Post by JerseyDigger29 on Sept 28, 2006 22:10:17 GMT -5
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This is quickly becoming exactly the kind of informative and enlightening discussion I thought it would. Tremendous!
Anyway, for the record, my rough definition of “Doo Wop” goes something like this (and, yes, I know this is still an extremely vague work-in-progress):
Any structure with an architectural design (or defining singular element) that represents or can be connected to the bold and inventive mentality that developed in the Wildwoods during the “boom” years that followed WWII. [/quote]
Al, I understand your definition here but like you said, I think it could also be interpreted as too wide-open and vague, and it only applies to architecture - in the Wildwoods.
Any definition of Doo Wop has to be related in terms of the musical era and that era alone, because Doo Wop was and is defined as music that developed during that single era in history. Doo Wop styled architecture is just one of the creative disciplines that developed "during" the Doo Wop musical era. You could also discuss Doo Wop era disciplines or styles as they relate to art or writing. (Different disciplines all occuring or developing within the Doo Wop musical era).
If you think of it, the beatnicks and the "beat" generation of the fifties could be described as literary Doo Wop.
Anyway, we need to boil all the descriptions down to the simple underlying basis: the common starting point for all further discussion, which is the Doo Wop musical era itself. Here goes my attempt at defining the three distinct eras from 1950 to today:
1 - Doo Wop-styled art, literature, architecture - and even car styles, I guess - are "creative disciplines" which developed during the basic Doo Wop musical era which took place from about 1950 to about 1965.
2 - The period from 1965 to about 2000 was a time in which several different styles tended to blend together with none taking precedence. This period was neither Doo Wop nor Neo Doo Wop.
3 - The Neo Doo Wop era began about 2000 and continues through today; (with the Starlux being the first example of the neo- Doo Wop era).
That's it, three destinct eras: Doo Wop - neither/nor - Neo Doo Wop.
Now that we have the basic starting point: the three distinct eras, we can discuss sub-paragraphs below #1 and #3, which would be where you would define the individual disciplines of art, music, literature, architecture and automotive design as they described the Doo Wop and Neo Doo Wop eras. Jutting Rooflines, neon, unique or inventive shapes and angles, etc., would be described under the architecture discipline.
God, I hope all this isn't too deep, I feel like I'm back in college again.
Your example of Schellengers Restaurant ( which I have oddly been considering since the Hog Convention when I was taking pictures of the Clydesdales out front of the restaurant) could definitely be considered Doo Wop because of its unique boldness and inventiveness, ect, except that I believe it was built in the 70's. It replaced my father-in-laws Sinclair Station at that corner.
So, I don't think we can call it Doo Wop because of the timeframe. Maybe a more appropriate definition for Schellengers would be "a singular and unique example of neo doo wop which preceded or anticipated the neo doo wop era by more than 20 years."
One other thing, Al. I don't think we can define the Doo Wop era as it pertains to Wildwood. Doo Wop wasn't born in Wildwood, it was an American musical art form that defined an entire world-wide era. It just happens that the Wildwoods has more examples of the era than any other place in the World.
Like rock and roll, it wasn't born here. Wildwood just had more of it than anywhere else. (which is the way I hope to legitimize the Wildwoods claim as the true birthplace of rock and roll. Although it is impossible to tell at this time which city rock was born in, the Wildwoods deserves to be called the birthplace because almost every single artist beginning in 1948 appeared here and developed the artform here because the Wildwoods was where the record-buying teenagers were).
What do you think?
Thom
This is quickly becoming exactly the kind of informative and enlightening discussion I thought it would. Tremendous!
Anyway, for the record, my rough definition of “Doo Wop” goes something like this (and, yes, I know this is still an extremely vague work-in-progress):
Any structure with an architectural design (or defining singular element) that represents or can be connected to the bold and inventive mentality that developed in the Wildwoods during the “boom” years that followed WWII. [/quote]
Al, I understand your definition here but like you said, I think it could also be interpreted as too wide-open and vague, and it only applies to architecture - in the Wildwoods.
Any definition of Doo Wop has to be related in terms of the musical era and that era alone, because Doo Wop was and is defined as music that developed during that single era in history. Doo Wop styled architecture is just one of the creative disciplines that developed "during" the Doo Wop musical era. You could also discuss Doo Wop era disciplines or styles as they relate to art or writing. (Different disciplines all occuring or developing within the Doo Wop musical era).
If you think of it, the beatnicks and the "beat" generation of the fifties could be described as literary Doo Wop.
Anyway, we need to boil all the descriptions down to the simple underlying basis: the common starting point for all further discussion, which is the Doo Wop musical era itself. Here goes my attempt at defining the three distinct eras from 1950 to today:
1 - Doo Wop-styled art, literature, architecture - and even car styles, I guess - are "creative disciplines" which developed during the basic Doo Wop musical era which took place from about 1950 to about 1965.
2 - The period from 1965 to about 2000 was a time in which several different styles tended to blend together with none taking precedence. This period was neither Doo Wop nor Neo Doo Wop.
3 - The Neo Doo Wop era began about 2000 and continues through today; (with the Starlux being the first example of the neo- Doo Wop era).
That's it, three destinct eras: Doo Wop - neither/nor - Neo Doo Wop.
Now that we have the basic starting point: the three distinct eras, we can discuss sub-paragraphs below #1 and #3, which would be where you would define the individual disciplines of art, music, literature, architecture and automotive design as they described the Doo Wop and Neo Doo Wop eras. Jutting Rooflines, neon, unique or inventive shapes and angles, etc., would be described under the architecture discipline.
God, I hope all this isn't too deep, I feel like I'm back in college again.
Your example of Schellengers Restaurant ( which I have oddly been considering since the Hog Convention when I was taking pictures of the Clydesdales out front of the restaurant) could definitely be considered Doo Wop because of its unique boldness and inventiveness, ect, except that I believe it was built in the 70's. It replaced my father-in-laws Sinclair Station at that corner.
So, I don't think we can call it Doo Wop because of the timeframe. Maybe a more appropriate definition for Schellengers would be "a singular and unique example of neo doo wop which preceded or anticipated the neo doo wop era by more than 20 years."
One other thing, Al. I don't think we can define the Doo Wop era as it pertains to Wildwood. Doo Wop wasn't born in Wildwood, it was an American musical art form that defined an entire world-wide era. It just happens that the Wildwoods has more examples of the era than any other place in the World.
Like rock and roll, it wasn't born here. Wildwood just had more of it than anywhere else. (which is the way I hope to legitimize the Wildwoods claim as the true birthplace of rock and roll. Although it is impossible to tell at this time which city rock was born in, the Wildwoods deserves to be called the birthplace because almost every single artist beginning in 1948 appeared here and developed the artform here because the Wildwoods was where the record-buying teenagers were).
What do you think?
Thom