# The truth about "Classic Rock" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 8, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905 "2011-08-08T02:46:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/382 "2014-09-12T20:32:38Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Stealing it! A most gratifying compliment! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/383 "2014-09-12T20:45:49Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > The line between pop and rock is blurry at best. This was especially true in the 1960s, and the Beatles were the prime example of that. > [@](#): > > Is the distinction important even a little? I think it is, in terms of what the creators and performers of the music intended. Pop music is more strongly oriented towards widespread commercial appeal. In my opinion, rock like most other specific genres is geared towards a narrower target audience, and at its best breaks new grounds. In the case of rock, another highly important feature is greater emphasis on the instrumentalists, rather than just a singer by him/herself on a glitzy stage set, with unseen musicians providing the instrumental backup. ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/384 "2014-09-13T23:33:49Z")
Somebody needs to point out that all those ground-breaking Cream songs were composed after they’d been exposed to the music of Jimi Hendrix. Up until then, Cream existed as purveyors of repackaged blues music. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/385 "2014-09-15T02:51:11Z")
> [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](#): > > Somebody needs to point out that all those ground-breaking Cream songs were composed after they’d been exposed to the music of Jimi Hendrix. Up until then, Cream existed as purveyors of repackaged blues music. I’ve been giving it to Cream (for different reasons) in the course of this thread, but also want to be fair to them. And to be fair, your assertion above isn’t supported by the facts at all. Eric Clapton saw Jimi Hendrix perform live for the first time on September 30, 1966. By that time, almost all of their debut album (_Fresh Cream_) as well as their second single, “I Feel Free,” had already been recorded, and their first single (Jack Bruce’s “Wrapping Paper”) had been released. “Wrapping Paper” is in no way “blues music” — nor was the Jack Bruce-composed “I Feel Free,” released in December 1966 concurrent with _Fresh Cream_. And out of the ten tracks on the original UK issue of _Fresh Cream_, only four were of traditional blues origin. Further, their arrangement of Skip James’ “I’m So Glad” is a million miles away from the original and does not follow a standard blues structure — nor does their arrangement of the traditional instrumental “Cat’s Squirrel”). The remaining tracks were Cream originals, only one of which (“Sleepy Time Time”) follows a traditional blues structure. So nearly all of these songs, including “I Feel Free,” were composed and recorded before anyone in Cream had ever seen Jimi Hendrix perform — much less heard any recordings by him. The first Hendrix single, “Hey Joe”/“Stone Free” was released in late October 1966, by which time all of the first run of Cream recordings were already in the can. Doubtless Hendrix was a great influence on Cream and everyone else who saw/heard him. But Cream were already well on their way to being much more than simply “purveyors of repackaged blues music” before they ever encountered him. ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/386 "2014-09-15T04:13:18Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > I’ve been giving it to Cream (for different reasons) in the course of this thread, but also want to be fair to them. And to be fair, your assertion above isn’t supported by the facts at all. You know what? You’re right. I’m wrong. Not only did I have Hendrix getting to London months earlier than he actually did, I somehow merged Cream with Clapton’s Powerhouse. Ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/387 "2014-09-15T13:11:16Z")
I wanna hear “Free Bird” _one more time!_ ---
**Author:** ![Clifster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Clifster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clifster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/388 "2014-09-15T16:06:54Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I **was** a young teenager in 1967. I **did** see Cream live. They sucked then, they suck now. I would pay to have the ethusiasm I had at the time without the years 'til 2014 ---
**Author:** ![Clifster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Clifster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clifster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/389 "2014-09-15T16:09:31Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > I’ve been giving it to Cream (for different reasons) in the course of this thread, but also want to be fair to them. And to be fair, your assertion above isn’t supported by the facts at all. > > Eric Clapton saw Jimi Hendrix perform live for the first time on September 30, 1966. By that time, almost all of their debut album (_Fresh Cream_) as well as their second single, “I Feel Free,” had already been recorded, and their first single (Jack Bruce’s “Wrapping Paper”) had been released. > > “Wrapping Paper” is in no way “blues music” — nor was the Jack Bruce-composed “I Feel Free,” released in December 1966 concurrent with _Fresh Cream_. > > And out of the ten tracks on the original UK issue of _Fresh Cream_, only four were of traditional blues origin. Further, their arrangement of Skip James’ “I’m So Glad” is a million miles away from the original and does not follow a standard blues structure — nor does their arrangement of the traditional instrumental “Cat’s Squirrel”). > > The remaining tracks were Cream originals, only one of which (“Sleepy Time Time”) follows a traditional blues structure. > > So nearly all of these songs, including “I Feel Free,” were composed and recorded before anyone in Cream had ever seen Jimi Hendrix perform — much less heard any recordings by him. The first Hendrix single, “Hey Joe”/“Stone Free” was released in late October 1966, by which time all of the first run of Cream recordings were already in the can. > > Doubtless Hendrix was a great influence on Cream and everyone else who saw/heard him. But Cream were already well on their way to being much more than simply “purveyors of repackaged blues music” before they ever encountered him. Well said ---
**Author:** ![Clifster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Clifster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clifster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/390 "2014-09-15T16:13:47Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I **was** a young teenager in 1967. I **did** see Cream live. They sucked then, they suck now. You saw them though… hypocrite:) ---
**Author:** ![Clifster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Clifster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clifster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/391 "2014-09-15T16:15:45Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > I hate the fucking Eagles, man. Me too ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/392 "2014-09-15T16:42:55Z")
> [@Clifster](#): > > You saw them though… hypocrite:) In my defense, I saw _everything_ back then. I was a very indiscriminate consumer of live music. 😉 [RIP Swing Auditorium](http://theconcertdatabase.com/venues/swing-auditorium) ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905/393 "2014-09-15T22:21:36Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly. All I ask, Johnny, is play the playlist. Play a part of the playlist! Play one song off the playlist! Play a part of one of the songs off the playlist! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-truth-about-classic-rock/591905.md?page=19)