History of Rock

A posthumous look at the legendary Tito Puente, and a not-so-posthumous look at Carlos Santana, the two most renowned artist in Latin Rock. Features include biographies, slight discographies (no compliations) and, of course, the greatest song ever, Oye Como Va!

Aug 13, 2000 - Robert Whillans

A look at the ever-lasting marriage betwixt drugs and rock music, from the swing and jazz of the thirties to today. The benefits, the downfalls, the albums, the murders... it's all right here.

Jul 25, 2000 - Robert Whillans

This one's bound to get me in trouble... This week we look at how folk music moved from a simple acoustic cafe sound to a larger electric sound, and in the process, picked up a few fans.

Jul 18, 2000 - Robert Whillans

IT'S BACK!! The true "History" in the History of Rock returns with the most complex and interesting of all of rock's many facets, psychedlia. Streching from 1965 to the end of 1969, this will pretty much conclude the chronological history of rock, as even though I'm willing to discuss the seventies and eighties, I refuse to go year by year (it's just not that good, people). This week, we start with the theory behind this music. We will continue in the weeks to come with artists, albums, events and yearly overviews. Rock on!

Apr 11, 2000 - Robert Whillans

We look at the best the Canadian Music Industry has to offer, as it is time for the 2000 Juno Nominees! (Saturday the 11th on Rogers Cable TV, performances Sunday at 8 P.M. on CBC).

Mar 7, 2000 - Robert Whillans

A look and critique of the nominees for this year's Grammys. A follow-up article will be written after the Grammys take place on February 23rd.

Jan 4, 2000 - Robert Whillans

The continuation of what Times magazine called "the best thing I've ever read in my life! And I'm illiterate!" No, not really. But this is the continuation of my review of the most important, or rather memorable moments of the Revolution. Happy New Year's!

Dec 29, 1999 - Robert Whillans

We finish off this year, decade, century, millenium (and for those who say that it's in 2001, too bad, I don't care, and I write this article, not you.) with a look at the most memorable moments in rock history. This doesn't mean necessarily the most influential, or shocking, or even a combination of the two. It just means the moments like the Kennedy assassination when you think back and remember where you were at that time. Concerts, murders, festivals, press conferences and riots are all included here, so it should have a bit of variety.

Dec 22, 1999 - Robert Whillans

The Ultimate list of the best songs of the 90s.

Dec 15, 1999 - Robert Whillans

This rock enthusiast's list of the 10 best songs ever.

Dec 8, 1999 - Robert Whillans

The Ultimate list of the 10 best albums of the 90's.

Dec 1, 1999 - Robert Whillans

The Ultimate list of the 10 best albums of the 90's.

Nov 23, 1999 - Robert Whillans

In honour of this being the last year of the millennium (for all of you who say it starts in 2001, tough bananas), History of Rock is looking at the true crème de la crème, that is the most influential, important and relevant artists and works in rock and roll. We start this week with the most influential bands of all time.

Nov 16, 1999 - Robert Whillans

The climax of the Beatles-Beach Boys saga, the most influential album of all time, the top album of the Hsitory of Rock "Albums of All Time" list and much more; this week, we look at Sgt. Pepper's. Need I say more?...

Nov 9, 1999 - Robert Whillans

The second part of our look at the Beatles' 1966 album, Revolver. Don't forget to mail me with votes for top songs/ albums of all time/the 90's!!!

Nov 2, 1999 - Robert Whillans

We continue this week with a look at Revolver.

Oct 25, 1999 - Robert Whillans

It occured to me that to write an entire article about every single individual song on Pet Sounds would take an enormous amount of time away from the History of Rock, and that I've explained the basic principles of the new concepts that were used in the creation of Pet Sounds. For those reasons, I have decided to abbreviate my analysis of Pet Sounds and conclude with this last article. If you want to know about what it was that made Pet Sounds so influential, I suggest reading one of the articles previous to this one.

Oct 19, 1999 - Robert Whillans

As we move on through the songs of Pet Sounds, we look this week at "You Still Believe In Me", the second track of the album. Also, a quick overview of what the various techinques used on this album meant to its production and overall sound. Another article entirely about one song. How? Because I'm Robert.

Oct 12, 1999 - Robert Whillans

The saga continues with the first track on the album, "Wouldn't It Be Nice". That's right, I somehow managed to write an entire article about one song on one album. How? Because I'm Robert.

Oct 5, 1999 - Robert Whillans

(Brian Wilson) "In December of 1966, I heard the album RUBBER SOUL by the Beatles. It was definitely a challenge for me. I saw that every cut was very artistically interesting and stimulating. I immediately went to work on the songs for PET SOUNDS"...

Sep 28, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Rubber Soul, a three part series: the next installment in the Beatles-Beach Boys saga leading to Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper's. Part I here.

Sep 21, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Rubber Soul, a three part series: the next installment in the Beatles-Beach Boys saga leading to Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper's. Part II here.

Sep 14, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Rubber Soul, a three part series: the next installment in the Beatles-Beach Boys saga leading to Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper's. Part I here.

Sep 7, 1999 - Robert Whillans

A continuation of the first battle between the geniuses of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and the Lennon-McCartney team of the Beatles.

Aug 31, 1999 - Robert Whillans

As folk rock spreads, the two unlikeliest of musical groups step forward to compete with each other and change what we thought of rock. This is the first battle.

Aug 25, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Folk come out of its shell and is seized by a nation. The Byrds speed up some Dylan, and life was never the same. Read all about it in this weeks..... THE HISTORY OF ROCK!!! (a bit overdramatic, eh?)

