Black Artist in Rock and Roll

13

Comments

  • Did you have a good look? He is black really, go look at that rainy cover. Or is that not him?

    Jack Johnson is NOT black...for the record :)

    Ben Harper
    Lenny Kravitz
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • kidapollokidapollo Posts: 75
    LEADBELLY anyone?
    I MET SIR MIKE F'N McCREADY!!!!!!!!
    (Added to my sig as per SENROCK'S suggestion)

    "No time to be void, or save up on life ... you got to spend it all."

    *Official Marker in the Sand Fan Club Junkie*
    Member #0020

    Last Exit: Pittsburgh
    Next Stop: ???
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    kidapollo wrote:
    LEADBELLY anyone?

    Ummm, yeah. That's Huddy Leadbetter. :)
  • karma defectkarma defect Posts: 5,483
    Jack Johnson is NOT black...for the record :)

    Ben Harper
    Lenny Kravitz


    Haven't we been through this.
    I've already found this out.
    « One man's glory is another man's hell.
    You’re on the outside, never bound by such a spell.
    Together in the darkness, alone in the light.
    I took it upon me to be yours, Timmy,
    I’ll lead your angels and demons at play tonight......»
  • InkdaubInkdaub Posts: 235
    Doug Pinnick is black and hasn't been mentioned.

    I hate rap but I am big Dalek fan. Maybe other rap haters can dig his stuff as well. I'd describe his lyrics as intelligent and his sound as apocalyptic. Awesome stuff.
  • karma defectkarma defect Posts: 5,483
    Inkdaub wrote:
    Doug Pinnick is black and hasn't been mentioned.

    I hate rap but I am big Dalek fan. Maybe other rap haters can dig his stuff as well. I'd describe his lyrics as intelligent and his sound as apocalyptic. Awesome stuff.


    I saw him open once for The Lapse
    « One man's glory is another man's hell.
    You’re on the outside, never bound by such a spell.
    Together in the darkness, alone in the light.
    I took it upon me to be yours, Timmy,
    I’ll lead your angels and demons at play tonight......»
  • reeferchiefreeferchief Posts: 3,569
    Yea the lead guitarist for Guns N' Roses and currently Velvet Revolver. That guy.

    Yeah I know who he is guys, Saul Hudson, my question marks meant that i did'nt agree with the post saying he was black, just well tanned.

    http://www.slashonline.com/swf/index.html#gallery

    I debate the fact and bring pictures:)

    Jack Johnson is as black as Boom Gasper LOL.
    Can not be arsed with life no more.
  • fada wrote:
    What has happened ? You would would think that with the great Jimmy Hendrix leading the way , there would be loads of black artists in Rock and Roll. Off hand at the moment I can count only a few.
    Oscar Harrison Ocean colour scene drummer.
    The singer from Bloc party, drummer from the libertines and Lenny Kravitz.
    Now they are mostly outputing that aweful rap and hip hop.I loved the Motown and soul sound but how many of today's black artist are in the small league?
    R&B stands for Rhythm and Blues not what is protrayed as today.

    you need to check out karl denson and his band the tiny universe

    he will rawk your socks off
  • fadafada Posts: 1,032
    Well I'm not troubled with it at the concert. But I do find it strange that the best guitar player ever is a black guy and he is not recognised by people of his own race.
    He himself used to ask after a gig how many black people were there?
    And to be honest I don't like rap or today’s R&B or soul and that is what the musical culture is over here. So I always wonder why Hendrix doesn't appeal equally. Rock owes agreat deal of gratitude to black artists, and now there aren't so many resectable black artists, at least not in my view. But who can argue about taste.
    I amazed that the English grasbed Hendrix first before any Americans( of any race). Even with the Panthers and the rubbish Nation of Islam one one think he would be in the same league as Ali.
  • fadafada Posts: 1,032
    enharmonic wrote:
    Hold it right there, my friend. You have much homework to do if you think that it started with Jimi.

