Sound Effects: Youth, Leisure, and the Politics of Rock'n'rollIn this provocative exploration of the many worlds of music making and hearing, Simon Frith smashes the accepted myths surrounding rock 'n' roll. Tracing the evolution of today's sounds, he goes back to rock's roots (gospel, jazz, country, etc.), then focuses on the ever-changing components of the modern record-making process (from FM radio to "Rolling Stone"). By analyzing both the possibilities and the limits of regulating leisure in a capitalist society, he challenges the prevailing view that media conglomerates' efforts to channel and control their markets have succeeded in turning rock into simply another prefab polyvinyl product. In its place he offers a startling new argument that shows how, in the end, the unpredictable and uncontrollable contradictions peculiar to rock's audience, its uses and its very nature, both resist and support the system -- and keep the music alive. -- From publisher's description. |
Other editions - View all
Sound Effects: Youth, Leisure, and the Politics of Rock'n'roll Simon Frith No preview available - 1981 |
Common terms and phrases
adolescents album American argument artists audience Beatles became black music blues bohemian boys Britain British clubs commercial commodity concerns consumer consumption context country music creative critics deejays developed disco effect Elvis Elvis Presley emotional entertainment example experience expression fans folk music girls groups hippie ideology important independent involved jazz leisure listeners live London mass culture mass media mass music means middle-class mods music business music papers music press obvious organization percent performers play pleasure political pop music popular music problem production profit promotion punk radio stations record companies record industry record producer relationship rock music rock musicians rock n rock's Rolling Stone sell sense sexual singers social sociology sold songs sound studio style subcultural success symbols tastes teenage culture Tin Pan Alley tion values words workers working-class writing York young youth culture