Rock it Out

premieres on July 10

8 pm,Sundays

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WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Each generation comes with its own soundtrack. From the new sexually-liberated ethos of 1960s Britain,rose a fresh sound created by the likes of The Rolling Stones,The Who,and The Kinks. Influenced by the electric blues of American musicians like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf,this new genre of music was rock and it’s godfather was guitar legend Jimi Hendrix. The fascinating story of Hendrix,along with influential bands of the era,such as Cream and The Animals,kicks off Seven Ages of Rock. The show moves on to trace the Art Rock movement,with the psychedelia of Pink Floyd,and wild experimentation of The Velvet Underground and David Bowie. Economic depression and class wars fueled the angry punk rock of The Sex Pistols,The Clash and Ramones in mid-70s and as the innocence of the hippie age wore thin,the rougher,angrier sound of heavy metal resounded with bands like Black Sabbath,Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. As rock went mainstream in the ’80s,Stadium Rock became de riguer,with Queen,Led Zeppelin and Kiss putting on more theatrical shows. The next big movement came from the US,where the underground scene exploded into a global grunge rock rage,with its headquarters in Seattle,hometown of Nirvana and Pearl Jam,the biggest bands of the era. The show finally ends with the rise of indie rock in the UK in the ’90s,as played by Oasis,Blur and Arctic Monkeys.

WHO’S IN IT? Everyone and anyone that made it big in music from the 1960s to the present is part of the series. Old concert footage and album covers give the show a nostalgic appeal. Apart from musicians reminiscing about rock’s glory days,the show also talks to prominent music journalists,such as John Harris,Stuart Maconie and Steve Sutherland.

WHAT’S HOT? Even though some bands featured in the show may be defunct in 2011,the stories leave a deep impact. From Kurt Cobain’s wild long hair to the short cropped crew cuts of Blur,from the tight pants worn by punk bands to the workday denims of the pop-rock brigade,the show is a lesson in fashion too. We give brownie points to the makers for roping in the rock journalists — they give an objective view of rock’s evolution.

WHAT’S NOT? The narrative is boring and formulaic — the humble beginnings of bands,the rise,the fan-following,the drugs and the eventual fall. There are a few dull moments — one episode focusses too much on Oasis while one waits to hear what happened after them.

SHOULD YOU BE WATCHING IT? Anyone remotely interested in the history of music,should catch this show. It’s a fun watch — grab a drink and popcorn,and sing along with the bands.