Byron Lee's Writing Blog

Artivist In Action: Ronald Herd (R2C2H2) teaches the community through art.


"ARTIVIST" PURSUES DREAM : Painter, Author,Musician, Volunteer, Memphis native and Washington University graduate Ronald Herd, 25, has quit Substitute Teaching to focus fully on his art. He frequently travels around the country to display his drawings and promote his self-published book, "James Reese Europe: Jazz Lieutenant". Photo by Carl Hess II.


Herd is an 'artivist' combining his art and afrocentric and humanist sensibilities. "I try to synthesize everyone I meet, everything I read and see with my own DNA and experiences. I'm terrifically influenced by others art, including the masters and by music and my own spiritual connection to God and His Universe. I truly feel connected to the present and the past , tremendously eager about the future and my journey. Let me amend that to the earth and it's inhabitants journey in the cosmos. R2C2H2 is pictured here with his high school art teacher the great Dr. Emily 'Boo' Ruch at the opening reception of his one person exhibition, R2C2H2: In The Black, in the Ross Gallery at Christian Brothers University of Memphis,Tn (April 8, 2005). R2C2H2 is only the third African American to have had an exhibition at the venue. Photo by Carl Hess II.


FIRST OF MANY: "James Reese Europe: Jazz Lieutenant" is Ronald Herd's book on the Composer/Music Publisher/Theatrical Producer/World War I Hero. The book is split between text that tells Lt. Europe's story and drawings by Herd that pull the reader into the narrative. Herd's approach to history has already won recognition; the book was recently named to the Smithsonian Institute's "Jazz Books for Kids and Young Adults" list. He hopes that his books will demolish the thought that it takes one person to manufacture social change. "It takes a group of people to get things going," says Herd.


Herd's art and writing have already brought the young artist to the attention of the art community nationally. It has also allowed him to travel and meet "so many diverse people". It has been a great side benefit for me. Here is at a gallery showing of his works (R2C2H2: Evolution of a Style,2002) at St. Louis' own Vaughn Cultural Art Center with Elaine Brown, the first and only female President of The Black Panthers. Herd refers to himself as an 'Artivist'. An artivist is an activist who combines the two disciplines.

THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY THE BRILLIANT AND GREAT MR. B HIMSELF, BYRON LEE, A DEAR SUPPORTER AND FRIEND OF THE R2C2H2 EXPERIENCE...YOU CAN ALSO FIND THIS ARTICLE IN THE NOVEMBER 2005 ISSUE OF THE LIMELIGHT http://www.limelightnews.com/ , THE POPULAR ST. LOUIS REGION BLACK MONTHLY NEWSZINE...YOU CAN CONTACT MR. B THE GIFTED ARTIST OF WORDS AT THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL ADDRESS: BYRONLEE3@YAHOO.COM

Conversations with Ronald Herd, a self-proclaimed “Artivist” (artist meets activist), are captivating journeys through the pop cultural, political, and historical landscape. He voices his thoughts in a Southern baritone intermittently accented with a booming cackle of a laugh; he peppers those thoughts with references to everyone from Barry Bonds and Usher to Robert Johnson and John Bolton. The listener struggles between effortlessly going along for the ride and repeatedly asking, “Can you repeat that?”

It is Herd’s charismatic personality and wide-ranging intelligence that has allowed him to make a name for himself as an artist both in St. Louis and in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Herd, 25, has dedicated himself to educating people about the contributions of blacks through his art, and he sees no limit in how that art manifests itself.

His artistic journey began early in life. He developed a speech impediment at the age of 2. “My words would run together when I talked”, remembers Herd, “so I channeled my frustrations into my drawings.” He had more strife during his early school years. As a student in the Memphis Public School system, he was shuffled from school to school and misunderstood by many of his teachers. He would find solace in the schools’ libraries. “It was a way for me to feed my mind,” says Herd, who, thanks to his knowledge of American Presidents, earned a reputation for being one of the smartest kids in his class, even before he started making the Honor Roll.

His thirst for knowledge was noticed by his mother, Callie, a Computer Programmer who is heavily involved in community activism. Ms. Herd bought a World Book Encyclopedia set for her son; the youngster immediately started researching historical figures. Ms. Herd further nurtured her son’s interest by enrolling him in the Memphis Schools’ CAPA program (Creating And Performing Arts), a program that lasted from his 7th-12th grade years. “It allowed me to focus on my craft and take it seriously,” says Herd of the program. Finally, a twist of fate occurred when Herd was one of 15 blacks out of 250 students accepted into Tennessee’s Governor’s School program the summer before his senior year at Overton High School. Herd says that his experience in the program taught him how to interact with different groups of people. “There were people there who did not like the work that I did, but they eventually grew to respect me.”

