Why does black people never want to rock?

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"If "Indieholic Anonymous" doubts that black people can rock then I should probably invite him to come to the studio sometime when I'm jamming with some friends. We'll blow his stupid ass through the back wall."

I don't see how "blowing his stupid ass through the back wall" would convince him of anything. Why don't you just impress him by rocking? Oh, I get it, you're "throwing down"!

matt riedl (veal), Friday, 31 January 2003 17:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

J-Rock, if you're still in Toronto, you must come to our FAPs. (I feel like a recruiter. Jeeze.)

Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Friday, 31 January 2003 17:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

I don't see how "blowing his stupid ass through the back wall" would convince him of anything

Me neither. I guess that is how they solve their problems in the ghetto.

, Friday, 31 January 2003 20:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

hmmmm...I just don't get it? You're all saying Mike Gira is black and likes pavement, but no one has actually witnessed seeing him at a pavement gig?

WAIT A MINUTE!...I should have kept reading:

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During highschool and Uni my walls were (and still are) plastered with pictures of The Pixies, Jane's Addiction, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Bad Brains,
Pavement, GBV, NWA, Tribe Called Quest and Public Enemy. It's just music!! Enough with the categories! I have friends from all different
backgrounds who get down to all different kinds of tunes. What does hearing indie-rock first have to do with being able to appreciate hip-hop later, or
vice-versa?

I've been to rock shows where none of the friends I was with were white and I've been to hip-hop shows where they all were. I thought that I'd heard
the last of this crap in high school.

J-Rock
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So what are you saying? Music genres don't necessarily have racial boundaries? Could this also go for some other issues in life? Oh, no, I have to change the filing system...excuse me...

gaitataxia, Friday, 31 January 2003 20:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

gaitataxia, what is your point? I don't understand...

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 31 January 2003 20:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

Actually, Dan, quite a few people have mentioned Living Colour.

Curtis Stephens, Friday, 31 January 2003 20:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

I appear to have been one of them. Heh heh...

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 31 January 2003 20:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

I couldn't believe how idiotic this thread was last July, but now its been exhumed and is getting even dumber.

Its like watching a car wreck. first off you have the moron who started it digging his hole deeper with every word out of his mouth, and then everyone else scrambling to jump in the hole too.

"black people" is not a unit. yet everyone here is talking like you can just say "black people ____________" and not come across as a completely ignorant and uninformed. Do any of you really know anything about the listening patterns and demographics that follow of people outside your immediate area? I really doubt it. I sure don't, so I don't pretend I do.

and matt riedl: I think by "blowing them through the back wall" he meant "rocking."

whatever, I don't even know who here is joking and who here is really just dumb...

tinobeat (tinobeat), Friday, 31 January 2003 21:05 (twenty-one years ago) link

(Everyone taking this discussion topic seriously raise their right hand. *raises left hand*)

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 31 January 2003 21:10 (twenty-one years ago) link

Astute choice of appendage.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 31 January 2003 21:21 (twenty-one years ago) link

"I want you to hit it...hit it and quit it..."

http://images.ibsys.com/2002/0109/1181589.jpg

nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 31 January 2003 21:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

i'm a bit embarassed by my original post actually - i'm pretty sure the 'black people invented rock music dontcha know' was tongue-in-cheek...or maybe it was just my catchphrase at the time...

despite that, the topic does merit some serious discussion - because even know we all know that in reality of course rock n' roll is not something that only appeals to people who happen to be caucasian or whatever...but the stereotypes are real too, and perpetuated by a wide range of elements, from MTV to record stores to the consumers themselves

stevem (blueski), Friday, 31 January 2003 22:03 (twenty-one years ago) link

I can't belive that opening statement inspired so much discussion. I mean, if this was around Living Colour's era a discussion of whether black people SHOULD rock would at least be somewhat topical (everyone probably would have agreed Corey Glover shouldn't).

If the opening question was at all valid, the answer I'd have gained from mainstream American comedies is that black would-be rock fans wouldn't want to be surrounded by "a bunch of crazy white people." And white guys would respond "It's true! It's all true! We're sooo lame." And then we'd all dive into Fred Durst's chocolate starfish.

But again, I'm surprised you all, like, acknowledged this dillpickle.

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 31 January 2003 22:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

And then we'd all dive into Fred Durst's chocolate starfish.

FIEND.

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 31 January 2003 22:31 (twenty-one years ago) link

Everyone's just attacking strawmen and not addressing
the question.


Joe Dawg, Friday, 31 January 2003 23:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

The only place I ever hear about Living Colour currently is on this thread.

Rockist Scientist, Saturday, 1 February 2003 02:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, Son House, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker. Most rock(rhythmically) is nothing these guys haven't already done.

Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Can't get more rock'n'roll than them.

Jimi Hendrix, ultimate rock guitarist. Though he expressed concern about how brothers saw him.

Arthur Lee. What Jim Morrison wished he could be.

Funkadelic/Eddie Hazel rocked as much as Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin in the day. A real "pysche" band.

Bob Marley listened to Hank Williams Sr. Toots and the Maytals did the definitive version of "Country Road." Don't forget Cymande.

Grandmaster Flash/Kool Herc/Bambaata spun Kraftwerk along with JB.
Don't forget about the Puerto Rican b-boys back in the day. They contributed too.

Prince is from Minnesota.

Pharrel of the N*E*R*D*/Neptunes, arguably the most influential producer in pop music today, has a skater/BMX/punk side and he has a bling side.

Polo Pony, Saturday, 1 February 2003 06:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

dude, you forgot Mother's Finest!

