The Origin of Art-Rock

Art-rock can be seen as an interaction between “high culture” and “low culture” (Curtis J., Rock Eras, High Culture as Popular Culture, II, p. 278). In this study, “high culture” represents influences from classical music and jazz, while “low culture” (popular culture) signifies influences from blues, folk, rock, and pop – music for mass consumption.

The rock opera “Tommy” performed by The Who at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in 1970 can be regarded as the major starting point for art-rock as a style. This style incorporated elements of high culture through direct influence and borrowing from various classical musical works, terminology, sound, complexity in structure and arrangement, and the attention that the music demands from the audience. This was combined with certain ingredients from low culture music, such as the instrumentation, rhythm, harmony, and melody of rock and pop music.

English musicians like Keith Emerson (ELP), Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), Rick Wakeman, Tony Kaye, Patrick Moraz (Yes), Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel (Genesis), and Robert Fripp (King Crimson) developed the style. These musicians had backgrounds in art and music schools, where some of the most significant art-rock groups were formed, such as Nice and Pink Floyd. The style is primarily based on keyboard instruments, where those who played the instruments often had a background in classical music education.

The reason the style has an English rather than American origin is mainly due to the European classical music tradition being a foundation for European musicians, while blues forms the American musical foundation for rock music. As Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake and Palmer stated, “I think it’s a question of heritage. European musicians tend to come from a classical heritage. American bands tend to come from a blues-based heritage.” (Curtis J., Rock Eras, p. 278.)

Tommy Rander in “Rockens Roll” confirms this idea and emphasizes the significance of American rock lyrics for art-rock: “Most leading figures had their background in art schools. This music wouldn’t have been possible without Dylan and the intellectual influence of folk music school…” (RR, 1988, p. 126). The social ethos of solidarity and equality, which was characteristic of the 1970s, was also reflected in the lyrics, musical composition, and concert formats of art-rock.