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Mar. 3, 2006 The title of this article is not a double entendre about what Robert Plant revealed when he wore tight jeans during the rock concert movie, The Song Remains the Same. I'm referring to the musical instrument that along with the clock is considered one of the great technological innovations of the middle ages. Mention the organ and most people think of music that accompanies church services and choir singing. Not me. Organ music reminds me of great rock and roll songs from the 1960's and early 1970's. The Doors are the most famous rock and roll group whose music revolved around the organ, and Ray Mazerak is the only organ player I can name. His long solo in the song, "Light My Fire," is a rock and roll anthem but has perhaps suffered that infamous fate of many great songs--death by overplaying. I prefer the playful silliness in "Texas Radio and the Big Beat," on the album LA Woman. Jim Morrison talks (not sings) ridiculous lyrics in all seriousness, while Ray Mazerak's organ playing seems more fitting to the inanity of the words in this song. As much as I enjoy the organ music of the Doors, my favorite song that uses an organ is "Still Raining, Still Dreaming," by Jimi Hendrix. For those who haven't heard this song, imagine Jimi Hendrix's rich, one-of-a-kind electric guitar playing in rhythm with an organ and backed by vocals reminiscent of gospel music. The organ gave background depth to songs such as "House of the Rising Sun," by the Animals, but it could also play a small but important part in tandem with the other more commonly used rock and roll instruments. Who can forget the introduction to Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild," in which an electric guitar alternates in stop time rhythm with an organ? Sadly, the synthesizer began replacing the organ in the dinosaur glamour rock of the late 1970's and 1980's, and punk rockers never used the organ at all. Robert Moog perfected the synthesizer around 1970 and rockers were quick to jump on this new invention. The synthesizer is not bad in itself. "Funeral for a Friend," on Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album makes good use of the synthesizer and note this album also has the classic hit, "Bennie and the Jets," and its memorable keyboard orgy of piano and organ. But synthesizers soon became misused in long boring intoductions that made rock fans wince. When the synthesized opening for say, "Jump," by Van Halen whines from the radio, rock fans recognize it as a warning that means either: turn the station or turn the radio off. Don't get me wrong. I love Van Halen and they are a great rock band when they rock hard, but the sentimental top 40 crud is a turn off. Now days, a real authentic organ with pipes costs two million dollars and organs found in most churches are actually synthesized in the interests of affordability, but they still sound good. There is no excuse why organ music can not be a part of rock and roll again. I've mentioned in an earlier article about how today's rock bands suffer from a lack of originality. Most modern rock bands sound like Nirvana or Metallica wannabees, and punk rap also suffers from a shallow sameness and dearth of sound not found in the music of previous generations. Listen to the big bands of the 1940's and then listen to hip hop. Compared to the former, the latter doesn't even sound like music; it sounds like some guy reciting poetry in an empty room. I wish modern rockers would rediscover the organ and the depth in sound that it can provide. ------------ About the author Mark Gelbart: My book, Talk Radio, is a black comedy about a radio talk show host who gets kidnapped and psychologically tortured by a loser. www.mark-gelbart.com Email: agelbart@aol.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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