WHOS ROCKABILLY?

[Nick Charles]

Anyone here dress rockabilly sometimes, all the time? Can I see some pics and what is the essence of rockabilly? I'm very interested. thanks

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Art Linkletter.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Wow, he looks just like Jerry Lee Lewis... and I can't say I really dress rockabilly, but I listen to it

 

[Mr. 'H']

Woah!.... Dude.... Where have you been?

And you've changed the 70s suit Avator that Root was rising you about!

How's it going D?

:eusa_clap

 

[Mr. 'H']

I'm very interested. thanks

Why?

 

[Nick Charles]

Why?

curiosity and Brian Setzer

 

[PA Dancer]

There is a fairly large Rockabilly group here in Northeast Pennsylvania.

(doing my best Animal Plant announcer voice)

Observing them closely it looks like a sea of black.

Men wear loose fitting blue jeans with a large cuff. A black or white t-shirt seems to be a standard, although bowling shirts bearing flames adorn some of the others. I have also notice a few wearing buttoned shirts of gas attendants.
Shoes and jackets are also black. I have heard these shoes being referred to as "Bo-jangles" or "Mules"
The hair is slicked with a product call Murray's oil. A product very simillar to Brylcream. Side burns are present on most of the men. A small black comb is a necessity.
They appear to be the bad boys of the 50's. The movie Grease comes to mind. A lot of the musical influence that seems to be the common is Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

Some of the men and women has a punk rock appearance, but some have toned down on the Goth look.

As I observe the women of the group, black clothing also seems to be the prominent color. Dresses, scarfs or bandanas, and cat-eyed glasses. A lot of the accessories are of a leopard print. Hair styles I notice are pony tails and barrel rolls high ontop of the head. I see a lot of the women also bare a resemblance to Betty Paige. It appears that shoes can be any color, as long as they match the outfit of accessories.
Doing a google search on Rockabilly hairstyles brought up quite a few results.

In all seriousness, I did/do participate with the rockabilly group around here. I have friends that are in Rockabilly bands. It's always a great time.

Personally, if I was going to see Setzer...I would stick to my big band era style.
Have fun!
-Ann

 

[KittyT]

I do not really differentiate "dressing rockabilly" and "dressing vintage/retro".

 

[RIOT]

What is this "rock-A-billy" you speak of?

 

[RIOT]

Men wear loose fitting blue jeans with a large cuff. A black or white t-shirt seems to be a standard, although bowling shirts bearing flames adorn some of the others. I have also notice a few wearing buttoned shirts of gas attendants.
Shoes and jackets are also black. I have heard these shoes being referred to as "Bo-jangles" or "Mules"
The hair is slicked with a product call Murray's oil. A product very simillar to Brylcream. Side burns are present on most of the men. A small black comb is a necessity.
They appear to be the bad boys of the 50's. The movie Grease comes to mind. A lot of the musical influence that seems to be the common is Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

Some of the men and women has a punk rock appearance, but some have toned down on the Goth look.

As I observe the women of the group, black clothing also seems to be the prominent color. Dresses, scarfs or bandanas, and cat-eyed glasses. A lot of the accessories are of a leopard print. Hair styles I notice are pony tails and barrel rolls high ontop of the head. I see a lot of the women also bare a resemblance to Betty Paige. It appears that shoes can be any color, as long as they match the outfit of accessories.
Doing a google search on Rockabilly hairstyles brought up quite a few results.

Oh no! No stereotyping please

 

[PA Dancer]

Oh no! No stereotyping please

no...not all all. The last thing I want to do is offend. Just adding a little humor to a post...that's all.

If I can't poke fun at myself everynow and then...my life would have no humor.
: )

 

[RIOT]

Gotcha. Oh and Murray's is nasty.

Here you go, doing our thing right in the middle of the road. lol

 

[rubyredlocks]

I love the music,but prefer the term "greasers" in reference to the gentlemen(and that's still pigeon-holing the culture a bit).I'm unsure what I'd reference myself as.Like KittyT I'm just vintage.

