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Music in American Life [4 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories That Shaped Our Culture [4 volumes]
by Jacqueline EdmondsonA fascinating exploration of the relationship between American culture and music as defined by musicians, scholars, and critics from around the world.Music has been the cornerstone of popular culture in the United States since the beginning of our nation's history. From early immigrants sharing the sounds of their native lands to contemporary artists performing benefit concerts for social causes, our country's musical expressions reflect where we, as a people, have been, as well as our hope for the future. This four-volume encyclopedia examines music's influence on contemporary American life, tracing historical connections over time.Music in American Life: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories That Shaped Our Culture demonstrates the symbiotic relationship between this art form and our society. Entries include singers, composers, lyricists, songs, musical genres, places, instruments, technologies, music in films, music in political realms, and music shows on television.
Music of the First World War (American History through Music)
by Don TylerThis book discusses WWI-era music in a historical context, explaining music's importance at home and abroad during WWI as well as examining what music was being sung, played, and danced to during the years prior to America's involvement in the Great War.Why was music so important to soldiers abroad during World War I? What role did music—ranging from classical to theater music, rags, and early jazz—play on the American homefront? Music of the First World War explores the tremendous importance of music during the years of the Great War—when communication technologies were extremely limited and music often took the place of connecting directly with loved ones or reminiscing via recorded images.The book's chapters cover music's contribution to the war effort; the variety of war-related songs, popular hits, and top recording artists of the war years; the music of Broadway shows and other theater productions; and important composers and lyricists. The author also explores the development of the fledgling recording industry at this time.
Musicals in Film: A Guide to the Genre
by Thomas S. HischakThis wide-ranging guide introduces (or reintroduces) readers to movie musicals past and present, enabling them to experience the development of this uniquely American art form—and discover films they'll love.This comprehensive guide covers movie musicals from their introduction with the 1927 film The Jazz Singer through 2015 releases. In all, it describes 125 movies, opening up the world of this popular form of entertainment to preteens, teens, and adults alike.An introduction explains the advent of movie musicals; then, in keeping with the book's historical approach, films are presented by decade and year with overviews of advances during particular periods. In this way, the reader not only learns about individual films but can see the big picture of how movie musicals developed and changed over time. For each film covered, the guide offers basic facts—studio, director, songwriters, actors, etc.—as well as a brief plot synopsis. Each entry also offers an explanation of why the movie is noteworthy, how popular it was or wasn't, and the influence the film might have had on later musicals. Sidebars offering brief biographies of important artists appear throughout the book.
Rap and Religion: Understanding the Gangsta's God
by Ebony A. UtleyThis book provides an enlightening, representative account of how rappers talk about God in their lyrics—and why a sense of religion plays an intrinsic role within hip hop culture.Why is the battle between good and evil a recurring theme in rap lyrics? What role does the devil play in hip hop? What exactly does it mean when rappers wear a diamond-encrusted "Jesus" around their necks? Why do rappers acknowledge God during award shows and frequently include prayers in their albums? Rap and Religion: Understanding the Gangsta's God tackles a sensitive and controversial topic: the juxtaposition—and seeming hypocrisy—of references to God within hip hop culture and rap music.This book provides a focused examination of the intersection of God and religion with hip hop and rap music. Author Ebony A. Utley, PhD, references selected rap lyrics and videos that span three decades of mainstream hip hop culture in America, representing the East Coast, the West Coast, and the South in order to account for how and why rappers talk about God. Utley also describes the complex urban environments that birthed rap music and sources interviews, award acceptance speeches, magazine and website content, and liner notes to further explain how God became entrenched in hip hop.
The Rolling Stones: A Musical Biography (The Story of the Band)
by Murry R. NelsonThis comprehensive book documents the nearly half-century-long story of The Rolling Stones—the group many regard as the most eminent rock band ever.By 1964 the United States had been "invaded" by a number of British bands, led by the Beatles. The Rolling Stones were seen as more rebellious and rowdy than The Beatles—they were the "bad boys" as opposed to the "good boys"—and this reputation only served to enhance their popularity with their teenage fans. The Stones far outlasted the Beatles and all the other 60s-era British bands, however The Rolling Stones not only continued, but flourished, their tours drawing enormous crowds for decades. The Rolling Stones: A Musical Biography chronicles the fascinating adventures of these Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and sheds light on what has allowed these music legends to enjoy such lifelong popularity and success.
