Rockabilly? - Beyond Tiki

T thejab Grand Member (1 year) Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 2992	T thejab Posted posted on Mon, Jan 5, 2004 1:06 PM On 2004-01-05 12:13, Swanky wrote: There is a lot of elitism in rockabilly. Some scenes are hard on new comers. If you don't look right, they can be brutal. Nashville has a very friendly crowd where they will come introduce themselves to new comers etc, which is great and rare. I haven't noticed elitism is Rockabilly scenes as much as in others. I guess because I used to be in the mod scene which was incredibly elitist. The whole point was to "one-up" your friends by wearing the best suit or by wearing some article of clothing in a new way or by inventing a dance move. It was for the most part friendly but there were times when new people would get picked on. Unfortunately, that always happens in any kind of "scene". I remember the first time I went to a punk rock show in San Diego and wore a trenchcoat. I got some laughs and one girl called me a "poser" but I had a good time anyway. People were for the most part cool to newcomers. I hated it later when hardcore got really violent. I remember going to see X at the Starwood and if anyone in the crowd had long hair or didn't dress punk rock they got jumped and pummeled by several thugs (who probably had long hair too the previous year and now had their new skinhead cuts). Compared to those scenes the rockabilly scene isn't so elitist. Here in the bay area there are some cliques that seem aloof but I see plenty of people who go to shows regularly and always wear regular street clothes. Some of the best dancers at shows here never got into wearing 1950s styles or greasing their hair. When it comes down to it the main thing is the music. If you want to know what rockabilly is all about start with The Rock and Roll Trio (with Johnny Burnette). If you like it than you like Rockabilly music and the rest (the cars, clothes, and dancing) aren't really necessary but might be fun to get into. But just do what you want. Personally, I'm more into vintage clothes than cars. I would rather spend my money on a gabardine suit than get my hands dirty and where jeans all the time. I guess it's my mod past that will never go away. And I still frequent punk and mod shows because I still like the music. More on rockabilly music: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDCASS70312181707571190&sql=C187

On 2004-01-05 12:13, Swanky wrote:
There is a lot of elitism in rockabilly. Some scenes are hard on new comers. If you don't look right, they can be brutal. Nashville has a very friendly crowd where they will come introduce themselves to new comers etc, which is great and rare.

I haven't noticed elitism is Rockabilly scenes as much as in others. I guess because I used to be in the mod scene which was incredibly elitist. The whole point was to "one-up" your friends by wearing the best suit or by wearing some article of clothing in a new way or by inventing a dance move. It was for the most part friendly but there were times when new people would get picked on. Unfortunately, that always happens in any kind of "scene".

I remember the first time I went to a punk rock show in San Diego and wore a trenchcoat. I got some laughs and one girl called me a "poser" but I had a good time anyway. People were for the most part cool to newcomers. I hated it later when hardcore got really violent. I remember going to see X at the Starwood and if anyone in the crowd had long hair or didn't dress punk rock they got jumped and pummeled by several thugs (who probably had long hair too the previous year and now had their new skinhead cuts).

Compared to those scenes the rockabilly scene isn't so elitist. Here in the bay area there are some cliques that seem aloof but I see plenty of people who go to shows regularly and always wear regular street clothes. Some of the best dancers at shows here never got into wearing 1950s styles or greasing their hair.

When it comes down to it the main thing is the music. If you want to know what rockabilly is all about start with The Rock and Roll Trio (with Johnny Burnette). If you like it than you like Rockabilly music and the rest (the cars, clothes, and dancing) aren't really necessary but might be fun to get into. But just do what you want. Personally, I'm more into vintage clothes than cars. I would rather spend my money on a gabardine suit than get my hands dirty and where jeans all the time. I guess it's my mod past that will never go away. And I still frequent punk and mod shows because I still like the music.

More on rockabilly music:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDCASS70312181707571190&sql=C187

Post #67745 by thejab on Mon, Jan 5, 2004 1:06 PM