One person who liked Herd and respected his work was Georgia Binnington, Associate Dean of the Washington University School of Art. Ms. Binnington, who was at the Memphis College of Art as part of National Portfolio Day, was so struck by Herd’s entries in the festival that she suggested that he apply for the University’s John B. Ervin Program, a program that provides a full scholarship. Herd was accepted.

Herd’s passion for art would unexpectedly take focus while Herd was sitting in an 8am class during his freshman year. He was watching a documentary on experimental jazz icon Sun Ra when he heard the legend make the statement that would become Herd’s credo: “Space is the Place.” Sun Ra’s quote has been used by several people, but Herd believes that many people have missed the true meaning of the statement. “You look at his garb, and you would think that he is talking about the cosmos, outer space. What he was really talking about was the space between your two ears, your mind, your brain. Your imagination is a very powerful tool. You can create whatever you want to. Use it as a tool and empower yourself and others with it.”

Inspired by both Sun Ra and the University’s “Introduction to Ragtime” course, Herd started studying jazz and blues musicians on his own. He was even more invigorated by what he read. “The early practitioners of jazz and blues were very powerful musically, even though a lot of them were not very rich socio-economically speaking. Their music was able to change people’s minds about a lot of things, it was able to start a lot of controversy, and it was able to get a lot of things moving.”

Herd started putting more historical information into his work. He also realized early on that if he was going to reach people, he would have to work on his own to make sure that his work was seen. He started searching through the Internet relentlessly in order to find openings in galleries. He also took the bull by the horns and booked one-man shows at the Sheldon and the Urban League. He was the youngest artist at the 2001 Art St. Louis display (where he made his first sale, the Charlie Parker-inspired “Bird In Flight,” for $1500) and, a few months later, he was one of 50 recipients, out of 14,000 applicants, to receive the $1,000 Double Mint Grant Award.

Adhering to his pledge to reach people, Herd also took part in the Chips In Motion Reach to Teach program, where members of disadvantaged communities are taught about health through the arts. Herd loved the equality demonstrated in the program. “There were older people and younger people, and everyone was teaching each other. No one was above anyone else. That is what education should be,” says Herd.

Herd graduated from Washington University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Printmaking/Drawing in the Spring of 2002 (he actively recruits black students for the school). He continued creating art while simultaneously working as a Substitute Teacher when he read “A Life In Ragtime,” Reid Badger’s biography of Composer/Music Publisher/Theatrical Producer/World War I Hero Lieutenant James Reese Europe. He then saw an opportunity to further educate an audience that would not normally be exposed to historical information. “Most people are not going to read a 300 page book. Some may not even read a 100 page book. I’ve always sprinkled historical facts in my work, so I saw writing a book on James Europe as an extension of that.”

Herd’s self-published book, “James Reese Europe: Jazz Lieutenant” (which can be purchased from Herd’s website, www.r2c2h2.com, or from www.booksurge.com) is seventy-five pages almost equally split between text that tells Lt. Europe’s story and drawings by Herd that pull the reader into the narrative. Herd’s approach to history has already won recognition; the book was recently named to the Smithsonian institute’s “Jazz Books for Kids and Young Adults” list. “During his day, [Europe] was one of the most popular black men in North America. He organized the first black musicians union in our country. For him to be written out of Jazz History is a sham.”

Herd has decided to quit teaching and to pursue his art fulltime. He has several books ready for publication, and he hopes to continue to be both a resource and an inspiration for his audience “I want people to see in my work and my persona that it is okay to mess up and be rejected. As long as you get back up and follow your dreams, you can’t go wrong.”

The Roots of Rap: How 'New Music' Got Started
A Limelight Exclusive By Byron Lee

Hard drum beats and booming bass. Rhymes that are used to sell everything from cars to fast food. Fashion that screams individuality and sets the latest trends.

Rap music has gone from a marginalized, urban expression to America's dominate youthculture. In this month's Limelight, we will uncover the origins of this music and trace its growth to the present day.
THE FATHER OF HIP-HOP: When South Bronx DJ Kool Herc decided to repeatedly play the "break" of the rock, disco, and funk songs on his playlist (the "break" being the middle part of the song, the part most conducive to dancing), he took the pivotal first step in creating hip-hop.

