How to Rock and Roll

Last Updated: January 23, 2021 References

Cleveland rocks. The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame is in Cleveland, Ohio for good reason. It was in Ohio that DJ Alan "Moondog" Freed, one of the first white radio DJs to promote and celebrate African-American artists, invented the phrase "rock and roll" to describe the unique combination of blues, country, and R&B he played across the radio waves. If you want to rock and roll, learning more about the unique strains of rock music and the history of that music is essential. You can learn to listen to rock and roll properly, cultivate the rock and roller style, and even start a band of your own.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Listening to Rock and Roll

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Listen to a wide variety of rock music. If you want to rock 'n roll, you owe it to yourself to listen to as much rock music as possible. Every other concern, from style to attitude, should take a big second place to listening to rock music. From the classics to the modern masters, any good rock 'n roller spends a serious amount of time researching new bands, checking out records, and banging your head to the beat.^{[1]
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- Lovers of any genre have a tendency to get territorial and petty. What is "real" rock music? For some people, there's nothing worth listening to after Jimi Hendrix died, while others think the genre was invented sometime in the 1990s. Leave petty arguments to the YouTube comment stream. Great rock music is being recorded today, great rock music was recorded sixty years ago. Listen to all of it and ignore the rest.
- Real rock 'n rollers just want to rock. Listen to everything, regardless of the genre, the style, or the sound. Only worry about one thing: whether or not it rocks. Try it out and see for yourself.
2
Get hooked with classic rock. If you have any desire to be a rock and roller, classic rock is probably the cause. It's a hard-to-pin-down term, especially since classic rock radio stations play music that's barely fifteen years old, but it most regularly refers to rock and roll music recorded between the mid-1960s and the mid-1970s.^{[2]
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- Classic rock bands include: The Rolling Stones, The Who, Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Skid Row and many others. The specific sound and style of the music varies significantly. Most classic rock is guitar-based, predominantly featuring guitar riffs and solos, as well as howling vocals and fast rhythms.
- Depending on who you ask, more recent bands as diverse as: Nirvana, Guns N' Roses, Bad Company, and Kansas may be considered "classic" rock. It's got less to do with a time-frame and more to do with an attitude.
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Check out rock and roll's loudest varieties. Rock's got a reputation for volume and intensity. Pete Townshend of The Who famously blew out his eardrums when he loaded drummer Keith Moon's kick drum with dynamite for an on-stage prank, setting new records for rock and roll volume. Fortunately, rockers have kept up the tradition. If classic rock just doesn't do it for you, check out the more extreme cousins of the classics.^{[3]
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- Punk rock blew up in the late-1970s as a direct response to the bloat and pretension of the classic rock bands filling arenas at that time. No extended 30-minute James to be found here, just three chords and the truth. Check out classic punk bands like: The Stooges, The Clash, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Damned, and the Zero Boys. More modern versions of the classics include the Black Lips, True Sons of Thunder, and the Oblivians.^{[4]
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- Heavy Metal is the most extreme version of rock and roll. Originating with the dirge-like heaviness of Black Sabbath, heavy metal has spread and segmented into a nearly endless variety of sub-genres and styles, peaking and blowing up in the 1980s. Check out Judas Priest, Mötorhead, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax for an introduction.^{[5]
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Trace the roots of rock 'n roll backward. Check out the grandfathers of the genre. Early rock or oldies refers to the birth of rock 'n roll, when country mixed with R&B and blues to create a new style of music. Check out early Sun Studios recordings by: Hank Williams, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins to hear the sound, as well as Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Ike Turner, and Gene Vincent to get a sense of the first practitioners.^{[6]
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Research source} It's still super-cool.
- If you want to go deeper, find the great-great grandfathers of the music by exploring the heaviest and most potent distillation of American music: the blues. A folk music sung and perfected by African-American laborers and sharecroppers throughout the South, blues music can be heavier than Led Zeppelin and spookier than black metal. Check out Blind Willie Johnson, Charley Patton, Geechie Wiley, and Bessie Smith if you want to hear some of the best music ever put to wax.
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Make a pilgrimage to rock Mecca. Every rock fan owes it to themselves to visit the holy land. Memphis, TN, USA is the Mecca of rock n' roll. Memphis is a melting pot, where country music, blues, and R&B mixed together to form a unique new style. This is the land of Elvis Presley, of Carl Perkins, of Johnny Cash, Howlin' Wolf, and Little Milton. Walk down Beale Street, the Las Vegas of blues music. See Sun Studios, where some of the most iconic rock musicians recorded, from Roy Orbison to Bono. If you're not big on the roots of rock, find other rock pilgrimages to go on and get up close with the rock and roll homeland.^{[7]
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Research source} Try visiting:
- Liverpool, the working-class English city in the North-West of England, where the Beatles were born, bred and formed their iconic line-up. Check out the Cavern Club, where they used to perform. Go see Penny Lane and Strawberry Field, which are real places.
- Joshua Tree State Park, the psychedelic desert region in Southern California where Gram Parsons was cremated and which provided the name for the iconic U2 record.
- Jim Morrison's grave in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris. Other than the Lizard King, Père Lachaise in the French capital houses lots of notable historical figures, including Frédéric Chopin, Marcel Proust, Edith Piaf and Honore de Balzac. It's a spooky paean to the past.
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Go to see bands play live. Every rock and roller needs to have the experience of standing in the crowd and feeling the rush of seeing a great rock band come on stage. When the stage lights go dark and the crowd comes to life, there's just nothing like it on earth. Show up early and check out the opening acts to get tips on new records and new bands to check out, then stand in anticipation for the headliners. Scream your head off.
- You don't have to shell out mega-scratch to see a big band play live. Acts like Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones charge obscene ticket prices, but most towns have vibrant and great local scenes that can satisfy your rock fix. Seek out all-ages venues in your town to find out where you might see local bands that will help expand your taste and your opportunities to rock.
- Bring money with you in case you've decided on buying something before, during, or after concert.
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Listen to rock music on vinyl. The invention of the 12-inch 33 1/3 rpm vinyl record revolutionized the way we listen to music. Before vinyl, there was no concept of an "album," there were just songs. If you're going to be a true rock 'n roller, you owe it to yourself to hear the classics the way they were meant to be heard, on vinyl records, played through a turntable, preferably at neighbor-disturbing volumes. You've never heard Dark Side of the Moon until you've dropped the needle into the groove on side one.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Acting Like a Rocker