Mr. Diamond (diamond), Saturday, 1 February 2003 06:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm going to namecheck the Veldt here because no one else has and they need to be namechecked more often.

Chris Barrus (xibalba), Saturday, 1 February 2003 07:37 (twenty-one years ago) link

Corey Glover = the Wayne Brady of rock. Saw them 3 times, they...were...NEVER any good. Does anyone remember Xavion?

matt riedl (veal), Saturday, 1 February 2003 18:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

Tinobeat: 1. I was being funny. I knew he meant "rocking". I was pulling his chain. 2. If I DID know about the demographic outside my immediate area (which happens to be populated by a great MANY African-Americans), and it PROVED anything, would you concede or continue to rage on? "Black People" are not a unit, granted. "African-American consumers and musicians", however, ARE units, and quantifiable ones. I'm not saying you're right or wrong, I just don't think it's THAT stupid a thread. I've read a number of interesting viewpoints within it.

matt riedl (veal), Saturday, 1 February 2003 18:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm going to namecheck the Veldt here because no one else has and they need to be namechecked more often.

FUCK YES.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 1 February 2003 21:26 (twenty-one years ago) link

Blacks have composed, played, and performed rock music since its emergence in the 1950s, but the term “black rock” came to be recognized around 1985. At that time, guitarist Vernon Reid and music journalist Greg Tate joined with a small group of black musicians and music industry professionals in New York City to found the Black Rock Coalition (BRC). Reid was a young but accomplished musician whose work with avant-garde jazz artists such as Ronald Shannon Jackson had drawn critical attention. More significantly, he had recently formed the ground-breaking rock band, Living Colour, an all-black heavy rock band that would eventually score a string of minor hits on rock radio. BRC co-founder Greg Tate was beginning to establish himself as a journalist through his writing on black music in the Village Voice and to build a reputation as one of the major theoretical voices of the burgeoning hip-hop movement. Reid and Tate rightly recognized that the structure of the American popular music industry limited the growth of many black artists’ musical intentions, since throughout the era of rock ’n’ roll, the American music industry engaged in a kind of commercial segregation, placing black performers in tightly regulated categories designed to appeal to perceived demographics of the music audience, and it was rare to find a black musician given official sanction to perform the same with white rock.

http://www.jahsonic.com/BlackRock.html

Jan Geerinck, Saturday, 1 February 2003 23:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

The thing with this is the first post is asking about "why does black people never want to rock", yet you're specifying indie rock, which generally doesn't rock whatsoever anyway.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 3 February 2003 14:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

Well, for the most part.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 3 February 2003 15:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

It can very much rock. It might not funk, though.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 3 February 2003 15:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

why does aboriginals not want to funk?

the internet (scg), Monday, 3 February 2003 15:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

one year passes...
wow, in light of the OutKast semi-scandal, that's a very prescient post.

My Huckleberry Friend (Horace Mann), Monday, 16 February 2004 20:49 (twenty years ago) link

I suspect that many african americans perceive the "rock" sound to be white. Co-optation of the form has caused many to turn to sounds they can claim as their own. I can see this continuing with the present backlash/rejection of caucasion artists in the "so-called" backpack movement. Racism and all its cultural attachments "color" our perceptions for better or worse.

illcentric sounds, Monday, 16 February 2004 21:31 (twenty years ago) link

90 Day Men

roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 01:27 (twenty years ago) link

John Mayer & Dave Chapelle to thread!!!!

Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 01:37 (twenty years ago) link

I rock everyday. However, I call it hip hop. I nod my head. I thrash. I break stuff... Uh okay I don't break stuff, I just fire off a few rounds on the desert eagle. Point is we been rocking. We did it with our gospel (speaking tongues), our blues, our jazz and OUR rock. How else we gonna get that out that frustration.

METALFACE, Tuesday, 17 February 2004 18:40 (twenty years ago) link

I'm getting frustrated just reading this thread!

Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:22 (twenty years ago) link

Donna, do you like the Darkness?

Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:24 (twenty years ago) link

lemme think........NO

Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:39 (twenty years ago) link

why d'you ask?

Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:39 (twenty years ago) link

Why does black people never want to rock?

Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:39 (twenty years ago) link

oh, wait- DARKNESS! it's a JOKE!

Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:40 (twenty years ago) link

Wait, I didn't mean THAT!

Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:42 (twenty years ago) link

I know :)

Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:42 (twenty years ago) link

Do Husker Du and the Minutemen and Mission of Burma and the Replacements and (shut up! -ed.) count as ROCK?

Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:43 (twenty years ago) link

I have heard of this rock.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:43 (twenty years ago) link

Yes. This is good rock.

Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:44 (twenty years ago) link

Hurrah for rock! Let us nurture it, and it will grow big and warm with love.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:45 (twenty years ago) link

Corny indie fuck alert!!!

Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:46 (twenty years ago) link

I knew several african american soul coughing fans and they were sort of indie I guess.

ipsofacto (ipsofacto), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:48 (twenty years ago) link

Let us nurture it, and it will grow big and warm with love

hmm....

M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:48 (twenty years ago) link

Jon, twenty years from now, sipping a Grolsch with tears in his eyes: "WOLF EYES MEANT SOMETHING TO ME, MAN!"

"That's nice, dear. Take out the trash."

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:49 (twenty years ago) link

Jon, twenty years from now, sipping a Grolsch with tears in his eyes: "WOLF EYES MEANT SOMETHING TO ME, MAN!"

"That's nice, dear. Take out the trash."

20 years? My wife has that attitude now! (she's the sensible one in the family)

M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:50 (twenty years ago) link

Well yeah, but Jon's still in college and finding his place in the world.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 21:51 (twenty years ago) link


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