Pub Rock Style Overview
Pub Rock Music Description
Pub rock is a rock music genre that was developed in the early to mid-1970s in the U.K. A back-to-basics movement which incorporated roots rock, pub rock was a reaction against expensively-recorded and produced progressive rock and flashy glam rock. Although short- lived, pub rock was notable for returning live rock to the small intimate venues (pubs and clubs) of its early years. With pub rock's emphasis on small venues, simple, fairly inexpensive recordings and indie record labels, it was the catalyst for the development of the British punk rock scene. By 1975, the standard for mainstream rock album recordings was expensive, lengthy studio recording processes overseen by highly-paid record producers, with the goal of creating highly polished end products, with overdubs, double- tracking and studio effects. Some mainstream bands spent months in the studio perfecting their recording, to achieve a meticulously crafted and perfect product. Pub rockers rejected this type of costly, complex recording process; instead, with pub rockers, the goal was simply to capture the band's "live" sound and feel in the studio.
Australian Pub Rock is similar, hard rock, blues rock, and/or progressive rock. It waspopular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music in the 2000s. The term came from the venues where most of these bands originally played — inner-city and suburban pubs. These often noisy, hot, small and crowded venues were not always ideal as music venues and favoured loud, simple songs based on drums and electric guitar riffs.Though Australia has a relatively small population, the proportionally high number of venues that bands could play in, meant that a band could tour extensively, often playing every night for long periods. This would allow bands such as AC/DC, Cold Chisel, INXS, Midnight Oil, Rose Tattoo and others to take their live skills into large venues in the US and Europe with ease.
