1. The 1960s The 1960s Rock music in the ’60s

2. An overview of the Sixties  Many look back at the sixties and see this decade as a time of excitement, change and innovation.  Bob Dylan summed this up in one of his songs saying ‘the times they are a changin.’

3. Music prior to the 1960s  In the 1950s rock’n’roll meant disruption, it was about people rebelling against ideals and politics  Towards the end of the 1950s, rock’n’roll began a steady decline, due to many artists slipping from the top of the charts:  Some of these artists included:

4.  Elvis – who was conscripted to the army  Buddy Holly – who died in a plane crash  Little Richard – who became a minister  Jerry Lee Lewis – who both had run ins Chuck Berrywith the law  This had a large impact on rock’n’roll music as this gave the government and parents greater control on the wild and rebellious teenagers of the time  It also saw the abandonment of rock’n’roll music and the emergence of a more tame and subtle popular music

5. What was happening in the 1960s  In the early ’60s there was a continuous threat of another World War, when USSR/US tensions reached a peak.  Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, were aimed at the US.  And then when the US dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, in Japan. This left everyone terrified of another world war and possible destruction of the world.

6.  The ’60s saw the first landing of astronauts on the moon and the first heart transplant  In 1960, the youngest president of America John F. Kennedy was elected.  The Berlin wall was erected, which divided East and West Berlin (Communism on one side)  During 1963 Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.

7. The Vietnam War  The Vietnam war dominated the mid ’60s.  This was a war that involved soldiers from both the US, Britain and Australia  Australia’s involvement saw the conscription of 18 year old men, in what many considered an unjust and seemingly unwinnable war.  Both Australian and American people took to the streets in protest against the war

8. Problems in the US  America’s major problem in the ’60s was internal.  Black people had become increasingly frustrated with a lack of recognition for their political and social aspirations.  Their frustrations boiled over in a series of riots in Los Angeles in 1965.

9.  Martin Luther King won the ‘Nobel Peace Prize,’ in 1964, for his peaceful campaign of racial equality.  King was assassinated in 1968, crushed many hopes of a peaceful co-existance.

10. Protesting  Protesting became popular for many who attended school or uni.  Young people had revolutionary ideas about how to run government and they were prepared to openly defy their government.  This ultimately led to Western withdrawal from Vietnam.

11. Recreational drugs  Drugs were seen as legitimate form of recreation, particularly marijuana.  Despite its illegality, its use became widespread among certain elements of society.  LSD, a drug which produced a temporary hallucinogenic state and was actually legal for most of the sixties, became popular as a means of ‘expanding your mind.’  These drugs definitely had a large impact on the music created and listened to in the ’60s.

12. Fashion of the ’60s  The early ’60s saw the fashion of ‘The Beatles,’ becoming popular in society. The London ‘Mod’ look.  The late ’60s saw the hippie movement become popular, where they believed in community living and sharing resources.  Hair became much longer (and afros) and both males and females began to wear long flowing robes  The fashions in Australia were however less radical and they seemed to be months behind US and British movements.

13. Music in the early 1960s  Early ’60s rock’n’roll was safe and predictable, as all of the earlier rockers had been replaced by safe teen idols.  Record labels had ditched the rebels and began to hire songwriters who work with a piano all day, in a kind of ‘pop factory.’  The emergence of Motown records, which would be the largest black owned corporation in America. This label had artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and the Supremes. This would be the only American music which survived the ‘British Invasion.’

14.  The Beach Boys, from California, inspired a massive boom in surf music. They also withstood the ‘Brit invasion,’ but had to alter their music to compete.  The Atlantics were a massive band in Australia  This type of music was a massive hit in Australia due to the sun and surf in this country, and very importantly it matched the surf life saving clubs where the dances were held.  ‘The Stomp,’ was imported to Australia, which was a very easy dance which involved stomping from side to side with your arms behind your back or making surf movements  Surf rock consisted of instrumentals with twangy guitar, a rock and roll drum beat and even a bit of Latin American music added.  Beach boys video

15. The Fab Four  Around the world the sixties rock scene was waiting for something to happen.  That something turned out to be 4 rockers from the English port town of Liverpool. They called themselves the Beatles and in 1964 they conquered the world.  The Beatles video

16. Why the Beatles were a hit  They looked and sounded fresh.  Their music was basic rock’n’roll, but in the Beatles hands it sounded new again.  The British invasion revitalised rock’n’roll around the world, and suddenly teenagers were playing in their garages, looking for that ‘new sound.’  In 1964, they had 7 songs in the Australian Top Ten charts!  The Beatles developed an emphasis on vocals and harmonies. The music became more complicated and interesting, but less passionate and wild

17. The American reply  American national pride demanded an artistic reply to the Beatles.  Folk musician Bob Dylan, plugged in an electric guitar and became the figure head of folk-rock.

18. The Beatles continuous success  All over the world bands that imitated the Beatles would pop up and Australia had their own version ‘The Easybeats.’  The Beatles dominated the decade this was due to their ability to continue to adapt and change their music, as well as demanding technological development.  Easybeats video  Top of the Pops video

19. Experimentation  Encouraged by this experimentation by the Beatles were people and bands like Jimi Hendrix, who got sounds out of the guitar that were thought impossible.  Britain’s first supergroup was formed, a term used to describe a gathering of brilliant individuals, this band was ‘Cream.’  Soul music was also finally getting black musicians the respect that they deserved.

20. What was written about?  No longer were artists writing about boy/girl relationships, many followed Dylan into writing about the concerns of humanity.  Hendrix often wrote and spoke about the Vietnam war.  Isabella video

21. The Rock Festival  Rock festivals became an exciting way of mixing hippie lifestyle with music.  The Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and Woodstock in 1969 were powerful reminders of how important rock music had become.  It was rocks most consistently exciting period.  Hendrix video

22. Excessive living  Not all the musicians from this period would survive the excesses of the lifestyle. Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix would be dead less than a year after the ’60s passed.  The Beatles would break up in 1970 and that event more than anything else, symbolised the end of a wonderful era.

23. Australian rock going into the 70s  Russell Morris video  Billy Thorpe video  Isle of Wight video