Welcome / Bienvenido / Alle - First Edition - # 01

Rock n’ roll over

“When the music is over, turn out the lights.” Jim Morrison

It doesnt take much to be “rock” these days. Once upon a time it had an idea of being on the edge to be a rock n’ roll fan. Parents hated it, relatives hated it, school hated it and obviously churches hated it too. However, nowadays a captivating stage persona, having many screams from the audience, overcrowded concerts and slamming a guitar can’t definitely be considered rock n’ roll. Is the concept changing or is rock n’ roll condemned to disappear?


So should we be worried that rock is less a way of life these days than an adjective – are we devaluing something that should be our lifeblood by spreading it around thinly ? What is rock? What does it mean to you ? Did rock n’ roll really die?


Here are some answers collected from CACS “rock” student through the last 3 semesters:


“The day MTV considered Britney Spears doing “I love rock n’ roll” a piece of rock was astonishing bad. That’s the day music died...”


“No way man! The music died in 1971 with Morrison. Then it got ressurected and died again in 1980 when Lennon died. Theeeen it ressurected AGAIN and died in 1994 at the hands of some smack and a shotgun. Music today sucks, doesn’t it? Having one song that’s slightly feminist and pretending to play the guitar and having fake tatoos in a music clip does not constitute rock. It sucks.”


“Rock is a state of mind, not a state of fashion as is shown nowadays. It’s more about your attitude than about what you decide to wear on stage.”


“Well, I’ hope that’s what it’s all about, ROCK, but obviously it’s not. These pop chicks and these new “boy-bands-that-want-to-be-rock-n-roll-like” think that twisting or wearing a pair of leather pants make them ROCKERS. Definitely, they’re all going mad.”


“Rock is not dead, it’s out there and you just have to get off your butt and find it. If you sit back and expect it to be delivered to you via radio or TV, then you’ll be surely disappointed.”


“If your children like that popular music that is on fashion (including Brazilian) and they don’t develop a taste for real music that was written before their birth by the time they hit 13, then pure and simply, you have stupid children.”


“Music and rock are not dead anyways. People just don’t seem to look hard enough . I’ve been listening to some great music like The Doors, Led, Sabbath, Satriani and Metallica. They are pretty “rock”, aren’t they? You just have to get in touch with those legends and when you do so, you’ll realize there’s a world of exciting music coming out. The better the oldies are, the worse music gets on the radio and seems that rock n’ roll is going underground, not literally.”



Rock fans and singers have always been said to be Satan worshipers. Religion, politicians and other music style fans have helped this idea to grow and have spread this point along the last 50 years all over the planet. Since Rock ‘n Roll began people have had different approaches regarding it. For some people it is much more than a music style; it is a way of living. Thus, after reflecting upon all these ideas and getting a tip from the answers students gave, I challenge all you rock fans to write a note telling us about you “rocky” experience and to answer the following question:


Is rock n’ roll a devilish issue or sort of a thing that connects its followers to the Hellian kingdom ???


We’re looking forward to receiving your souls, I mean, your answers.

By Flávio Martins (flaviolin@ufmg.br)