The Science and Psychology of Music: From Beethoven at the Office to Beyoncé at the Gym
by William Forde Thompson and Kirk N. OlsenThis book provides a broad introduction to the scientific and psychological study of music, exploring how music is processed by our brains, affects us emotionally, shapes our personal and cultural identities, and can be used in therapeutic and educational contexts.Why are some people tone deaf and others musical savants? What do our musical preferences say about our personality and the culture in which we were raised? Why do certain songs remind us so strongly of particular people, places, or events? How can music be therapeutically used to help those with autism, Parkinson's, and other medical conditions? The Science and Psychology of Music: From Beethoven at the Office to Beyoncé at the Gym answers these and other questions.This book provides a broad and accessible introduction to the fascinating field of music psychology. Despite its name, music psychology includes a number of fields, including neuroscience, psychology, social psychology, sociology, and health. Through a collection of thematically organized chapters, readers will discover how our brains recognize elements of music, how music can affect us and shape our identities, and the many real-world applications for such information.
Smash Hits: The 100 Songs That Defined America
by James E. PeroneWe are what we listen to. That's the premise of this study of 100 songs that have shaped and defined the American experience, from the Colonial period to the present.Well-known music author James Perone looks at 100 songs that helped tell America's story. He examines why each song became a hit, what cultural and social values it embodies, what issues it touches upon, what audiences it attracted, and what made it such a definitive part of American history and popular culture.The chart-topping singles presented here crossed gender, age, race, and class lines to appeal to the mass American audience. The book discusses patriotic songs, minstrel music, and sacred songs and hymns as well as music in the broad categories of pop, rock, hip hop, jazz, country, and folk. An introduction provides an overview of the history and significant issues raised by the songs as a whole. Individual songs are then presented chronologically, based on when they were written. The revealing commentary for each "hit" is not only interesting and fun, but reveals what it was like to live in the United States at a particular time by unveiling the social, economic, and political issues—as well as the musical tastes—that made life what it was.
Sounds of Resistance [2 volumes]: The Role of Music in Multicultural Activism [2 volumes]
by Eunice Rojas and Lindsay MichieFrom the gospel music of slavery in the antebellum South to anti-apartheid freedom songs in South Africa, this two-volume work documents how music has fueled resistance and revolutionary movements in the United States and worldwide.Political resistance movements and the creation of music—two seemingly unrelated phenomenon—often result from the seed of powerful emotions, opinions, or experiences. This two-volume set presents essays that explore the connections between diverse musical forms and political activism across the globe, revealing fascinating similarities regarding the interrelationship between music and political resistance in widely different geographic or cultural circumstances.The breadth of specific examples covered in Sounds of Resistance: The Role of Music in Multicultural Activism highlights strong similarities between diverse situations—for example, protest against the Communist government in Poland and drug discourse in hip hop music in the United States—and demonstrates how music has repeatedly played a vital role in energizing or expanding various political movements. By exploring activism and how music relates to specific movements through an interdisciplinary lens, the authors document how music often enables powerless members of oppressed groups to communicate or voice their concerns.
The Twisted Tale of Glam Rock
by Stuart LenigCovering four decades of music history, this engaging book explores a genre of pop music that has been overlooked, under-reported, and ineffectively characterized—but which nevertheless remains immensely popular.The very qualities that made glam unusual and undervalued are now being reintroduced into our culture through video, music, and cyber and computer mediums, while artists such as Lady Gaga have made glam popular once more. Carefully explaining this misunderstood genre, The Twisted Tale of Glam Rock explores glam's attraction and the reasons it has endured.With the help of copious examples, the book covers the style from the pre-glam British invasion of 1964-69 through the classical glam era (1970-75); the metamorphosis into glam goth, glam metal, and glam new-romanticism (1976-90); and the style's reemergence (1990-present). It provides a theoretical basis for musicians' attraction to this highly visual and theatrical form of pop music and sets glam in a historical context, following the format through MTV, videos, and vibrant stage and theatre presentations. Finally, the book explores the hybridization of glam with other styles, illustrating how the genre has progressively reemerged as a premier form of performance pop.
