McRobbies and Friths Cock Rock and Teenybop in Rock Music - Essay Example

McRobbies’ and Frith’s Cock Rock and Teenybop in Rock Music Customer Inserts His/hers Name Customer Inserts Grade Course Customer Inserts Tutor’s Name FRITH’S AND McROBBIES’S COCK ROCK AND TEENYBOP There have been contradicting works on when exactly the popular music, Rock, came into being. What however remains constant is that it was in the 1950s. Rock is perceived to be the basis of social and moral degradation according to many. While others considered this as creativity, other claim it was the beginning of the demise the virtual walls that hold in moral uprightness and standards. This is the uniqueness of Rock Music to date, that leaves many academicians still struggling on the true nature and definition of the genre. According to Pareles (1995), the closest to a definition that this genre received was, “A Critical and erratic vigour in the pop movement”. Like any form of art, it relays expression of society’s deep feelings even though created by a single artist. However, it comes with an aspect of rebellion, a resitance to the normal way of doing things. Modern day however, has seen tremendous evolution of this musical piece. The available sub-genres that exist are numeruos. From hard rock, blues rock, country rock, jazz rock, soul or even metallic rock. This list is endless, but what has been speculated by many literary works is that this genre of music is related to sexual acts and behaviours as well as violence (Frith & McRobbie, 1990). This was after a review of all other music genres, at the time, with regard to their rhythm, sounds, vocal cording as well as various other elements of music. Rock music was particularly popular among the youth in the late 1950s and 1960s as it is today. Young men and women were constantly humming or dancing to the tunes of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan and others in open gardens and markets as well as office buildings. But not all these bands expressed their entertaining pieces with sexual hintings. The more reserved artists, opted to conform to the norms of society as they were terrified of the insurgent nature it would invoke (Frith, 1988). While the rest, chose strategies of expressions that intimate on unequivocal sexual preferrence, Elvis was one such example. According to reports, took advantage of his good looks and masculine physique to seduce and objectify women. He once appeared on a television show outrageously dressed and producers and camera men were forced to shoot his upper body. Performances such as these are what led to him being referred as a “Cock Rocker” joining a similar category to the likes of Roger Daltrey, Mike Jagger, Robert Plant and the Rolling Stones. Cock Rocker was a term that was coined by Frith and McRobie (1978), referring to the method of writing lyrics, singing, creating videos or through live performance in a manner that is belligerent, vulgar and offensive. The overall impression is one that depicts that the male’s sexuality. It is well emphathized when there is a relay of Masculine qualities, the simple illustrate that male power is more superior than the female gender. It comes with the ego and the esteem as the head in a patriachial group. It strikes a rift between the two groups and potrays the contended statement that women are of a weaker sex and should be surbodinate to the men. In addition, women are viewed as objects of use for satisfaction of the male’s needs. Hence it summarizes the reason for intricate sexual violations seen in some Rock Videos, towards women, and why homosexuality particularly among the men was unheard of in the traditional society. Cock Rocking did not just stop at feigning in the entertainment business but also in the way one related to persons of the opposite sex. Their consideration as nothing but objects of our bidding including sexual favours. With hit singles such as the “Love me and “One Night”, Elvis Presley identified himself with the character of one who prefers male gratification than condorn romantic affilliations. Yet discord still exists on whether not all love songs, despite their presentation, suggest that the ‘sons of Adam’ may be in need of deeper emotional attachments. Over the years there have been suggestion of other cock Rockers in the genre of rock music. For example Auslander (2004), considers Suzi Quatro as a cock rocker. He infact goes deeper by saying that he believes Simon Frith(1988) was making reference to the artist when he coined the term. He describes her in one of her bands’ performances of the hit song ‘Can the Can in 1973, “Her initial pose with her legs slightly apart like that of a man and the bass guitar swinging close to her hips; pushing herself closer to the guitar, she grabs the microphone and with harshness and agitation in her voice and sings as her feet pound on the stage floor to coincide with the songs’ beat.” He expounds on the definition of cock rockers as those who are full of pride, arrogant, harsh and incite crowds to their with their powerful stage presence. Thiis is done to initiate sexual desire and fantasy. The lyrics come out strongly and musical equipment such as guitars, speakers or even the microphone come off as womens’ bodies that are being fondled with. The legs being apart signifying a a more stable position. Auslander’s work however came into critical scrutiny from many researchers and authors with questioning the premise of having a female cock rocker would defeat the initial foundations of Firth and McRobie. From his criticism, he therefore related these acts to androgyny. The term in summary, refers to situations where there is scrounging of attributes from the opposite sex. From this, he defends that women too can mimic men on musical