Two days ago I wrote about the similarities between musical styles, each ‘autumn’ in my theory. Dia asked me if I would be able to define ‘spring music’ too. Of course, though the links are more diffuse.
Spring periods are defined by a surge for the new, while autumn often has a nostalgic or sentimental dominance, falling back on common ground (country in the US, traditional Jordaan music in Holland). Spring stands for revolution. The first spring period I’m writing about concerns the years between 1966 and 1971. Revolution all around. During these years music turned from pop to rock. Electric guitars suddenly were all around, but also the psychedelic movement started, The Beatles experimenting with LSD and coming up with Sgt. Pepper. Janis Joplin singing her heart out and the Doors, all energy, singing Light My Fire. Energy is a key word during spring. Everything suddenly looks beautiful and new. 1967 was the year of the Summer of Love in San Francisco. And, to make the connection, in 1988 the new adepts of housemusic, announced a new summer of love. Even the smileys came back for a while.
Which is a little confusing in my theory, since both Summer of Love’s take place in the beginning of a spring-period. Are you still with me? 1988 to 1994 are a spring period, just like 1966-1971, which means many musical revolutions. Instead of the electric guitar, now the house beat was ruling change. Lots of records are about energy again (two of my favorites: Kinetic by Golden Girls and Energy Flash by Joey Beltram).
After the first house-rush also Grunge came to a boil. Even another (sad) parallel to be drawn: in 1970 and 1971 a few of the newfound heroes died: Janis, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix. And in 1994, Kurt Cobain killed himself. Another ending of a revolutionary spring energy. Already I am wondering which musical revolution is waiting for us, next spring (my guess, around 2009).
Spring periods are defined by a surge for the new, while autumn often has a nostalgic or sentimental dominance, falling back on common ground (country in the US, traditional Jordaan music in Holland). Spring stands for revolution. The first spring period I’m writing about concerns the years between 1966 and 1971. Revolution all around. During these years music turned from pop to rock. Electric guitars suddenly were all around, but also the psychedelic movement started, The Beatles experimenting with LSD and coming up with Sgt. Pepper. Janis Joplin singing her heart out and the Doors, all energy, singing Light My Fire. Energy is a key word during spring. Everything suddenly looks beautiful and new. 1967 was the year of the Summer of Love in San Francisco. And, to make the connection, in 1988 the new adepts of housemusic, announced a new summer of love. Even the smileys came back for a while.
Which is a little confusing in my theory, since both Summer of Love’s take place in the beginning of a spring-period. Are you still with me? 1988 to 1994 are a spring period, just like 1966-1971, which means many musical revolutions. Instead of the electric guitar, now the house beat was ruling change. Lots of records are about energy again (two of my favorites: Kinetic by Golden Girls and Energy Flash by Joey Beltram). 
After the first house-rush also Grunge came to a boil. Even another (sad) parallel to be drawn: in 1970 and 1971 a few of the newfound heroes died: Janis, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix. And in 1994, Kurt Cobain killed himself. Another ending of a revolutionary spring energy. Already I am wondering which musical revolution is waiting for us, next spring (my guess, around 2009).
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