October 20th – I think, as I was born in ‘48’,
that I was just outside of the Teddy-Boy, real rock ‘n’ roll era. I mean, I was
aware of it, we all were, but I was probably just a bit too young to
participate fully. Not that I’m complaining, not at all. Every generation has
its musical memory-chest for those of the right age and sensibility to
recognise it and, for me, the ‘60’s and ‘70’s were the defining musical
pathway.
Rock was (and still is) on the whole and in general, a very
masculine trade. Women in rock have had rough travel over the years, always
having to walk the line between being seen as either just a sex symbol, there
as a plaything for men and a clothes horse for the fashionistas, or a lesbian
slapper if they once decided to take control of their own image and promote
themselves as a gutsy, full-frontal rocker…that might be worth further
development, but not now. What I was intrigued by was the performance style of
a lady who was unknown to me until about the late ‘70’s maybe early ‘80’s;
Wanda Jackson, born this day in 1937.
Now, having someone perform like she does in, say, the ‘80’s
isn’t so remarkable; what is remarkable, however, is that she
was doing this in 1958. Thinned out rock ‘n’ roll may not be your bag but the
clip below is worth a look even if only to reaffirm your belief in how to do
it, that here is a woman who could stand next to Mr. Presley and hold her own.
I just think it’s pretty astounding, that dress all frills and a bare midriff,
white heels and a guy who plays a double-neck guitar and whose final run down
at the close of his solo is done with a panache that would have Mr. Clapton
going;
Hang on…can you do that
again?
But it’s Ms. Jackson that steals it for me. In her voice you
hear all of the modern, smoky-voiced vocalists (Ms. Winehouse, Ms. Joplin, Ms.
Smith et al) all rolled into one and also realise that, try as they did, they
can’t hold a candle to her.
When Elvis Presley sang, Hard-Headed
Woman it became almost a threat. A threat of domestic violence if the woman
didn’t toe the line, be subservient; know her place. When Ms. Jackson sings
about a Hard-Headed Woman you just
know she’s not doing it as an excuse for her behaviour, as a sop to the men to
give her room for tears and sorrow. No, rather it’s a warning, succinctly put in
the locker-room scene in the only good Beverley
Hills Cop film; the first one. Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) has made a mess up
of a job and his boss is very pissed at him. They meet in the station locker
room and Foley tries to a bit of kidology to get off the hook, something his
captain is wise to and he cuts Foley off with his line;
Don’t fuck with me
Axel; not now.
Sums up Ms. Jackson’s performance for me a treat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzJ3hiqsi0U
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