performance while men too can copy or behave like women during their music performances. This aims to promote gender equity and respect for the sexes. The shaking of hips, the swinging of hands, facial expressions, application of make-up and overall dressing as well as tonal variations. White men have particularly been accussed of this practise. For instance in 1973, the Led Zeppelin were to perform at the Madison Square Garden and Robert Plant, the bands’ frontman, runs to the stage wearing a pair of blue jeans with an undersized shirt that reveals parts of his upper body with the muscles bulging outwards. The top of his shirt, near the neck, resembling a womans‘ blouse probably worn to invoke specific emotions. Although, many had considered him as a cock rocker, his imitation of some feminism qualities began their inquiry of what to expect in modern popular music. Modern day sees the likes of the band Aerosmith, George Michael and Robbie Williiams, who despite masculine stage presence, mimic certain feminine characters. The display of sexual mimicry became the order of the day with breaking of the initial stand that cock rock promoted relationships between men and women. This was in the late 80s and a major part of the 90s. With particular reference to disco rock, which became the first to break the norm as it was popular among the gay men. This formed a rebellion in itself whicch saw more women performers who were of the disco rock particularly being worshipped by their followers (Mankowski, 2010). This they say was the evolution of the teenybop style. In contrary, other researchers accused that some of these movements, such as those within the heavy rock or the glam rock were simply utillising androgyny to incite chauvinism and homophobic ideas instead of the equity of the sexes. Hence,the debate on rock’s musical pieces continues. Other reports argued that the reason for this is the desire by many artists to preserve this genre of music from losing its initial cultural cachet. A reality television show in Sweden relayed young men, contesting against each other for a recording contract, with guitars in their hands as female pop singers performed. Revealing the palpable fact that women in this case were considered only as objects of appearance rather than persons with quality content. In another case in France, there were certain male rock artists who found to be contributing almost nill to a performance but were set on stage so as to defuse the impact of having female superiority on the stage (Bjork, 2011). She reports that the trend in popular music is that, many hurdles are implanted to reduce female dominance. The most pro-active approach is that of neutralizing female dominance during performance on any stage. In addition, from the fact that rock music is conceptualised as a male-influened genre,female artists tend be stereotyped as incompetent. However not all music is all male, other music are more inclined to the female power and respect. This emulating the style of teenybop, a contrast of the cock rocker which has been received with much criticism. In this style of masculinity, the feminie sex is considered somewhat of equal importance to the male sex. Performances by artists such as Prince and Michael Jackson where they tend to take concern for the female counterparts. It depicts that, not only are men not self sufficient but were and are still in need of womans’ help. Their stage presence does not only confer the control they posses but also adoration for the daughters of Eve. It depicts a sort of romantic gesture that illustrate on stable relations between a man and a woman with emphasis on following the general standards set in sexual acts (Nail & Helden, 2010). This specific style has had more profound effect and hence why it carries a majority of lovers. This is not only from female fans but also from the gay society who perceive this as their ultimate love story. It is seen as a very influential style of music that many rockers have followed out: from the group Daughtry, Three doors Down, Nickleback and many others. It emphasis on the existence of ‘True Love’ in society. They can be singled out as an intricate expression of passion with the inclusion of a gentleman’s promise. It rules out, the initial postulations that women are objects of man’s bidding and more of an equal partner in the course of interaction. It would probably explain, why many female fans attend concerts of more romantic bands than those organised by the ‘loud and noisy’. (Lawrence & Joyner, 1991). References Auslander, P. (2001). I Wanna Be Your Man: Suzi Quatro’s Musical Androgyny. Popular Music, 23(1), pp.1-16. Bjork, C. (2011). Claiming Space: Discourses on Gender, Popular Music and Social Change. Gothenberg: University of Gothenberg. Duffet, M. (2001). Caught in a Trap? Beyond Pop Theory’s ‘butch’ Construction of Male Elvis. Popular Music, 20(3), pp 395-408. Frith, S. & McRobbie, A. (1978). Rock and Sexuality in Music Culture and Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press Frith, S. (1988). Music for Pleasure. London: Routledge Publishers. Frith, S & McRobie, A. (1990). Rock and Sexuality. London: Routledge Publishers Lawrence, J. S., & Joyner, D. J. (1991). Effects of Sexually Violent Rock music on Males’ Acceptance of Violence against Women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 15(2) 49-63. Mankowski, D. (2010). Gendering The Disco Inferno: Sexual Revolution, Liberation, and Popular Culture in 1970s in America. Michigan: University of Michigan. Nail, W.,Scott, R., & Helden, I. (2010). The Metal Void: First Gatherings. Oxford: Inter- Disciplinary Press. Pareles, J. (1995), The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock ‘n’ Roll. New York: Fireside Publishers. Read More