“Primitive” Bodies, Virtuosic Bodies: Narrative, Affect, and Meaning in Rock Drumming
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Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK
2020
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1589971850375113 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-case15899718503751132021-08-03T07:15:01Z “Primitive” Bodies, Virtuosic Bodies: Narrative, Affect, and Meaning in Rock Drumming Smith, Mandy J. American History European History European Studies History Modern History Music Performing Arts drumming drums drummers meaning in music virtuosity primitive the body music theory of drumming rock music musical affect musical narrative musical meaning Keith Moon The Who John Bonham Led Zeppelin Neil Peart Rush Troggs Steppenwolf Oftentimes, we think of the concepts of the “primitive” and the virtuosic as being unrelated, contradictory, or even diametrically opposed. In rock drumming, however, the concepts can and do overlap. Consider the way that The Who’s drummer Keith Moon embodies the wild-man drummer stereotype of the Muppets character Animal in both his persona and his performance style while simultaneously executing complicated parts that require a high degree of technical proficiency.In this dissertation, I argue that rock drumming operates as a site where the concepts of the “primitive” and the virtuosic overlap. Before considering drumming’s relationship to each concept individually, I dive into drumming’s complex relationship to the body and embodiment, through which I develop a theory of rock drumming based on patterns of tension and release called the Tonic Beat Pattern Theory (henceforth “the Theory”). Each chapter demonstrates how the Theory can be applied through an in-depth analysis of a single rock song that sheds light on that chapter’s concept. The culminating chapter uses the Theory to demonstrate Keith Moon’s ability to embody “controlled chaos” in his drumming style.In any band, the drummer is the main driver of rhythm and groove. Drummers cause us to move, shake, twist, and mosh along to the music that gives meaning to our lives. Scholars have only begun to scratch the surface of uncovering the power of the drums and considering the moves that drummers make in their analyses. This dissertation offers a model of how to analyze the ways that drummers contribute to affect, narrative, and meaning in rock music. It begins to uncover why rock drumming matters. 2020-09-07 English text Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1589971850375113 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1589971850375113 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
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NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
American History European History European Studies History Modern History Music Performing Arts drumming drums drummers meaning in music virtuosity primitive the body music theory of drumming rock music musical affect musical narrative musical meaning Keith Moon The Who John Bonham Led Zeppelin Neil Peart Rush Troggs Steppenwolf |
| spellingShingle |
American History European History European Studies History Modern History Music Performing Arts drumming drums drummers meaning in music virtuosity primitive the body music theory of drumming rock music musical affect musical narrative musical meaning Keith Moon The Who John Bonham Led Zeppelin Neil Peart Rush Troggs Steppenwolf Smith, Mandy J. “Primitive” Bodies, Virtuosic Bodies: Narrative, Affect, and Meaning in Rock Drumming |
| author |
Smith, Mandy J. |
| author_facet |
Smith, Mandy J. |
| author_sort |
Smith, Mandy J. |
| title |
“Primitive” Bodies, Virtuosic Bodies: Narrative, Affect, and Meaning in Rock Drumming |
| title_short |
“Primitive” Bodies, Virtuosic Bodies: Narrative, Affect, and Meaning in Rock Drumming |
| title_full |
“Primitive” Bodies, Virtuosic Bodies: Narrative, Affect, and Meaning in Rock Drumming |
| title_fullStr |
“Primitive” Bodies, Virtuosic Bodies: Narrative, Affect, and Meaning in Rock Drumming |
| title_full_unstemmed |
“Primitive” Bodies, Virtuosic Bodies: Narrative, Affect, and Meaning in Rock Drumming |
| title_sort |
“primitive” bodies, virtuosic bodies: narrative, affect, and meaning in rock drumming |
| publisher |
Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2020 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1589971850375113 |
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