No Black Rock Musicians on Miller Cans
By JULIET WILLIAMS
Associated Press Writer



MILWAUKEE - A Miller Brewing Co. promotion celebrating the "50th Anniversary of Rock 'n' Roll" has Rolling Stone cover shots of Elvis Presley, Blondie and others on eight commemorative beer cans. What's missing is a black artist.
Robert Thompson, a professor of pop culture at Syracuse University, said the absence is "beyond conspicuous" since black artists often are credited with inventing rock 'n' roll.

"It would be like doing a set of cans of six great Impressionist painters and not including any French people on it," he said. "It leaves out an enormous amount."

The brewer and the magazine issued the cans this summer, depicting Elvis Presley, Blondie, Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and Willie Nelson, as well as two guitars.

Gary Armstrong, chief marketing officer for Rolling Stone publisher Wenner Media, said race wasn't a consideration when choosing the artists.

"We didn't even consciously think pro or con, the same way that the only woman on there is Blondie. We just went with the people that we thought were appropriate," he said. "We went through (the covers) and said these people we don't think are appropriate, or wouldn't appeal to Miller drinkers."

Armstrong noted Rolling Stone wasn't around for the birth of rock 'n' roll - it was first published in 1967 - when many formative black artists of the genre emerged. And many artists who appeared on covers balked at being associated with a promotion involving alcohol, he said.

Jimi Hendrix's estate, for instance, is protective of his image, Armstrong said. "Again I think it might have had something to do with the beer."

Miller spokesman Scott Bussen said the company started with a broad wish list.

"I'm sure that our objective was to get as diverse a representation of musical acts as well as diversity," he said, but the company's choices were limited to Rolling Stone covers.

Miller spokeswoman Molly Reilly said other artists were considered, but "these are the artists that gave us approval to use their images on the beer cans."

Six of the initial 10 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 1986 were black, including Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles and Little Richard. The Hall of Fame, which is throwing a summer concert series sponsored by Miller Lite, declined to comment on the cans.

Todd Mesek, the hall of fame's senior marketing director, said "African heritage is critical" to rock's development.

"Arguably all rock and roll came from, or at least was greatly influenced by, African culture," Mesek said. "Rock and roll came from R&B, jazz, folk. All those genres before rock and roll came together to birth rock and roll."

William McKeen, chairman of the University of Florida journalism department and editor of the book "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay," called the list strange.

"I look at rock 'n' roll in racial terms. Rock and roll is black America meeting white America," McKeen said. "It's about the merger of white people's music, country, with black people's music, rural blues.

"I mean, sure, you can argue that Elvis opened the door, but then Chuck Berry and Little Richard and Bo Didley came through," McKeen said.

Armstrong said each of the artists represents developments in rock history. For instance, Willie Nelson represents Americana and rock's roots, while Alice Cooper is "stadium rock and shock."

The artists weren't paid to appear on the cans, although some received perks such as free beer or magazine subscriptions, Armstrong said.

He said he hasn't heard anything negative about the promotion, which is running in conjunction with three Rolling Stone special editions: rock immortals, moments and photos. In its immortals edition, 20 of the 50 rockers are black.

Thompson said everyone has an opinion when it comes to rock, and the cans may have been designed to generate buzz more than anything else.

"My guess is a lot of people will have a lot to say about this list," he said. "Oftentimes that's the point."

Business/Finance News
08/15/2004 14:31:39 EST
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tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

That's a damn shame.

Well you know Miller drinkers anyway. (cue banjo)

No worries, they plan on putting the black innovators on Miller 40 ounce bottles.

man kids today shouldnt have to learn music history through alcoholic binges

Supernova said:

You mean like these people?

minneapolisgenius said:

If that's the NASCAR target audience, do you think they'd appreciate having a sissy-boy like Jon Bon Jovi...

...(and just in case Supernova didn't hear me) JON BON JOVI on their can of suds?

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

Might as well include all that.

"Rock 'n' Roll Never Forgets"....I used to remember who sang that....

Anxiety said:

Bob Seger

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

minneapolisgenius said:

damn.

And rev up the General Lee.

Bud Light wouldn't 'a done that!!!

UptownDeb said:

Yee-haw!!!

theAudience said:

Thanks. I forgot.

minneapolisgenius said:

I don't know why this just pisses me right the fuck off. Miller is piss beer, obviously and jokes about forties are in bad taste but...

Good 'ol boys making decisions about music that wouldn't exist without African Americans and then not including them, I think that covers it.

Rolling Stone as a resource? WTF!?!? Like their list of guitarists?



down with the man - edit
[This message was edited Mon Aug 16 13:05:10 2004 by Slave2daGroove]

minneapolisgenius said: