Music Scene Research Articles

The Origins of White Power Music: The Co-Opting of Punk and Oi! By a Parasitical Social Movement

ABSTRACT This paper challenges the common portrayal of White Power music as evolving from, or being an element of, Oi! punk. The paper traces the histories of White Power music and Oi!, and analyses a sample of 268 Oi! songs for racist or fascist lyrics. It shows that, while some Oi! artists and audience members were involved in far-right activism, the subculture was not itself fascist or overtly racist. Many of those involved in Oi! took action against racism and far-right movements, and almost no songs included racist lyrics. The paper proposes two arguments. First, drawing from Worley, media and scholarly portrayals of Oi! as racist or fascist may represent the demonization of the working-class. Second, that White Power co-opted elements of Oi! does not mean that White Power music emerged from Oi!. Rather it likely emerged from first-wave punk at roughly the same time as Oi!. The central argument being that the White Power music scene, and the far-right more generally, is parasitical. It feeds upon the resources of larger scenes and subcultures, often harming them in the process.

Asian Women And The Hardcore Scene

This research aims to find out how media framing and the impact obtained from media framing on the representation of women in the hardcore punk scene. This research reveals how media framing affects people's perceptions and understanding of women's representation in the hardcore punk scene and the impact of media framing on women's representation. The many roles of women in the hardcore scene, with the presence of female musicians and fans who actively contribute and bring new perspectives that enrich this music scene. This study uses a qualitative method to describe how media framing represents women in the hardcore punk scene through the website and social media use your voice using Robert N. Entman's framing analysis theory. As for the results of this study, women in the hardcore punk scene are faced with various obstacles and discrimination that must be addressed immediately through concrete actions to improve representation and gender equality in the hardcore punk scene.

Authenticity in Transcribing

This research explores the concept of authenticity in transcription. It is applied to Béla Bartók's Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm, movements one, two and five. By prioritising different aspects, the overall look of the transcription is shaped. Examples of these aspects are the sonic possibilities of the chosen or original instrumentation, the general style of the composer and the piece, one's own musical context, the technical abilities of the players... All these aspects could be considered as a form of authenticity. The first chapter elaborates on the concept and discusses methods of transcription. The second chapter analyses the history of the classical guitar, including its transcriptions. The guitar's search for a place in the classical mainstream has encouraged guitarists throughout the centuries to write transcriptions. Throughout history, the concept of authenticity in these transcriptions has changed. The final chapter discusses the entire process of transcribing, from the intentions behind selecting the piece to the obstacles and dilemmas that arose during the process. It shows that the transcribing part is as important as the individual practice and rehearsals. They alternate and influence each other. The Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm were of great importance to Bartók. Today they are not as popular as his Six Romanian Folk Dances but given their historical context they deserve to be heard more in today's classical music scene. Finally, it becomes clear that the abstract musical idea of the composer should be kept clear from the beginning to the end of the transcription process.

The underground: Alternative scenes and clothing styles in Costa Rica during the 1990s

During the 1990s, Costa Rica experienced a growth in young bands performing emergent music genres. From a post-subcultural approach, this article argues that a varied array of young bands from different musical genres and scenes created a sense of unity and support that led to the creation of what was known as ‘the underground scene’ during the 1990s. The ‘underground scene’ served as a platform that opened up a series of spaces that were alternative to the mainstream, where youth groups were able to perform their music and create new styles. In these new spaces, members of the underground developed new clothing styles linked to their musical tastes. By interviewing members of different alternative rock and reggae bands, information was gathered and analysed to visualize the development of these scenes. Members of the scene established their clothing styles based on their icons and could be identified within a specific genre due to their dress. Aesthetics were a mix of influences and bands that came directly from western countries. Americanas (thrift stores) was youth’s primary outlet for clothing hunting and they adopted current styles directly from the United States.

