I'm a first generation punker who saw that whole thing unfold in NYC. But now since about every young band seems punk, post-punk or New Wave I'm bored. I also remember ripe-rock before punk. Right now ripe-rock entertains me, I want more.
Ok first a quick sketch of Ripe-rock with some examples. Ronnie Dio former singer with Black Sabbath is a favorite ripe-rocker. Lot's of ripe-rock is connected to early metal before it got too fast. Ronnie is a wailer who sings big with an epic grandeur *plus* sweeping hand gestures. He's got the moves. He's a little operatic which is fine as long as you steer clear of high-pitched wailing (like castrati, think Queen).
Probably the main reference point of ripe-rock is blues. (Also a victim of the punk reformation.) Don't think primary sources, think second generation white guys who are summoning blues imagery, authority and outlaw status in their lyrics. I think Lesli West of Mountain belted out a fine kind of ripe-rock, he's great. (Also a cousin of early metal.) Of course Led Zeppelin is the godhead of ripe.
In recent years all the cd reissues have inspired a new generation of experts who mine obscure gems from the past that I missed as a late-60s/early 70s teen. Radio DJ Paisley Piper has turned me on to some of my ripe-rock faves, he'd probably call them heavy-psych. Favorites include "Strange House" by the Attack and "Crazy Man" by Josephus.
You can't talk ripe without invoking Spinal Tap. "Turn it up to eleven" & "Big Bottoms" etc.
Like a lot of love-hate phenomena, you both like it and it's also a tongue-in-cheek goof. I'm tired of irony but any who likes B-movies or C-movies knows what I'm talking about. Some ripe-rock I really love, some of it is over-the-top ripe like smelly cheese, it entertains you and makes you laugh. A lot of it is just somewhere in between, sometimes blah other times just plain bad. From my POV there is little entertainment value in the long-hair (non-metal) rockers of the early 80s (early MTV era) like Journey, Styx and Foreigner. I've seen youngsters treat this as camp but it makes me gag.
I'll wrap this up with a quick hit on the SNL parodies. The first I saw was the "Fly High Duluth" song and loved it. (Featuring Will Forte and Scarlett Johansson.) This featured a North County sort of biker band that went on a wild er ah... "survey" of bad blues type lyrics that I love so well. It also got into some political/apocalyptic stuff that was beyond ripe but all good. (Hey the 1st commandment of Ripe-Rock is... Take It Big!) The other ripe aspect came at the end of the song (which was funny but I don't it miss that much) that is – sanctified white "soul" singing. The song's end is like a bad version of a black gospel group stretching out a lyric. (Like those who sing scales today.) Back in the day you heard this all the time, it was supposed to represent "really feelin it." The next ripe SNL ripe parody was on the following week "Young Chuck Norris." Pretty funny but my favorite thing was the song and performance, not so much the story line. Real ripe, reminded me of Dio. Both parodies harken back to the fashion style of the famous SNL "More Cowbell" sketch, those outfits were great.
Remember... "Dare to be great, dare to be over-ripe!"
Paul Dougherty
If you'd like more of this self-styled rock punditry write me at
ripe-rock -internet symbol- hotmail.com
Feedback welcome especially other ripe-rock suggestions. I know this is heresy to many punks... hey I still like punk but the contrarian in me wants to stir the pot a little.
SNL sketches
Fly High Duluth
http://www.youtube.com/w/Young-Chuck-Norris---SNL?v=NBSpNPzVsMM
Ripe-rock links
http://www.wnyu.org/plastictales/
http://www.jam280.com/josefus.html
http://www.notlame.com/Compilations/Various_Artists/Page_1/CDANOV1.html
http://audio.notlame.com/sounds/cdanov1.mp3