Uploaded August 2019 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
crosstowntraffic2018.wordpress.com
This presentation took place as part of the conference Crosstown Traffic: Popular Music Theory and Practice, which was hosted by The University of Huddersfield from September 3 - 5 2018. This event combined the IASPM UK&Ireland Biennial Conference, the 13th Art of Record Production Conference (ARP), an ISMMS conference, and the additional participation of Dancecult.
A recurrent theme within popular music studies has been discussion of how the field can integrate different disciplines and professions, for example exploring both music and its context; involving both practitioners and researchers; and encouraging interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Many different issues make such approaches challenging, and various different popular music focused subject organisations have developed somewhat independently of one another. This conference brought four such groups together, to exchange knowledge, collaborate, and encourage crosstalk.
/// SUPPORT
Popular Music Studies Research Group (PMSRG), University of Huddersfield research.hud.ac.uk/pmsrg/#
Centre for Music, Culture and Identity (CMCI), University of Huddersfield
research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cmci
The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch (IASPM UK & Ireland)
iaspm.org.uk
Association for the Study of the Art of Record Production (ASARP)
artofrecordproduction.com
Dancecult Research Network (DRN) studies into electronic dance music culture
dancecult-research.net
International Society for Metal Music Studies (ISMMS)
metalstudies.org
/// ORGANIZERS
IASPM UK&I: Rupert Till
ARP: Katia Isakoff, Shara Rambarran
ISMMS: Karl Spracklen
Dancecult: Graham St. John
University of Huddersfield: Jan Herbst, Austin Moore, Lisa Colton, Toby Martin, Catherine Haworth, Mark Mynett
/// CREDITS
This online project was edited, collated, and made available online by Chris McConnell, Jack Zissell, and Colin Frank.
/// PRESENTATION DETAILS
Heavy Metal Music and the Student Experience: why alternative university students form their own subcultural campus communities
Amanda Barnett - University of Liverpool
Email: amandasilviabarnett@gmail.com or a.s.barnett@liverpool.ac.uk
/// ABSTRACT
With various roles music can play in everyday life, it is no wonder that many UK universities offer an array of extracurricular student societies focusing on music. Although there is generally something for most music tastes, experiences, and commitment levels, ‘Rock Societies’ have become the case study for my PhD ethnographic research. ‘RockSoc’s are most campuses response to providing a heavier, louder, head-banging atmosphere for metal, rock, punk, goth and other alternative students. As a current member of multiple Rock Societies, I can attest to why this student club is monumental to those involved, as many members consider themselves outsiders to other elements of campus life and the student experience. These participatory options highlight important interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the student experience through a leisure perspective. I intend to highlight how the student experience has been integrated in popular music and metal music studies, through identity forming practices, subcultural capital, community involvement, personal development stages, and a sense of belonging, through answering the following questions: What responsibility does the University have to provide many varied societies for students and how do student societies help university aged persons develop? Why do different Universities tend have distinctly different variations of music or rock societies, and why do these tend to be clearly separated with metal and rock students needing their own society? What can we learn about the interdisciplinary role Rock Societies play in students’ everyday lives and identity formation that will impact future youth, subcultural, popular music, and metal music studies?
crosstowntraffic2018.wordpress.com
This presentation took place as part of the conference Crosstown Traffic: Popular Music Theory and Practice, which was hosted by The University of Huddersfield from September 3 - 5 2018. This event combined the IASPM UK&Ireland Biennial Conference, the 13th Art of Record Production Conference (ARP), an ISMMS conference, and the additional participation of Dancecult.
A recurrent theme within popular music studies has been discussion of how the field can integrate different disciplines and professions, for example exploring both music and its context; involving both practitioners and researchers; and encouraging interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Many different issues make such approaches challenging, and various different popular music focused subject organisations have developed somewhat independently of one another. This conference brought four such groups together, to exchange knowledge, collaborate, and encourage crosstalk.
/// SUPPORT
Popular Music Studies Research Group (PMSRG), University of Huddersfield research.hud.ac.uk/pmsrg/#
Centre for Music, Culture and Identity (CMCI), University of Huddersfield
research.hud.ac.uk/institutes-centres/cmci
The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch (IASPM UK & Ireland)
iaspm.org.uk
Association for the Study of the Art of Record Production (ASARP)
artofrecordproduction.com
Dancecult Research Network (DRN) studies into electronic dance music culture
dancecult-research.net
International Society for Metal Music Studies (ISMMS)
metalstudies.org
/// ORGANIZERS
IASPM UK&I: Rupert Till
ARP: Katia Isakoff, Shara Rambarran
ISMMS: Karl Spracklen
Dancecult: Graham St. John
University of Huddersfield: Jan Herbst, Austin Moore, Lisa Colton, Toby Martin, Catherine Haworth, Mark Mynett
/// CREDITS
This online project was edited, collated, and made available online by Chris McConnell, Jack Zissell, and Colin Frank.
/// PRESENTATION DETAILS
Heavy Metal Music and the Student Experience: why alternative university students form their own subcultural campus communities
Amanda Barnett - University of Liverpool
Email: amandasilviabarnett@gmail.com or a.s.barnett@liverpool.ac.uk
/// ABSTRACT
With various roles music can play in everyday life, it is no wonder that many UK universities offer an array of extracurricular student societies focusing on music. Although there is generally something for most music tastes, experiences, and commitment levels, ‘Rock Societies’ have become the case study for my PhD ethnographic research. ‘RockSoc’s are most campuses response to providing a heavier, louder, head-banging atmosphere for metal, rock, punk, goth and other alternative students. As a current member of multiple Rock Societies, I can attest to why this student club is monumental to those involved, as many members consider themselves outsiders to other elements of campus life and the student experience. These participatory options highlight important interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the student experience through a leisure perspective. I intend to highlight how the student experience has been integrated in popular music and metal music studies, through identity forming practices, subcultural capital, community involvement, personal development stages, and a sense of belonging, through answering the following questions: What responsibility does the University have to provide many varied societies for students and how do student societies help university aged persons develop? Why do different Universities tend have distinctly different variations of music or rock societies, and why do these tend to be clearly separated with metal and rock students needing their own society? What can we learn about the interdisciplinary role Rock Societies play in students’ everyday lives and identity formation that will impact future youth, subcultural, popular music, and metal music studies?