"Yiddishists for Palestine": Diasporism and Solidarity through Twenty-First Century Yiddish Song

ABSTRACT: As many young Jews grow increasingly alienated from Zionist narratives, some have found a space for expressions of diasporism and solidarity with Palestinians in the international Yiddishist music scene. This article examines four twenty-first century Yiddish songs that refer to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and express solidarity with Palestinians: "Ver Tantzt" by Black Ox Orkestar, "Dumai" by Daniel Kahn, "A shtik fun harts" by Josh Waletzky and Michael Winograd, and "Qibya" by Koyt far dayn fardakht. These songs were compiled by the authors as part of the group "Yiddishist with Palestine," an online gathering of Yiddishist activists that started during the 2021 Gaza war, discussing strategies for expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Yiddishist communal spaces. Through textual, contextual, and musical analysis, and drawing on theories of diaspora and diasporism, the article explores the various ways these songs express Jewish solidarity with Palestinians.

Musical Scenes from Ibero-America

Musical Scenes from Ibero-America

Finding Home: An Exploration of South African Art Music through the Classical Saxophone and Collaborative Practice

This research project explores South African Art Music through collaborative practice and the classical saxophone. It begins by investigating the discourse surrounding South African Art Music through testimony collected from various conversations with South African composers, musicians and academics such as Dr Kevin Volans, Dr Antoni Schonken, Professor Hendrik Hofmeyr, Dr Cara Stacey and Arthur Feder. I began collecting the scores of South African saxophone compositions which led to the development of an online catalogue system to document these works -The South African Saxophone Catalogue. This catalogue forms the base - as well as the network - for how this research was developed. To further investigate the South African repertoire, I embarked on creative journeys with four South African composers through performer-composer collaboration. I decided to use this means of investigation as the relationship formed between myself and these composers shows a different level of engagement with this music, first-hand experience in the creation of this music as well as creating an open space for discourse. These collaborations were documented through reflections, audio and video recordings and are investigated in the form of case studies. The final artistic product was a concert featuring these new compositions in Cape Town, South Africa. The data collected was organised through an amalgamation of critical reflection and thematic analysis. Through this collective music-making, I discovered the variety in thought surrounding South African Art Music and paradoxically those who vigorously deny this term. I discovered the complexity both politically and socially that the term South African Art Music implies. In conjunction with my personal reflections, this exposition explores the ideas, opinions and art of individuals in various fields in the South African classical music scene who represent a variety of South African cultural backgrounds and generations.

The Movement of Sundanese Karawitan Artist in the Indie Music From the Perspectiv of Music Sociology

This research delves into the attitudes and perspectives of Sundanese karawitan artists toward the indie music movement through the lens of music sociology. Employing qualitative methodologies such as literature review and fieldwork, the study reveals that these artists do not merely act as preservers of cultural heritage but also actively adapt and integrate their traditional music into the indie music scene. As pivotal figures, they engage in collaborations with global elements within the indie world, making substantial contributions to the evolution of indie music. This active participation fosters a unique harmony that mirrors the diverse and dynamic nature of Indonesian culture. The study offers a comprehensive analysis of how Sundanese karawitan artists interact with and influence the indie music scene. Their involvement is not just a preservation of traditional art forms but a dynamic adaptation that enriches both their cultural heritage and the broader indie music movement. By blending traditional and contemporary elements, these artists create innovative music that appeals to a global audience while retaining its cultural roots. Furthermore, this research highlights the significant role of Sundanese karawitan artists in the indie music scene, showcasing their ability to navigate between tradition and modernity. Their contributions reflect a broader trend in the Indonesian music landscape where traditional art forms are not static but are continually evolving and adapting to new contexts and influences. This dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation is crucial for the sustainability and growth of both traditional and indie music genres in Indonesia.

Social Life of Zines and Other DIY Micro-Media Constituting American DIY Communities and Scenes

The primary function of zines is often considered to be creative and expressive, and the function of other types of DIY (“do-it-yourself”) micro-media as utilitarian (e.g., flyers as promotion), but all of these media also perform important social roles. DIY micro-media (e.g., zines, flyers, Internet pages, graffiti, wall signs, and “thank you” notes) are in this way embroiled in social lives of their makers and help them constitute themselves culturally and socially. DIY micro-media in this way also acquire their own social lives. Inspired by my ethnographic observations of the social lives of DIY micro-media within particular American DIY houses and music scenes, I examine in this article not only the content of DIY zines and micro-media (i.e., to study them as texts), but primarily the social role of zines and other DIY micro-media in the material, social, and affective constitution of DIY and music communities and scenes (i.e., to study them as social agents). Therefore, I show how these micro-media operate as material and media objects that are simultaneously shaped by and shaping human and social relations. By combining zine and micro-media studies with anthropology and material culture studies, I offer in this article a nuanced micro perspective, both ethnographic and emic, of the social processes implicated in the social and economic mutual constitution between media objects and music/art communities and scenes.

