Crazy for Swayze

So, being a ways into Nik Cohn’s Awopbopaloppbop Alopbamboom, I still can’t decide how I feel about him. There are points where I absolutely love him: he is snarky and hilarious and so much fun to read, because he’s writing about what he lived, right after he lived it, and whether he loves what he’s talking about it or hates it, he’s going to punch you in the gut with what he’s saying. And really, to me, that puts him on the opposite end of the spectrum from James Miller. Miller is bitter, so bitter that he’s hard to read. And to me, Nik Cohn doesn’t have that. Is he controversial? Of course. Is he sick of the Beatles, and doesn’t like Bob Dylan? Sure. But he definitely has an opinion, and he’s going to share it.

One thing that was interesting to me about Cohn was the sheer amount of music that he covers. Where Miller only writes about a few artists, following the birth and (supposed) death of rock and roll, Cohn covers rock, pop, and even some soul music. He’s very talented at using the songs he discusses to illustrate a point. Miller, on the other hand, makes many, many points about each artist and song. I like that Cohn is young and writing, just after the peak of this huge musical frenzy, rather than waiting for a decade or two to publish his book.

One thing that I disliked about Cohn’s book is his seemingly interchangeable use of the terms “rock” and “pop”. To me, these are two entirely different concepts, not to be confused at all. Rock, in my mind, is hard and edgy and shakes you right down to your core. It means something. It isn’t always fun. Pop, on the other hand, is lighter, peppier, and while it doesn’t always have to be meaningless and silly, it certainly doesn’t have that charge that rock does. So how does he use them as the same idea? I have a lot of trouble reconciling that.

After listening to a lot of the blues and rock type music that we went over in class, I can definitely see how they influenced the Beatles. In “Please Please Me,” we heard much more controlled vocals, like those of Robert Johnson and Elvis (”That’s All Right”). There were also very blues-y vocals and flippant lyrics, like Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue” and Motown’s “Money”.

The electric guitar in “Please Please Me”  pulls from Elvis and from Ray Charles, while the simple, repetitive lyrics are reminiscent of The Crystals.

I was really impressed with how much listening the Beatles must have done before they started recording any music. They pulled from so many different genres and artists that it is almost hard to believe. From blues to pop to rock, the Beatles used everything that they could hear, and clearly made an impact with it.

Meagan: So, what was your earliest memory of music?

Mackenzie: Doing the hokie pokie in daycare when I was about 3.

Meg: Did you have a favorite song when you were growing up?

Mac: Just about any of the WeeSing songs.

Meg: Why

Mac: I think I liked them because they kept playing the songs at daycare. I can probably still sing some of the songs.

Meg: So what kind of role does music play in your parents’ lives?

Mac: Music  plays a large part in my mom’s life. She used to write for a paper called The Music Paper, where she would meet bands backstage. She actually told me she met Van Halen and one of them almost kicked her in the head! It’s fun to go downstairs and look at all her old ticket stubs and backstage passes. My dad was also involved in music, simply because he was in his marching. He used to play the trumpet. They are both still adamant about me listening to the great bands of their time!

Meg: What was the first song or album that you purchased with your own money?

Mac: The first CD I ever bought was Backstreet Boys’ Millennium. I was so happy that I bought something.

Meg: Ok, so what was the first concert you ever went to?

Mac: My first concert was the Backstreet Boys’ Black and Blue World Tour. I went with my friend for our 12th  birthday. It was full of prepubescent girls screaming for the Backstreet Boys.

Meg: Who are some of your favorite bands and solo artists now?

Mac: I like Holiday Parade, New Atlantic, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Boys Like Girls, Michael Buble, Panic! At the Disco, Liam & Me, Twisted Sister, and Van Halen right now. I really like them all for different reasons. I tend to lean towards the alternative genre, so I guess that’s why. They remind me of the GLAM bands of the 1980s.

Meg: Do you play any musical instruments?

Mac: I used to play the flute, and I still do every once in a while. I like to think that I can sing, but it depends on my mood and who I’m with.

Meg: Have you ever been in a band?

Mac: In elementary school, yes. In high school I did colorguard with the marching band. With an indie band, though, no, never.

Meg: So how does it feel to take a college course in rock, soul, and  progressive music?

Mac: It’s pretty interesting. My parents’ reaction was mostly wondering why they had to pay for a class they could easily teach me.

Meg: What do you hope to learn as a result?

Mac: I want to learn more about the music that  we go over.