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How many Shock Rockers are out there?

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Marilyn Manson, obviously, and now Alice Cooper. Are there others? Who are the Shock Rockers? How are they shocking us?

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

and now Alice Cooper.


words fail me.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

oh yeah, delete "now" in the qn please.

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Eminem

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I find Radiohead pretty shocking...

― adam. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Mark, is this question a joke?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Why? It looks like a perfectly cromulent question to me.

Any band who would be described as "shock-rockers" in a tabloid report, eg "SHOCK rocker Marilyn Manson TEABAGGED a hapless security member last night as blood-lusting fans rioted"

Are GWAR still going?

― DJ Mencap0))), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

The "now" was a mistake y'all, this is an a'ight question.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Peaches. Especially shocking because she is A GURL.

― Jason J, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I AM A SHOCK CITY SHOCKER

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Who are the Shock City Shockers???
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/live/rust/shockcity.jpg

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Slipknot, Cradle Of Filth, Rockbitch, Korn, Kiss, Gwar, Iggy Pop...

― Siegbran (eofor), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 15:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black

― Je4nne ƒury (Jeanne Fury), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 15:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I like when lots of metal and goth and industrial bands go for that shock-rock "edge" but because what they're doing is so by-the-book, they end up just like all the other douchebags they are trying to differentiate themselves from in the process. Nelson Muntz says "ha ha" to you.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 15:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Big Black, the Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid, Jesus Lizard....shock-rocking and pig-fucking are the exact same thing, right? (Plus, oh yeah, everybody who ever recorded for Wax Trax Records. And everybody who ever came from Germany. And every heavy metal and punk band that ever existed, except for the ones that deny being heavy metal or punk.)

― chuck, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 15:47 (twenty-two years ago)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002LEE.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― frankE (frankE), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 15:49 (twenty-two years ago)

gg allin, ICP, extreme elvis,

― JaXoN (JasonD), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

ha ha EXTREME ELVIS PWNS

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 15:57 (twenty-two years ago)

shock-rocking and pig-fucking are the exact same thing, right?

Err...no. "Shock Rock" was a media term coined for folks like Alice Cooper, the Plasmatics et al. (y'know, when Brian Warner was still in kindergarten). "Pig-Fuck". I believe, meant bands with a skronky, deliberately remedial backwoods aesthetic (like the Butthole Surfers and Pussy Galore).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 16:16 (twenty-two years ago)

before alice there was rocky.

bob log

and yeah ,Gwar just played a few weeks ago

― kephm (kephm), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 16:58 (twenty-two years ago)

"Pig-Fuck". I believe, meant bands with a skronky, deliberately remedial backwoods aesthetic (like the Butthole Surfers and Pussy Galore).

-- Alex in NYC (vassife...), September 1st, 2004.

yeah but you could make the argument that those bands (plus bands like Big Black) were the 80's indie equivalent of "shock rock".

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 17:04 (twenty-two years ago)

The Dwarves, then.

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

that would count for the album cover and title for blood guts and pussy alone.

see also: ANAL CUNT.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

before alice there was rocky.

You mean Roky Ericson?

yeah but you could make the argument that those bands (plus bands like Big Black) were the 80's indie equivalent of "shock rock".

I don't think so. Big Black didn't have much of a visual aesthetic...or certainly not one that was at all shocking. They merely looked like high-strung accountants.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

No, I mean Roky Erickson

― kephm (kephm), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 19:12 (twenty-two years ago)

hehehe

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 19:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Who are the Shock City Shockers???

BECK

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 19:15 (twenty-two years ago)

michael jackson
madonna

― dysøn (dyson), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 19:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Wire
The Plugz
The Power Station
The Amps
The Electric Flag

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 19:47 (twenty-two years ago)

ha ha - grand master flash

― dysøn (dyson), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 19:49 (twenty-two years ago)

HA HA HA HA (peek a boo)
http://the-wall.net/~devo-obsesso/images/photos/promo/5x7-toaster-frt.jpg

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 19:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Punk Floyd
Grandmaster Flush
The Teabag Party

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Ahead-of-curve punk is shock-rock but all punk after a certain point could be seen as just trend-following, for the most part. Only shocked ones were the parents, probably.

Suicide certainly shocked the punk ie Clash audience, the majority of whom were not looking to be shocked. But shock-rock from what I read above needs to be more deliberate than Alan V's aesthetic.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 20:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I was too young to appreciate the early Suicide phenomenon at the time so if anyone out there saw it first-hand, I'm certainly curious.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

There is "shock rock" and there is rock that happens to be shocking. I don't think any of the more celebrated "shock rockers" would ever categorize themselves as such. The term was probably coined by People Magazine or something....and is ultimatley meaningless.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Almost NO shock rock is actually "shocking."

>Big Black didn't have much of a visual aesthetic...or certainly not one that was at all shocking. They merely looked like high-strung accountants<

But their LYRICS were totally shock rock. (As were the lyrics of all those other pigfuck bands.) That was their only possible point.

And they used to light off firecrackers on stage! Plus, maybe their stick-up-the-ass visual look was an attempt to shock PUNKS.

― chuck, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 20:57 (twenty-two years ago)

It should all be called Shocking-if-you-are-a-Nun (and maybe not even then) Rock instead.

― chuck, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)

But their LYRICS were totally shock rock. (As were the lyrics of all those other pigfuck bands.) That was their only possible point.