Two Radio Stations for Two People—The Story of Reshet Gimmel and Galei Tzahal in the 1980s

ABSTRACT: In the 1980s, Israel's music scene was largely steered by two major radio stations, G alei Tzahal and Reshet Gimmel . Both played a critical role in shaping musical tastes in Israel, while also serving the music industry as crucial platforms for artist exposure. Regarded as "taste communities," they catered primarily to music enthusiasts and embodied a spectrum of cultural, political, and socio-economic facets of diverse Israeli groups. Galei Tzahal tended to be more selective, elitist, and avant-garde. Reshet Gimmel pursued a more populist agenda, aiming for mass appeal and fostering a seemingly broader sense of shared identity among listeners. Galei Tzahal wished to educate Israelis, Reshet Gimmel aimed to represent what the masses wanted to hear. This research aims to probe into the distinct tactics of these stations, understand their contributions to the cultural conversation, and examine how they helped forge a national identity through music.

Nostalgia, authenticity and writing Goth histories: ‘Would you carry the torch...?’1

In 2023, three books were published that professed to be histories of Goth: John Robb’s The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth, Cathi Unsworth’s Season of the Witch: The Book of Goth and Lol Tolhurst’s Goth: A History. Together, the books and the discussion surrounding them indicate a struggle for meaning around a shared past, occasioning what Svetlana Boym has called ‘reflective nostalgia’, a nostalgia that ‘dwells on the ambivalences of longing and belonging’. This article reflects on the tendency of Goth histories to locate nostalgia in the 1980s, asking what it means to write subcultural history and what histories are sidelined or left untold in such popular revivals. It interrogates the relationship between history-writing and Sarah Thornton’s concept of subcultural capital, identifying the conflicted subject-position of the subcultural historian, who must establish both objectivity and authenticity. It suggests that historical narratives tend to represent Goth as a subculture that is in decline, privileging a masculinized music scene over a feminized adoption of Goth style. Contrasting the works of Robb et al. with Leila Taylor’s memoir Darkly (2019) and Andi Harriman and Marloes Bontje’s visual and oral account of the subculture, Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace (2014), the article finds that self-proclaimed Goth ‘histories’ often consolidate subcultural capital in the familiar figures of white male musicians, while marginalizing women, people of colour and a younger generation of subcultural participants.

Journalists’ authority and its bounded trade; Twitter, journalists, and boundary work in contemporary France’s music scene

Journalists, it is widely admitted, are engaged in new forms of boundary work on social media platforms, seeking to uphold their influence over news dissemination. This study focuses on music festivals as a case study to examine journalists' endeavors in maintaining their authority on social media. We analyze Twitter coverage of music festivals in France during the summer of 2018, systematically collecting data from 16 festivals of varying sizes and musical genres. Through this analysis, we investigate journalists' engagement and evaluate the trading of authority with other stakeholders through mentioning practices. Our findings challenge the prevailing notion of journalists as primary arbiters of authority on social media platforms. Despite their conspicuous presence during music festivals on Twitter, journalists emerge as relatively passive participants compared to other stakeholders in the music scene. Moreover, their ability to assert or receive authority from the broader public sphere is limited. This study sheds light on the bounded nature of journalists' boundary work on social media platforms, emphasizing the evolving dynamics of authority within digital information ecosystems.

