To Brian Tashima, B.B. King and Chuck Berry represented the "pioneer days" of rock and roll--the "blues guys." Then came Elvis, and later, the Beatles. He distinguishes the Beatles as the first "total package" group--one that wrote and produced, as well as performed their songs. He said that "anything of the Beatles" could be considered revolutionary rock and roll.

Brian then went on to cite certain cycles in the life of various rock genres and certain watershed events in each generation.

He first mentioned the nature of the revolution, that it is shocking and controversial. He cited "Louie, Louie" as a song that shocked people with its style and sexual connotations.

He then said that death of rock performers can be pivotal events for music and youth. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana is an example for this generation. To Brian, Cobain's death marked the end of metal and the birth of alternative.

For other ages, it may have been Jimi Hendrix, Jania Joplin, Joh Lennon. Brian said in every generation a big figure in rock dies and people "remember where they were" when it happens.

Brian explained the current evlolutionary trend by saying that as music gets more popular, it saturates the market, gets redundant, declines in quality. Image, rather than musicianship, becomes more important, and the now "mainstream" music must make way for the next revolution.