U2: A Musical Biography (The Story of the Band)
by David KootnikoffThis is the story of the phenomenally popular, critically acclaimed Irish band from its Dublin beginnings to the present.U2: A Musical Biography tells the story of the phenomenally popular Irish rock band whose passionate songs and performances have taken them from their Dublin upbringing to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—all with the band's original foursome of Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen, and Adam Clayton intact.U2 follows the band from the early talent show victory that got them their first recording contract to their 1987 worldwide breakout with The Joshua Tree and the string of critically acclaimed albums and sold-out stadium and arena tours that followed. As the story of U2 unfolds, readers will get a sense of the strong interpersonal bonds and deep-rooted Christian faith that have kept the band together for over three decades. The book also highlights the group's ongoing commitment to supporting a variety of human rights causes worldwide.
The Words and Music of Alanis Morissette (The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection)
by Karen FournierThrough an examination of her music, videos, philanthropic work, and biographical details, this book gives insight into Alanis Morissette's musical career and day-to-day life, from her early pop beginnings in Canada to her work today.As a whole, Alanis Morissette's work has never been critically analyzed. The Words and Music of Alanis Morissette addresses this oversight through its examination of Morissette's work in the context of biographical facts, its relationship to other cultural trends, and its reflection of the female perspective.This book merges biographical information with a critical examination of the music that she produced and performed during all periods of her life, thereby providing a needed overview of Morissette's body of work. All Morissette fans will appreciate learning about the details of her life, but the author's melding of the star's personal life story with an informed analysis of popular music will also appeal to a wider audience—readers interested in music, culture, women's studies, or female musicians, for example. The book provides entertaining and engrossing reading for any Alanis Morissette fan and serves as a resource that documents her broad contributions to the music industry.
The Words and Music of Brian Wilson (The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection)
by Christian Matijas-MeccaA fascinating study of Brian Wilson's creative career as a composer, producer, performer, and collaborator that addresses all aspects of Brian's five-decade-long music career through his creative methods and processes.The cofounder and central figure of one of America's most successful vocal groups, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson is a standout artist with an astonishing volume of diverse work spanning over half a century that serves as testament to his creative output and influence on modern music. Today, Wilson stands as a survivor of life challenges stemming from substance abuse and mental illness and enjoys a revitalized career in which he continues to create new works and perform around the world to enthusiastic audiences in sold-out venues.This unique book covers the breadth of Wilson's creative life as composer, producer, performer, and collaborator, not only as a Beach Boy, but also as a solo artist and collaborator with artists such as Jan and Dean, The Honeys, Spring, The Castells, and The Hondells. The book also surveys his less-examined work as a performer of the music of George Gershwin, of the songs from Disney films, and of children's books and movies. Because of its breadth, The Words and Music of Brian Wilson will appeal both to dedicated and casual fans alike of The Beach Boys and of Brian Wilson as well as to scholars in popular music and American studies.
The Words and Music of Elvis Costello (The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection)
by James E. PeroneThis book provides in-depth analysis of the words, music, and recordings of Elvis Costello, one of the most enigmatic, eclectic, and critically acclaimed singer-songwriters of the rock era.Elvis Costello is one of the greatest pop songwriters of his generation as well as one of the most significant songwriters of the 20th century. His career's length now approaching four decades, Costello continues to be vital part of pop culture through live performances, recordings, and the iconic nature of his work. The Words and Music of Elvis Costello provides in-depth analysis of this important artist's words, music, and recordings. Arranged chronologically, the book places Costello in the cultural context of his time and place; addresses the overlaps between rock, classical, torch song, and jazz in Costello's highly eclectic range of songs from 1975 to the present; provides a look at the uniquely British aspects of his work; and uniquely spotlights his compositional techniques and approaches to musical form. The book covers everything from Costello's first album My Aim Is True as well as his other albums in the 1970s to his body of work in the '80s and '90s to his continuing eclecticism in the 21st century as he successfully integrates what would appear to be mutually exclusive genres. The concluding chapter provides analysis of the critical commentary about Elvis Costello's work as a performer and songwriter over his long career.
The Words and Music of James Taylor (The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection)
by James E. PeroneA valuable resource for James Taylor fans and a fascinating read for anyone interested in autobiographical popular music of the past 50 years.What kinds of unusual musical forms and lyrical structures did American singer-songwriter James Taylor incorporate into his songs? What role did Taylor play in the introspective singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s? How did Taylor write and record songs that were inspired from his own experiences in life that touched so many other people? The Words and Music of James Taylor explores these specific topics and provides detailed critical analysis of the songs and recordings of this well-known musical icon, examining his melodic writing, his use of harmony, and his often-unappreciated tailoring of musical form to enhance his lyrical messages. The book is organized chronologically, primarily around Taylor's studio albums from 1968 to 2015, and offers an introduction, a summary of Taylor's career and importance, as well as an annotated bibliography and discography. The final section of the book presents an overview of Taylor's importance and lasting impact, an analysis of themes that run through his songs, and an explanation of how Taylor's treatment of these themes changed over the years as he matured and as the world around him changed.
