Skiffle (Revival)

When: 1949

Super Genre: Pop / Rock ‘n’ Roll  

Description:

“Skiffle is one of the oldest popular music genres. Emerging in the twenties in the United States, early Skiffle can be seen as a Folk influenced form of Proto-Country; just like Ragtime can be seen as Proto-Jazz and Gospel as Proto R&B. Skiffle was music for the poorest of people, who created a true jack-of-all-trades musical melting pot with whatever instrument they could lay their hands on, as long as it was cheap: fiddle, banjo, kanzoo, and household items such as washboards. The biggest challenge was an inexpensive alternative for bass, which they found in large jugs. Jug Bands (actually a synonym for early Skiffle) even had to throw pop-up homeparties to pay the rent and their instruments, which were called “Skiffles”.

From 1949 until 1958 a Skiffle Revival takes place in the United Kingdom, parallel to the rise of early Rhythm ‘n’ Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Because Britain lacked the history of Country music, almost all musicians struggled with creating Rock ‘n’ Roll music, as they had no access to a quintessential ingredient. In response to American R’n’R, poor British students responded with a type of Folk-Blues-Rock, that was very loud, fast and noisy. They used the same instruments as older American Jug Bands alongside cheap acoustic guitars. But by 1958, Rock ‘n’ Roll became so big, that Skiffle quickly decayed.” - Musicmap

Favorite Song: My Old Man’s A Dustman - Lonnie Donegan 

Up next…Ragtime & Stride