The Evolution of Rock & Alt Rock: Two Colliding Forces, One Undeniable Purpose- TO ROCK!

Reflecting on how rock and roll evolved over the years brings me back to its core, the unbelievable Beatles. The moment the Beatles performed on The Ed Sullivan Show was monumental. The country had lost a legendary figure, John F. Kennedy, only 10 weeks prior. The US was in mourning, then The Beatles approached the stage and lit up the screen. Their smooth voices emitted from every television screen across the country. The Beatles didn’t just light a spark; they awakened an entire nation. 

George Harrison strummed upon a Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar, Paul McCartney played his Höfner 500/1 bass, and John Lennon rocked his Rickenbacker 325 guitar. These were electric guitars that produced tunes for a distinct generation, disciplined, joyful, and illuminating. Their featured song "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and released in the UK in November, 1963. The melody was active, yet tame. The sound of the crowd muffled their performance, yet their iconic voices shone through, enlightening the country.  Harrison’s hollow-bodied Gretsch Country Gentleman produced a crisp, bright resonance with a light, airy tone. Ringo Starr jammed the drums at a steady 4/4 beat, displaying a welcoming yet precarious front. 

Half a century later, I experienced a joyful revelation while out on a jog. As soon as the record “Might Be Right” from White Reaper’s 2019 You Deserve Love album blasted through my headphones for the first time, I stopped. I had to pull out my phone to find out what this infectious tune was. Its melody sounded much older than its time, webbing through my brain in the key of B major. I discovered this hidden gem from Amazon Prime Music’s Best Alternative Rock of 2019 playlist. I was surprised I had never heard it before, and I appreciated the moment I found it. "Might Be Right" was written by the band members themselves and produced by Jay Joyce.

The melody begins with Ryan Hater on the electric keyboard performing a whimsical, big-top-inspired opening, a Cathedral soul in electric skin. The rhythm pops off with Nick Wilkerson on the drums and Sam Wilkerson on the bass, dragging you willingly into this curious tune. Frontman Tony Esposito enters with a 3-note scale on his black Gretsch Semi-hollow body mixed with Hunter Thompson on a 2018 Fender Professional Telecaster, dropping a lightly rapid melody, accentuating the intro. When Esposito’s vocals commenced, I anticipated a deeper, more powerful tone, yet was met with a vibrant, deliberate tone; certain, youthful, and laced with defiance. Esposito and Thompson performed in perfect sync as if they were duplicated separately. “Might Be Right” didn’t sound like anything I’ve heard recently. It displayed simplicity with a pulse that brought me back, not to the 90’s, not the 80’s, but much further back to the sensational 60’s. I reflected on the melody of the Beatles, uplifting, unforgettable, and iconic. 

The music video for “Might Be Right” perfectly captured the essence of the song. The garage band vibe was captured with each member striking familiar classic poses throughout the performance. While reflecting on the Beatles' 1964 debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, the image White Reaper evoked on their video felt both inspiring and impactful, especially as they struck poses reminiscent of the Beatles themselves. “Might Be Right” envelopes over 5 decades of genre into one incredible ensemble. 

Esposito’s Gretsch Semi-hollow body is an evolution from the acoustic, clear tones of the Harrisons’ Gretsch Country Gentleman, thanks to a semi-hollow, center block design. The modified Semi-hollow body reduces noise, extends note duration, and provides expansive tonal flexibility. The Gretsch Country Gentleman hollow-body guitar was one of the company’s first electric guitars, which skyrocketed in popularity shortly following Harrison’s performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Fast forward almost six decades, and Esposito performs with a Gretsch semi-hollow body, which produces a velvety timbre, favored by blues and jazz musicians. When paired with a Vox AC30, the true sound of loud alternative rock comes to life. 

Though alternative rock and classic rock and roll are worlds apart, there is a hidden connection bound by familiar echoes that spark recognition and intrigue. "Might Be Right" will always give me that burst of speed while attempting to hit my PR. It's one of the few tunes that truly brings me joy and offers me a small glimpse from the past, a vision some may not recognize, yet few can visualize from their soul. 

Works Cited

Beatles, The. I Want To Hold Your Hand- Performed Live On The Ed Sullivan Show 2/9/64. 2016, https://youtu.be/jenWdylTtzs?si=o7X9wXgKb3VyQy1D.

Cosgrove, Ben. “The Beatles Take America, 1964.” LIFE, https://www.life.com/arts-entertainment/the-beatles-take-america-1964/.

Goodwin, Andrew. “Live Review: White Reaper @ The Atlantis- 6/21/24.” Parklife DC, 25 June 2024, https://parklifedc.com/2024/06/25/live-review-white-reaper-the-atlantis-6-21-24/.

“Gretsch 6120.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretsch_6120.

News, Gretsch. “50 Years Ago: The Beatles- And Gretsch- On The Ed Sullivan Show.” GRETSCH, 3 Feb. 2014, https://blog.gretschguitars.com/2014/02/50-years-ago-the-beatles—and-gretsch—on-the-ed-sullivan-show/.

Paone, Caroline. “White Reaper Capture Lightning in a Bottle on Their New Album, You Deserve Love.” Fender PLAYER II MODIFIED, 18 Oct. 2019, https://guitar.com/features/interviews/white-reaper-you-deserve-love/.

Quinlan, Keely. “White Reaper- ‘Might Be Right’ Video.” Stereogum, 29 May 2019, https://www.stereogum.com/2044853/white-reaper-might-be-right-elektra/music/.

Reaper, White. “Might Be Right [Official Music Video].” YouTube, 29 May 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31jvtk3Z8AU.

“What Sort of Music Are Gretsch Guitars Good For?” Musicstreet, https://www.musicstreet.co.uk/blogs/blog-post/what-sort-of-music-are-gretsch-guitars-good-for#:~:text=When%20it%20comes%20to%20blues,their%20soulful%20and%20melodic%20music.

Winston, Dr. Nelson. “‘Might Be Right’ by White Reaper: The 2nd Best Rock & Alternative Song of 2020.” An Autistic Nerd Who Writes about Music., 11 Mar. 2022, https://drnelsonwinston.com/2022/03/11/might-be-right-by-white-reaper-the-2nd-best-rock-alternative-song-of-2020/.