My take on Rock and Roll

I am Scott OKen, I am 44 years old…I like Rock and Roll. I’m going to write about it and hopefully try not to sound too much like a know it all. (fat chance)


First, a little background…My first remembrance of Rock and Roll is the Chipmunks, more specifically, The Chipmunks Sing the Beatles Hits. I don’t remember how I acquired it, but it was always there. I knew it by heart. I was 4. Then I heard “All My Loving” on the radio. “Who the hell are these guys, and why are they singing the Chipmunks?” They were the Beatles. They are the Beatles. My musical life had forever changed.

The first album purchased for me was The Beatles 1962-1966 aka “The Red Album”. I must have listened to that lp 87 times a week! The first album I purchased with my own money was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It cost $6.49, I ran home and played it 6 times in a row.

From that point it was all 60s and British Invasion bands. Nothing else was satisfactory. I was a snob that way. That lasted until Senior year in high school. Two things happened that year that changed everything. The first was a neighbor that lived down the block from me. He lived with his wife and a kid on the way and we hit it off talking about 60’s bands and such, so I had a great respect for him. He brought me down in the basement…(sounds creepy, but not! Get your mind out of the gutter!!!!) He asked if I heard of Led Zeppelin. Of course I did, but I had no interest. He pulled out the first lp, Led Zeppelin (there is NO such album called “Led Zeppelin 1”) I heard the first notes of “Good Times, Bad Times” and that was pretty much it. Yeah, I was sheltered, it took me a while to get with it! The next event was a battle of the bands in which the band I was in, and a friends band merged to create a “super group” …we were not good, but we compromised on playing half British invasion songs, and half standard Hard Rockers. It is here that I had to do my research and was handed Black Sabbath’s Greatest Hits and Ted Nugent The End…I rock.

Enough with the bullshit about me. Here are my commandments of rock and roll.

I. Thou Shalt Utilize the Guitar- All Rock music is centered around the guitar. End of story. Are there exceptions? Of course, but never shall ye stray too far from the Mjolnir that is the Guitar!!!

II. Thou Shalt have solos-I’m not talking 20 minute solos out of the context of a song, I mean I want to hear you scream or tastefully solo within the song. They can have some length if executed properly. Example “Rock Bottom” by UFO.

III. Thou Shalt have brilliant bass work- Be it melodic, or booming, I need to hear it. I need to feel it!

IV. Thou Shalt not bog down thine LP with instrumentals- Every now and then is fine, but a full lp of instrumentals? No. People want to hear singing. If you are gonna make me listen to an instrumental, make it interesting and short.

V. Understand the Hammond B3- The most acceptable keyboard to use.

VI. If Thou art creating Prog-Rock, Understand that the second word in Prog-Rock is Rock!!!!

VII. Thou shalt NOT be Genesis

VIII. Most great music has been created BEFORE 1979.

IX. Thou shalt not be embarrassed for enjoying Hair Metal.

X. Adding wah-wah will create INSTANT JAMS 99% of the time!

These are the most basic. I thought about making an 11th commandment about the harmonica not really being an instrument, but I will probably get killed!! (3 crazy bluesmen rush in to kick the shit out of me...I run...) Yeah, it seems like I’m rather short sighted, but really I’m not. I like all types of rock, not just the jams. I am equally at home with Deep Purple, or the Association. Trust.

It’s all in fun anyway. My goal here is to dissect particular albums, groups, songs, etc. Why? No reason. I like to talk music and get it out. You may think I’m an idiot. (you may be right) Hopefully you will just take it as something to be an alternative to making spreadsheets or something. Enjoy Rock! You will hear more from me soon!!!