Plastic Soul

    

PLASTIC SOUL

     

        Son (DJ)                Father (Glen A.)

     "Plastic soul, man, plastic soul." With this utterance (studio chat during the recording of Rubber Soul), Sir Paul McCartney celebrated one small step for recorded music, one giant leap for rock 'n roll. My father, an accomplished saxophonist and the lead singer for a touring orchestra (Don Grimm Orchestra) in Ohio during the 1930's, gave the Beatles little more than a year, calling their music a fad. He watched the Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, after which he made his famous prediction. To the contrary, my generation thought their music was simply fab and we spent as much of our own and our parents money (allowances, if we were lucky) to prove it! And the generational music wars began for our generation. Not only did the Beatles shake things up culturally, Elvis Presley did the same for my older brothers. More importantly, Elvis helped meld country with rhythm and blues, specifically black and white musicians coming together creating a new sound in Memphis, TN. an example of which is the music of Booker T. & The MG's and later, Big Star.   
      Music has always been a common link within generations and among generations of people. Electricity allowed music to get louder and to be transmitted through the airwaves. Vinyl was the media used, radio was the medium employed. In the movie, "The Graduate", a young college graduate portrayed by Dustin Hoffman was encouraged to think about his future (but not until he enjoyed the summer after his graduation); The business partner (Mr. McGuire) of Benjamin's (Dustin Hoffman) father comments to Benjamin, "I want to say one word to you. Just one word." To which Benjamin replies, "Yes sir", continuing with the following dialogue: "Are you listening?" "Yes I am. "PLASTICS." "Exactly how do you mean?" Benjamin replies, to which Mr. McGuire says, "There's a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?" Indeed there has been a great future in plastics and petroleum, which is another story for another time.

      I have been downloading purchased music of a recently released UK series called "Ultimate Rock" (Ultimate Rock, Ultimate 80's; you get the picture). One of the sides I downloaded presented the music of Korn, Wheatus, Screaming Trees, Good Charlotte, The Only Ones and others; well, you get where I'm going with this. Dozens upon dozens of musical groups and talent unheard of by my generation, and unrecognized. But as I listen to these groups I think, "plastic soul, man", as these groups are making music and continuing the tradition my father shared with so many others in the swing era, and which I so humbly continue every Sunday when I play my trumpet and cornet, as an accompaniment to our church organ while the congregation sings the gospel hits of yesteryear.