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Born to be Wild: The Golden Age of American Rock

Shaun Parkes

Steve Freer

Paul Bullock

Born to be Wild: The Golden Age of American Rock: Episode 2: School's Out

Documentaries

Music: Classic Pop & Rock

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

School's Out

Episode 2

Episode 2: School's Out

BBC Four - Born to be Wild: The Golden Age of American Rock, School's Out

In the 1970s, rock stars became millionaires and their music soundtracked middle America.

Series looking at US rock music from the late 60s to the early 90s. The 70s saw rock stars become millionaires and their music became the soundtrack for middle America.

This second part tells the story of the 1970s, when rock stars became multi-millionaires and the music they made was the soundtrack for middle America. 

After the rage and protest of the previous decade, rock music of the early 70s was gentle and sweet - the songs of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the Doobie Brothers. Although the USA was riven by political disasters - the end of the Vietnam War, Watergate and the gasoline crisis - rock music seldom commented on them, although Alice Cooper's Nixon satire Elected was a rare exception. But in the middle of the decade new voices started to emerge, such as Bruce Springsteen's songs of working class glory or Tom Petty's tight, 1960s-inspired sound. 

The massive success of stadium shows exemplified how big American rock had become and, in 1976 and 1977, the genre soared with a string of multi-platinum albums by Fleetwood Mac, Boston, the Eagles and Meat Loaf. Unlike in the UK, American punk barely diverted the rock gods, but disco did make an impact. Rock became smoother and more saccharine and in the corporate offices of record labels the drive was for ever larger profits.

With interviews with many of the decade's leading rock musicians, the programme also features studio and concert footage including Alice Cooper, Bruce Springsteen and the Eagles.

Interviews include: Tom Petty, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Tom Scholz (Boston), Todd Rundgren, Don Felder (the Eagles), Tom Johnston (the Doobie Brothers), Chuck D (Public Enemy), Peter Frampton, Bill Payne (Little Feat), Pamela des Barres, FM DJ Jim Ladd, film director Penelope Spheeris, manager Peter Mensch, journalists Sylvie Simmons and Rolling Stone magazine's David Fricke.

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The rise and fall of the golden age of American rock from the late 60s to the early 90s.

Three-part series telling the story of the rise and fall of the golden age of American rock from the late 60s to the early 90s.

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Born to be Wild: The Golden Age of American Rock

Episode 2: School's Out

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