Opinions on the roots of Classic Rock are varied; some say it was the “Summer of Love” which spawned staples like the “Sgt. Pepper,” “Surrealistic Pillow”and “Are You Experienced.” While those works are integral to the Classic Rock sound and evolution, I feel the roots of Classic Rock go back a bit further – to the British Invasion and the American response to it. Early Stones, Beatles, Animals and Kinks provided the impetus and the inspiration in the years leading up to the “Summer of Love” and much of the music to follow.
The name ‘Classic Rock’ (sometimes referred to as a genre in itself) originated in the mid-eighties by radio stations which featured album oriented rock from the late-sixties and seventies. While at the time, some Classic Rock stations (in order to keep ‘current’) would use phrases like “It doesn’t have to be old to be a classic” and would mix in current music or ‘Instant Classics’ by artists like Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and others who had released their most creative material back during that Classic Era. But, the ‘sweet spot’ for the Classic Rock sound, I believe, can be found in the early seventies when albums like Led Zeppelin 4, Who’s Next, and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon first saw the light of day. These albums have stood the test of time and are still top catalog sellers some 40 years later.
There are an eclectic group of styles and artists which make up the Classic Rock sound, ranging from the acoustics of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, to the hard rock of Aerosmith, from the southern rock style of Lynyrd Skynyrd, to the West Coast sound of the Eagles.
Our “Rock Show” program is, without a doubt, the soundtrack for much of the baby-boomer generation. Our mission is to present the truest, most complete Classic Rock experience available anywhere.
– Submitted by Bill Spencer, Music Design