    Chuck Berry
    Little Richard
    Willie Dixon (without whom there'd be no Led Zeppelin)
    Muddy Waters
    John Lee Hooker
    Bo Diddley
    Lightning Hopkins
    Robert Johnson
    Howlin' Wolf
    Huddy Leadbetter
    Bukka White
    Elmore James

    There...that is a good start for ya. :)

    I wasn't exculding them but if you read what I wrote it stated leading the way not paved the way.
    I won't have great knowledge or the above but for me the motown artist paved the way more so for Jimi . the above were more his muses.
  • MOS DEF the New Danger. That is all.
    NERDS!
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    im still hung up on the slash thing... someone care to explain it to me?
  • fadafada Posts: 1,032
    He is half black(one of his parents is black).
  • kidapollokidapollo Posts: 75
    fada wrote:
    I amazed that the English grasbed Hendrix first before any Americans( of any race). Even with the Panthers and the rubbish Nation of Islam one one think he would be in the same league as Ali.

    He was living and playing in England, so was more accessible to his fanbase there.

    He is not in the same league as Ali. Nor should he be. Without a doubt, he was a great guitarist and influenced music in many ways. Ali, however, didn't just fight in the ring. He fought for social change as well, and went to jail and lost his heavyweight title rather than enter the man's army. Ali spoke much louder for what was right and wrong.
    I MET SIR MIKE F'N McCREADY!!!!!!!!
    (Added to my sig as per SENROCK'S suggestion)

    "No time to be void, or save up on life ... you got to spend it all."

    *Official Marker in the Sand Fan Club Junkie*
    Member #0020

    Last Exit: Pittsburgh
    Next Stop: ???
  • gtbrown77gtbrown77 Posts: 141
    I don't know why, but I am always slightly shocked when I see an African-American rock musician. But then I go, "Oh yeah" and think about guys like Hendrix and Living Colour. I'm gonna give it a shot here....

    Living Colour (Cult of Personality is one of my favorite songs ever)
    3/5 of DMB
    Howard Jones (guy from KsE - I think that's his name)
    Ben Harper
    Lenny Kravitz (he's half Jewish too, ya know)
    Tom Morello
    Derrick Green ("new" singer for Sepultura - but not the REAL Sepultura)

    But I would imagine most of these guys have been mentioned already in the thread (yeah, I didn't read through it)
    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
    -John Lennon
  • fadafada Posts: 1,032
    I had real high regard as Ali as this wonderful figure but the man could be a right cunt when he wanted to. His treatful of "smoking Joe" was disgrace to say the least. The fact that he was brainwashed by the nation of Islam was another.
  • kidapollokidapollo Posts: 75
    fada wrote:
    I had real high regard as Ali as this wonderful figure but the man could be a right cunt when he wanted to. His treatful of "smoking Joe" was disgrace to say the least. The fact that he was brainwashed by the nation of Islam was another.

    I don't think he was brainwashed by the Nation of Islam. He became a Muslim, and was associated with the Nation at one time, but he certainly does not live by their views later in his life. There's a clear distinction between Islam and the Nation of Islam, as I'm sure you are aware. Just as Malcolm X eventually saw the error in the Nation's ways, Ali, also, separated himself from them. If he was brainwashed, he would not be as open and accepting of all people, regardless of color, as he is today.

    Also, his treatment of Smokin' Joe was part of the act, and quite frankly, part of Ali's brilliance. I believe Frazier understood that. It seemed to go beyond the line, however. Nonetheless, Ali was playing a role, as he did with each bout.
    I MET SIR MIKE F'N McCREADY!!!!!!!!
    (Added to my sig as per SENROCK'S suggestion)

    "No time to be void, or save up on life ... you got to spend it all."

    *Official Marker in the Sand Fan Club Junkie*
    Member #0020

    Last Exit: Pittsburgh
    Next Stop: ???
  • kidapollokidapollo Posts: 75
    gtbrown77 wrote:
    I don't know why, but I am always slightly shocked when I see an African-American rock musician. But then I go, "Oh yeah" and think about guys like Hendrix and Living Colour. I'm gonna give it a shot here....

