How did the emerging bands of 60s get influenced by blues musicians in America??

[Urmi]

I've heard songs by bands like 'The Beatles', 'The Yardbirds' etc and I don't really think they sound anything like the 'Blues' musicians in America (like Leadbelly' and all) whose music sounds more like 'jazz' . However,it is said that the bands of the 60s started off by being influenced by these people in America.

Could anyone explain this to me?

 

[Chevelle]

Years ago I heard that during WWII American big band, swing, jazz and blues music became popular in England because that's what the American soldiers listened to.
I've read more than one interview by early English musicians saying that they grew up with their parents listening to 1940s American music.

 

[Sox]

I think after the war things were very bleak in the UK and the kids had next to nothing. The drips of music coming through from America must have seemed like something from another world. The young folk that really took it to heart tried to capture the sound of blues and early rock 'n' roll. There was always going to be a strange slant to the music reproduced because of the very British essence that was there ingrained in the kids. That's how I see it.

 

[Urmi]

I think after the war things were very bleak in the UK and the kids had next to nothing. The drips of music coming through from America must have seemed like something from another world. The young folk that really took it to heart tried to capture the sound of blues and early rock 'n' roll. There was always going to be a strange slant to the music reproduced because of the very British essence that was there ingrained in the kids. That's how I see it.

Hmm...so the 'jazz' kind of music from america was transformed by the younger generation to make it a blues-rock kind of thing?

 

[Sox]

Jazz was kind of big already in the UK before the 60's, it was Chris Barber that went to the States and arranged the first blues packages and I think when the young Brits saw Muddy for the first time and that red Telecaster their world was blown apart. I think like most things though you start off by trying to copy the groove but eventually your own personality will shine through and the music will take on a different slant ???

 

[ElPatanico]

I've heard songs by bands like 'The Beatles', 'The Yardbirds' etc and I don't really think they sound anything like the 'Blues' musicians in America (like Leadbelly' and all) whose music sounds more like 'jazz' . However,it is said that the bands of the 60s started off by being influenced by these people in America.

Could anyone explain this to me?

A lot of those musicians in the Yardbirds and what not were actually trained musicians. That's likely where the "jazz" influence you hear comes from. Influence is one thing, but it doesn't necessarily mean they will "sound like" their influences completely. That's what I've always liked about British Rock (or whatever else). There is always a sense of originality that American artists tend to "streamline." British music always seems "Brass Tacks" to me, while American musicians tend to "clean up and streamline" things. Technicality is cool and all, but I'll take the grit and raw nature of British rock any day of the week.

 

[Nololob]

This documentary is not full, but the first 4 parts explains a lot.

 

[Urmi]

A lot of those musicians in the Yardbirds and what not were actually trained musicians. That's likely where the "jazz" influence you hear comes from. Influence is one thing, but it doesn't necessarily mean they will "sound like" their influences completely. That's what I've always liked about British Rock (or whatever else). There is always a sense of originality that American artists tend to "streamline." British music always seems "Brass Tacks" to me, while American musicians tend to "clean up and streamline" things. Technicality is cool and all, but I'll take the grit and raw nature of British rock any day of the week.

Your explanation about how the'jazz' influence came in makes sense I'm not experienced enough to differentiate the musical styles of the American bands and British bands, but I'm currently hooked to Led Zeppelin, and I think they have more originality than any other group I've ever heard!

Btw, your post brings a question to mind: as you said, most of the musicians were formally trained....but does that also apply to the vocalists? I mean I'm a great fan of AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, but I'm not sure if I could imagine the vocalists being formally trained....esp. Brian Johnson.....I don't think his trainers would be too happy with his squeaky voice, lol, though its one of the unique features of AC/DC!!

 

[Urmi]

This documentary is not full, but the first 4 parts explains a lot.

Hey thanks! I'll take a look at this after I finish off the documentary on Led Zeppelin I'm currently watching. I think your idea of watching documentaries is grt and I've already learnt a lot!

 

[ElPatanico]

Your explanation about how the'jazz' influence came in makes sense I'm not experienced enough to differentiate the musical styles of the American bands and British bands, but I'm currently hooked to Led Zeppelin, and I think they have more originality than any other group I've ever heard!

Btw, your post brings a question to mind: as you said, most of the musicians were formally trained....but does that also apply to the vocalists? I mean I'm a great fan of AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, but I'm not sure if I could imagine the vocalists being formally trained....esp. Brian Johnson.....I don't think his trainers would be too happy with his squeaky voice, lol, though its one of the unique features of AC/DC!!

I'm not so sure about the vocalist part. To me, vocals have always been the "icing on the cake." Personally, I prefer an untrained vocalist to a trained one. The untrained vocalists tend to show more personality, in my opinion.