The invention of hip-hop came, as most inventions do, through necessity. South Bronx DJ Kool Herc loved the way that his patrons would react to the breaks of rock, disco, and funk songs, (the "break" of a song being the middle part of a song, the part most conducive to dancing) but would be frustrated by the brevity of each break. He then came up with an idea that earned him the name "The Father of Hip-hop": he began to "extend" the break by repeatedly playing it.The crowd responded by doing more complex dance moves that would eventually be known as “breakdancing” (not because of the moves that they were executing, but because of the part of the song, “the break,” that they were dancing to). Adding on to the party vibe were people who would speak chants to bring the festivities to the next level. Sometimes, the best speakers (known as MCs, or Masters of Ceremonies),would speak in rhymed couplets, using lines such as"Yes, yes, y'all. To the beat, y'all." in between verses in order to collect their thoughts. Thus, the format of the modern rap song was born. Furthermore, these MCs would acknowledge people that they knew in the crowd, beginning the custom of "shouting out" that continues in rap to this day. In 1979, the Sugar Hill Gang cemented this party atmosphere on record and in video with the song "Rapper's Delight," the first widely known rap recording.

NO FLASH IN THE PAN: Turntable pioneer Grandmaster Flash used the training he received in his original profession (electrician) to turn a light switch into the first crossfader (the device that allows a DJ to cut back and forth between two records that are playing at the same time). His ingenuity and technical proficiency continue to be an inspiration for many DJs today.

The importance of the DJ in the creation of rap is further illustrated by the importance of Grandmaster Flash and the advent of Turntablism (using turntables and vinyl records to manipulate prerecorded bits of music as if one were playing an instrument). Flash, born Joseph Sadler, used the training he received in his original profession (electrician) to turn a light switch into the first crossfader (the device that allows a DJ to cut back and forth between two records that are playing at the same time). Flash’s song “The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel” is regarded as one of the first widely heard recordings of turntable wizardry, making Flash the forefather of such modern day practitioners as frequent Beastie Boys collaborator Mix Master Mike.(Flash’s protégé, Grand Wizard Theodore, would add onto Flash’s creation by pioneering a skill known as“cutting,” wherein the DJ puts his hand on a record to chop up a particular sound or word.) Furthermore, “The Message,” a song Flash recorded with the rappers in the supergroup Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, is recognized as a sobering slice of everyday urban life.

Also a major figure in the creation of hip-hop culture is charismatic New York Youth Organizer-turned-DJ Afrika Bambataa. Besides being known for his technical skill, he was a important force in getting youngsters interested in all four elements of hip-hop (rapping, dee-jaying, breakdancing and graffiti arts) and released the classic breakdancing anthem “Planet Rock”in 1982.

Another aspect of rap culture is one that is the most misunderstood: battling. Many view battling as a needless, mean-spirited exercise in degrading other human beings. However, these detractors fail to realize that battling grew as a sport to establish personal or regional supremacy; In other words, a person used their creativity to put themselves, or their neighborhoods or boroughs, on the figurative map.
FORGOTTEN BY SOME, BUT NOT ALL: Rap trio Whodini is responsible for 80's classics such as "One Love", "Friends," and "The Freaks Come Out At Night." Mainstream success, however, seemed to allude them. Their music lives on in radio mix shows and successful reunion tours.

Evidence of this phenomenon can be found in two of early rap music's most notorious battles. In late 1985, a young rapper from the South Bronx named Krs-One (born Kris Parker) was perturbed by a rhyme by Queen's rapper MC Shan on a song entitled “The Bridge.” "You love to hear the story, again and again,Of how it all got started way back when" Kris thought that Shan was referencing the beginning of rap, when, in reality, Shan was merely talking about the formation of his rap faction, The Juice Crew. Even though Kris misunderstood Shan's rhyme,Krs's responses to the song, "South Bronx" and "The Bridge Is Over", are two long standing hip-hop classics.
CLASS IS STILL IN SESSION: Rap legend KRS-One (which stands for Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone) made a name for himself as the insightful, incendiary, and intelligent voice of seminal group Boogie Down Productions. Though sometimes his ego gets the better of him (see his feuds with P.M. Dawn and Nelly), KRS continues to be revered as someone who adheres to the principles held by many of the pioneers of rap.

