This study attempts to address a gap in existing subcultural research. While there has been extensive work done on the experiences of men in subcultural groupings, the examination of women's experiences is sadly lacking. Using a combination of participant observation and ethnographic interviewing, this study looks at the role women play in the local rock music scene. Some interesting themes emerge that challenge existing notions that women are either marginal or absent from subcultural activity. Women in the scene occupy a richly contradictory social position. While they exercise an impressive degree of sexual and financial autonomy, as illustrated by their initiation of relationships and breadwinner roles in partnerships with male musicians, they also adopt many goals and behaviors typically associated with mainstream constructions of proper femininty. Women in the rock scene are seldom performers, instead they are concentrated i n the role of the "nurturent caretaker" (Cole 1993: 89/90) allowing the male musicians to retain recognition, prestige and power in the scene. This construction of the male role as central reflects the acceptance of patriarchal ideology in the scene and obscures the contribution of women to the material maintenance of the subculture. Women's roles in the scene can be characterized as a simultaneous acceptance and rejection of mainstream prescriptions for feminine behavior. While women in the rock scene are undeniably the focus of much sexual objectification and exploitation, they cannot be viewed as either passive or dependent. Women are described by scene members as sexually powerful decision makers, and although women's power is cast in disappointingly sexual terms, it is the active nature of this sexuality that leads me to describe women not as "passive" sexual objects, but rather as "active" sexual objects. Women's experiences in the rock scene are inextricably linked to heterosexual relations with male musicians. While rock women focus on the same goals of marriage and motherhood as mainstream women, their relationships are characterized by complications imposed by the rock lifestyle. According female participants, the overt sexuality of the scene, lack of financial stability , and the consuming nature of the music business combine to challenge the maintenance of a healthy relationship with a musician. However, while women's willingness to deal with such obstacles is puzzling, it can be seen as determination to transcend traditional limitations on masculine and feminine roles. The rock scene, despite its disproportionate consequences for women, offers both women and men alternatives to mainstream constructions of masculinity and femininity. The scene is identified by both female and male participants as offering excitement, spontaneity and passion absent in mainstream society.

Much of the research undertaken on music education in South Africa has been concerned with formal music education and its application in the classroom. In spite of the fact that the majority of South Africans have had little or no access to formal music education, non-formal learning practices have been largely ignored as alternative, and potentially effective forms of music skills acquisition. This study focuses on the church, and the Durban Bethesda Temple in particular, and explores how, in the absence of access to formal music education, alternative learning methods based on generalised participation and musical process, may be conducive to the achievement of highly skilled musicianship. This thesis draws insight from theories proposed by intercultural music educationists, Christopher Small and Patricia Campbell, and ethnomusicologists, Blacking, Chernoff, Nketia and Merriam, whose work has focussed on conceptualisations, functions, roles and contexts of music-making in nonwestern, and Mrican societies in particular. It postulates that when music-making is nonindividualised and non-competitive, and when performance focuses on relationshipbuilding and ritual, rather than on specialisation and spectacle, music learning is achieved through participation by way of aural transmission, imitation and mentorship. In thisregard, the underlying philosophy of education, as is applied in non-formal mUSIC education, is based on the assumption that music is a human capacity; that music-making is process-orientated rather than product-related, and that music can be used to build individual and communal skills and competencies. The discussion concludes by suggesting insights that can be gleaned from the process of non-formal music learning in communal, participatory contexts, namely, the church; and how these insights can signal alternative perspectives to the practices and procedures of South Africa music education amidst current transformation. / Thesis (M.A.-Music)-University of Natal, 1998.

Christian rock music isn´t an unfamiliar concept, but its development in Czech lands dates back only to the nineties of the last century. The author tries to compare Western and domestic musical culture to chart the history of rock music for Christians, its origin, meaning and development in the world as well as in Czech Republic.

In the present paper, the potential of corpus-linguistic research is put into action. More specifically, a corpus-based demonstration of the general style used in rock lyrics is formed in order to identify the genre-specific features. A corpus consisting of roughly 53 000 words was created for this research. The focus lies on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the vocabulary as well as of the stylistic markers. The aim of this essay is to investigate the language used in the lyrics of rock music lyrics and the results of the research illustrate in what ways rock lyrics are either more spoken-like or written-like; whether rock lyrics mirror the general word usage in society, and in what ways rock music is comparable to other genres. Using the rock lyrics corpus (ROLC), trends within rock lyrics were retraced diachronically. Results show that rock lyrics, to some extent, follow the general word usage. However, other results also contradict this. Further research in this area is therefore encouraged.  Findings show that rock music shares features with other genres, but also that that rock has some unique features.  Developments and stagnations were detected in regards to word usage. These features are examined in order to find an explanation.

