About the Cowbell

Invented in 1688 by the first "rock"musician, Johann Sebastian Rach, the cowbell was later modified and subverted from its original use (truly rocking out), to the lowly task of audio-tagging bovine subjects for recollection at the end of each day. How preciently was the cowbell named, then, as it was first devised by Rach in Vienna to punctuate many Rach pieces like "Me and Lady Ziegler in the Cart" and "Die Monsterrach". These masterpieces were misunderstood at the time and so Johann took to playing his music on a horse-drawn platform. This made it much easier to evade the local constabulary and fresh produce that often accompanied his concertos.

Thefore it was quite common to hear "damn those 'Rach and Roll' concertos!" Unfortunately, these innovations so predated the iPod that Rach's inventions were all but lost to antiquity. For many centuries "Rach and Roll" and cowbells would be only dim memories (except, of course in cow pastures) until 1948 when musician and anthropologist Chuck Berry unearthed the secret cowbell scrolls and history was changed forever.

The unassuming "brown" cowbell of 1683.	Actual cowbell used in the rock masterpiece "Don't Fear the Reaper"
Current value: 14 million US dollars	by legendary satanic rock band Blue Oyster Cult /Current Value: Priceless!

Tito Puente presents the famous "Cowbella De Puerto Rico" to world famous cowbell player Bill Cosby

The preceding article is 64th in a continuing series of educational resources from Stone Cold Soul Laboratories, Zurich, Switzerland

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