가스펠 음악이 엘비스 프레슬리(Elvis Presley)의 음악에 끼친 영향과 의미

Elvis Presley’s Grammy Awards, all three of which were won in the Gospel category, highlight a lesser-known facet of his musical legacy. His unwavering commitment to gospel music led to his posthumous induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. This study explores the impact of gospel music on Presley’s musical career and the significance it held for him. Presley grew up in the Southern United States, where gospel music culture was not significantly differentiated from secular music, allowing for a seamless integration of various gospel music styles. Even after achieving rock and roll stardom, he continued releasing gospel records and incorporated gospel songs in movies and various other shows. He used gospel music as a key element in shaping his musical style, structuring his backup vocals around gospel quartets throughout his career. By infusing traditional gospel music with contemporary sounds, he crafted his own musical identity, presenting it with unwavering confidence to the general public and the music industry. Gospel music was indeed an integral part of his artistic persona. He introduced gospel music to the world of rock and roll, reserving a prominent place for it on his stage. This approach underscored the significance of gospel music in the broader music scene. Elvis Presley’s gospel music can be re-evaluated as having emerged as a pioneering force during the formative phase of contemporary Christian music.

From online to offline: Getting ready for in-person fieldwork through social media ethnography

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant emphasis on finding solutions to continue academic research in light of closed borders. The inability to travel has prompted academic researchers to reconsider their approaches to fieldwork, with a particular focus on utilizing modern technology effectively to conduct accurate ethnographic research even while working remotely. This has entailed navigating the vast expanse of the internet carefully and acquiring additional tools in the field of ethnography. The primary concerns surrounding conducting remote fieldwork and ensuring the proper selection of data can be summarized by exploring strategies to overcome the challenges imposed by restrictions, as well as leveraging modern technology to study distant cultures without compromising comprehension. Taking into consideration my research on the Japanese experimental noise music scene and the necessity to collect information about the response and activities of these artists at the brink of the pandemic, I challenged my need to collect data by practising through the internet and modern technologies new ways to undertake ethnographic research through distance. In this sense, social networks demonstrated how modern ethnographic methods can be effectively applied to conduct functional social media ethnography, mitigating the challenges brought about by physical distance constraints. Specifically for my research, Reddit’s feature of organizing communities into subtopics named “subreddits” provides me with the possibility to keep in touch with reliable users and information by selecting specific subreddits related to Japan and music topics (e.g. “r/japaneseunderground”, “r/noisemusic”). Along with the existing literature and the constant online research for news related to my project, social media ethnography played a functional role not only in collecting relevant data but also in providing me with more clarity about how to further move my fieldwork once I can travel to Japan. By emphasizing the potential of social media as a valuable avenue to enhance research strategies in times of crisis, this paper aims to consider how online fieldwork created to overcome the impossibility of fieldwork travel can result in a profitable social media ethnography not only to collect data by distance but also to gain appropriate preparation for following in-person fieldwork by relying on our primary findings. By retracing step by step my research project on Japanese noise music, I will explain how undertaking online research provided me with further ideas to achieve more findings and add clarities to my research intent once I had to switch to offline fieldwork.

Design of a Music Stage Documentation Photography Book Tani Maju Band

Malang City is one of the cities in Indonesia that has a rich and diverse music history. One of the famous music groups from Malang City is Tani Maju. Established since 1999, Tani Maju continues to enliven the music scene in Malang City until today. This research is a project by the author who has also been a documentation stage photographer for Tani Maju since 2009 until now. This research will result in a photography book documenting Tani Maju's music stage as the main medium. Music stage documentation photography is a branch of photography that focuses on documenting music performances. This photography book will contain photos of Tani Maju on stage, taken by the author from 2009 to mid-2019, and has undergone photography quality selection and editing processes by the author. The design method applied in this research is using a qualitative approach. The general aim of this design is to create a photography book that contains documentation of Tani Maju's music stage, and the benefits derived from this research and design are to add one form of visual artwork for the author and Tani Maju Band in the form of a music stage documentation book.

Unraveling the difference mechanism of authenticity experience in determining antecedents and consequences of destination loyalty

ABSTRACT Taiwan’s music festival landscape has blossomed, attracting global music enthusiasts with its cultural richness and diverse offerings. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), a survey of festival-goers revealed the intricate relationships among factors like skill performance, self-congruence, ambiance, and consumer interaction, shaping authenticity, satisfaction, destination loyalty, and behavioral intentions. Interestingly, memory was identified as a moderating role, which interlinking satisfaction, behavioral intentions, and destination loyalty. These findings provide both theoretical insights and practical strategies for enhancing festival experiences and cultivating destination loyalty within Taiwan’s thriving music scene.

