Rockabilly music lives and well after almost 60 years on the scene. Modern rockabilly fans keep the music alive by supporting the bands that play it. But these fans do not simply buy rockabilly records and go to rockabilly shows. A lot of them live the rockabilly way of life. They dress in vintage clothing. Decorate their houses with vintage furnishings, artwork, and color design. They drive classic automobiles. And naturally, they listen to their favorite music on classic hi-fi devices. These fans are typically described as The Rockabillies.
The rockabillies use the features of 1950s fashion to express their love for rockabilly music and the great parts of the rockabilly lifestyle. They're not attempting to forget that the 1950s had its share of troubles and worries . They're not pretending that the atomic bomb scare never existed or that the rampant worry and hatred of communists wasn't horrible. They don't pretend that the racism that infected 1950s America wasn't every bit as outrageous as all of us understand it was. Since they are rockabillies does not suggest that they live in a world of deception, just.
Instead, their love for the 50s culture and look is more an attempt to commemorate what seems good about that age. It represents what appears to us recalling now to have been a simpler, more carefree time. Whether it really was or not isn't truly the point. It appears that method. Sporting the 50s look is its own special brand of cool. It's an easy way to announce to other rockabillies that you are one of them-- that you share similar interests and a love for the terrific art kind of rockabilly.
Of course, you don't need to noticeably be a rockabilly to take pleasure in and love rockabilly music. I personally don't live as a rockabilly to any fantastic degree. I do tend toward a rockabilly haircut and I like vintage cars as much as the next person. But I do not head out of my way to dress in 50s fashions (aside from my phase clothes when I'm carrying out.) Still, I like rockabilly music and (as evidenced by this, my other short articles, and my blog site) invest a great deal of time considering it, composing about it, and in basic simply sharing the pleasure of the music with anybody who will listen.
However the rockabillies are a unique type. They reveal their love for the music and the category outwardly in vibrant 1950s colors. When you here see a rockabilly, you know instantly what kind of music they love. It's a community. Rockabillies are brothers and sis in a typical mission to keep rockabilly and the 1950s alive. The clothes they wear, vehicles they drive, and the furniture in their homes merely augment the soundtrack of their lives: The rockabilly music that binds everybody fans together. Whether you are a full-out rockabilly or, like me, just a fan who likes the music despite normally non-rockabilly looks, a fan is still a fan. In the end, it's the music that offers all of us commonalities. The music is our king, we fans are the rockabilly army, and the rockabillies are our proud flag bearers!
In one of my posts I admitted that when I first began playing in a rockabilly band years back, I didn't even know enough about rockabilly to understand that my bass guitar wasn't "authentic" rockabilly equipment. Cliff Gallup, who played for Gene Vincent's Blue Caps used a strong Gretsch DuoJet guitar and most rockabilly fans consider his guitar work as some of the absolute finest rockabilly playing of all time.
Robert Gordon was doing straight-out rockabilly and having a bit of success while bands like The Blasters were using rockabilly impact heavily to form a new "roots rock" noise.
These fans don't simply purchase rockabilly records and go to rockabilly programs. The rockabillies use the features of 1950s fashion to express their love for rockabilly music and the excellent parts of the rockabilly lifestyle.