Being in the band: exploring agency and structure in popular music

Radford, Clive ORCID: 0000-0002-6717-6911 (2024). Being in the band: exploring agency and structure in popular music. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Being in the Band: Exploring Agency and Structure in Popular Music is a practice-led, phenomenological auto-ethnomusicology that investigates the musical and social dynamics of a grassroots rock band's quest for recognition and its complex interactions with the music industry. Through a series of band histories, this research examines Kerb’s setbacks and resilience after failing to secure a major record deal. The lived experience of making music is a critical feature of this phenomenological ethnomusicology. It combines an introspective narrative with thematic analysis to reveal how a rock band operates at a local level, constructs its sound, songs and identity, and navigates the interplay of personal agency within music industry constraints. The theoretical framework draws on Edward Casey’s phenomenology of remembering and imagining, which is leveraged to reveal how musicians construct meaning through their creative practices, interactions with technology, and responses to industry pressures. Kerb’s journey is traced from the edges of the Bristol music scene of the early to mid-2000s, confronting industry setbacks such as record label rejections and criticisms of the band's music and style. The band ventured to Sweden, funded by an independent record label, where they encountered the highly professionalised recording and production practices of Swedish producers. Ultimately, this study argues that first-hand, self-reflexive accounts are essential for understanding how musicians navigate their creative endeavours amid socio-economic and cultural forces. It offers a methodological contribution by demonstrating how phenomenological auto-ethnomusicology can illuminate the complex interplay between individual aspirations, artistic identity, and industry dynamics.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):