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Be cool. Rock and roll is synonymous with coolness. If you want to rock, or you want to develop a reputation as a rock 'n roller, which means playing it cool. Whether you're at work, at school, on stage, or hanging out, you've got to learn to kick back and go with the flow. The world is your living room. Relax in it.^{[8]
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- Don't get excited about anything but rocking. Your partner's breaking up with you? Big deal. You've had a terrible day at work? Who cares? Rock and rollers can be chill in the face of dire situations. Be unflappable. Let nothing rattle you.
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Grow your hair out, or cut it all off. Check out the cover of the Beatles Rubber Soul. From the perspective of years, they look relatively clean-cut, though at the time, those moppy-headed Liverpudlians were downright dangerous-looking. Hairstyle is intimately linked to rocking and rolling. The length and the style of your hair can be a political act, growing it long in direct defiance of the square-establishment, or cutting it all of in the face of traditional gender norms. Your hair is one of the best ways to identify yourself as a rocker.^{[9]
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- For a guy, growing your hair long can still be a great way of rocking out. Head-banging with a full mop of rocker hair is one of the true pleasures of life.^{[10]
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  Research source} Alternatively, shaving it down, or cutting a mohawk is common among punk rockers.
- For a girl, a variety of styles and cuts fit in with the rock and roll look. Depending on what you're into, a big streak of electric blue in your hair could do the trick, or cutting it super-short, or leaving the bangs long to grow a hippie-cut, like Joni Mitchell.
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Wear rock gear. Rock and roll style is one of the easiest styles to pull off. Inexpensive, basic, and cool, rock clothes don't even have to be clean to look totally rad. Cultivating a rock and roll wardrobe is easy by following a few basic steps:^{[11]
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- Buy used clothes. Second-hand thrift stores are a great place to buy rock clothes. Old flannel shirts, ripped jeans, and funny t-shirts are a great way of pulling off a devil-may-care look. Be anti-mall.
- When in doubt, go with Chucks. Chuck Taylor All-Stars are the most iconic rock and roll shoe, following up closely perhaps by Beatle Boots and Doc Marten punk boots.
- Rep your favorite bands with their t-shirts. One of the best ways to identify yourself as a rocker is to wear the shirts of your favorite labels, rock bands, and artists. Seen a great band in concert? Get the t-shirt.
- Don't be afraid of accessories. For rock guys and girls, necklaces, bracelets, and bandanas are always appropriate. Go easy on the tie-dye and the hemp, though. There's a fine line between "rock and roller" and "hippie."
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Wear sunglasses. Check out old press photos of Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and Elvis Presley. Sunglasses make the rocker. Indoors, outdoors, doesn't matter. Wear shades, preferably simple, medium-framed, and solid black. Turn up the cool-factor wherever you are by investing in a great pair of basic sunglasses.
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Find a guru. Rock in the footsteps of the rockers who've come before you by coming up with your rock and roll heroes, gurus, and saints. Every rocker will have their favorites, and you should be no different. Find a musician that speaks to you, that goes deep and makes a connection with you personally, and go deep into their back catalog. Read everything you can.
- Read some classic musician and rock lifestyle biographies to help you get a sense of the mythology and the stories associated with rock and roll. Keith Richards' Life and Johnny Cash's Cash are two of the best books about life and rock ever written.
- Check out documentaries about your favorite rock musicians. Featuring on-stage footage and intimate interviews, rockumentaries can be one of the best ways to get up close and personal with your favorite rockers. Bob Dylan's Don't Look Back, The Band's The Last Waltz, The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter and Mötorhead's Lemmy (film) all show the ups and downs of rock stardom, showing their subjects at their best and worst.
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Avoid the rockstar cliches.^{[12]
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Research source} Rock and roll has a reputation for excess, and it's important to draw a line somewhere in your excursions and explorations. Substance abuse, promiscuity, and violence has absolutely nothing to do with rock 'n roll. You don't need to be self destructive to rock. Try to avoid the rockstar cliches and stop destructive behaviors before they turn into a serious problem.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Starting a Band

