I think an American tone came standard in pop/rock from the birth of Rock n Roll in the 50's. Straight away British acts took on the style , Tommy Steele "Rock with the caveman " maybe the first. I think the British Beat bands of the early 60's take on zooped up Black RB was the start of "Rock" . I think the American accent in pop became standard as we did't sound like George Formby anymore. The Kinks ' I really got you ' had an anglo/american accent butt totally British in its musical feel. Many Brit bands have sung in at times or all the time in UK accent such as Beatles , Sex Pistols, Joe Brown, Joy Division , Smiths , Bowie, Blur, Pulp , Artic Monkeys ,Human League etc. l think the rock/ pop accent is a fusion of the worlds 2 leading cultures in pop music. There are American bands that have sounded retro British such as the indie "Killers".
You've got to let me mention "the girl from Cardiff" who got some of the Bond movies "in the mood" with that wonderful voice. Never did see her live on stage,I'm afraid. I did get to see Johnny Cash and family live in London.......and they kicked the lot of us out midway through because of a bloody bomb scare!!!!
Poo The Bluesmen of America, such as BB King, Muddy Waters, John Lee hooker, Sonny boy Williamson, etc have British bands such as Cream, The Stones, Fleetwood Mac, etc to thank for bringing their music into the consciousness of not only Britain and Europe, but to the White American public who, up until that time, had largely been unaware of what great music was being created right in their own country! Mick Jagger clearly copied the black American Blues in his singing voice. Just as Peter Green, Eric Clapton etc, took a large amount of their style and inspiration from the likes of BB King.
I'm reminded of a friend of mine who runs singing courses. At one in the US he was explaining how he felt that pronouncing dipthongs was very important when singing in English. A Texan at the back stood up and asked: Wha-at in Go-od's Na-ame is a dipthong
A lot of interesting points here from various posters, few of which I'd take issue with. Both US and UK musicians made enormous contributions to electrified popular music, obviously. While many of the great blues and R and B black musicians were ignored in the rock and roll explosion in the fifties, Little Richard was not (a revisionist theory claims he started rock and roll), nor was Chuck Berry. It's interesting to read Keith Richards claim he and Jagger began as collectors of great American electrified blues. Certainly he and others in the UK had everything to do with expanding appreciation for the best of that genre in the US and around the world, and expanding popular music in great directions. I'm also a big Ramones fan. It's interesting to hear "Beat on the Brat" described as them using an English accent. I'd call it more of a punkish one off from nowhere. Anyway, I remember my friend repeating the word "Bop" which was more like BUP! in "Blitzkrieg Bop" because it was fun.
"While many of the great blues and R and B black musicians were ignored in the rock and roll explosion in the fifties, Little Richard was not (a revisionist theory claims he started rock and roll), nor was Chuck Berry." Lesser USA R+B (not Blues) artists would find their destiny laid not in the UK, but in Jamaica.
It's a complicated chronology. Essentially, blues came from the American South - from spiritual music, from the workers singing in the fields about their troubles, etc. Once other instruments came into their possession, along came jazz. Many of these early Bluesmen eventually moved north, in search of work and so along came what was known as Chicago blues. Early Rock and roll derived from blues and Chicago blues. The chord progressions are pretty much identical. I.e. In a 3 chord 8,12, or 16 bar progression.
Holy smoke Spain.What does that last sentence mean? As you can see I didn't know Dave Clark the Tottenham boy but my mum did serve in the catering service at the Royal.She said he had the whole place rocking!!!!! when he was on the bill.
Just a mention here for Louis Jordan who many of us think of as the real father of Rock n Roll. [video=youtube;PR6pHtiNT_k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=PR6pHtiNT_k[/video]
Sorry, Smithy. just think of what Status Quo did/do. Listen carefully to the chord changes, and you will hopefully get what I mean.
As a great fan of Louis Jordan l wouldn't call him the father of RNR . He is a perfect exAmple of Jump Blues , Boogie woogie , along with a few others , Big Joe Turner "Shake rattle , and roll " , Jackie Brenston " Rocket 88 " , Roy Brown " Good Rockin Tonite " . A important ingredient but many others are in the mix. Early Rockin Blues such as Arthur Crudup "That's all right , mama " , Junior Parker " Mystery train " etc. White artists like Bill Wills " Western Swing" , Bill Haley's pre comets counry boogie sound were all thrown in the pot. The stripped down earthy southern country/hillbilly (bill Munroe ) sound mixed with blues of many forms Is the essence of RNR . Sun studios in Memphis arguably it's birth place . Country artists in spirit like Perkins, Cash, Presley , recording in 54/55 what was Rockabilly a harder , sparse , early form of RNR . So it is impossible to say there is any 1 father but many uncles. Best British pure RNR record of all time , a ton up boys classic " Brand New Cadillac " Vince Taylor and the Playboys " ? Covered by the immortal Clash in 79 .
One cannot remove the invention of the electric guitar from the creation/birth and development of RNR, and especially the efforts of, firstly, Gibson, and then Fender. Unsurprisingly, the widespread availability of guitars from both these innovators, around 1954/55, coincided with with the explosion of the new RNR, including the likes of Elvis, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, and others, as well as the proliferation of electric blues from the likes of BB King, Buddy Guy,and Albert King.
Adolph Rickenbacker invented the first electric guitar in the early 1930's. Les Paul invented the first solid body electric guitar some 10 years later. He then got together with the Gibson company to manufacture the Gibson Les Paul. I still have my own Les Paul which I've owned for over 30 years.
The first electric guitars were little more than acoustics with pickups fitted, and presented horrendous feedback problems. They were not really practical for the edgy sounds of the emerging new music (RNR). Also, guitars like the Fender Telecaster and the Stratocaster made the guitar affordable and available to the masses.
Neither Gibson nor Fender guitars are exactly cheap, nor were they back then. That came later with all the copies that we still see today.
No musical instrument was particular cheap. However, the point I am making is that Fender's move into the mass production of guitars coincided (I would say, gave the impetus to) rock music and the harder forms of blues. Without the Fender guitar, I doubt there would have been and RNR.
