I went to the local college to see Barry Drake give a lecture, “70’s Rock: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”. It lasted about 90 minutes and was free. I’m a 70’s music fan, so I figured, what the heck.
While I don’t doubt his credentials, I was left wanting more. He covered the major players in about a dozen categories.
He dismissed ABBA as “a polka band”! He thought the Bee Gees’ “Jive Talkin’” was a disco song. While discussing Singer/Sonwriters, he failed to mention Neil Diamond. He brushed the Carpenters off as a minor player in the pop category.
At least he gave the Electric Light Orchestra kudos. Why he thought they were an “art rock” band, though, I don’t know.
All in all, not a bad lecture, but I don’t think I’d see him do his other shows (50’s, 60’s, & 80’s).
You could really do a series of lectures each covering the genres he talked about.
Hmmmmmmmmmm…no takers, eh?
More examples of Mr. Drake’s “expertise”:
Reggae: ONLY Bob Marley is worthy of mention with a very slight nod to Jimmy Cliff. I guess Peter Tosh is unimportant.
Glam/glitter: Bowie is the king despite the fact that Ziggy Stardust was but one of Bowie’s many personae in the 70s. Alice Cooper, Gary Glitter, and KISS created their stage acts to disguise their lack of talent.
Linda Ronstadt: Very powerful woman. If she covered your song, you were guaranteed a record contract. (We should obviously ignore the Motown covers like “Heatwave”)
Southern rock: Only The Allman Brothers Band (who were actually a blues-ish band) matter. Forget Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Marshall Tucker Band, etc.
Disco: The Bee Gees were a disco group. We are to totally dismiss their late 60s/early 70s Beatles-inspired pop.
I’m writing this second post because the more I thought about what he said, the more I don’t like it. I would have expected a more objective look at the music rather than a guy talking about his favorites. He definitely had a boner for Neil Young.
Not familiar with him. Sorry. Did he talk about the death of disco at all?
hey! I know, I know!
I booked Mr. Drake to speak at our college (Arkansas State University - Beebe) last year. he had also spoken on our campus several years before on a couple of occasions, speaking on different decades of music.
his topic this last time was 'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Music of the 70s." It was a very good lecture.
I got to speak quite a bit with he and his wife - they are full of very cool stories of his performing days- like when janis joplin asked to borrow his guitar when they were playing adjoining clubs, but he turned her down because she had a reputation for tearing up guitars.
a very cool program. i’m sure we’ll have him back soon.