Knocking it Out

Partly because they are objects of such intense adulation by fans, popular musicians remain strangely enigmatic figures, shrouded in mythology. This volume looks beyond the myth and examines the diverse role music makers have had to adopt in order to go about their work.

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Partly because they are objects of such intense adulation by fans, popular musicians remain strangely enigmatic figures, shrouded in mythology. This volume looks beyond the myth and examines the diverse role music makers have had to adopt in order to go about their work: designer, ventriloquist, star, delegate of the people. Arguing against that strand in cultural studies which deconstructs all claims for authorship by the individual artist, the author suggests that creativity should be reconceived rather than abandoned. What is needed is a sense of "the radius of creativity" within which musicians work, an approach that takes into account both the embedded collectivism of popular music practice and the institutional power of the music industries. Drawing on a wide range of theoretical positions, as well as examining musical texts from across the history of 20th century pop, this text develops a case for the importance of production in contemporary culture.