EarÂliÂer this sumÂmer, the good folks at The Word assemÂbled 40 NoisÂes That Built Pop, a colÂlecÂtion of disÂtincÂtive pop music sounds that have “caused your ears to prick up, or your eyeÂbrows to raise.” Some were origÂiÂnalÂly creÂatÂed in quite calÂcuÂlatÂed ways. OthÂers were hapÂpy acciÂdents. Either way, theÂses sounds are now part of the pop traÂdiÂtion. We have highÂlightÂed four sounds that speak to us. But you should realÂly dive into and enjoy The Word’s colÂlecÂtion that was clearÂly put togethÂer with lovÂing care.
The PowÂer Chord from The Kinks: You RealÂly Got Me (1964)
“It’s the essenÂtial buildÂing block of rock; the root and the fifth of the chord played at subÂstanÂtial volÂume on guiÂtar and disÂtortÂed to taste. It’s also the musiÂcal equivÂaÂlent of the pokÂer face; with just the two notes, it’s neiÂther a sunÂny-soundÂing major chord nor a gloomy minor… WithÂout the powÂer chord entire genÂres of metÂal simÂply wouldÂn’t exist.”
Vinyl Scratch from HerÂbie HanÂcock: RockÂit (1983)
“Any DJ cueÂing up a record through one ear of a pair of headÂphones will have heard the sound of scratchÂing, but it wasÂn’t until the earÂly days of hip hop that it was incorÂpoÂratÂed into musiÂcal perÂforÂmance… GrandÂmasÂter Flash, AfriÂka BamÂbaataa and Kool Herc became the pioÂneers of “turntabÂlism”, while Grand MixÂer DXT’s work on RockÂit proÂpelled the sound into the mainÂstream and transÂformed the DJ into an unlikeÂly frontÂman.”
HandÂclap from Kool & The Gang: Ladies Night (1979)
“As a perÂcusÂsive sound, [the handÂclap has] been used by everyÂone from flaÂmenÂco dancers to Steve Reich, but it was in the mid-1970s when it found its true callÂing. LayÂered on top of the snare drum to emphaÂsise the secÂond and fourth beats of the bar, its forÂmiÂdaÂble “crack” can be heard throughÂout disÂco and funk, and has since been employed by anyÂone wishÂing to hint at a parÂty atmosÂphere…”
GuiÂtar FeedÂback from Gang Of Four: Anthrax (1981)
“A clasÂsic case of rock music takÂing an undeÂsirÂable noise and mouldÂing it to suit its own purÂposÂes. The reaÂson for feedÂback is simÂple: the guiÂtar pickÂup “hears” itself being blastÂed out of a speakÂer cabÂiÂnet, processÂes the sound and passÂes it to the speakÂer: noise piled upon noise. As rock music became less polite, more libÂerÂties were takÂen with feedÂback; while there’s an uninÂtenÂtionÂal burst at the front end of I Feel Fine by The BeaÂtÂles, the outÂro to The Who’s My GenÂerÂaÂtion uses the sound more creÂativeÂly.”
H/T MetafilÂter
And, on a totalÂly unreÂlatÂed note: Sun Ra and The Blues Project do BatÂman & Robin songs. CourÂtesy of the WFMU Blog WayÂback Machine.