    Living Colour (Cult of Personality is one of my favorite songs ever)
    3/5 of DMB
    Howard Jones (guy from KsE - I think that's his name)
    Ben Harper
    Lenny Kravitz (he's half Jewish too, ya know)
    Tom Morello
    Derrick Green ("new" singer for Sepultura - but not the REAL Sepultura)

    But I would imagine most of these guys have been mentioned already in the thread (yeah, I didn't read through it)

    I saw Living Colour at the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh when I was in high school. I wasn't driving yet, my mom dropped us off and picked us up from the show. Probably around 89 or 90? It was one of the greatest rock shows I've ever seen. Urban Dance Squad opened. (Deeper shade of soul ...) Corey Glover, Living Colour's lead singer, climbed to the balcony and jumped down into the crowd. This was 90! Well before any of us had seen Eddie pull similar experiments with gravity. Glover then ran down the aisle, but didn't see that it took a sharp right turn, and he ran full-speed into the back of our seats in the sixth row or so. He hit it those seats with the ferocity of a linebacker. It was a theater, so the seats were firmly connected with the floor. He had to be hurting. But he picked himself up and climbed over us and the rest of the crowd to make his way back onto the stage. One of my friends had his shoe mark on the back of his jacket. It was the craziest thing I'd seen at that time. The next craziest happened when I saw Digital Underground open for Public Enemy, and those crazy bastards dropped inflatable sex dolls down into the crowd.
    I MET SIR MIKE F'N McCREADY!!!!!!!!
    (Added to my sig as per SENROCK'S suggestion)

    "No time to be void, or save up on life ... you got to spend it all."

    *Official Marker in the Sand Fan Club Junkie*
    Member #0020

    Last Exit: Pittsburgh
    Next Stop: ???
  • karma defectkarma defect Posts: 5,483
    fada wrote:
    I amazed that the English grasbed Hendrix first before any Americans( of any race). Even with the Panthers and the rubbish Nation of Islam one one think he would be in the same league as Ali.


    Yes, you would think that. Even if his best periode was in the London scene.
    It is sad that up to this day he remains to be a hero to white people, but isn't really a roll model for youngsters of his own race.
    Fuck 50 cent, and Snoop dog and Tupac.
    « One man's glory is another man's hell.
    You’re on the outside, never bound by such a spell.
    Together in the darkness, alone in the light.
    I took it upon me to be yours, Timmy,
    I’ll lead your angels and demons at play tonight......»
  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    i always thought that hendrix played white man's music. and that was why he didn't get the props from blacks.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    fada wrote:
    I wasn't exculding them but if you read what I wrote it stated leading the way not paved the way.
    I won't have great knowledge or the above but for me the motown artist paved the way more so for Jimi . the above were more his muses.

    Paved the way...leading the way?

    There's NO way without the artists I listed. You lose a solid 30-40 years of "way" by starting with Jimi. What he did was revolutionary in its time, but he did it with music that predated his leading of anything.
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    i always thought that hendrix played white man's music. and that was why he didn't get the props from blacks.

    Not at all. He didn't get his props because of the era in which he came to prominence. also, I would bet that a lot of blues purists at the time were none too thrilled that he took a black art form and turned it into a circus act for white folk. Jimi put the visual fire in the blues. It always had the emotioanl fire, but he brought the blues to life through blistering performances and guitar playing that was way out for its time.

    We do not have the benefit of the perspective of hearing the rock music world before Jimi Hendrix. Think of a world where all you hear are sounds like the Beach Boys, The Beatles, and The Byrds on the radio, and then hear the dj spinning Foxy for the first time. It was mind bending stuff in its day. I imagine sitting in my house listening to Turn Turn Turn..with it's nice, twangy 12-string jangle...and then hearing the feedback into of Jimi's guitar come crashing down into that Foxy beat...that would have been crazy the first dozen or so times.
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    Yes, you would think that. Even if his best periode was in the London scene.
    It is sad that up to this day he remains to be a hero to white people, but isn't really a roll model for youngsters of his own race.
    Fuck 50 cent, and Snoop dog and Tupac.

    Playing guitar takes time, and talent. Rap takes talent too, but not nearly as much time to get good.

    If you were to immerse yourself in guitar for 6 months, you might be ok with basic chord forms and some lead runs. If you immersed yourself in rap for 6 months, you could write your own album of sound-alike hip hop. :)

    And the UK will always have a better scene than America. :p
  • karma defectkarma defect Posts: 5,483
    Ah well it's not the scene that is important, but the music. And although I can name really good bands from England, the same can be said for the states. And the foundation for my music choice was the Baetles, but I think the construction that holds the house together is Sonic youth. English bands do tend to play it save, they don't want to be ignored by the critics.

