Flores del Fango: Alan Freed, el Señor Rocanrol

lunes, 3 de octubre de 2016

Alan Freed, el Señor Rocanrol

También conocido como Moondog por su programa de radio (no confundir con el músico callejero de mismo nombre), o Mr. Rock'N'Roll, término que algunos le atribuyen como invención propia y que venía a describir la música que programaba, Alan Freed (1921-1965) fue un famoso locutor de radio y presentador de espectáculos que popularizó con éxito el rythm'n'blues, los sonidos vocales del doo-wop y los primeros artistas de rock'n'roll, primordialmente los artistas negros de la época, lo que sumado a su tarea de promoción de la música rebelde le acarreó muchas enemistades. A pesar de su popularidad se vio envuelto en un escándalo de pago de royalties radiofónicos que acabó con su carrera, muriendo de cirrosis al parecer resentido y olvidado, aunque con el tiempo su figura ha sido reivindicada en eventos y peliculas.

Also known as Moondog for his radio show (not to be confused with the street musician of the same name), or Mr. Rock'N'Roll, a term that arguably some attribute to him as his own invention and wich came to describe the music played in his shows, Alan Freed (1921-1965) was a famous radio host and presenter of music shows who succesfully helped popularized rythm'n'blues, the vocal sounds of doo-wop and early rock'n'roll artists, mainly black artists of the time, a fact that along his labour of promoter of rebel music between youngsters of the time gained him much criticism. Despite his popularity he became embroiled in a radio royalties scandal that ended his career, dying of cirrhosis and, so it seems, resentful and forgotten, but over time his figure has been celebrated in tribute events and movies.