This thesis is focused mainly on the portrayal of the alternative music in Ukraine, depicting it not only as a fundamental component of the world cultures, just as equal to other influences, as well as identifying its importance as a playing a truly vital part in forming a social conscience of the Ukrainian people. The following set of goal introduces the forecasted solutions of the aforementioned tasks: to introduce general tendencies leading up to the foundation as well as the development of the Ukrainian alternative music as an integral part of the culture of Ukraine; to analyze the lyrics and texts of the rock musicians and their influence on the national language development in Ukraine; to further identify bilingual tendencies, as well as "surzhik" as examples of language developmental movements in the studied texts. The theory section of this thesis aims to describe worldwide cultural tendencies which preceeded the establishment of the Ukrainian alternative music and has shaped its foundations. In addition, it also comprises the analysis of the alternative genre and its functions in relation to the current Ukrainian culture and its roots. The practical part then undertakes to review and underline language unique features and unusual structures along with other ethnical and cultural forms of...

This study attempts to address a gap in existing subcultural research. While there has been extensive work done on the experiences of men in subcultural groupings, the examination of women's experiences is sadly lacking. Using a combination of participant observation and ethnographic interviewing, this study looks at the role women play in the local rock music scene. Some interesting themes emerge that challenge existing notions that women are either marginal or absent from subcultural activity. Women in the scene occupy a richly contradictory social position. While they exercise an impressive degree of sexual and financial autonomy, as illustrated by their initiation of relationships and breadwinner roles in partnerships with male musicians, they also adopt many goals and behaviors typically associated with mainstream constructions of proper femininty. Women in the rock scene are seldom performers, instead they are concentrated i n the role of the "nurturent caretaker" (Cole 1993: 89/90) allowing the male musicians to retain recognition, prestige and power in the scene. This construction of the male role as central reflects the acceptance of patriarchal ideology in the scene and obscures the contribution of women to the material maintenance of the subculture. Women's roles in the scene can be characterized as a simultaneous acceptance and rejection of mainstream prescriptions for feminine behavior. While women in the rock scene are undeniably the focus of much sexual objectification and exploitation, they cannot be viewed as either passive or dependent. Women are described by scene members as sexually powerful decision makers, and although women's power is cast in disappointingly sexual terms, it is the active nature of this sexuality that leads me to describe women not as "passive" sexual objects, but rather as "active" sexual objects. Women's experiences in the rock scene are inextricably linked to heterosexual relations with male musicians. While rock women focus on the same goals of marriage and motherhood as mainstream women, their relationships are characterized by complications imposed by the rock lifestyle. According female participants, the overt sexuality of the scene, lack of financial stability , and the consuming nature of the music business combine to challenge the maintenance of a healthy relationship with a musician. However, while women's willingness to deal with such obstacles is puzzling, it can be seen as determination to transcend traditional limitations on masculine and feminine roles. The rock scene, despite its disproportionate consequences for women, offers both women and men alternatives to mainstream constructions of masculinity and femininity. The scene is identified by both female and male participants as offering excitement, spontaneity and passion absent in mainstream society. / Arts, Faculty of / Sociology, Department of / Graduate

In the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) do-it-yourself (DIY) punk scene, participants attempt to adhere to notions of authenticity that dictate whether a band, record label, performance venue, or individual are in compliance with punk philosophy. These guiding principles champion individual expression, contributions to one's community (scene), independence from the mainstream music industry and consumerism, and the celebration of amateurism and the idea that everyone should "do it yourself." While each city or scene has its own punk culture, participants draw on their perceptions of the historic legacy of punk and on experiences with contemporaries from around the world. For this thesis, I emphasize the significance of performance spaces and the sonic aesthetic of the music in enacting and reinforcing notions of punk authenticity. The live performance of music is perceived as the most authentic setting for punk music, and bands go to great lengths to recreate this soundscape in the recording studio. Bands achieve this sense of liveness by recording as a group, rather than individually for a polished studio sound mix, or by inviting friends and fans into the studio to help record a live show experience. House venues have been key to the development of the DFW scene with an emphasis on individual participation through hosting concerts in their homes. This creates a stronger sense of community in DIY punk performance. Through participation observation, interviews, analysis of source materials, as well as research in previous Punk scholarship, questions of authenticity, consumerism, and technology and sound studies, this thesis updates work on the experience of sound, listening, and the importance of space in DIY punk communities today.