Very true, but it strikes me that "Shock Rock" -- once again -- was simply a sensationalist tag to lambast folks like Alice Cooper and Gene Simmons for messin' around with blood, etc.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean, have you ever heard anyone say: "well, We're a shock rock band!"? It's a term the PMRC would use, not a viable genre.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:04 (twenty-two years ago)

http://costes.org/

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Having sprung from a dark hole as opposed to knowing widely-used terminology, I actually wasn't aware of the term "shock-rock". But I like examining what/who shocks whom. I'd guess that it's likely that different bands' ATTEMPT to shock originated this thread.

Perhaps the Sex Pistols, though they'd have cackled at the term really would have said back in the day that their aim was to "shock" and they'd approve of their pioneering what annoyingly became "shock-rock", though as soon as it acquired a name they would have denied it...

A couple of quotations around the thread instigator's title would have quelled the ridicule he's received from a few of the posters on this thread.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)

It's like "shock jock" but with an "r" instead of a "j".

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Whereas "Jock Shock" is what happens when athletes get their short and curlies snared in the elastic waistband.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:32 (twenty-two years ago)

5ive

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Throbbing Gristle were definitely shock rock at some point.

I think we can easily winnow the post-Alice Cooper instances of "shock rock" down to "bands that have toyed with Nazi imagery."

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:39 (twenty-two years ago)

There are really no such thing as "viable genres," Alex; or they're *all* viable, whatever. It's not like genres are things you can touch -- they only exist in people's heads. And the PMRC has as much of a right to classify music how it wants as anybody else does. So while you or I wouldn't call something shock rock, I don't see what's preventing others from doing so. (Screamin Jay Hawkins invented it, by the way. And I am amazed that nobody has mentioned Turbonegro.)

― chuck, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Or the Tubes -- Shock Rock was quite possibly their MAIN genre (though they were also glam, and prog, and AOR, and pop, and white punks on dope. They were great. I wonder if they have an ILM thread.)

― chuck, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:42 (twenty-two years ago)

chuck that was an extremely informative post. Who knew? Screamin Jay and not E! or Oprah or Rolling Stone or Baudrillard or...

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Turbonegro. Hmm.

Oh, Laibach, of course.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:51 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not like genres are things you can touch -- they only exist in people's heads.

Okay, Chuck, go to your favorite record store and ask for the "Shock Rock" section, then.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 23:05 (twenty-two years ago)

http://wizardishungry.com/kitty.mp3

― gainfully employed (ex machina), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 23:07 (twenty-two years ago)

The need or penchant to shock doesn't singularly define these artists, though. The Alice Cooper band may have indeed loved to be theatrical and campily offensive, but I'd bet they'd take great exception to being referred to as merely a "shock rock" band (which suggests that ALL they were capable of was being shocking).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 23:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Semantics. If Mark wanted by-definition "shock-rock" bands he could have googled.

As the "experts" here must've chased poor Mark away, we may never discover whether when creating this thread, he actually meant "bands-setting-out-to-shock", or something more narrow or - horror of horrors - confusing or (aack) naive, even. Let's hope he wasn't scared off for good.

― Thea (Thea), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 23:23 (twenty-two years ago)

And calling somebody a glam band doesn't imply that all they can do is wear makeup, Alex. They're allowed to do other things, as well. Same with any genre -- a genre implies ONE thing (or one group of things) they do. Not everything (unless they're completely generic, in which case it's their own fault.)

― chuck, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 23:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"Shock Rock" is almost only used as a pejorative by sources largely unfamiliar with the actual subjects they're writing about, though. That's my point.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

How about Cannibal Corpse?

― Queen Electric Butt Prober BZZT!! BZZZZZT!! (Queen Electric Butt Prober BZZ), Thursday, 2 September 2004 02:31 (twenty-two years ago)

"Shock rock," at least as it is used by some, has a distinct musical connotation. Post-Alice Cooper metal-punk with a theatrical basis like, say, VON LMO.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 2 September 2004 04:23 (twenty-two years ago)

The music has to be dangerous sounding. Like you might get an electric shock from it.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 2 September 2004 04:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Minty!

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Thursday, 2 September 2004 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Semantics. If Mark wanted by-definition "shock-rock" bands he could have googled.

As the "experts" here must've chased poor Mark away, we may never discover whether when creating this thread, he actually meant "bands-setting-out-to-shock", or something more narrow or - horror of horrors - confusing or (aack) naive, even. Let's hope he wasn't scared off for good.

-- Thea

I'm still here! Sorry to abandon my own thread. I get a kick out of seeing "shock-rocker Marilyn Manson" in print (it's virtually part of his name as far as the mainstream media is concerned), then I saw the thing about Alice Cooper being a republican ("shock-rocker Alice Cooper says Kerry voters..." etc.), so I was wondering what other musicians were usually referred to in print as "shock-rocker ___________". Curious about the media usage, and what one has to do to be labeled a shock-rocker.

― Mark (MarkR), Thursday, 2 September 2004 15:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Definitely GWAR.

― Mark (MarkR), Thursday, 2 September 2004 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Andrew Dice Clay
Sam Kinnison

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 2 September 2004 15:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Zowie Fenderblast

― john allen (john allen), Thursday, 2 September 2004 16:53 (twenty-two years ago)


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