The Words and Music of Melissa Etheridge (The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection)
by James E. PeroneFor a quarter century, Melissa Etheridge has been one of the most iconic and prolific female rock musicians. This book critically examines this songwriter's portrayal of universal human emotions and experiences against the context of her life.Songwriter. Pop star. Gay activist. Cancer survivor. Advocate for cancer victims. Human being. Melissa Etheridge is all of these things, and all of these elements of who she is have played an instrumental role in her music from the beginning of her career to the present day. The Words and Music of Melissa Etheridge examines Melissa Etheridge's contributions to pop music in the tradition of other greats such as Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, and Rod Stewart. Written by a music scholar and Etheridge fan, this book investigates her work chronologically by time period, underscoring her growth as a songwriter and musician and demonstrating how her music reflected the events in her life, both positive and negative.Author James E. Perone spotlights how Etheridge's songs defy traditional gender roles and stereotypes and appeal to general audiences with their universal themes, yet serve those in the lesbian community because of the specific applicability of her words to the members of this minority group. The book supplies expert, critical, and easy-to-understand analysis of all of the songs of Melissa Etheridge's studio albums from the 1980s through to her autobiographical and reflective album, 4th Street Feeling, released in 2012.
The Words and Music of Sheryl Crow (The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection)
by Christopher GableOffering commentary, musical analysis, and detailed interpretation of her songs' lyrics, this book examines the qualities of Sheryl Crow's music that have served to establish the artist's success and popularity.Sheryl Crow continues to be celebrated for her legacy as a singer-songwriter and pop culture icon. This book provides an introduction to Sheryl Crow's entire music catalog. Organized into chronological periods of time, the author weaves biographical facts throughout a narrative rich with details about her songs: how they were created, recorded, distributed, and modified in live performance. Accompanying commentary features song analysis—including song structure, chord progression, and melody—and provides fascinating insights into the lyrical content of Crow's songwriting. The work begins with Crow's upbringing, her musical roots and influences, and how they manifested themselves in her later career. Subsequent sections delve into her road to success and eventual stardom, revealing how her rise to fame and widespread popularity was littered with broken friendships, acrimony, and suicide. The last several chapters follows her life after a diagnosis of breast cancer and the adoption of her sons. The work also includes a chapter on B-sides and rare songs by Crow.
The Words and Music of Taylor Swift (The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection)
by James E. PeroneThis scholarly analysis of the music of Taylor Swift identifies how and why she is one of the early 21st century's most recognizable and most popular stars.By the age of 13, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift had already inked a development deal with a major record label. This early milestone was an appropriate predictor of what accomplishments were to come. Now a superstar artist with an international fanbase of millions and several critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums, Swift has established herself as one of the most important musicians of the 21st century. This accessible book serves Taylor Swift fans as well as students of contemporary popular music and popular culture, critically examining all of this young artist's work to date.The book's organization is primarily chronological, covering Taylor Swift's album and single releases in order of release date while also documenting the elements of her music and personality that have made her popular with fans of country music and pop music across a surprisingly diverse age range of listeners. The chapters address how Swift's songs have been viewed by some fans as anthems of empowerment or messages of encouragement, particularly by members of the LGBTQ community, those who have been bullied or been seen as outsiders, and emerging artists. The final chapter places Swift's work and her public persona in the context of her times with respect to her use of and relationship with technology—for example, her use of social media and songwriting technology—and her expressions of a new type of feminism that is unlike the feminism of the 1970s.
