HEDWIG’S ROCK INFLUENCES The music of Hedwig and the Angry Inch broke boundaries of what musical theater can be and drew its inspiration from many styles of music. Hedwig the character, speaks about several of her early influencers in her many monologues, some of whom were decidedly not rock n’ roll: Captain and Tennille, Debby Boone, and Anne Murray to name a few. The musical itself is much more in line with a few of Hedwig’s other early influencers like Lou Reed, David Bowie, and Iggy Pop. Hedwig and the Angry Inch proudly experiments with glam rock, heavy metal, and a little punk, as well as soaring rock ballads. A little history of these ground-breaking genres:
David Bowie. Photo Credit: Pinterest.
Glam Rock: Glam rock started in Great Britain in the early 1970s and rejected the false sincerity and earnestness of folk and protest rock that emerged in the 60s. The artifice was a vital part of the performance and the art - authenticity was not feigned. Glam rock freely pilfered from all different schools of rock, from hard rock to folk rock to heavy metal. Glam rockers celebrated the theatricality of performance and of the rock n’ roll scene, embracing over-the-top costuming, makeup, and personas. Glam rockers also played with sexual and gender ambiguity erasing the line between gendered norms. Notable glam rockers included: David Bowie, Lou Reed, Kiss, Queen, Gary Glitter, and T. Rex. Punk Rock: Punk rock began as a sort of underground subculture that emerged as a rejection of everything that Glam rock embraced. Punk came from a world that rejected the materialism and commoditization of the art of rock and as such, embraced tougher, more raw style and emotion in both looks and music. Much of punk culture came from working class youths in both the U.K. and the U.S. and eventually became a deeply political and social type of music, even though the genre did not start out that way. Notable early punk rockers included: Iggy and the Stooges, the Ramones, Patti Smith, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols. Heavy Metal: Heavy Metal as a genre began in the late 1960s and early 1970s, mostly in Great Britain, but eventually expanded well beyond the U.K. The sound had roots in many different musical styles from blues to psychedelic rock, but focused heavily on creating a massive sound with extended guitar solos, strong beats, sometimes aggressive lyrics, and generally loud volume. While fans of early metal groups were devoted, the music was often panned by critics. Notable early heavy metal groups included: Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple.
Sex Pistols. Photo Credit: Wikipedia.
Lou Reed. Photo Credit: New York Post
Black Sabbath. Photo Credit: Louder.
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Hedwig and the Angry Inch – PlayGuide