Anderson, Robert (2015) Strength in numbers: a social history of Glasgow's popular music scene (1979-2009). PhD thesis. https://theses.gla.ac.uk/6459/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/
[email protected] Strength in Numbers A Social History of Glasgow’s Popular Music Scene (1979-2009) Robert Anderson BA (Hons), PGCE, MEnvS, DipEd Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Culture and Creative Arts College of Arts University of Glasgow June 2015 © Robert Anderson, 2015 2 Abstract In 2004, US Time magazine named Glasgow Europe’s ‘capital of rock music’ and likened it to Detroit in its Motown heyday (Porter, 2004). In 2008 UNESCO awarded Glasgow the title of ‘City of Music’ and the application dossier submitted in support of this title noted the importance of rock and pop for the city’s musical reputation. Since the late 1970s a large number of bands have emerged from (or been associated with) the city, yet little academic research has been carried out to determine the factors behind this phenomenon.