Born to be Wild: The Golden Age of American Rock
Episode 2 of 3.
School's Out
This second part tells the story of the 1970s,
when rock stars became multi-millionaires and the music
they made was the soundtrack for middle America.
After the rage and protest of the previous decade, rock music
of the early 70s was gentle and sweet
- the songs of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the Doobie Brothers.
Although the USA was riven by political disasters
- the end of the Vietnam War, Watergate and the gasoline crisis,
rock music seldom commented on them,
although Alice Cooper's Nixon satire Elected was a rare exception.
But in the middle of the decade new voices started to emerge,
such as Bruce Springsteen's songs of working class glory
or Tom Petty's tight, 1960s-inspired sound.
The massive success of stadium shows exemplified how big
American rock had become and, in 1976 and 1977, the genre soared
with a string of multi-platinum albums by Fleetwood Mac,
Boston, the Eagles and Meat Loaf.
Unlike in the UK, American punk barely diverted the rock gods,
but disco did make an impact.
Rock became smoother and more saccharine.
In the corporate offices of record labels
the drive was for ever larger profits.
There are interviews with many of the decade's leading rock musicians.
The programme also features studio and concert footage
including Alice Cooper, Bruce Springsteen and the Eagles.
Interviews include: Tom Petty, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent,
Tom Scholz (Boston), Todd Rundgren, Don Felder (the Eagles),
Tom Johnston (the Doobie Brothers), Chuck D (Public Enemy),
Peter Frampton, Bill Payne (Little Feat), Pamela des Barres, FM DJ
Jim Ladd, film director Penelope Spheeris, manager Peter Mensch,
journalist Sylvie Simmons and Rolling Stone magazine's David Fricke.
The decade where things began to go horribly wrong.
Saturday Night Fever!
regards
Titus
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