The bulk of the material in Chapter 3: Sound as Form in Zak’s Poetics of Rock discusses what he has determined as being the five broad categories that “represent all of the sound phenomena found on records.” These being (1) musical performance, (2) timbre, (3) echo, (4) ambience, and finally (5) texture. Each of these, [...]
Archive for September, 2007
Sounding Associations
Posted in associations, sound-form on September 27, 2007 | 2 Comments »
Music, Movement, and the Brain
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged brain science, mind/body dualism, music, NPR on September 25, 2007 | 5 Comments »
Arrgh, how irritating!
Last week I clearly remember hearing a piece on NPR (my lovely wife corroborates this, btw) that reported on recent neurological research into the ways that music lights up the motor center of the brain, and now I can’t find it. The researchers were particularly impressed with the fact that it’s hard [...]
The Shaggs and the “Childlike” in Art
Posted in Art Paul Schlosser, Captain Beefheart, Daniel Johnston, The Shaggs, authenticity on September 20, 2007 | 3 Comments »
Following up on Bryan’s post on Beefheart, which I largely agree with. I think you have to also look at this (Cptn Beefheart in the 1970s–sorry about the irritating british guys setting up the video):
I don’t know what to think about it–is it the consumate joke, the big swindle, or [...]
Why Beefheart?
Posted in Captain Beefheart, Daniel Johnston, authenticity on September 20, 2007 | 5 Comments »
During our seminar over the past few weeks, it has been suggested that authenticity plays a role in why listeners identify with particular musical artists. Increasingly, the word seems to have no fixed meaning when it comes to rock music. One listener’s definition of the authentic [...]
Singles Sales and Digital Distribution
Posted in Uncategorized on September 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Some of the recent reading assignments (Keightley and and I think Grossman too) follow the decline of single sales and the rise of LP sales in the 1960s, suggesting the trend represents the growing “seriousness” of rock fans. When I read that, I started thinking about my favorite albums, like Wyclef Jean’s “The Carnival,” Prince’s “Purple [...]
Tenori-on and Hang Drum
Posted in Uncategorized on September 13, 2007 | 1 Comment »
I don’t know if this blog is the place to post something like this, but I think the Tenori-on is so cool I just had to share it with you all. It is a new light/sound interface developed in part by Yamaha. Check it out here:
http://www.global.yamaha.com/tenori-on/
The demo video is amazing, as are the six modes listed on the “features” [...]
Madonna, Redux
Posted in Madonna, singers on September 12, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
So I was in the cafe this afternoon after teaching my rock class, and “Like a Virgin” was playing on the radio. I was singing along with the verse, before the first chorus, and nodding my head and grinning up a storm. Go figure. It made me think of my dear friend [...]
Hurrah Torpedo, Yes, Yes Indeed.
Posted in Hurrah Torpedo, teleological music on September 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
I suppose I could write a ton about this video, but I’ll spare you. Only allow me to say: dig the guy on the far right holding the big, heavy bludgeon. I think he is everything that rock is about. Actually, in the lead-up to him bringing it down the first time, [...]
Popular Music Scholarship: Failed Criticism or Failed Scholarship?
Posted in Uncategorized on September 11, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Before this title becomes too distracting, allow me answer first and then explain: Popular music scholarship is neither of these options. Rather than defend the quality of work that is popular music scholarship, I would rather ask, why is there still a prevailing legitimization of the field that floats between the lines of many scholarly [...]
Zeitgeist: Rock’s Comeback-Kid
Posted in Zeitgeist on September 8, 2007 | 2 Comments »
People v. Billy Corgan
People magazine certainly has its place in popular culture, perhaps best as a representative of general “mainstream” opinion. In the issue published on July 16, 2007, Chuck Arnold writes a review of the Smashing Pumpkins’ new album Zeitgeist. In his review, he makes three main points: “it’s not a real reunion” (the [...]
