Hey ho rock and roll deliver me from nowhere

The beginning (photo at top).......and the end?

It came out of the South and landed on my brother's turntable in the room across the hall sometime in the late 50s. I can't remember the first rock and roll record I heard; most likely it was something by Elvis, or maybe Chuck Berry, Little Richard or, knowing my brother, Bo Diddley.

By the time it blew in with gale force winds from England onto WARM and our kitchen radio in 1964. I was a goner.

Joe Posnanski mostly writes mostly about sports, but he also delves into life issues as well. And he writes well, very well.

One of his recent blog posts discussed who is the world's greatest rock and roll band right now. He polled his readers, and Radiohead, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and Arcade Fire took the top spots.

Like Posnanski, I am old, so maybe I am too out of touch to be able to weigh in on this matter. But I have listened to my share, and then some, of rock and roll. And while I might not be overly fond of the bands named, I cannot argue about the results, as this is what passes for rock and roll these days.

But when looking at the list, it begs the question: What is rock and roll? Well, we all think we know, but to me trying to define it is akin to defining porn: I can't describe it, but I know it when I see it. Or, in rock and roll's case, hear it.

Here's my stab at it: Rock and roll is music with an attitude that makes you think and dance at the same time.

Do these bands have attitude? I guess so, but it's forced or hard to discern. Do they make you think? Maybe. But you really can't dance to any of them (well maybe the Foo Fighters or Pearl Jam, if you don't really know how to dance). Radiohead, possibly, if dancing involves nodding your head in a catatonic state.

And I don't know what kind of band Arcade Fire is, but they aren't rock and roll.

This list speaks volumes about the condition of the music and it is, at best, critical.

Those who read these musings regularly know my favorite rock and roll bands, most of whom have broken up, are dead, or haven't recorded anything new or worthwhile in many years. And I mourn the fact that, for the most part, it's over.

So, I guess that if these are best rock and roll bands today, maybe rock and roll as I understand it is dead.

This all gives me a chance to give a shout out to the first and last rock and roll records:

Rocket 88 -- Jackie Brenston with Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm

Rock and Roll will Stand -- The Blasters

Rock and Roll will Stand -- The Blasters, with Hollywood Fats and Lee Allen, the greatest rock and roll sax player of all time