A battle one year earlier brought a phenomenal female rapper to the forefront. The group UTFO was riding high with the success of "Roxanne, Roxanne" a tale of unrequited admiration. Watching their success was up-and-coming producer Marley Marl, who recruited neighborhood rap sensation Lolita Shante Goodwin, who had a knack for constructing cohesive story raps at the drop of a hat, to record a response in the character of Roxanne. The song, "Roxanne's Revenge"(which Goodwin recorded under the name Roxanne Shante) took New York City by storm and built a reputation and a career for Ms. Goodwin.
THE QUEEN OF MEAN: Lolita Shante Goodwin made a name for herself in 1984 when, under the name Roxanne Shante, she recorded one of the most influential rap songs ever made, "Roxanne's Revenge." The diss song, a response to UTFO's hit "Roxanne Roxanne," set off a slew of responses, making a reputation and career for the gifted female rapper.
The song caused a mountain of response records and is credited for the being the first battle rap to spawn such a large response.The noise rap was making in New York was minor compared to the exposure it would get with the emergence of its first crossover successes: Kurtis Blow and Run-DMC.

Kurtis Blow:BREAKING UP THE STATUS QUO
Kurtis Blow, born Curtis Walker, had a fun-loving personality, a baritone voice perfect for the party-starting chants of the era, and lyrics that were both socially conscious ("If I Ruled The World") and casual ("Basketball"). It was no surprise when Blow's 1980 single "The Breaks" was the first rap single to make its way onto the pop charts.



















THE KINGS OF RAP: Run-DMC
Blow's success would later be overshadowed by a trio from Queens calling themselves Run-DMC. Rappers Run and DMC, along with the skillful scratches andamicable presence of DJ Jam Master Jay, used their look (black shirts, black pants, black hats, and white, laceless, shell-toed adidas shoes) and their sound (enjoyable interplay between the two rappers, strong choruses, and shrewd choices in rock samples) to take the mainstream by storm with their third album, 1986's "Raising Hell." Boosted by a cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," the album became the first rap album to go platinum. The group became the first rap group to grace the cover of Rolling Stone, and they made the general public much more receptive to rap music.

BRINGING THE NOISE: Known for the bellowing voice and revolutionary lyrics of Chuck D, the comic relief of Flavor Flav, and the cacophonous production of The Bomb Squad, Public Ememy shook black America's consciousness in the late 80's with the LPs "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back" and "Fear Of A Black Planet."

Run-DMC's crossover triumph signaled a time that many rap fans refer to as the "Golden Age" of rap music.Although few, if any of the acts that were popular around this time ever earned multi-platinum status,their presence insured a true diversity of rap sounds in the mainstream. There were light, pop-friendly acts (Digital Underground, Tone-L oc, Young MC, MC Hammer, Kid-n-Play, Kwame, Heavy D), acts that were into hedonistic shock value (Too Short, Too Live Crew), rappers who talked about the darker side of life, exposing both it luxuriousness and its harsh consequences (N.W.A. and Ice-T), groups of artists with eclectic beat selection and esoteric lyrics that championed both pride in their community and a light-hearted approach to life (De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, Black Sheep, Digable Planets), acts that paired hard beats with highly political, sometimes incendiary lyrics (Public Enemy,Boogie Down Productions), and performers who provided the female point of view (Salt-n-Pepa, MC Lyte, Queen Latifah).

CHANGING THE GAME: "The Chronic," producer Dr. Dre's 1992 post-N.W.A. opus, permanently changed the face of rap music, proving that charismatic performers and slick production can transcend the hindrances presented by explicit content.


