Listening to Rocket 88 the other day I’m starting to have my doubts about the received wisdom that says that it’s the first rock’n’roll record. Undoubtedly it’s a great record and there are definite similarities to what we think of ads rock’ ‘n’ roll but it sounds to me more like a rhythm and blues record. And if it is the case that it’s a rhythm and blues, rock’n’roll sounding record then there are several earlier records that could be described the same way – Wyomie Harris, Louis Jordan – jump blues but rock ‘n’ roll-like, John lee Hooker’s Boogie Chillun, Arthur Big Boy Crudup – Elvis’s 1954 version of his song that’s alright mama is definitely rock n roll, Big Mama Thornton’s 1952 recording of You aint nothing but a hound dog – Rock n’ roll by the time Elvis recorded it, Hank Williams’ Move it on over – the list could go on. For me I think it’s down to two records – Charlie Graci’s Boogie Woogie Blues from 1954 and Fat’s Domino’s the Fat man from 1951.
Rolling Stone were certainly wrong to narrow it down to Bill Haley’s Rock around the Clock and Elvis’s That’s alright mama.
Of course it doesn’t really matter but it’s fun to speculate isn’t it?

First question is - how do you define rock and roll?

I've heard some pretty early blues records that to me could be rock and roll. I'm talking delta blues here. Add a drum kit and you would be there.

yeah it's impossible to pick a first. It is more of a continuum like a shift in colors. I saw a documentary on the electric guitar in the 50s. They had one guy talk who played in the studio band when a tube went out and it started producing a buzzing sound and he was going to stop, but the engineers were giving him the keep rolling signal as they liked it. It was released and caused a sensation. He says it's the first recording of distortion.

Last week I saw a film on Hendrix and Monterey Pop Festival. He started out OK, tho a bit awkward, but those last 3-4 songs he was on fire. And famously doused his guitar, but it was sex on stage, cracked open a whole new chapter in rock.

quote:

Listening to Rocket 88 the other day I’m starting to have my doubts about the received wisdom that says that it’s the first rock’n’roll record.

I don't think anyone has stated that it was the first R&R record. What has been said is that it was the first R&R record THAT WAS A HIT!

There are earlier examples of records that can very well be considered R&R, including one called "We Are Going To RocknRoll Tonight", ca 1948, if I remember correctly (here, of course, the phrase RocknRoll didn't mean a music style...).

JohanR

Was it a hit? I know I've definitely heard several people and read several articles that it was the first.Ｉ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｉｔ’ｓ　ｂｅｃｏｍｅ　ａｎ　ａｒｔｉｃｌｅ　ｏｆ　ｆａｉｔｈ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｒｏｃｋｅｔ　８８　ｗａｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｉｒｓｔ　ｒｏｃｋ　ａｎｄ　ｒｏｌｌ　ｒｅｃｏｒｄ