Aug 17, 1999 - Robert Whillans

A look at another of the Revolution's causes, the Civil Rights movement. A basic timeline of important events with explanation, from Rosa Parks to Selma, Alabama.

Aug 11, 1999 - Robert Whillans

The Beats. Fathers (and mothers) of the flower children. If you compare the two groups, that would seem to be no surprise. But having done it nearly ten years before? How could something that happened in the early fifties affect the mid-sixties?

Aug 3, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Last time, we looked at the blues side of the British Invasion, but we left out the biggest blues group of them all. This week, we continue the Blues part of the British Invasion with a look at The Rolling Stones and how they came about.

Jul 27, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Last time, we looked at the British Invasion and all the mainstream pop groups that followed it. This week, we take a look at the more blues-related artists that broke into the United States at around the same time. These groups were less known be the general public at the time, but had a strong base of hardcore blues fans that followed them throughout their early careers. Many of them became famous. Many of them became only one hit wonders. Whatever the result of their careers, the impact they had on rock can't be disputed.

Jul 20, 1999 - Robert Whillans

We continue the British Invasion this week with a look at who followed the Beatles into America. The American market was one of the hardest to break into, but once the Beatles had landed, the doors were open for those who had become famous in the UK to enter rock's home grounds. "The biggest thing the Beatles did was to open the American market to all British artists," said Arthur Howes, planner of the early Beatles' tours of England. "Nobody had been able to get in before the Beatles. They alone did it. I had brought over lots of American stars, but nobody had gone over there." The All-American sound of local radio stations dissapated to reveal a new force, primarily guitar bands that wrote, sang, and played all their own pieces. The mass-production of bubble-gum pop songs was to nearly come to an end, and certainly was over in the hearts of the teens.

Jul 14, 1999 - Robert Whillans

We're back to history this week with a look at the British Invasion. Basically, all British groups wanted to break through to the States, because that was rock's biggest market. They also wanted to go because the music that inspired them to become musicians came from there. America was a sort of rock paradise, where the music that was still offensive in England was now accepted by all. Many tried to release records through large American labels, all were refused. Those who tried to release them through independents were generally crushed. It seemed as if the States wanted nothing to do with the Brits and that it was an impenetrable music industry. The Beatles, however, would change all that...

Jul 8, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Its Canada Day this week and after a poll showed that the prefered Canadian Band or Artist was the Guess Who, here is The Guess Who, a late 60's and 70's rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba!

Jun 29, 1999 - Robert Whillans

We continue our look at rock in the United Kingdom this week with a look at the other side of England's youth: the Rockers. In essence, two groups of teens dominated the English rock industry, the Mods and the Rockers. Being distinct in nearly all of their nuances, these two also preferred distinctly different groups. The Rockers adopted the Teddy Boy styles that had captured the youth before them, and, for most Rockers, the music that they received from across the ocean, rock and roll.

Jun 22, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Well, in Ontario it's exam week for us high-schoolers, so the artcles may not be equal in length as previous ones. My last exam is on Monday, however, so I'll have a nice juicy one for you next week. This one is about the UK and the forces behind british rock. What do the Mods have to do with anything?? More than you'd expect.

Jun 15, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Continuing in our look at some of the major forces of the music of the early 1960s that shaped the rest of the decade, this week we look at surf rock: its origins, artists and the reason for its popularity. Surf rock was seen by many to be just another form of bubblegum music, but it may in fact have had a large effect on the music that followed it.

Jun 9, 1999 - Robert Whillans

This week, we take a look at one of the behind-the-scenes trends of the early 60's: folk. Specifically, we look at Bob Dylan, who's major folk work was done between 1960-1964. We see what got him where he is, and why he was so important.

Jun 2, 1999 - Robert Whillans

This week, we take a look at Motown's beginnings, mainly around 1960. We see how Berry Gordy Jr got his start, founded the company, met Smokey Robinson and gained success.

May 26, 1999 - Robert Whillans

With Early Rock having bitten the dust, many key changes began taking place behind the scenes that would have profound effects on rock's future. This week we look at the commercialisation of rock and it's effects on the listeners.

May 19, 1999 - Robert Whillans

A look at what caused Early Rock to go under in 1959, what folled it and what was to come afterwards. From the King's enlistment and Berry's imprisonment to Holly's death and Dick Clark's Teen Idols, it's all in here.

May 12, 1999 - Robert Whillans

A look at the events in 1958 leading to Early rock's demise and the triumph and dance and dance related things.

May 5, 1999 - Robert Whillans

A look at the events that took place in rock in 1957, early rock's pinnacle year. Note: also the year that the first canadian rock radio station, 1050 CHUM, opened, in my hometown, Toronto.

Apr 27, 1999 - Robert Whillans

Rock in the year 1956, a follow-up to last week's 1955: Rock is born. In this, we see Elvis, Little Richard and the Million-Dollar Quartet come on to the scene, as well as a short comment on rock's influence on segregation in the States.

Apr 20, 1999 - Robert Whillans

From early influences to early rock: now we see when it all started, the first real rock song and some of the people that made rock possible. This basically covers 1955, and a bit before it.

Apr 13, 1999 - Robert Whillans

A look at five of Rock's founding fathers who sent countless performers on their way and set the stage for the greatest music of all time. Featured here are Robert Johnson, Jelly Roll Morton, Willie Dixon, Lead Belly and B.B. King.

Apr 6, 1999 - Robert Whillans

The events and sounds that led up to the greatest music of all time, rock and roll. From the fields to the studios, the forces that shaped the history of the world.

Mar 30, 1999 - Robert Whillans

A brief description of the inductees to the Rock Hall of Fame in 1999 along with an explanation of the induction process.

Mar 6, 1999 - Robert Whillans