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Pick up an instrument. If you want to get rocking in a more formal setting, picking up an instrument can be a big step, signaling your evolution from rock fan to full-on rockstar in training. If you want to start a band, consider picking up up one of the following traditional rock instruments:
- Guitar. To complete your transition from young Padawan to Jedi Knight, pick up the rock axe of stardom. Nothing is more wrapped-up in the style and soul of rock and roll than the electric guitar. Only one question remains: Stratocaster or Les Paul?
- Bass. A few notable exceptions aside, a band without a bass guitar is like a meal without a plate. It just helps everything stay together. Providing a bottom end and a rhythmic foundation for the tunes, picking up bass will have you in high-demand as a player.
- Drums. The drummer is the wild one behind the kit, slapping the skins and keeping everyone in time. Though it's one of the most satisfying instruments to play, drummers must have a natural sense of rhythm and internal time to be good. Are you up to the challenge?
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Find a group of people to play with. Clean out the garage, set up your amps, and warn the neighbors: it's time to start a band. Start spreading the word that you're looking for some rock and roll mercenaries for your newly minted pirate ship. Suit up in your jean jackets and your ratty sneakers and start changing the world three chords at a time.^{[13]
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- Put up a flyer with your contact info at the local guitar shop or music store if you're struggling to find willing players. Hit up open-mics at coffee shops or bars in your area and show off your skills to attract some attention and get people who'll want to play with you.
- Classic indie rock band the Pixies was formed when Black Francis put a notice in the local paper that he wanted a bass player who liked both Peter, Paul, and Mary as well as Husker Du. If you can, make a demo of yourself playing and share it online to help find others to play with. Put the word out and keep your ear to the underground.
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Start jamming. When you first get started rocking, keep your expectations low and make your biggest priority getting on the same page. Tune up together, Try to play in time, and listen to what everyone else is doing. Start playing by jamming on a single chord or a single chord progression before you start trying to get fancy. Communicate together and try not to worry too much about whether or not it sounds great.^{[14]
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- Most bands don't start out by writing their Bohemian Rhapsody. It's ok if you don't have your opuses in place when you first get started. Learn some cover songs first to help yourselves get used to playing together before you challenge yourselves to start actually writing music. Have fun with it at first.
- Keep the volume at a reasonable level. Try not to get kicked out of your practice space before you even get a song together. Turn down so everyone can follow at a reasonable volume. If you think you hear trumpets going off above your guitar feedback, you're probably doing some hearing damage. Turn it done.
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Use your musical flaws as advantages. When asked why he and his band played with such a chugging drive at such a slow tempo, one of the things that made his music completely fresh, unique, and listenable, Johnny Cash replied, "We'd play faster if we could." The toughest thing about forming a band? Finding a "unique" sound. Everyone wants it, but few bands actually achieve it. If you want your band to stand out from the crowd, learn to embrace your idiosyncrasies, faults, and quirks in your playing and your style as a band and make that the basis of your sound. Use your weaknesses as strengths.^{[15]
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- Miles Davis could never master the technique of playing with vibrato, so he just quit trying altogether, and became iconic in part because of his long, clear, clean tones. If something gives you fits, embrace the other aspects of your playing. If you notice yourself relying on hammer-ons constantly during your guitar playing, make it your thing.
- One of the oldest adages in rock is that if you can't play well, you should at least play fast, and that if you can't play fast, you should play loud. It holds up.
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Write what you know. If you stumble across a unique little pattern, or a catchy little hook in one of your jam sessions, it might be time to start writing a song. Where do you start? You don't have to be William Shakespeare to write a rock song, and it's usually better to keep your expectations low and local when it comes to lyrics. Focus on your own life and write about what you know than trying to write abstract nonsense about "society" or politics. Keep it simple.^{[16]
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- Study poetry and invest in a good rhyming dictionary to help your lyric skills. Try to write as a group, switching lines to help keep it democratic if you want. Some writers find it helpful to make up the melody first by singing nonsense syllables over the song and putting words to it later.
- Alternatively, go wild. Do a William Burroughs-style cut up, throwing little fragments of cut-up newspapers into a hat and pulling things out at random. The Rolling Stones used to write songs this way. Or do the Led Zeppelin thing and climb into the misty mountains of Mordor to find your inspiration in fantasy, D&D, and other nerdery. Rock songs don't have to make sense or be "cool," they just have to rock.

Community Q&A

Question

How old do I have to be to go?

Community Answer

Most concerts are in places that serve alcohol so a lot of indoor venues do check ID to make sure you're 21. But there are always tons of local bands that play all-age shows at venues like bowling alleys and coffee shops.
Question

I am playing rock and roll on the trombone, a brass instrument. How can I give it a heavier, more rock-like sound?

Community Answer

Make your sound more scratchy or rough.
Question

Can I use a ukulele to rock?

Community Answer

Yes. You can make any instrument rock.