The British Invasion and the resulting change in popular culture was unique in many ways. One of the most important developments was the idea of “Re-importation” – Brits emulating American popular music and then Americans “reimporting” that new sound back to the U.S.!
Many believe that a cornerstone of rock (one of it’s basic “accepted” tenets) – is authenticity, but this presents a possible dilemma. Can a music still be considered authentic when the performers/composers are from a different culture than where the music originated?
There are other examples of the desire for the authentic in popular culture: For example, we are often taken aback by famous American actors affecting English accents – like the idea of an American James Bond – or the author J.K. Rowling insisting during the casting of the Harry Potter movies that the cast be comprised of exclusively British actors…….
1. Listen to the following four selections from the British Blues and Guitar Gods playlist: Time Is On My Side by The Rolling Stones, House of The Rising Sun by The Animals, Crossroads by Cream and You Shook Me by Led Zeppelin.
2. What is your response to both the songs and the idea that these performers were not from the States, where the American blues tradition originated? Do you think these performances present an issue of authenticity?
Minimum 2 paragraphs
