At that time I did not realize how interesting and complex rock and roll can get. The history of rock music is much more complex than most simplistic music of today would have you. It has its roots in the traditional African American music, Caribbean music, country, and many other styles. It has always been a music of rebellion, but the nature of the rebellion that has changed over the years. Sometimes, it was remarkably simple, while other times it was incredibly complex. In short, it is difficult to reduce to a simple explanation.
I realized early on that I wanted to be a rock musician. I only read a few books on bands playing rock ‘n roll, but I was absolutely fascinated by the lifestyle. Many of my friends practiced all the time listening to the same base band, but I realize that myself exposed to the diversity of influences is as important as practice. There are different kinds of musicians there, the more I studied the more I want to learn to do.
I started listening to music online. My choice is to Pandora. If you’ve never seen this site, you should verify. Basically, you can select any group or song you want and it creates a radio station based on this point. It plays songs in the same vein, often exposes you to groups that you’ve never heard of before. He plays songs of famous and those who are less well known, guaranteeing a wide variety of different musical influences. It is the greatest, I know to broaden your understanding of rock music. It has certainly worked for me. I spent three and a surprisingly progressive rock, incorporating elements of jazz, blues, and Caribbean music in a diverse mix. I even throw a few countries from time to time to spice things up.