DIY under Authoritarian Politics: Indie Music Scene in Istanbul

The ongoing political turmoil in Turkey is reflected in many areas of the cultural landscape, including the processes of music-making. With its immensely rich musical and cultural legacy that combines a rural and urban heritage, Istanbul has become home to many subcultures revolving around a variety of ethnicities and political acts. While the neoliberal urban control and gentrification agenda of the AKP (Justice and Development Party) government is reshaping the cultural life in the city; a do-it-yourself (DIY) attitude in the music scene removed the barriers of a hierarchy of production while creating unique performance spaces and a sense of belonging and solidarity among its participants. This essay intends to examine the influence of authoritarian politics on the formation of DIY initiatives in Istanbul’s indie music scene. I will concentrate on the period of 2013–2020, the start date signifying the paradigm shift that the Gezi Park protests (May 27–August 20, 2013) fostered, and the end date signifies the decline of the active music scene, with the COVID-19 pandemic preventing live music altogether. This project is a result of fieldwork conducted as a participant-observer of the scene, in addition to structured and semi-structured interviews. The results of the research will be discussed with a focus on the influence of the Islamist, neoliberal, and authoritarian politics of the government on the indie music scene of Istanbul.

Digital transformation and the DIY artist: Balancing artistic integrity and economic sustainability in the digital domain

This study investigates the evolving role of do-it-yourself (DIY) artists in the context of digital transformation, analyzing the delicate balance between maintaining artistic integrity and achieving economic sustainability in the contemporary music industry. By exploring the innovative use of digital platforms, the research highlights the need to foster innovation and ensure sustainable growth as part of a pivotal strategy for these artists. The findings emphasize the complexities and challenges presented by digital platforms, particularly in terms of diverse groups and the potential disparity between artistic and commercial pressures. Drawing from global DIY music scenes, the study underlines the importance of expanding income sources, fostering community-driven growth, and prioritizing genuine artist–fan interactions. The results offer invaluable insights for independent musicians, industry stakeholders, and digital platform developers, emphasizing the interrelationship between artistry, identity, and sustainability in the digital domain.

Islamic Underground Movement: Islamist Music in the Indonesian Popular Music Scene

Since the fall of the New Order regime in 1998, music has become a site of religio-political resistance among the new Islamist generation in Indonesia. This research examines the emergence of Islamist music on the Indonesian underground music scene to show the deepening influence of the Islamist movement among urban Muslim youth and the shifting strategy of the new Islamist generation from structural politics to cultural politics. The emergence of Islamist music indicates how a new generation of Islamists negotiates an Islamist worldview with contemporary popular culture. By maintaining the aggressive character of underground music, they adopt the Western popular culture as a code of resistance against the secular cultural hegemony. They also use popular music as a cultural approach or a strategy to promote the Islamist ideology to all urban Muslim youth.

Pride and the politics of activism in South and South-East Asia: a transdisciplinary conversation

ABSTRACT The notion of pride in the context of queer activism and community organising has been questioned by South and South-East Asian scholars and practitioners regarding its Eurocentric genealogies, its emphasis on visibility, and its reliance on capitalist and consumerist practices. This article builds on an online public panel discussion hosted at Heidelberg University on 15 May 2023 on the theme of queer activism in South and South-East Asia in the lead-up to the event ‘Bangga di Bali’, the first large-scale LGBTQ+ pride parade in Indonesia initiated by grassroots communities Pelangi Nusantara and QLC Bali. The discussion below brought together activists, students, and scholars working in and across Indonesia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to think through different challenges and potentialities in the context of contemporary queer activism. The discussion examines the notion of pride and other queer activist strategies for their challenges and potentialities. The speakers explore decolonial approaches to activism in the context of the queer Indonesian music and activist scene, Khwaja Sira activism in Pakistan, and queer Eelam Tamil counter-narratives in Sri Lanka and the Eelam Tamil diaspora. Topics that are discussed include intersectional differences within queer communities, the risks of visible political activism, and the regional and global dynamics of funding.