Editions Delatour
2023 January 30
ISBN-13: 978-2752104588
320 pp, paperback, 25,5 x 17,5 cm
French
Jacopo Costa
musician & musicologist
Preface
by Philippe Gonin (automatic translation)
Despite the undeniable presence of trends that can be described
as experimental throughout the history of rock, discussing "experimental
rock" as a distinct musical genre remains problematic.
This book explores the approaches of musicians and groups that,
while rooted in the rock tradition, go beyond the boundaries
- both stylistically and sociologically and economically - inherent
to rock. The musical aesthetics of Frank Zappa, the Rock In
Opposition collective (specifically Henry Cow and Stormy Six),
and the Italian group Yugen, all fit within the same tradition
of experimentation, yet they do not result in similar productions
from a stylistic standpoint.
Moreover, the reflections undertaken by these artists on the
economic, social, and even political issues related to their
musical activities prove that experimentation is not merely
a matter of aesthetics.
The research in this book follows a multidisciplinary approach.
Firstly, it addresses the defining characteristics of rock,
at the musical, sociological, and economic levels, and seeks
to understand to what extent the notion of experimentation has
integrated into rock throughout history.
Subsequently, the examples provided by Zappa, Henry Cow, Stormy
Six, and Yugen allow us to discuss concretely the relationship
between rock and experimentation, through musical analyses and
the description of the socio-economic positioning of these artists.
About the author:
Jacopo Costa is a musician and holds a doctorate in musicology
from the University of Strasbourg. The main subjects of his
research include Frank Zappa, Rock In Opposition, the Canterbury
scene, as well as the political aspects related to musical experimentation
and its reception. He studies these topics from the perspectives
of music history, music analysis, and cultural studies. Since
2013, he has been teaching at the Music Department of the Faculty
of Arts at the University of Strasbourg. He is a member of the
CREAA laboratory (Center for Research and Experimentation on
Artistic Acts). He is the founder of the art rock group Loomings
and performs both as a soloist and in collaboration with several
groups such as Oiapok, Yugen, and Ske.
This paperback book is also digitally available.
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