, Lake &Palmer; Three Dog Night; Cat Stevens; Grand Funk Railroad; Joe Cocker; Tom Jones; Jr. Walker & the Allstars; B.J. Thomas; Ray Stevens; Blood, Sweat & Tears; Ike & Tina Turner; Bread; Canned Heat; Linda Ronstadt; Queen; ABBA; Don McLean; Carly Simon; The Electric Light Orchestra; Rod Stewart; Olivia Newton-John; Carole King; Steely Dan; Dr. John; Ry Cooder; Todd Rundgren; The Eagles; Curtis Mayfield; KISS; Aerosmith; Bruce Springsteen; Tom Waits; The Edgar Winter Group; Thin Lizzy; Supertramp; REO Speedwagon; Head East; Robin Trower; Johnny Rivers; and many, many more!!!!
About the author:
David Stanowski is the owner and publisher of Galveston Music Scene, a web site with coverage of and commentary on the live music business, with an emphasis on the local music scene in Galveston, Texas.
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