In the film Almost Famous, as the main character’s sister is leaving home to see the world she tells him to look under his bed, that what ever he finds there will “set you free.”
The music I’m looking for here should be along those lines of revolutionary and rebellious rock and roll. Something like Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan or The Beatles.
Well… The Beatles’ big turning point is either Rubber Soul or Sgt. Pepper, depending on who you ask. Neither of them are particularly inspiring today, though.
Dunno. I am a child of the 80s, but when I was a freshman in high school, our English teacher almost got herself fired for showing us Pink Floyd’s The Wall. I have always felt it was a revolutionary and almost “dangerous” album. I love it. I have no idea where it belongs in the big picture.
Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship: Blows Against the Empire. Begins with a blistering us-vs-them yippie rant about the state of American society ca. 1970, declaimed over a maelstrom of proto-metal jamming; and ends with an epic fantasy of escaping the old order by hijacking the first starship (“Oughta be ready by 1990”–sorry, Paul, we’re running a little late) and establishing a hippie utopia in space.
Good call, Biffy! I love turning the young 'uns onto that album.
For the whole “chicks can rock – no, really” insight, two excellent albums: the Pretenders’s eponymous first album, and Liz Phair’s Exile in Guyville.
Doesn’t get much more revolutionary and rebellious than London Calling by the Clash. Smart, musically-complex, politically-aware punk rock that really changed the face of rock music in 1979. I’d also suggest the Ramones’ “best of” compilation album Ramones Mania to go along with it, which is stripped-down, balls-to-the-wall three-chord punk rock that took New York City by storm while the Clash was leading the revolution in England.
My suggestion is the Bootleg Series two-disc set of the “Royal Albert Hall” concert. I had a bootleg cd of the second, electric part of the show for years, but only picked up the double-disc set, which also contains the acoustic first half of the concert, a couple of years ago. It’s fantastic - hearing the rapt response to the acoustic set puts the open hostility directed by some audience members toward the electric set in a whole new context, IMHO. (There’s a great illustrated booklet as well.) And at the time, it was revolutionary as hell.
are you looking for old stuff exclusivly? its kinda hard to define all them oldies as revolutionary and rebelious.
Maybe revolutionary songs is not the best way to describe it. How about good songs from the revolutionary era of rock music; that is the 60’s and early 70’s. The song itself does not have to start a revolution, it just has to be part of it. A revolution of music, not a political or social revolution.
Here are some bands that fall into the category: Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, The Clash, The Who and The Beach Boys.
Don’t limit yourselves to these bands or worry about the definition of revolutionary. If it sounds like it could inspire a generation, contains the meaning of life, or just a good rock song, then post the song.
Sly and the Family Stone - beautiful funk sounds. They seemed invested in the new counterculture, and they brought something new to rock. Check out the album Stand.
Jimi Hendrix - psychedelic blues. IMHO Jimi was playing ‘progressive rock’ before that label existed. Electric Ladyland was nothing I’d ever heard before in my life. Voodoo Chile gave me goosebumps.
Marvin Gaye He too seemed really interested in making the world a better place. His voice was heavenly, his band was tight. What’s Goin’ On from 1972 still has a place of honor in my vinyl collection–and seems more meaningful than ever today.
Neil Young - There were a lot of people on the country-rock bandwagon back in those days, but Neil stretched the most, sounded the most original and lasted the longest. My favorite is Rust Never Sleeps, which came much later in the decade.
Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention I really don’t know much about Zappa other than my favorite album of his, We’re Only In It For The Money.
That guy was way ahead of his time.
The album was a bit of a shock for my 15 year old system, but I listened to it over and over.
Rolling Stones - I’ve had my ups and downs with the Stones, but Let It Bleed is a favorite album and “Gimme Shelter” is one of the best rock and roll songs ever written. I think this was the first time they had a woman singing with them. It was a good move.
The Fugs - First Album
The MC5 - Kick Out The Jams
The Stooges - S/T
The Velvet Underground - White Light / White Heat
Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention - We’re Only In It For The Money
The Pretty Things - Get The Picture
The Deviants - Ptooff!
… those should be a good start.
The Sex Pistols album is probably right up your alley.
Only because it is the only album they ever produced and because they are, in fact, The Sex Pistols. Musically I don’t know what they were doing that others were not, especially The Ramones. Compared to The Clash, Television, the Talking Heads, and even DEVO their work taken out of a social context doesn’t really stand up.
The Ramones did the three-chord punk with more variety and The Clash did the revolution rock with more intelligence and style. The others I mentioned went on to conquer the 1980s for intelligent, artistic rock if you knew where to look.
Don’t get me wrong: I love The Sex Pistols. Their album was one of the first punk albums I bought and I still enjoy it. But it can be disappointing to someone who’s expecting musicianship or anything more than historical value.
To say something constructive for a change, look for ‘Blank Generation’ by Richard Hell and the Voidoids (fashion-spawning 80s punk), the New York Dolls’ self-titled album (a large influence on the Ramones), and Minor Threat’s Complete Discography (the song ‘Straight Edge’ alone is worth it for the revolution angle, but it’s really surprisingly sensitive and responsible hardcore punk).
(For revolution alone, though, early Elvis is damned near unbeatable. There is a reason he had a huge and rabid fan base even into his bloated, self-destructive late period. ‘Jailhouse Rock’ and ‘(You Ain’t Nothin’ But A) Hound Dog’ symbolized a reborn youth culture that would come to supplant the great Lost Generation of Hemingway and Fitzgerald in long-term influence and social change.)
Iron Butterfly In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. Not only the first Platinum rock album, but it started the whole extended song craze. The drum solo is still good listening.
Emerson Lake and Palmer’s first, self titled album. The tune “Lucky man” was most of the world’s first encounter with synthesizers, square waves and gliding notes. Not as nice as the Nice perhaps, but it spelled doom for the old hammond organ and Leslie sound.
A question. Who was the guy who popularized the 70’s wah wah pedal? Was that Sly?
…and for that, they should be shot. Repeatedly.
My first thought was Ramones. My second was NYDolls. I see others have mentioned them. My last thought is Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music.
Unlistenable noise is revolutionary? 
You preferred the stranglehold that 3.5 minute songs had on the pop airwaves?
If you want Lou Reed, I always liked the Velvet Underground’s self-titled album, aka the Grey Album. ‘The Velvet Underground and Nico’ is very good as well. (I never bought ‘White Light/White Heat’ and from what I’ve heard of it I probably wouldn’t like it. Very few albums are described as a ‘musical migraine’ by the people who like them. Hell, I thought ‘Daydream Nation’ by Sonic Youth was boring.)
I’m going with lyrics and subject matter.
The first song that came to my mind was The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again .
Jefferson Airplane’s song Volunteers of America is a good one.
R.E.M.'s The End of the World As We Know It
For The Who, I think Quadrophenia fits into this. It’s the story about a teen in England who gets into the whole Mod vs. Rocker scene, gets thrown out of his dysfunctional house, has adventures, and ends up on the beach wondering if he should go back to his old life and try to be a responsible person.