Who knew European colleges offered Jack Your Body 101? Hans T. Zeiner-Henriksen, a student at the Department of Musicology at the University of Oslo, wrote a paper for a music conference in Manchester, England in 2006, focusing on the rapid changes in musical technology in the mid- to late-’80s and how they impacted the birth of Chicago house music, the “‘democratization’ process” that let kids with electronic gear update disco with drum machines and what that meant for the structure of the music itself. Familiar stuff for dance fans from a historical perspective, but the school has also posted the paper online with Zeiner-Henriksen’s A/V materials included, featuring some of the more rigorous (audio-enhanced) examinations of the way “simple” Chicago house drum patterns work that I’ve yet encountered. (Or maybe I’m just impressed because whenever I see musical notes on staff paper I am immediately reminded of just how little I understand about the technical side of music.) But it’s like… getting course credit for having an interesting blog! If I had know you could get away with stuff like this, I might not have dropped out.
Chicago House And The “Democratization” Of Music Production [University Of Oslo; HT: Matos]
Musicology/ethnomusicology are badass, but I’m fairly sure they’re graduate level only. I took a class last semester with someone who’d done their dissertation on the San Fran S&M community. The subcultures - they’re endless!
I can’t wait to take a “Fans & Fandom” course this semester. I am SO GLAD I went to grad school.
This makes me so much more excited for grad school!
From one who has been there — don’t hold your breath.
Very cool - thanks Jess & Matos
this is excellent!
…and yes, you can do crazy/cool sh*t like this in a phd program (i did) — you just have to be prepared to defend the “relevance” and “rigor” of your research, and make sure that you work with people who understand the value of your work. it’s still completely acceptable within some disciplines (musicology, philosophy especially) to hate on pop culture…
and, it has notation!
@doctaj: I’m doing politics and philosophy as an undergrad.
Anti-Thatcher sentiment in British indie would be fun. Or post-materialism in the resurgence of Swedish twee. tweeI’ve already seen published articles on the Smiths, and Rip it Up and Start Again does exist, so I shouldn’t be as surprised (or as excited!!) as I am.
@MTS: You won;t be after you read Constance Penley and drown in Foucault (and I love Foucault. But damn.)