Parity would come to an end with the release of producer Dr. Dre’s 1992 post-N.W.A. opus “The Chronic.” With the charm and irresistible cadences of break out star Snoop Doggy Dogg and high level production values that displayed a heavy debt toParliament and Funkadelic, the album, boosted by hypnotic first single "Nuttin' but a G Thang," was a blockbuster, finding an audience in the suburbs as well as in the hood. The album's main cultural relevance lie in that it proved that charismatic performers and slick production can transcend the hindrances presented by explicit content, making it the blueprint for almost every mainstream rap album that followed it and the most influential rap album ofthe last 15 years. Snoop Doggy Dogg's solo album,"Doggystyle," also produced by Dre, only solidified this notion. The east coast, meanwhile, experienced a renaissance with the release Nas's 1994 debut album "Illmatic,"and the emergence of "Ready To Die," the first offering from a large, lovable, lyrically swift MC calling himself the Notorious B.I.G. (The pop-savvy influence of B.I.G.'s mentor, Sean "Puffy" Combs, like Dre's influence on Snoop, would inspire the videos and songs crafted by rap stars for many years to come.) Like the major label debuts of Eminem and Ludacris several years later, "Illmatic" and "Ready To Die” raised the lyrical bar for rap music, forcing other rappers to step their game up.Challenging the rap establishment in other ways was an East Coast transplant that landed in Marine City,California. Possessing handsome looks, massive amounts of charisma, a powerful voice, an emotional, heavily-pronunciated delivery and lyrics that were alternately mournful, menacing, poignant, and inspiring, Tupac Shakur was able to make a connection with his audience that rap music had never seen. His aura continues to grow after his 1996 death and drives many of today's up-and-coming rap stars to emulate his sensitive/moderately socially-conscious/thug image.Rap would undergo a sonic makeover to match its new image. The success of "The Chronic" and a legal moratorium on widespread, unlicensed sampling led to the rise of superproducers (The Neptunes,Trackmasters, Rockwider, Kanye West, Just Blaze) and the advent of “club tracks” (songs with a midtempo bounce, punctuated by steady percussion and a catchy chorus) making mainstream rap a Party genre. The recent rise of Southern rappers (T.I., Lil’ Flip,David Banner, Mike Jones, Paul Wall) owes a great deal to the public desire to let loose on the dance floor.

The factors mentioned above have led many rap fans to say that many of today's mainstream rap stars sound alike. While there is a great deal of validity to this argument, it ignores the fact that the popularity of today’s music is providing today’s stars with enough cache to diversify their interests and show an entrepreneurial savvy that is much better for the culture and the people who are a part of it. Rappers such as Jay-Z, Nelly, and Diddy are starting their own clothing lines and becoming part owners in sports franchises. Other rappers, such as Big Boi (ofOutkast) and T.I. are becoming successful in the real estate market, while Will Smith, Queen Latifah and Mos Def have become bankable stars in Hollywood.

Rap has come a long way in a short time, and it does not look as if it is going anywhere anytime soon. As the genre's pioneers would say, rap music is in full effect.

Rock Solid: Dave Simon’s Rock School Shapes the Minds of Tomorrow
A Limelight Exclusive By Byron Lee
THE ICON: St. Louis-bred singer/songwriter Chuck Berry laid the blueprint for rock music with clever lyrics, driving rhythms, and impressive guitar playing.

Dave Simon has an outgoing nature, a youthful exuberance, and a wide smile that seems to appear every five seconds. He highly values expression of all kinds and offers calm and analytical defenses at a moment's notice.

It is this kind of attitude that Simon hopes to foster in his students at Dave Simon's Rock School. Located at 1305 Baur in Olivette, the school offers lessons in various styles of rock and mentorship in order to expedite the learning process. Furthermore, the school puts on showcases that allow his students to get the experience of playing before a live audience during their high school years (A few days after our interview was conducted, the school planned to have a performance at Blueberry Hill spotlighting music from the 70's.).

Simon first got the idea of forming a Rock School during the 80's, when he took a course in jazz at Webster University. "I was amazed that a style of music that came from late night jam sessions could be taught in a classroom. I thought that it would be good to do that for rock. If you look at the music of Elton John, Billy Joel, and The Beatles, you realize that there are some interesting things going on."
REACHING THE FUTURE: Dave Simon (right) helps a student with their vocal delivery. To Simon, his Rock School represents more than just an opportunity to learn rock music. Says Simon, "I want kids to participate in an activity outside of academics and athletics, to have something that is their own, something that is not being pushed on them."

After returning to St. Louis after living in New York and San Francisco in the 90's, Simon opened up the Rock School. He is happy with the school's success and the effect that it has had on its students. Simon believes that the school is important to students because of the stage of their life that they are in. "Teenagers have a need to feel independent, but in every aspect of their lives, someone is telling them what to do. I want kids to participate in an activity outside of academics and athletics, to have something that is their own, something that is not being pushed on them."

ROCK STAR IN TRAINING: Above is a guitar student honing his craft. Dave Simon's Rock School offers lessons in various styles of rock, mentorship in order to expedite the learning process, and the opportunity to perform in front of an audience of hundreds during the school's showcases.

