160071 VO Perspectives on British Rock Music (1964-2001) (2014W)

The purpose of this course is to resituate British rock in its own political, social, and musical context, where American rock, and the social trends it reflected, becomes an influence rather than the dominant narrative. By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- aurally recognize and describe the unique features of the major artists and genres in British rock music,
- understand how genres evolved from or revolted against prior and current styles,
- appreciate the uniqueness of British rock, as well as its connections to a broader global context,
- situate the sound, the attitude, the fashion of groups into their historical context of culture, society, and politics,
- assess how commercial and technological innovations, as well as media, marketing and dissemination impacted the way British rock was produced and received,
- talk about a musical art form in which timbre, rhythm and performance are more important than harmony and structure in differentiating between styles (and hence in conveying meaning).