Good Rockin' Tonight

Hier erleben wir die glorreichen Tage der ersten goldenen Rock-Ära: Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Little Richard und Jerry Lee Lewis. Dick Clark erinnert sich an den Anfang der legendären TV-Show American Bandstand, und Fabian berichtet von den Anfängen seiner Popularität. Das war die Zeit der Teen-Idole und ausgeflippter Tanz-Trends à la Twist. Doch Clips mit Ben E. King und Phil Spectors Ronettes beweisen, dass der Rock ‘n’ Roll weit mehr war als nur hübsche weiße Jungs, die Elvis imitierten.

Disc Jockey Alan Freed was the first to call it "rock 'n' roll" - but it was Elvis Presley who gave the new music sex appeal. During the summer and fall of 1956, the Hillbilly Cat transformed old-fashioned rhythm and blues into a new kind of music, breaching the boundaries between country and blues, folk and pop, black and white. "Good Rockin' Tonight" recounts the glory days of rock's first golden age. In rare footage of legendary performances. Buddy Holly sings "Oh Boy", Little Richard wails "Lucille" and Jerry Lee Lewis pumps out a frenzied version of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On". Dick Clark recalls the origins of American Bandstand and Fabian looks bacon his early fame. For a spell, rock was dominated by teen idols and countless dance crazes like the Twist, but as clips of Ben E. King and of Phil Spector's Ronettes remind us, there was still more to rock 'n' roll than cute white boys trying to be the next Elvis. That the imitators should keep on trying is no surprise. One need only look again at Presley's classic TV shows. This chronicle includes clips from his steamy version of "Hound Dog" on the Milton Berle Show in June 1965 and his stunning performances on The Ed Sullivan Show three months later. Here - as Bono of U2 puts it - is "the big bang:" rock's mythic moment of primal self-creation. - Jim Miller

Revive los días de gloria de la primera edad de oro del Rock 'n' Roll: Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Little Richard y Jerry Lee Lewis, recuerda los orígenes de los primeros grupo musicales americanos y Fabian rememora sus primeros días de fama. Durante un tiempo, dominaron los ídolos de los adolescentes e innumerables bailes de moda como el Twist. Pero como nos demuestran Ben E. King y Phil Spector, el Rock 'n' Roll era mucho más que atractivos chicos blancos intentando ser el próximo Elvis.