Northern Arizona University, College of Arts and Letters, School of Music Music 199 (class number 7693) Special Topics: The History of Rock Fall Semester 2011 Tuesday - Thursday, 11:10 AM - 12:25 PM (3 credit hours) Liberal Arts (Building 18) Room 120 Instructor Contact Information Dr. Andrew Hicken, Instructor in Musicology/Ethnomusicology Office: Performance and Fine Arts, room 223 Office Hours: Monday-Wednesday-Friday, 11 AM – 12 PM. Other times are available by appointment. Office Telephone: (928) 523-3849 Email: [email protected] Prerequisites None. Course Description The social, cultural, and stylistic history of rock and roll music. The class begins with important precedents such as blackface minstrelsy, jazz, and blues. In addition to addressing styles actually sold under the rock marketing label, we will cover genres and styles that were influenced by rock and roll but sold under different labels, such as soul, funk, salsa, disco, and hip-hop. Attention will also be given to global varieties of rock and roll. Learning Outcomes 1) Relate rock and roll music to its social and cultural context (meeting the liberal studies goals of studying the human condition and understanding of the relationship between context and human creative expression) through (1) reading assignments, (2) classroom discussion, and (3) an essay in response to a live performance. 2) Aurally identify elements of rock style (and related styles) from various eras and genres (meeting the liberal studies goal of analysis of the various forms of creative expression) through (1) guided classroom listening exercises and (2) classroom discussion. 3) Define and apply the rudiments of ethnomusicological theory (a major conceptual framework used to make sense of music) through (1) student discussion, (2) a brief essay in response to a live performance, and (3) a brief presentation on a piece of music. 4) Expound and defend critical positions on individual pieces or performances of music (meeting Music 293: Syllabus 1 the liberal studies goal of analysis of the various forms of creative expression) through (1) an essay in response to a live performance and (2) a brief presentation on a piece of music. Course Approach In this class, we define rock music broadly to include many styles that are not sold under the label “rock” by marketers but are nonetheless influenced by and influential on rock; these diverse styles include country, salsa, and hip-hop. We study rock music as a product of cultures and as a producer of cultures, as a product and producer of societies and their economic relations, as a developing and wide-ranging musical style that people respond to differently based on their social and cultural experiences, and as a tool that may be deployed by people to achieve social, cultural, and economic goals. As homework, you will read about the history of rock music, listen to assigned music (distributed via Blackboard), and follow along with listening guides. In combination with our class lecture, this study will help you to place rock and roll music in its social and cultural context; learn theoretical concepts that scholars use to understand music, culture, and society; and recognize how rock style has developed through history. You will attend a performance of popular music and apply your new listening skills and vocabulary in a critical review of this performance. You will also present a brief critical response to an assigned piece of music to our class. Textbook and Required Materials American Popular Music: From Minstrelsy to MP3, Larry Starr and Christopher Waterman, 3rd ed. Listening and viewing will be posted to Blackboard Learn. Recommended (free) reference For musical terms, the recommended reference is Oxford Music Online: Grove Music Online, available through the library website. From library.nau.edu, select “Find Articles & Research Information” and, in the “Find Web Resources by Title & Keyword” search box on the right side of the screen, type in “Oxford Music” and select Go. On the next screen, click the “Oxford Music Online (formerly Grove Music Online)” link. Course Schedule Date Topic Reading Tu. 30-Aug Introduction: Class Plan and Key Concepts; “Humanly Organized Sound”; How to Do Reading and Listening Assignments; How to Make a Successful Class Presentation Th. 1-Sep Minstrelsy; Music Publishing; Brass Bands; Tin Pan Alley; pp. 20–43 Ragtime; the Phonograph Tu. 6-Sep Technology and the Music Business; Dance Music; The Jazz pp. 44–68 Craze Music 293: Syllabus 2 Date Topic Reading Th. 8-Sep The Golden Age of Tin Pan Alley Song; Race Records; Classic pp. 69–107 Blues; Country Blues Tu. 13-Sep Early Country Music: Hillbilly Records; Swing Music and pp. 