Welcome to Zero Mountain, a rock n roll ecology. This is an ecosystem of the music, writing, archival work, and other musings of Skyler Gambert aka Sweet Darlin aka Skzzr Wirm aka Prof. Ham aka ?… You’ve landed at the Biosphere where you can get an introduction to the musical biome that is manifested by the research and exploration of the author into the greater world of Rock n Roll and beyond. Be sure to check out Blog for essays and prose, the Archive for scene documentation, and Field Notes for lyrics and poetry written along the way. Thanks for taking a romp around…
CONCERNING
THE ROCKER AND ROCK N ROLL
A Manifesto
ROCK N ROLL is an essential part of all of US. It is an essential part of the American spiritual experience–the U.S. (see us) experience. ROCK N ROLL is about pure expression of eclectric energy. Walt Whitman prophesied ROCK N ROLL with his poem “I Sing The Body Electric”. That is making the pure essential erratic energy of the universe corporeal and real–bringing the spirit, without discretion, into the body. THE ROCKER feels and feeds off this energy when s/t/he/y creates. The guitar is less as a musical instrument and more so a “divining rod” which taps into “the source”. The drums, the bass, the keys, the horns–all the implements of ROCKING, call up “the source” from the ether and bring it into the flesh.
We’re an American band
We’re an American band
We’re comin’ to your town
We’ll help you party it down
We’re an American band
What do WE mean by “the source”? This is the spirit of humanity. The beautiful and the grotesque. WE are all composed of both of these extremes (even though they are one and the same). ROCK N ROLL is unique because it must be both of these. It takes the sexual innuendo of the blues and bears it raw. It takes the expressiveness of jazz and allows it to scream as well as whisper. Hip hop, classical, bluegrass, etc.–all these things become violent, volatile, visceral in the hands of THE ROCKER–it is a true creative force.
Shout, shout, shout at The Devil.
THE ROCKER must be a part of this because it is what they are made of–what composes us all. It is THE ROCKER’s duty and task on earth to express this energy.
…after all (whoo-hoo)
It was you and me (whoo-hoo)
Memphis, TN is holy ground for THE ROCKER. It is “ground zero” for American consciousness. It is where ROCK N ROLL went off and changed everything. Memphis, TN is an essential gateway to tapping into “the source”. At the intersection of place, history, and lived experience, spirit becomes flesh via sound. Sound is the product of this intermingling. Art (sound, see ROCK N ROLL) is the only way these things can be realized and delivered into the flesh.
Long distance information, give me Memphis, Tennessee
Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
It is THE ROCKER’s duty and task on earth to help realize ROCK N ROLL and let art breathe and speak to THE PEOPLE. The “sound” of ROCK N ROLL is two fold. There is the incomprehensible “music” and comprehensible “word” or “lyric”. Both tell the story of the American experience. Both “stir the muddy waters of the unconscious”, in the words of Tav Falco. It is the duty and task of THE ROCKER to stir these waters and give THE PEOPLE a glimpse of what lies beneath the surface. Sometimes it is beautiful and sometimes it is grotesque. It is all the same. That is ROCK N ROLL
In the darkness
There’s so much I wanna do
And tonight
I wanna lay it at your feet
‘Cause, girl, I was made for you
And, girl, you were made for me
THE ROCKER must be a student of “music” and of “word”–they are one in the same.
Down at the juke joint, me and the boys are stompin’
Bippin’ and boppin’ and telling a dirty joke or two
In short, ROCK N ROLL, that is, ROCKING, the duty and calling of THE ROCKER, is to make the intangible corporeal and visceral so that we, THE PEOPLE, can sink our teeth in it, shake it around, and get the blood of life on our pallet. We crave the spirit and music gives us something, a channel, by which we can take hold of it and truly let the spirit animate the flesh. It is the duty and calling of THE ROCKER to be a humble servant of this spirit and give THE PEOPLE a chance to live it, feel it, and experience it in their bones.
I’m a rocker
I’m a rocker
I’m a roller too, baby
I’m a rocker