The World of Musicals [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Stage, Screen, and Song [2 volumes]
by Mark A. RobinsonThis wide-ranging, two-volume encyclopedia of musicals old and new will captivate young fans—and prove invaluable to those contemplating staging a musical production.Written with high school students in mind, The World of Musicals: An Encyclopedia of Stage, Screen, and Song encompasses not only Broadway and film musicals, but also made-for-television musicals, a genre that has been largely ignored. The two volumes cover significant musicals in easily accessible entries that offer both useful information and fun facts. Each entry lists the work's writers, composers, directors, choreographers, and cast, and includes a song list, a synopsis, and descriptions of the original production and important revivals or remakes. Biographical entries share the stories of some of the brightest and most celebrated talents in the business.The encyclopedia will undoubtedly ignite and feed student interest in musical theatre. At the same time, it will prove a wonderful resource for teachers or community theatre directors charged with selecting and producing shows. In fact, anyone interested in theatre, film, television, or music will be fascinated by the work's tantalizing bits of historical and theatre trivia.
Writing Dylan: The Songs of a Lonesome Traveler
by Larry David SmithThis study of Dylan's mission-driven music reveals a functional approach to art that not only sustained his 60-year career but forever changed an art form.The second edition of Writing Dylan: The Songs of a Lonesome Traveler examines Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan's historic career, yielding unique insights into a distinctively American artist's creative world. The book opens with a short biography and description of Dylan's artistic method before diving into the seven missions of his life's work. Chapters are supported by song lyrics, of which the author's license agreement with Bob Dylan Music enables a definitive presentation.Since the release of the first edition in 2005, the laureate has produced three albums of original material as well as three widely praised albums of American standards. Columbia Records has issued multiple boxed sets chronicling specific periods of Dylan's career, and several films have been made about him. Dylan himself has also given numerous speeches and interviews, often while accepting prestigious awards. This second edition not only features these new materials but draws on them to recast the first edition, presenting Dylan's music as an indelible art form.
The Wu-Tang Clan and RZA: A Trip through Hip Hop's 36 Chambers (Hip Hop in America)
by Alvin BlancoThis insightful biography looks at the turbulent lives, groundbreaking music and lyrics, and powerful brand of hip hop's infamous Wu-Tang Clan.The Wu-Tang Clan and RZA: A Trip through Hip Hop's 36 Chambers chronicles the rise of the Wu-Tang Clan from an underground supergroup to a globally recognized musical conglomerate. Enhanced by the author's one-on-one interviews with group members, the book covers the entire Wu-Tang Clan catalog of studio albums, as well as albums that were produced or heavily influenced by producer/rapper RZA. Wu-Tang Clan's albums are analyzed and discussed in terms of their artistry as well as in terms of their critical, cultural, and commercial impact. By delving into the motivation behind the creation of pivotal songs and albums and mining their dense metaphor and wordplay, the book provides an understanding of what made a team of nine friends and relatives from Staten Island with a love of Kung Fu movies into not just a music group, but a powerful cultural movement.
The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen: The Words And Music Of Bruce Springsteen (The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection)
by Rob KirkpatrickBruce Springsteen's career has been covered many times over, yet many of the complexities and apparent contradictions of his music remain unresolved. Rob Kirkpatrick provides a comprehensive and coherent look at the work of this thoroughly complex and persistently captivating artist. After a brief biographical treatment, Kirkpatrick considers all of Springsteen's significant albums in chronological order. These include Born to Run, which was voted the most popular album of all time in a recently published Zagat survey; Born in the U.S.A., which sold more than 20 million copies; and The Rising, regarded by many as the most poignant artistic reaction to 9/11. In addition to a probing musical analysis, the book offers a guide to Springsteen's lyrical themes and motifs, allowing readers insight into the complicated nature of the artist's underlying concerns, influences, and ideas. Rounding out the volume is a consideration of The Boss's legacy as a songwriter and musician, as well as appendices including a bibliography and a complete discography.The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen provides a comprehensive and coherent look at the work of a thoroughly complex and persistently captivating artist. Springsteen enjoys a popularity that has transcended generations. His 1975 album Born to Run was voted the most popular album of all time in a recently published Zagat survey; his 1984 album Born in the U.S.A. spawned seven Top Ten singles while selling more than 20 million copies; and his 2002 album The Rising was regarded by many critics as the most poignant artistic reaction to 9/11. Springsteen, now in his 50s, has evolved from an over-hyped version of the next Bob Dylan, to the future of rock and roll in the mid-1970s, to a pop culture icon in Reagan America, to a 21st-century populist voice. His career has been covered many times over, yet many of the complexities and apparent contradictions of his music remain unresolved. These include his hard-rock influenced musical background; his movement from themes of rebellion and isolation in his early work to those of a more populist complexion later on; and his contribution in the 1980s to a conservative patriotism—despite his albums' close association with the music and ideas of Woody Guthrie.After a brief biographical treatment, Kirkpatrick considers all of Springsteen's significant albums in chronological order. In addition to this probing musical analysis, he offers a guide to Springsteen's lyrical themes and motifs, allowing readers a coherent insight into the complicated nature of the artist's underlying concerns, influences, and ideas. Rounding out the volume is a consideration of The Boss's legacy as a songwriter and musician, as well as appendices including a bibliography and a complete discography. In sum, The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen provides a comprehensive and coherent look, previously unavailable in a single volume, at the work of a thoroughly complex and persistently captivating artist.
