The theme of tomorrow's lecture is to examine popular music as a cultural phenomenon. The case study we use is Richard Lester's 1964 film about the Beatles: A Hard Day's Night.
You should re-familiarise yourself with Adorno's work on popular music, especially his assertion that popular music is 'standardised', 'Popular music is a production line that churns out inferior commodities'. This links to a key scene in A Hard Day's Night: 'A clue to the new direction', where George Harrison argues with an opportunistic advertising executive.
In this film we have an authentic subculture colliding with an inauthentic mass produced mainstream culture. You should read what John Storey says about this, and also his use of the term 'structured irresponsibility'.
I will also introduce the term 'subterranean values' in this lecture. Research this term and tell me its meaning.
The seminar discussion will look at ideas such as fan culture as a creative and productive process, George Melly's phrase 'Revolt into Style' and folk culture versus consumerism.
I will give you a handout looking at the following issues: The Affluent Society, Pop and Consumerism, pop and Politics, Englishness, Regionalism and Identity, Surrealism and Film and the media creation of the 1960s: The Sound of Music sold more than Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Remember to watch A Hard Day's Night in the LRC, there is not a screening of the film on the course, but (technology permitting) we'll look a key scenes tomorrow.
This lecture also relates to consumption, so read Storey's work on commodification and consumption.There is a chapter called 'consumption' in his book.
Keep blogging,
Richard
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