In 1978, Victoria Park was the venue for Rock Against Racism: a do-it-yourself festival in London where thousands gathered to rally against the National Front, a far-right political party. The party sought to spread its message of fascism and nationalism during the latter half of the 20th century. The opposition to this message did not go unnoticed.
The emotions from the crowd’s perspective translated into energy to the bands that played. One of those bands was the Clash, an up-and-coming punk group from London. Lead vocalist Joe Strummer was regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the U.K. punk scene.
The punk subculture grew to have its own reputation as rebels and troublemakers. Given their appearance of mohawks, ripped clothing and sneering attitudes, it would have been easy to vilify those who went against the grain. These bands were above all artists. Yet it was seen necessary to shut down those who expressed their anger publicly through art. The easy answer would be fear of change or anything that appeared remotely different.
As music continued to evolve, it seemed inevitable that artists would write and perform songs that went against what was already established. Maybe that was the point of it all. “Rock ’n’ roll has always pushed boundaries,” said Dr. Stephen Caliendo, professor of political science.
Although, as Caliendo said, certain boundaries came at a price when crossed. Elvis Presley was well-known for gyrating onstage and was loved for it. Yet the predominantly white audiences paid no mind to the overt appropriation of African American musical styles. Their focus was shifted more toward the new and presumably controversial.
“Rock ’n’ roll, in all of its iterations, is inherently designed to push against tradition,” said Caliendo. “Regardless of the form that tradition takes on, feathers are bound to be ruffled.” The dynamics of age are also worth noting, as youth often seeks to uproot outdated aspects of society.
Prior to the 20th century, religion had seemed to lose the control it once had over past followers. Bill Demain’s “The devil wears headphones” says it’s likely that conservative religious figures sought out a scapegoat for the loss of devotion. The easiest one was a rock genre that emerged in the 1970s.
In Pitchfork’s metal video series, the psychedelic rock era was born out of the 1960s and metal was associated with the brutality spreading from the West Coast to the Nordic areas of Europe. The genre also became associated with a certain aesthetic of black clothing, unruly hair and studded accessories. It wouldn’t take long for one conservative viewpoint to condemn the genre.
Jacob Aranza, a Louisiana pastor, wrote the 1983 book titled “Backward Masking Unmasked.” The technique of backmasking, when a message is recorded backward intended to play forward, was at the forefront of Aranza’s warning of Satanic messages being spread in rock music specifically.
Bands such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and even Hall & Oates were thought to be corrupting America’s youth with their records. Whether intentional or not, the idea of messages being spread subliminally was enough to get parents worried about the evil message music was spreading.
As Caliendo said, “They are art forms designed to be looked down up by those in power and excite those who are disadvantaged by systems and institutions that wield power.”