 

[KittyT]

no...not all all. The last thing I want to do is offend. Just adding a little humor to a post...that's all.

If I can't poke fun at myself everynow and then...my life would have no humor.
: )

Well, Nick Charles seems to be looking for real info on rockabilly. And unfortunately, your original post could really reinforce all of the stereotypes that go along with rockabilly, for someone who doesn't necessarily know.

 

[PA Dancer]

Well, Nick Charles seems to be looking for real info on rockabilly. And unfortunately, your original post could really reinforce all of the stereotypes that go along with rockabilly, for someone who doesn't necessarily know.

Understood. I felt bad that no one was responding.

Anyone here dress rockabilly sometimes, all the time? Can I see some pics and what is the essence of rockabilly? I'm very interested. thanks

curiosity and Brian Setzer

Nick Charles, what kind of info are you looking for? I will do my best to help you out.
Is it a style guide to go to the Setzer show? or Are you trying to get a better understanding of the Rockabilly life style?
-Ann

 

[KittyT]

curiosity

Rockabilly is about the 50s rebel/greaser culture... that culture that revolted against the "squares" or the "starches", those who *gasp* wore hats and gloves and pocket squares. For style, think James Dean or Marlon Brando.

Yes, cuffed jeans tend to be the norm, but really all you have to do is think 50s. My baby greases his hair and wears a DA. Yes, he'll also wear cuffed jeans, but he also sports sharkskin pleated pants, and pleated 50s slacks with vintage 50s rock n roll style shirts - the really nice ones often have racing stripes down the front or embroidery, a tab and 2 buttons at each side of the waist for adjustment, and always short-sleeves...rolled up. And he loves his white bucks.

For women, the style tends to center around 1950s though a lot of it has gotten modernized and kitsch-i-fied (polka dots, gingham, leopard, bandanas). There are a lot of rockabilly gals who focus on vintage though, and there is a lot of flexibility for the gals, ranging from 1950s, into the 40s and even the early 60s.

and Brian Setzer

Instead, try the originals... Gene Vincent, Johnny Burnette (who was the first to really adopt the term "rockabilly"), Johnny Carroll, Benny Joy, Elvis, Janis Martin, Wanda Jackson.... however, the music really ranges through blues, rhythm and blues, doo wop, and many other genres. It's always about white guys appropriating elements of black music though!

 

[RIOT]

Rockabilly used to be the punk rock of it's time. Always hated, never understood. Thus the mix of punk in the lifestyle today as most of us used to be either skins or punks, etc. It was always jokingly called the "retirement plan". It is a lifestyle not a fashion show after all.

Here's a clarification folks..
Rockabilly = music
Rockabillies = folks who enjoy the music side of the lifestyle more
Greasers = folks who enjoy the building, kustomizing, car kulture side of the lifestyle more

 

[epr25]

Gotcha. Oh and Murray's is nasty.

Here you go, doing our thing right in the middle of the road. lol

Great photo. I wish we had a group of you guys and gals in my area!

 

[KittyT]

Rockabilly used to be the punk rock of it's time. Always hated, never understood. Thus the mix of punk in the lifestyle today as most of us used to be either skins or punks, etc. It was always jokingly called the "retirement plan". It is a lifestyle not a fashion show after all.

THANK YOU. Yes, we always joke about rockabilly being where goths, punks and hardcore kids go to retire.

Unfortunately, for a lot of people who associate with rockabilly, it IS a fashion show. So many of them don't know about the history, which is one of social rebellion and the history and roots of American rock and roll. A lot of the rockabilly kids out there today couldn't name a song by Gene Vincent and would give you a blank stare at the mention of Johnny Burnette. They'd say "What? You mean Brian Setzer didn't write 'Race with the Devil'?"

