If “˜real’ rock is dead, long live fictional rock

As the ’90s drew to a close, the homogenization of rock
grew ever more pronounced and a series of bands in New York began
playing in a style that was touted as a return to
“real” rock ‘n’ roll, a style steeped in
the garage aesthetics of punk and of the psychedelic movement.
Bands like The Strokes and The White Stripes had arrived: the
saviors of rock.

The problem is the music. Its strongest act, The Strokes,
produces energetic, creative rock of consistently high-quality. But
along with the other bands that comprise the so-called garage
revival, The Strokes is an ultimately derivative exercise in
’60s nostalgia. And if Jack White is the savior of
“real” rock, we’re better off sticking to
fiction.

There is a long-standing, proud tradition of fictional rock
bands in American culture. Perhaps the most prominent are the
scores of cartoon bands that kids have grown to love such as Josie
and the Pussycats. Since those weird jug bands in early Disney
cartoons, kids have spent over 70 years being introduced to popular
music through animated media.

Of course it is only logical that anything with so much camp
appeal would eventually thrive in the hipster crowd. Although the
Archies scored with the hit “Sugar Sugar,”Gorillaz
seems to be the first purely animated group to gain widespread
critical acclaim and get into heavy rotation in the nation’s
cooler dance spots. Created by a collaborative group including
rapper Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, producer Dan the Automator and
Damon Albarn of Blur, the group’s live shows consist of a
series of animated projections, the live players performing
backstage.

But fictional bands made of real people have possibly had a
greater presence in our culture, often blurring the line between
truth and fiction and developing genuine fan bases. The first band
on this list became so popular that many people are unaware that it
was simply the product of a television show and initially
didn’t play any of its own instruments. That’s right,
the Monkees, the band that brought us two of the greatest pop songs
of all time with “Daydream Believer” and
“I’m a Believer,” (no thanks to Smash Mouth)
started as nothing more than a group of actors trying to capitalize
on the British Invasion.

Of course many of the greatest bands in American music history
have also been fictional. Who is the greatest heavy metal band of
all time? Clearly the answer is Spinal Tap. But did you know that
Spinal Tap is nothing but a fictional group that was created for
Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner’s movie of the same name?
It’s true, even if their amps do go to 11.

In the ’60s, the United States was taken by storm by that
loveable group from Erie, Pa., The Wonders (The Oneders on early
recordings) and its infectious single, “That Thing You
Do.” But unbeknown to many of their biggest fans, the group
was actually not even formed until the mid-’90s for Tom
Hanks’ film, and could not initially play instruments. I kid
you not.

So if you’re getting tired of the same old stuff coming
through your radio, pop in an old movie or turn to the Cartoon
Network. You’re sure to come across cherished musical
artifacts from your past. They may not be “real,” but
they sure beat the hell out of The White Stripes.