Anti-Rock: The Opposition To Rock 'n' Roll

by Linda Martin, Kerry Segrave

Rock is a music of rebellion against authority, and has consequently frightened and outraged people throughout its forty-year history. Anti-Rock is the first book to detail the objections of rock's detractors. Critics from parents to religious groups, industry executives to scientists, government spokesmen to eccentric crusaders, have all attacked rock vehemently with comments such as "It's the jungle strain gets 'em all worked up"; it's "one step from fascism"; and "These deafening, dope-ridden, degenerate mob scenes have no more place in our America than would a publicly promoted gang rape." Here Albert Goldman, writing in the New York Times in 1968, comparing Mick Jagger to Adolf Hitler. A 1981 university study concluding that prolonged exposure to disco music "causes homosexuality in mice and deafness in pigs." Dr. John, a New York physician, writing in 1977 that rock music causes "a breakdown in the synchronization of the two sides of the brain." Tipper Gore, the former Vice-President's wife, co-chair of the Parents Music Resource Center and author of Raising PG Kids in an X-Rated Society, commenting on heavy metal "I'm a fairly with-it person, but this stuff is curling my hair."

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, History

384 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1988

Reviews

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers’ appreciation of this book will be vastly improved if they are familiar with the major artists and styles of popular music from rock’s earliest days in the 1950s through the late 1980s.

There is a great deal of insight on how far opposition to popular music has gone over the years – even cornball schmaltz like “Teen Angel” and “Tell Laura I Love Her” were once banned for being “morbid.” It seems that in order to provoke establishment wrath, the only criteria music had to meet was being well-liked by teenagers.

It’s important to remember that artists now considered national treasures and beloved legends were, upon their entry into the music industry, depicted as talentless, subversive, even the devil himself.

Intriguing passages dealt with the efforts to suppress rock concerts in the middle of the 20th century. Seen as an invitation for rioting, concerts and festivals faced opposition throughout the world. As a modern day concert-goer, I read this information with bemusement. Today, concerts by all but the smallest regional groups are prohibitively expensive. Attending a concert or festival from a big-name national artist is on par, expense-wise, with going on a short vacation. Music fans are subject to searches and pat-downs before entering the venue, and are severely proscribed in what items they may bring with them. (“ONE SEALED water bottle per person ONLY!”) Obviously, someone along the way realized how much money they could make in live music shows.

There are times, however, when the book reaches a little too far. The author repeatedly pooh-poohs the idea that music can damage hearing—yet any sort of persistent loud noise can affect the human ear (just ask anyone who’s been in the military). There’s nothing special about rock music in particular; it’s just the decibel level. It’s not anti-rock to suggest that fans protect their hearing. A close look at musicians performing onstage will reveal that they do, indeed, wear ear protection.

Other omissions arise out of the time this book was written. The author identifies the racist element in the “Disco Sucks” movement, but ignores that this “cause” was motivated just as much or more by homophobia—indeed, after some anti-disco rallies, participants forced their way into gay bars and physically attacked the patrons.

Today, while pop music still occasionally courts controversy, it’s doubtful we’ll see the massive campaigns against music of years past. Once the Internet took over, music became so wide-ranging and fragmented that you can now listen to millions of groups playing music of every imaginable sort, with lyrics as squeaky-clean or rude and crude as you want—with just a tap of a finger. Artists can be extremely popular with one subculture and completely unknown outside of it. The forces on either side of the rock wars profiled in this book no doubt couldn’t imagine the developments of today’s music marketplace.

[Edward Champion · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book isn't as rigorous as I would have desired it to be, this is still a pretty decent overview of the censorship forces that set out to interpret rock and roll bands as instruments of Satan and degeneracy. Aside from reminding us of such loathsome figures as Charles Boykin, the two authors also dredge up Jesse Jackson's ridiculous campaign against "negative" music, a conveniently forgotten truth that many of the Reverend's admirers refuse to remember (just as they also forget Tipper Gore, who is unfortunately not included here). The upshot is that most of these bands never had any purpose other than to have fun and most of the reactionary protests against them sprang from bored and lifeless individuals who clearly resented this expressive freedom. There's also some good stuff in here about the contradictions of Dick Clark and AMERICAN BANDSTAND. On one hand, Dick Clark was early in pushing for desegregation on air. On the other hand, he was also a suit who cozied up to the mercantile forces at ABC. I'm probably going to have to find a better and more thorough volume on this subject, but this will do for now.

[Christopher Dalla Riva · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a great resource for finding sources that detail the various criticisms that rock music has received since it’s inception, but it is not a good book. In fact, there’s not really a narrative. It’s mostly just lists upon lists of quotes loosely strung together. That said, if you use it as a way to find first hand sources, then I think you will be satisfied. Clearly, a ton of research when into this.