108–136 American Culture Th. 15-Sep Country and Latin Music in Swing Era; Decline of Big Bands; Rise pp. 136–152 of the Big Singers; Urban Folk Music Tu. 20-Sep Mambo Craze; Southern Music; Rhythm & Blues; Country and pp. 169–197 Western Music Th. 22-Sep Early Rock'n'Roll pp. 198–236 Tu. 27-Sep Early 1960s: Dance Music and “Teenage Symphonies” pp. 237–246 Th. 29-Sep EXAM 1 Tu. 4-Oct Motown; Beach Boys; British Invasion pp. 246–267 Th. 6-Oct Latin Stream; Country; Urban Folk pp. 267–298 Tu. 11-Oct The Rise of Rock; the 1960s pp. 299–315 Th. 13-Oct Civil Rights Soul and Funk Reading on Blackboard Tu. 18-Oct The Concept Album and "Socially Aware" popular music Reading on Blackboard Th. 20-Oct The 1970s: Country; Rock, and the Popular Mainstream pp. 316–350 Tu. 25-Oct The Latin Boogaloo, Salsa, and Brazilian Tropicalia Reading on Blackboard Th. 27-Oct Blues Rock, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Glam Rock, and Heavy Reading on Metal Blackboard Tu. 1-Nov 1970s: Reggae; Prog Country; Punk and New Wave; Funk pp. 351–382 Th. 3-Nov EXAM 2 Tu. 8-Nov African rock and funk: Malian Swing, Nigerian Afrobeat Reading on Blackboard Th. 10-Nov 1970s–1980s: Origins of Hip-Hop; Digital Technology; MTV pp. 382–394 Tu. 15-Nov 1980s Music pp. 394-426 Th. 17-Nov 1980s: Heavy Metal; Indie Rock; College Radio Reading on Blackboard Tu. 22-Nov The 1990s: Hip-Hop and Rap pp. 426–444 Th. 24-Nov THANKSGIVING--NO CLASS Tu. 29-Nov The 1990s: Techno and “Alternative” Music pp. 444–463 CONCERT REPORT DUE Th. 1-Dec 1990s-2000s subcultures: Indie Rock and Hip-Hop; Jam Bands; Reading on Rave Culture; Latin Alternative Blackboard Tu. 6-Dec Globalization; Technology; Music Business pp. 463–485 Th. 8-Dec The 2000s: American Idol and Afghan Idol; Celebrity Culture; Reading on YouTube and MySpace; Freak Folk Blackboard Thursday, December 15, 10-11 AM: EXAM 3 (FINAL) Music 293: Syllabus 3 Assessment Tuesday Quizzes o You have assigned reading for each day of class. Reading is usually from the textbook: see the course schedule (above) for page numbers of assigned reading. Sometimes, supplementary readings are posted on Blackboard. o You also have assigned listening for each day of class, usually consisting of three or four songs relating to the reading. Listening is posted on Blackboard with a listening guide. o Every Tuesday, we will take a short multiple-choice quiz. You will answer three questions about the assigned reading for the previous Thursday and for that Tuesday. You will also listen to an excerpt from our assigned listening and choose which of the assigned listening examples it is from a list. Class Presentation o While our class is large, student contributions are valued. For each class, we will discuss three songs in depth. For each of these listening examples, two (in a few cases, three) students will prepare and present a very short (one- to two-minute) critical response to the song. The listening example on which you will present will be randomly assigned at the beginning of the semester. Other students may then respond to these students’ critiques. More details on these presentations will be given in class. Concert Report o You will attend a popular-music (rock, country, hip-hop, world music, etc.) concert of your choice and write a two-to-three-page critical review of it. More details will be given in class. The concert report may be turned in any time after the first week of class until the due date, and is due by November 29. Examinations o There will be three tests, including the non-cumulative final, of your knowledge of the course content. Each test will include listening identifications, multiple-choice questions, and an essay question. More details will be given in class. Grading System Value of Each Assignment Percent Assignment 28% Tuesday quizzes (14 quizzes at 2% each) 17% Concert report Music 293: Syllabus 4 10% Presentation 15% Exam 1 15% Exam 2 15% Exam 3 100% Total Assignment of Letter Grades Final total Letter grade 90-100% A 80-89% B 70-79% C 60-69% D 59% and below F Note: decimals will be rounded to the nearest whole integer; e.g., 89.5%=90%; 89.4%=89%. Course Policies Retests/makeup tests If you miss either of the first two tests, you will take the next exam for twice its point value. If you miss both tests, you may not make up any points (you will fail the class). If you miss the third test (the final exam), you may take an alternate version of the exam at a date and time specified by the instructor. If you miss this make-up exam, you receive zero points for it. Attendance policy Missed Tuesday quizzes or presentations may not be made up. Classroom doors will be closed at the beginning of class, and students may not enter late.