    You may prove me wrong. Gladly.
    « One man's glory is another man's hell.
    You’re on the outside, never bound by such a spell.
    Together in the darkness, alone in the light.
    I took it upon me to be yours, Timmy,
    I’ll lead your angels and demons at play tonight......»
  • fadafada Posts: 1,032
    kidapollo wrote:
    I don't think he was brainwashed by the Nation of Islam. He became a Muslim, and was associated with the Nation at one time, but he certainly does not live by their views later in his life. There's a clear distinction between Islam and the Nation of Islam, as I'm sure you are aware. Just as Malcolm X eventually saw the error in the Nation's ways, Ali, also, separated himself from them. If he was brainwashed, he would not be as open and accepting of all people, regardless of color, as he is today.

    Also, his treatment of Smokin' Joe was part of the act, and quite frankly, part of Ali's brilliance. I believe Frazier understood that. It seemed to go beyond the line, however. Nonetheless, Ali was playing a role, as he did with each bout.
    He gave away vast amounts of money to the Nation and this was coming off that their profit came down in a spaceship! Igorance on Ali's part.

    Smoking Joe begin called an "Uncle Tom" . I need not post some of the rest without being brandest a racist.Ali's role was over the top and Ali "Kill him" in the Foreman fight was a bit crued too.
  • reeferchiefreeferchief Posts: 3,569
    fada wrote:
    He gave away vast amounts of money to the Nation and this was coming off that their profit came down in a spaceship! Igorance on Ali's part.

    Smoking Joe begin called an "Uncle Tom" . I need not post some of the rest without being brandest a racist.Ali's role was over the top and Ali "Kill him" in the Foreman fight was a bit crued too.

    I thought this thread was abiout black people in rock?

    Anyway there's a black guy in Local H, Joe Daniels.:)
    Can not be arsed with life no more.
  • kidapollokidapollo Posts: 75
    fada wrote:
    He gave away vast amounts of money to the Nation and this was coming off that their profit came down in a spaceship! Igorance on Ali's part.

    Smoking Joe begin called an "Uncle Tom" . I need not post some of the rest without being brandest a racist.Ali's role was over the top and Ali "Kill him" in the Foreman fight was a bit crued too.

    That all may be true, but Ali has admitted his mistakes and has reached out to Frazier, offering his apology and looking to leave the past behind them. He wrote about his feelings for Frazier in his autobiography. Frazier, however, maintains that he would prefer to dig Ali's grave than accept an apology.
    I MET SIR MIKE F'N McCREADY!!!!!!!!
    (Added to my sig as per SENROCK'S suggestion)

    "No time to be void, or save up on life ... you got to spend it all."

    *Official Marker in the Sand Fan Club Junkie*
    Member #0020

    Last Exit: Pittsburgh
    Next Stop: ???
  • fadafada Posts: 1,032
    Sampling to me is the laziest form of music ever. People like Hendrix perfected their trade by hours of hard work and learning, that why hip hop and rap irrated so much.
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    Ah well it's not the scene that is important, but the music. And although I can name really good bands from England, the same can be said for the states. And the foundation for my music choice was the Baetles, but I think the construction that holds the house together is Sonic youth. English bands do tend to play it save, they don't want to be ignored by the critics.

    You may prove me wrong. Gladly.

    Two UK bands that I love to pieces...Porcupine Tree and Oceansize...destroy anything going on in American music save for QOTSA and Candiria.
  • InkdaubInkdaub Posts: 235
    kidapollo wrote:
    I saw Living Colour at the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh when I was in high school. I wasn't driving yet, my mom dropped us off and picked us up from the show. Probably around 89 or 90? It was one of the greatest rock shows I've ever seen. Urban Dance Squad opened. (Deeper shade of soul ...) Corey Glover, Living Colour's lead singer, climbed to the balcony and jumped down into the crowd. This was 90! Well before any of us had seen Eddie pull similar experiments with gravity. Glover then ran down the aisle, but didn't see that it took a sharp right turn, and he ran full-speed into the back of our seats in the sixth row or so. He hit it those seats with the ferocity of a linebacker. It was a theater, so the seats were firmly connected with the floor. He had to be hurting. But he picked himself up and climbed over us and the rest of the crowd to make his way back onto the stage. One of my friends had his shoe mark on the back of his jacket. It was the craziest thing I'd seen at that time. The next craziest happened when I saw Digital Underground open for Public Enemy, and those crazy bastards dropped inflatable sex dolls down into the crowd.


    I'd have loved to see that show. Living Colour were great and love the Urban Dance Squad as well.
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