Nineteen sixties

One of the great fantasies of the hippie era was that new combinations of music would emerge from the experimentation that was going on. Still, very few lived it. Ed Ward says The Insect Trust was one of the exceptions.

The Emmy-darling AMC TV series devotes an almost fetishistic attention to style. But is there any substance beyond the surfaces? Critic-at-large John Powers goes looking — and comes back with one especially well-rounded answer.

Rock historian Ed Ward talks about Swamp Pop, a genre developed in Louisiana by kids who rejected both creole and country music.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg talks about corporate language.

Rock historian Ed Ward continues his look back at rock's evolution over the decades. In 1963, while the genre flourished in England, American audiences listened mostly to pop music -- some great, some not so much.

Rock historian Ed Ward profiles the 60s San Francisco band, "Quicksilver Messenger Service."

Critic Maureen Corrigan comments on the latest women's fashion trend--a reboot of styles she grew up wearing. Corrigan never thought they were exciting, and wonders why they're so popular now.

Rock historian Ed Ward takes a look at the early days of the folk revival, and profiles some of the singers that gained exposure through the politically-charged magazine, Broadside.

Rock historian Ed Ward says that bands like the Rolling Stones helped popularize the distinctly African American genre. Interest in blues led more musicians to picking up the electric guitar, including Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, who would take rock music in a new direction.

Rock historian Ed Ward remembers the black Detroit musicians who made their mark with the city's smaller record labels.