How Music Changed YouTube
by Dr. Guillaume HeuguetHow do digital technologies transform music? The answer depends on the lens of one's analysis: creation, promotion, or the experience of the listener. How Music Changed YouTube shows that the reverse question – How does music transform digital technologies? – is also worth exploring: through reliance on sound recording and music, internet technologies and media are manufactured, transformed, and come to dominate.Guillaume Heuguet's study situates YouTube in relation to both the internet platform and music industries by unpacking the cultural and technological forms embedded within and observing the practices and values associated with it, from the art of collecting to the accelerated circulation of samples and remixes. Heuguet's documentary and genealogical work relies on YouTube's traces in internet archives, its successive interfaces, the blogs of its teams, and a few emblematic channels and videos. Particular attention is paid to the tensions between the promises associated with music algorithms - recommendation system, copyright control, view calculation - and the reality of their operation from a technical and cultural point of view. How Music Changed YouTube shows how, far from responding to an immediate need, YouTube's editorial and economic model developed over time, how the various fans, artists, labels, lawyers and legislators shaped the site, and how these factors affected its rise as a global media force in the early 21st century.
How Music Changed YouTube
by Dr. Guillaume HeuguetHow do digital technologies transform music? The answer depends on the lens of one's analysis: creation, promotion, or the experience of the listener. How Music Changed YouTube shows that the reverse question – How does music transform digital technologies? – is also worth exploring: through reliance on sound recording and music, internet technologies and media are manufactured, transformed, and come to dominate.Guillaume Heuguet's study situates YouTube in relation to both the internet platform and music industries by unpacking the cultural and technological forms embedded within and observing the practices and values associated with it, from the art of collecting to the accelerated circulation of samples and remixes. Heuguet's documentary and genealogical work relies on YouTube's traces in internet archives, its successive interfaces, the blogs of its teams, and a few emblematic channels and videos. Particular attention is paid to the tensions between the promises associated with music algorithms - recommendation system, copyright control, view calculation - and the reality of their operation from a technical and cultural point of view. How Music Changed YouTube shows how, far from responding to an immediate need, YouTube's editorial and economic model developed over time, how the various fans, artists, labels, lawyers and legislators shaped the site, and how these factors affected its rise as a global media force in the early 21st century.
Rock and Roll Vs. Modern Life
by Seth Kim-CohenNo Boomer-esque celebration of the "music that defined an era," Rock and Roll vs. Modern Life is instead a deeply critical analysis of rock and roll as a chaotic, caterwauling project to upend the foundational presumptions of postwar values. What we have here is the closest thing yet to a unified field theory of rock and roll. In seminal performances, films, and recordings, Iggy Pop, James Brown, Patti Smith, the Last Poets, and the Sex Pistols disrupt the implicit ontologies of modernism and late-stage capitalism. With its comrades, conceptual art, Black power, and poststructuralism, rock and roll strips back the linoleum surface of modern life to reveal a feral sensibility unwilling to be boxed up for clean consumption.
Rock and Roll Vs. Modern Life
by Seth Kim-CohenNo Boomer-esque celebration of the "music that defined an era," Rock and Roll vs. Modern Life is instead a deeply critical analysis of rock and roll as a chaotic, caterwauling project to upend the foundational presumptions of postwar values. What we have here is the closest thing yet to a unified field theory of rock and roll. In seminal performances, films, and recordings, Iggy Pop, James Brown, Patti Smith, the Last Poets, and the Sex Pistols disrupt the implicit ontologies of modernism and late-stage capitalism. With its comrades, conceptual art, Black power, and poststructuralism, rock and roll strips back the linoleum surface of modern life to reveal a feral sensibility unwilling to be boxed up for clean consumption.