Oldies Music Glossary: "Frat Rock"

Definition: Frat-rock is sort of folk-rock's evil twin, having developed into a much different style for much the same reason: the first generation of rock and roll fans leaving high school and heading for America's universities. In this case, however, they weren't forming electric bands to interpret folk, but to stomp out their favorite R&B tunes. Frat-rock was designed first and foremost for the drunken party, much like seen in the classic 1978 film Animal House, written by Harvard alumni who well remember the wild shindigs of the early Sixties.

The typical frat-rock song featured an organ and owed a strong debt to hard rhythm and blues, but the similarities between it and garage-rock stopped there: garage was more guitar-oriented, angry, brooding, and psychedelic. Frat, for its part, landed with a big stomping beat, salacious lyrics, and a drunken delivery. In fact, many of the greatest songs in the genre, from "Double Shot Of My Baby's Love" to "Louie Louie," actually sound like a live party going on in the studio itself.

While the typical frat-rock anthem was pounded out by white or Latino collegiates -- typically those weaned on James Brown's landmark 1962 Live At The Apollo LP, standard issue for all college debauches -- the music was by no means segregated, as early soul bands found a devoted following among frat devotees as well. (The lighter entries in the genre also became favorites among the more laid-back revelers on the "beach" and "shag" scenes.) As time went on, the generation weaned on these acts and classic sides began to develop into America's finest "bar bands," from Springsteen's E Streeters to the J. Geils Band, all R&B-based and featuring keyboards and saxophone. As collegiate life got more serious in the late Sixties, however, college music followed it, leading to classic rock, prog-rock, and other definite non-party-starters.

Also Known As: Garage Rock, Party Rock