Rock ‘N Roll Thinking

I received several notes wondering what is the Rock n Roll thinking I often refer to?  Well,  it’s understanding the mechanics of Americas last cultural overhaul, which was driven by Rock n Roll— the movement and it’s cultural impact.  While in 2020, rock as a music genre is less dominant and tends to be focused in the past, as in the enormous and continuing success of heritage artists with remarkable depth that appear timeless regardless of their release era.  But looking at Rock’s original impact and Natural uncontrived style of thinking leads me to believe that there are many elements that can be applied in an overall M.O in today’s environment as long as it’s truthful and sincere.

In this case, by “Rock n Roll” I mean the cultural impact and  revolutionary spirit that can be a cornerstone in thinking, and that sprit can drive change, just as it did for the musical revolution of Rock n Roll in 1954-6

There was always pop music. But it was flat and stagnant in the early 50’s (in the mainstream that is) until Rock n Roll. Theresa Brewer and Patti Page stuff that was staid and normal ruled the charts.  “Rock n Roll thinking” can be related to modern day operating procedures in these ways…presenting things in ways that are far from today’s normal…the timing is SO right for a modern take on Rock n Roll thinking in a creatively stagnant big media era

*Technology and formats facilitated Rock. Transistor radios, hi-fi. 45’s. It was all part of the movement. And technology drives today 

*Innovation. Rock was all about a “NEW” sound. One that the Industry veterans didn’t necessarily get or like. Artists did and WORKED at creating a new sound that was in sync with the era. Media veterans need to work at that “new look” with the same imagination that Sam Phillips,  The Beatles or Buddy Holly had. 

*Rock was multi cultural.  The industry leaders at the time may have tried to segregate it, but Rock opened the doors.

*Often old media like Newspapers have everything in place for evolution: Distribution, infrastructure, news gathering mechanism. The problem is in unshakably living in the past economically and in  attitude. It’s all there—just needs to think like RCA Records did in ’55: Embrace Rock n Roll. Columbia under Mitch Miller didn’t. Took them 12 years to recover. MGM records NEVER did…and they died. I’d say the same thing about about continuing to embrace the old way — some will evolve…some will die — It’s in their style of thinking more than anything.

*Rock threw out the playbook. 1954: “You have to have strings on it to be a mainstream hit”…there are hundreds of these clichés in the media/information business that repress progress

*Rock looked forward. It was about the next new thing…new sound…new look…new angle. Media people need that same FORWARD thinking. Hard sometimes when the pressure for immediate performance is mandated, but it’s still necessary. Look behind for problems, Look ahead for answers.

*Rock moved fast. Band signed on Monday…released on Friday…#1 on Monday. Analyzing is good—OVER analyzing is a disease,  especially in our A.D.D. era.

*Rock shocked…without trying…it just DID because it was SO fresh, it was shocking.

*It was quality driven. Of course there was  a ton of fast buck short term crap, but the music created by people who had long term careers were quality driven which is why their songs are often timeless

It is about learning from and evolving the last major cultural overhaul which was Rock n Roll. A style of thinking

Not copying,  but learning from and applying characteristics that will facilitate out part of the new mainstream’s cultural re-set. Seek Rock n Roll thinking as a big component in your creative and business DNA. And let it happen naturally and spontaneously…. just like rock did

The characteristics of Rock n Roll thinking include:

ECCENTRICITY…ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK
INNOVATION AS A DRIVER IN EVERYTHING YOU DO
ATTITUDE…A SPIRIT
SWAGGER…A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE
NEWNESS…THE STRUGGLE TO BE FIRST
BIG—MASS APPEAL
RE-INVENTION…A DESIRE AND MOTIVATION TO
CREATES FANS NOT “USERS”
POWERFUL…CULTURE MOVING
CHANGING…ALWAYS PUSHING FORWARD
COMPETITIVE…FIGHTING FOR SUCCESS
ARTFUL…CREATING COMMERCE THROUGH ART (ART IS NOT A BAD WORD UNLESS IT’S BAD ART)
INSTINCTIVE…NOT RELYING ON YESTERDAYS INFORMATION
REBELLIOUS…AGAIN, A FIGHTING SPIRIT
INTELLIGENT…IN A MASS APPEAL WAY
NON ELITIST…FOR THE MASSES