Rockabillies = folks who enjoy the music side of the lifestyle more
Greasers = folks who enjoy the building, kustomizing, car kulture side of the lifestyle more

I don't really think these apply that much anymore. Nowadays, a "greaser" is someone who greases his hair, not his car

 

[ssubialdea]

very interesting thread. If you look at todays "rockabilly" clothes you'll find most are vintage inspired but a lot are almost punk, I guess more psychobilly. Which makes since, most of the rockabilly folks I know were into punk at one time or still are. And KittyT is right, a lot of it is modernized and kitsch-y (which I still love) and is not necessary true rockabilly style like you would have found in the 40s/50s.

And of course if we talk about rockabilly we have to touch on the music. Here's a brief history to those who are interested.



"Rockabilly is a lead guitar, a rhythm guitar and a upright bass.
Real true rockabilly... well you get too carried away till a drummer can't keep up with it!"

The rockabilly style evolved out of post-war country-boogie, hillbilly, and rhythm & blues. Between 1945 and 1954 these disparate musical styles crossed paths and developed the hybrid known as rockabilly. The Delmore Brothers were early exponents of the country-boogie style, which had grown out of jazz boogie-woogie rhythms. They recorded several influential discs on the King label in the mid-forties, including "Hillbilly Boogie" and "Pan American Boogie" in 1945. These set the course for other country artists who assimilated the Delmores' rhythms into their own work. Hank Thompson, Webb Pierce, Red Foley and Moon Mullican among others built careers around the boogie beat. Equally important in the evolution of rockabilly was the hillbilly style of Hank Williams. His honky-tonk hillbilly sound, utilizing steel guitar, acoustic bass and profound influence on Bill Haley and Carl Perkins.

As early as 1952, Haley and his group the Saddlemen employed the slapped bass sound, which was to become the hallmark of the rockabilly style. Perkins, a country boy like Williams, sang in a pure hillbilly manner. In fact, his very first release, "Turn Around" (1955), on the Flip label, was classic hillbilly, owing much to his affinity for the Hank Williams style. From the very same session came "Gone Gone Gone" (1955), which combined Perkins' hillbilly style with a primitive rockabilly rhythm.

The final ingredient in the rockabilly mix, rhythm & blues, owes much to Sam Phillips. Forming the Memphis Recording Service in 1950, Phillips initially recorded what was to become a virtual 'who's who of bluesmen,' namely: Junior Parker, Bobby Bland, Little Milton, Howlin' Wolf, Walter Horton, James Cotton and many more. Phillips' use of flutter echo and over-amplification created a stark, primitive sound that he later adapted to his efforts with country artists.

Interestingly, it was a guitar riff from Junior Parker a "Love My Baby" (1953) in Elvis Presley's 1955 version of "Mystery Train" (also a Parker original) that positively forms a link between the country and rhythm & blues styles. Indeed, it was Presley's historic Sun recordings that crystallized the emerging rockabilly style and laid the groundwork for Phillips pioneering efforts at his tiny studio in Memphis. Over the next four years Phillips recorded countless rockailly artists, but none had greater importance than Carl Perkins.

While Elvis undisputably stands as the progenitor of the new idiom, it was, in fact, Carl Perkins' original self-penned recording of "Blue Suede Shoes" (1956) which resulted in international recognition for rockabilly. Perkins' Sun recordings were quintessential rockabilly, combining all the elements of the style. Further, he opened the floodgates for the exploitation of rockabilly by other labels. At first issued only on small independent Memphis and Texas labels (Shimmy, Fernwood, Erwin, Lin, Jan), rockabilly quickly found its way to the majors. Columbia, Capitol, Decca/Coral and Mercury recorded rockabilly artists feverishly during 1956-57.

Their recordings constitute one of the most fruitful and exciting periods in the history of rock 'n roll. And the key to their continuing popularity is their basic honesty. Rockabilly musicians recorded in the most uninhibited fashion with the sparest instrumentation, often on primitive equipment. Most of today's music, cold and calculated, pales in comparison with the simplicity and beauty of these early pioneering efforts.