Depuis les années 1950, le rock perdure en se diversifiant. Courant musical mais aussi mouvement culturel à part entière, il est hétérogène et complexe. On ne saurait le réduire à un objet culturel exclusivement anglo-saxon. En effet, les scènes rock locales et nationales se multiplient. Le succès international que connaissent certaines d’entre elles nous amène à émettre deux constats : 1) La langue anglaise et la culture anglo-saxonne ne sont plus forcément les références esthétiques du rock, qui intègre ainsi de nouvelles influences. Ces dernières sont ainsi issues des nouvelles identités nationales qui s’affichent sur la scène musicale mondiale. 2) Néanmoins, l’esthétique centrale du rock reste toujours identifiable au sein de l’oeuvre de ces groupes et artistes.La présente étude se propose d’analyser l’articulation entre esthétique rock et culture nationale dans l’iconographie des scènes nationales Allemande et Finlandaise qui connaissent un succès mondial inédit. Pour cela, nous nous inscrivons dans une démarche méthodologique d’ordre socio-sémiotique. Cette articulation s’observe dans les représentations mais aussi la construction musicale. Elle trouve son origine dans un contexte socio-culturel et dans l’évolution d’une industrie musicale en pleine mutation. C’est ce que nous proposons également d’analyser. À l’issue de ce travail, nous aboutissons aux conclusions suivantes : 1) Les évolutions de la culture mondialisée et des industries culturelles vers le multiculturalisme ont favorisé l’émergence et la visibilité des scènes locales et régionales (Appadurai, 2001. Macé, 2005) . La structuration de l’industrie musicale,marquée par la notion d’authenticité (Moore, 2002) et l’existence des marchés de niche (Currien et Moreau, 2006) tiennent aussi un rôle dans ce phénomène. Par ailleurs, la constitution de la scène rock britannique montre que ce phénomène n’est pas récent, et qu’il est même essentiel dans l’histoire du rock. 2) L’évolution et la diversification de l’esthétique rock (Metal, musiques extrêmes), fruit de l’acculturation, créent un climat propice à la construction de nouvelles identités au sein du genre. Nous mettons ainsi en évidence l’existence de stratégies identitaire permettant l’expression du national : ancrage dans le local, innovation esthétique, ou spécialisation dans un sous-genre du rock. / Since the 1950’s, rock importantly diversified itself. It became a complex and heterogeneous cultural object. It is now hard to typify the genre as a strictly American or English production. Local and national scenes are effectively developping. Some of them even know international success and bring me to point two facts : 1) English language and culture are no longer the exclusive cultural references of rock production. New national identities now integrate it. 2) Nonetheless, rock aesthetic is still highly recognizable.The aim of this study is to analyse the articulation between rock aesthetic and national culture in the iconography of Finnish and German bands. I adopt a socio-semiotic methodology for analysis. This articulation is remarkable in imagery but also in music. It find its origins in a global social and cultural context, and also in the mutations of the musical industry.After this work, we can produce the following conclusions : 1) Firstly we can conclude that the evolutions of cultural industries and globalised culture toward multiculturalism favoured the developpment and the visibility of national rock scenes. Structuration of the musical economy played also an importantpart. Moroever, the phenomenon is not new. Effectively, the British rock scene is an early example of it since the 1960’s. 2) Then, the evolution and the diversification of rock aesthetic as a result of acculturation create good conditions for the emergence of new identities in rock music. We notice the use of different strategies to express the national in music, such as specialisation into a genre, musical innovation or inscription of music in the local cultural environment.

Portland has a rich, active, and fluid music culture which is constantly being (re)created and (re)defined by a loose network of local musicians who write, record, produce, promote, distribute, and perform their music locally (and sometimes regionally, nationally, and internationally) and local residents, or audiences, who engage in local musical practices. Independent ("indie") local music making in Portland, which is embedded in DIY (do it yourself) values, creates alternative cultural places and landscapes in the city and is one medium through which some people represent themselves in the community. These residents not only perform, consume, promote, and distribute local music, they also (re)create places to host musical expressions. They have built alternative and democratic cultural landscapes, or culturescapes, in the city. Involved Portlanders strive to make live music performances accessible and affordable to all people, demonstrating through musical practices that the city is a shared space and represents a diversity of people, thoughts, values, and cultural preferences. Using theoretical tools from critical research about the economic, spatial, and social role of cultures in cities, particularly music, and ethnographic research of the Portland music scene, including participant observations and in-depth interviews with Portland musicians and other involved residents, this research takes a critical approach to examining ways in which manifestations of independent music are democratic cultural experiences that influence the city's cultural identity and are a medium through which a loosely defined group of Portlanders represent their cultural values and right to the city. In particular, it focuses on how local musical practices, especially live performances, (re)create alternative spaces within the city for musical expressions and influence the city's cultural landscapes, as well as differences between DIY independent music in Portland and its commodified forms and musicians and products produced by global music industry.

Conducting musical analyses over three case studies, Electric, Eclectic, Canadian: Issues of Genre and Identity in the Music of the Guess Who considers issues of genre, culture, and identity in the music of Canadian rock band the Guess Who. The first case study discusses soft rock transformations in the songs “These Eyes” (1968), “Laughing” (1969), and “Undun” (1969). The second case study examines changes in audience identification with the song “American Woman” (1970), performing comparative analyses of the Guess Who original release to Lenny Kravitz’s version (1999). The final case study discusses ideas of authenticity in the folk rock-inspired protest songs “Hand Me Down World” (1970), “Share the Land” (1970), and “Guns, Guns, Guns” (1972), comparing them to the iconic songs “For What It’s Worth” (Buffalo Springfield, 1967), “Big Yellow Taxi” (1970), “Ohio” (Neil Young, 1970 and “Southern Man” (Young, 1970). The conclusions summarise various musical and socio-political aspects of the Guess Who’s output and places it in relation to questions of national identity.