The rock musical is generally first performed as a theatrical production rather than appearing as an album, has little or no identification with a particular band and a generally stronger air of show business. The formal distinction may be that the rock opera tells a coherent (if sometimes sketchy) story, often with first-person lyrics sung by characters, while a concept album or song cycle sets a mood or maintains a theme, but some albums share aspects of both of these cases. Which of these categories a particular work falls into is largely defined by the intent and self-definition of the work by its creator. More recent developments include metal opera and rap opera.

It differs from conventional rock and roll music, which is often a song that is unlinked in plot or story with other songs, but overlaps considerably with concept album, song cycle, or rock musical.

Wikipedia: S.F.A rock opera or rock musical is a musical production in the form of an opera or a musical in a modern rock and roll style rather than more traditional forms.

Sorrow, The Pretty Things, Resurrection Thanks again to Sound Opinions, for a great show on Rock Operas. This live session was also issued as the album and DVD Resurrection. (Skip ahead to 3:15 where the music starts.) Sorrow' in it's entirety along with some help from David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. Here's a YouTube video with most of the original lineup of The Pretty Things live from Abbey Road in 1998 recreating 'S.F. Unfortunately, The Pretty Things never really got the recognition they deserved for their early blues-based albums, their pioneering pyschadelic sound or their creation of the first ever rock opera. The band continued to record for many years, with a somewhat evolving crew of bandmembers and still tours to this day. Sorrow album got little support in America. There are a few clunkers for sure, but overall these fit in with to the broader '60s context and make the best songs stand out even more.Īlas, S.F. Sorrow is born', 'She Says Good Morning', 'Balloon Burning', 'Baron Saturday', 'The Journey' and 'I See You.' Also 'Mr Evasion.' And 'Talkin' About the Good Times.' Ok, I like almost everything on this album.

Many of the songs sound like they could be from some long lost Beatles bootleg session. The music and production is definitely of an era if you can get past the occasional sitar, woodwinds and backwards tape studio effects, it's a brilliant album that combines melody, lush vocal harmonies, and psychadelic garage rock full-gain Marshall stack guitar solos in ways that I'd never imagined before. Sorrow was recorded at famed Abbey Road studios in London, in 1967 where the Beatles and Pink Floyd were also recording. By their fourth album they were stretching beyond the form and had the idea to create a collection of songs that told a story. The music is not to everyone's taste, but if you like '60s garage rock sound, it's brilliant. The Pretty Things' first two albums ('The Pretty Things', 'Get the Picture' both released in 1965) are steeped in American rhythm & blues with cranked-up fuzz guitar. The Pretty Things started out as a typical UK R&B band with a claim to fame of being hairier, dirtier and raunchier than The Rolling Stones. Sorrow' by the UK band The Pretty Things. But as I learned listening to the public radio show SoundOpinions, Pete Townshend was beat out by a year with a release of the album 'S.F. Until recently, I had assumed The Who's 'Tommy' was not only the definitive rock opera but also the first. If you ask most people to name a rock opera, they'll probably come up with 'Tommy' and not much else.

First rock opera