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Rulebreaker Manifesto
Denise Sullivan

Rock & Roll Rulebreakers Manifesto

Rock & Roll's original impact was revolutionary.  
An explosion of primitive sound with a purity of instinctual expression, its unleashing broke existing sonic barriers as well as codes on race, sex, fashion & lifestyle. So powerful was its invention that it had the ability to shake, rattle and roll the dominant, consumer-orientated American society of the '50s.  It did it again with the Beatles in the '60s and the punk rock explosion of the '70s, the latter decade one in which the rock culture itself had grown complacent. At the dawn of the new century,  50 years since "Rocket 88" and 25 years after "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Anarchy in The U.K.," it is time once again to rock the existing systems on an extreme, global level. Rock's initial impact never leaves the forefront of the Rulebreaker's agenda--collectively and individually--whether its expression is musical, written, visual or lifestyle.

The Rulebreaker invents new forms,
either through the music itself or in the
language used to describe the music.
He or she does not rely on existing formulae. Rulebreaking music is not limited to or defined by any particular genre. The only requirement
is that it rocks. That end is achieved by
displaying its ability to walk the commercial
edges of music, by crashing borders and barriers of
popular usage habits, through sound,
word and deed. It's different. It's passionate. It's honest. It counts. Those are the things that make it happen. 

Rock and Roll as we know it no
longer exists. We have survived enough
movements in Rock and Roll to know that
groundbreaking artists are rarely rewarded;
a handful survive the industry and media
meatgrinders. More likely, it is the copycat
bands which follow in the originator's wake
that profit and flood the marketplace with
sub-par music. And they are the ones that
thrive.  Look what
became of punk rock, grunge and rap; their 
original intents were diluted and co-opted
for commercial gain by everyone but their
inventors. "Good will means nothing in the record business."

In contrast, the Rulebreaker is committed to keeping rock's fire of rebellion burning; she shall contribute toward restoring the integrity, soul and original spirit to Rock & Roll by creating 
new genres, smashing myths and inventing
styles and words, making way for a new Rock & Roll future, while keeping its history alive.

The Rulebreaker lives by his own code. She has arrived at devising said code and developed a way of life through the careful study of the stories, words and songs of great teachers throughout world history: The visionaries, revolutionaries, sinners, salvationists and those who rock. The political, cultural and personal events which inspired the ranters and ravers and the art and societal movements of world history are by their very natures, Rock & Roll.  The Rulebreaker is consistently inspired by these extraordinary lives and events yet doesn't idolize, mythologize or copy them; rather the Rulebreaker makes her own personal history. By educating himself, armed with information taken from outside the rock and roll realm, she is better prepared to spread the word and potentially inspire a movement from within the Rulebreaking ranks. And sometimes a Rulebreaker will defy her own code, in order to make way for a new one.

continued to the right:

Television is not rock and roll. Contrary to popular opinon, the revolution will not be televised but digitized. By the time it's televised it will be over. As Rulebreakers, we had our first introduction to rock and roll via the broadcast airwarves--from the forbidden hip shaking Elvis to the late-night bile-spewing Elvis. Television was once a radical, cool medium. Yet, TV has ceased to be a viable source of information and is of course the source of much of our antagonism, anxiety, alienation and apathy. As Rulebreakers it is essential to stay cool. Turn off the television. Rock & Roll as it is presented on television in the early 21st century profligately promotes the lowest common denominator of the form; it excludes true artists and demoralizes them; it cheapens the art form by using it for advertising purposes.

The Rulebreaker acknowledges that the
list price of compact discs is a fallacy, in
essence a heinous crime against music
lovers and a plot to encourage them to purchase
their record collections up to three times over
(from vinyl to the CD conversion to endless
remixing and remastering of tapes).
In retaliation, the Rulebreaker never pays full retail price for a CD. He or she must obtain CDs, records and tapes by trading old titles or promotional records at the used record store counter or get turned on to new music in the form of gift CDs, CDRs and tapes. She may also download music from the Internet, purchase it direct from the artist at gigs or Online, buy it at thrift stores and garage sales and most importantly, always browse through stacks of cast-offs should
he come upon one on a street corner. When all of these avenues have been exhausted and the urge to possess a particular recorded music title persists, the only redeemable act is a full retail purchase. So be it. Sometimes it takes a king's ransom to set a record free, but it is a small price to pay for the freedom it will afford you. Ergo, it is understood that these matters can be of life or death consequence and these decisions are taken quite seriously.


