Elvis has Finally Left the building? Boundary work, whiteness and the reception of rock music in comparative perspective ~ Heeft Elvis het gebouw echt verlaten? Scheidslijnen, witheid en de receptie van rockmuziek in vergelijkend perspectief
Thesis
to obtain the degree of Doctor from the Erasmus University Rotterdam by command of the rector magnificus Prof.dr. R.C.M.E. Engels and in accordance with the decision of the Doctorate Board.
The public defence shall be held on 11 October 2019 at 11:30 hrs
by Julian Cornelis Fokko Schaap born in Rotterdam Doctoral Committee: Promotor: Prof.dr. C.J.M. van Eijck Other members: Prof.dr. P. Essed Dr. H.J.C.J. Hitters Prof.dr. G.M.M. Kuipers Copromotor: Dr. P.P.L. Berkers Elvis has finally left the building? Boundary work, whiteness and the reception of rock music in comparative perspective Cover design and illustrations: Josh LaFayette (www.joshlafayette.com)
Copyright © Julian Schaap 2019 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.
ISBN: 978-94-028-1693-8 Dedicated to Cornelis de Valois & Fokko Schaap
Page unintentionally left white?
Table of contents
Chapter 1 3 “Music brings people together,” right? General introduction
Chapter 2 45 “If we get that played, they might run us out of town” A history of rock music and whiteness
Chapter 3 95 “Just like Hendrix:” Whiteness and the online critical and consumer reception of rock music
Chapter 4 121 “Maybe it’s… skin color?” The classification of race-ethnicity and gender in rock music consumption
Chapter 5 153 “You’re not supposed to be in to rock music” Authenticity maneuvering in a white configuration
Chapter 6 179 “I never really thought about it” Excavating rock music’s whiteness as nondeclarative personal culture
Chapter 7 211 “Go Johnny, go!” Discussion and conclusion
List of references 228
Appendices 258
Summaries 291
Acknowledgments 309
About the author 315
“I like to think that music is something that can bring two opposite sides of the spectrum into the same arena” Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters)
“Music seems to be the common denomination that brings us all together. Music cuts through all boundaries and goes right to the soul” Willie Nelson (country musician)
“It brings the races together, it brings religions together” Billy Higgins (jazz drummer)
“Music is the universal language… It brings people closer together” Ella Fitzgerald (jazz singer)
“No matter what language we speak, what color we are, the form of our politics or the expression of our love and our faith. Music proves: We are the same” John Denver (singer-songwriter)
1
“Music brings people together,” right? General introduction
Introduction Music has phenomenal unifying powers. Over the ages, music has been attributed with almost supernatural properties by com- mentators ranging from ancient Greek philosophers (Stamou, 2002) to the musicians cited on the previous page. Even in our mediatized era in which most recorded music is consumed in earbud-induced solitude – actually shielding off potential social interaction in public spaces – music continues to be perceived as a great unifier. There see