In addition to learning the music, Simon feels that students can acquire other tools that will help them in other facets of life. "Even if a kid has independence, they may not have the skills to be disciplined or to know how to assert themselves. The school gets them used to dealing with the personality clashes that come with working with different kinds of people. Some adults haven't figured that out."

Afro - HAVE WE MOVED ON?: Even though he reveres the expression found in rap music, Dave Simon is dismayed that more black students do not take an interest in Rock-n-Roll music. "Black people created Rock-n-Roll," notes Simon, "Everyone knows that."



If there is one area that he feels that the school can improve upon, it is in the enrollment of black students. Simon seems to know the source of this deficiency. "Rap culture has taken over, and black kids are all about the latest trends in the culture of music. I ask some black kids, 'What do you think about Prince?', and they tell me 'Prince is old.' Black kids don't seem to like the music that their parents or grandparents listened to. If anything, white students tend to focus on the past. They love the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. These are great bands, but there is other stuff out there."

In acknowledging that rap has replaced rock in many ways, Simon expresses great reverence for the genre. "Rap is the evolution of rock music. Rap music is about the expression. Rap music is where you are finding a lot of the cutting edge music." He fondly remembers seeing Run-DMC in concert during their "Walk This Way" hey day, and deeply reveres the music of hip-hop's golden era. "I liked the fact that Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions put it all out there [regarding their political beliefs]." Far from condemning today's crop of rap stars, he is instead happy that the music has come so far. "I feel blessed to be alive to have seen it come from Grandmaster Flash and Whodini to where it is now. Today, we have rap entrepreneurs."
AN ANOMALY: Spiked by the success of the song "Cult of Personality", "Vivid," the 1988 debut album by black rock group Living Colour, became recognized as a landmark hard rock release. Unfortunately, the success of the group did not lead to increased black representation in rock music.

THE FOREFATHERS: Washington, D.C. punk rock group Bad Brains is thought by many to be one of the pioneers of hardcore rock. Many of the groups that became popular during the rap/rock craze of the late 90's/early 2000's cited the collective as a major influence.

Simon's feelings are the polar opposition of the vehement reaction many rock fans have to rap music, in which many fans of the golden age of rock seem to go out of their way to bash the rap genre. Simons believes that this hostility is rooted in ignorance and fear, in that many outsiders cannot relate to the image put forth by today's rap stars. "In the 60's and 70's, white people had a feeling that they knew the desires of black america. There was nothing threatening about The Commodores. White people don't know what drives [Georgia-bred rap superstar] T.I. White america does not know how to relate to the guy standing in front of the nice car, surrounded by women. Likewise, many black people do not know how to relate to the image of a white kid with long hair banging their head."

LITTLE BIG MAN: Though his influence has been forgotten by many, Little Richard's catchy songwriting, powerful voice, and flamboyant performance style influenced many of rock's most famous acts.

What makes the lack of black representation in rock music so sad is that the pioneers of Rock-n-Roll were black. In fact, some people think that one of those pioneers, St. Louis's Chuck Berry, is the rightful owner of the moniker "King of Rock-n-Roll." When asked if he agrees, Simon divides rock music into two components: the music and the imagery. "Chuck Berry revolutionized Rock-n-Roll. He had a country inflection in how he sang, and his lyrics really inspired Bob Dylan and John Lennon to be more poetic and clever with their lyrics. He influenced The Beatles, who were responsible for the new wave of sounds in rock music. You could also make a strong case for Little Richard. He paved the way for the flamboyant style of Mick Jagger with how he performed. He also brought in an androgynous side to the music."
NOT A BOYS CLUB: Girls are very active at Dave Simon's Rock School, at times putting on sets that outshine those of their male counterparts.

Simon feels, though, that another performer took the image part of rock and brought it to another plateau."Elvis Presley was good looking, he could dance, he could sing, and he was a movie star. A part of that was the fact that he was a white man in the 1950s. I can't think of any black person who could have had the opportunity to be a movie star in the 1950s. The musician in me wants to give the title to Chuck Berry, but, in looking at the big picture, I give Elvis the title."While there are not many black rock stars on the landscape, Simon remains optimistic. "Black people created Rock-n-Roll. Everyone knows that. Whenever a black band comes onto the scene, like [punk rock legends] Bad Brains or [late 80's landmark group] Living Colour, the results are always amazing."More information on Dave Simon's Rock School can be found at http://www.dsrockschool.com/