Rockabilly music lives and well after nearly 60 years on the scene. Modern rockabilly fans keep the music alive by supporting the bands that play it. However these fans don't just buy rockabilly records and go to rockabilly shows. Many of them live the rockabilly way of life. They wear vintage clothing. Embellish their homes with vintage furnishings, art work, and color schemes. They drive classic vehicles. And naturally, they listen to their preferred music on vintage hi-fi devices. These fans are typically referred to as The Rockabillies.
The rockabillies utilize the features of 1950s fashion to express their love for rockabilly music and the excellent parts of the rockabilly lifestyle. They're not attempting to forget that the 1950s had its share of difficulties and worries . They're not pretending that the atomic bomb scare never ever existed or that the widespread fear and hatred of communists wasn't horrible. They don't pretend that the racism that contaminated 1950s America wasn't every bit as shameful as all of us understand it was. Simply because they are rockabillies does not mean that they live in a world of delusion.
Instead, their love for the 50s culture and look is more an attempt to celebrate what seems good about that era. It represents what appears to us looking back now to have actually been a simpler, more carefree time. Whether it truly was or not isn't truly the point. It appears that method. Sporting the 50s look is its own special brand of cool. It's an simple method to announce to other rockabillies that you are one of them-- that you share comparable interests and a love for the fantastic art type of rockabilly.
Obviously, you do not need to noticeably be a rockabilly to take pleasure in and love rockabilly music. I personally don't live as a rockabilly to any fantastic level. I do tend toward a rockabilly hairstyle and I enjoy classic automobiles as much as the next man. I don't go out of my method to gown in 50s styles (aside from my stage clothes when I'm carrying out.) Still, I like rockabilly music and (as evidenced by this, my other articles, and my blog) invest a great deal of time thinking about it, composing about it, and in general simply sharing the happiness of the music with anyone who will listen.
However the rockabillies are a unique breed. They express their love for the music and the category outwardly in vivid 1950s colors. When you see a rockabilly, you know immediately what type of music they like. It's a neighborhood. Rockabillies are brothers and sis in a typical quest to keep rockabilly and the 1950s alive. The clothes they wear, vehicles they drive, and the furniture in their homes just augment the soundtrack of their lives: The rockabilly music that binds all of us fans together. Whether you are a full-out rockabilly or, like me, just a fan who enjoys the music regardless of normally non-rockabilly appearances, a fan is still a fan. In the end, it's the music that gives us all typical ground. The music is our king, we fans are the rockabilly army, and the rockabillies are our happy flag bearers!
In one of my posts Rockabilly pinup clothing I confessed that when I initially began playing in a rockabilly band years back, I didn't even understand enough about rockabilly to realize that my bass guitar wasn't " genuine" rockabilly equipment. Cliff Gallup, who played for Gene Vincent's Blue Caps used a strong Gretsch DuoJet guitar and most rockabilly fans consider his guitar work as some of the absolute best rockabilly playing of all time.
Robert Gordon was doing straight-out rockabilly and having a bit of success while bands like The Blasters were utilizing rockabilly influence greatly to form a new "roots rock" noise.
These fans do not simply purchase rockabilly records and go to rockabilly shows. The rockabillies utilize the features of 1950s fashion to reveal their love for rockabilly music and the excellent parts of the rockabilly lifestyle.