Live recording and/or tape trading is a way of life among Rulebreakers, specifically when one is asked not to do so. Acts of disobedience are encouraged. Tuning into public and college radio is recommended as a way to gain unbiased access to barely accessible music; calling to request your favorite songs incessantly is another good effort toward spreading the word of your band or favorite band. Commercial radio, record store listening posts and certain magazine and newspaper recommendations however should be carefully considered and assumed biased until proven otherwise as these institutions have ties to commerce. Good reporters subvert the system by going wild and...telling the truth (sometimes in code); look for them--they are among you. Rock and roll books are generally good sources of information as the authors rarely have anything to gain financially by the writing of said tomes.

The Rulebreaker is an active listener. When asked, "What are you listening to?" the Rulebreaker can identify at least three current favorites, the dates of release irrelevant. Preferably, there is at least one thing on his player that is obscure or unfashionable enough that the enquirer will either a) learn something or b) doubt the Rulebreaker's sanity. Willful obscurity is discouraged however eclecticism and questionable taste is a bonus. Example: "That song from that new Russell Crowe movie" is never an acceptable answer whereas "Some Velvet Morning" by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood will unfailingly go down well with your tribespeople. Further, inclusion of a popular or arguably tired pop single, i.e. "Freedom" or "Funkytown" earns Rulebreaker bonus points for sheer audacity. Flying in the face of our supposed collective sophisticated listening habits is always a good way to go.

The Rulebreaking artist does not depend on the music industry or its attendant media machine to get its message across. Nor does the Rulebreaking consumer kowtow to industry trends. The Rulebreaker remains on the outside. The Rulebreaker does not fall into the trap of thinking that just because a record label or media organ pays for goods or services that there will be any additional investment in the further promotion of said work. A special note to journalists: press junkets and mixing on the corporate level is discouraged. If possible, pay your own way and remember: free drinks at the bar may color your perception. Be clear and direct with your stance. If it rocks it rocks. If it doesn't, it's time to bail.

The Rulebreaker is fully committed to getting the right music and/or its message across by any means necessary. Operating outside of the major label system is one means to this end. But there are other ways to give the people what they want: Setting up a p.a. on a downtown street corner is an option that cannot be ruled out as a viable way to get the music heard. Press your own CDs. Make deals for equipment and studio time. Find the professionals, writers, advocates and fans working within the system who support these efforts--they are Rulebreakers too--working toward the collective goal of rocking the greater galaxy.

Rock & Roll Rulebreakers are on a first name basis with our outlaw heroes and heroines: Bob, Neil, Jimi and Patti, et al. We know who and what we are talking
about.

The Rock & Roll Rulebreaker can always be identified in a crowd by his or her shoes. Distinct footwear is a essential for us for identifying each other in a crowd. No matter what fashion dictates, the Rulebreaker's shoe type will be most outstanding pair in the room. Comfort and fit are secondary to the overall look of the shoe however the former should not be sacrificed entirely as the Rulebreaker must always be fleet of foot, prepared in the event a quick getaway is necessary.

Rulebreaker is not a bad word. In quotidian society, the word Rulebreaker has a bad reputation.
In the rock and roll circus,  to be a Rulebreaker is a good thing: it's a way of life, and the only way to be. There will some who don't understand the concept. They will call you a slacker. They will call you a malcontent. They might even call you a bum.  A Rulebreaker is none of those things. A Rulebreaker is akin to, though not synonymous with: Radical, outlaw, freak, iconoclast, anarchist, revolutionary. If these words have positive rather than negative connotations to you then you are one of us, a member of the Rulebreaker nation and the punky reggae party. So get on up, kick out the jams, fight the power and keep on rockin in the free world. 

P.S. The Rock & Roll Rulebreaker questions at least one if not all of the guidelines as outlined in the
Rulebreakers Manifesto. Better yet: Rip It Up!

c. Rip It Up! Rock & Roll Rulebreakers, Backbeat Books, 2001



"People have the power to redeem the work of fools"