In the Pop world, good old fashioned music is hard to come by these days. In the case of Kid Rock, he is making great music in an era where music has a short shelf life. Rock released his eighth studio album, Born Free, this Tuesday. Known today as a rebel rocker, Rock is our Artist of the Week for his musical style and creativity.
Like many of us who love music, we don’t just stick to one genre. I, personally, listen to pretty much everything. SO why is that we expect musicians to release their music with one audience in mind? Rock is the exception to the rule. Growing up in Michigan, Rock was exposed to everything from Run DMC to Bob Segar. This wide array of influences helped shaped Rock as a musician and entertainer.
Rock started out his career as a rapper, releasing his album, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast. In 1990, after the failure/backlash of Vanilla Ice, Jive Records dropped Rock from its label. It was several years and albums later that Rock would be a household name.
Several years passed and Rock was signed and dropped by another record label. Rock kept pushing, releasing EPs and trying to fund his music independently.
His big break came in 1998, when he released, Devil Without A Cause. This is his highest selling album to date and it really put Rock on center stage in the music world. The album was largely a Hard Rock album, but it showed off his diverse musical style. Songs like “Bawitadaba,” “Only God Knows Why,” and “Cowboy.” “Bawitadaba” had a heavy rock sound, while “Cowboy” had a country feel and “Only God Knows Why” showed off Rock’s introspective view on his life.
Shortly after the success of Devil Without A Cause, Rock was immediately one of the most recognizable names in music. MTV’s TRL was one of the most viewed shows on TV, and Rock helped launch its popularity. Rock’s success did not come without some loss. Friend and hypeman Joe C passed away in 2000. Obviously Rock was devastated by the passing of fellow friend and bandmate.
After the success of Devil Without A Cause, Rock became linked to Pamela Anderson and that drama began. A short time later, a home-made sex video surfaced showing Rock with several women backstage after a concert. Throughout this time, Rock was in a legal battle to re-acquire some of his earlier work. In 2000, Rock released The History of Rock, a mix of new material along with a mix of some of Rock’s earlier work.
Rock’s official follow-up record, Cocky, was released in 2001. The album featured the Country ballad “Picture,” featuring Sheryl Crow which showed Rock’s versatility. Some controversy was caused when Crow’s label (A&M Records) did not allow Rock to release the song as a single. Rock re-recorded the song with Allison Moorer and that version was released as a single.
The success of “Picture,” caused Rock to go into the studio with a different sound. For his album Kid Rock, rock had a more stripped down, country feel to it. Rock then took a four-year break from recording and during that time Rock was charged with assaulting Tommy Lee as well as battery on a man in a waffle house in Atlanta.
In April 2008, Rock released the single, “All Summer Long,” coincidently right before the summer. The song was a smash hit, here in the US and across the globe. The song peaked at No. 1 in most foreign countries. The song became an anthem for the summer of 2008, and could be heard on radio stations and cars across the country. Rock & Roll Jesus was released in October, and showed Rock exploring different genres. His album had a very Southern sound mixed with country. The album was truly a tribute the the old Rock sound.
With the release of Rock’s latest album, it’ll be interesting to see how the song is received by fans and the critics. Rock has been criticized by his fans for not sticking to one specific genre, while others praise him for his creativity. It remains to be seen what the fans will say about the album. One thing is for sure, Rock will be doing it on his own terms.
Top 5 Songs
1.
2. Picture
3. Cowboy
Useful Links
Purchase the entire album of “Born Free” for $3.99 on Amazon! (For A limited time only)
Born Free Review on Rolling Stone