B-Sides, Undercurrents and Overtones: Peripheries to Popular in Music, 1960 to the Present (Ashgate Popular and Folk Music Series)

There are undercurrents and peripheral taste preferences that are a defining part of our individual and collective cultural experience. Music is no exception. Professor George Plasketes adapts the iconic 'A-side/B-side' dichotomy from the 45 r.p.m. for use as a unique conceptual, critical, historical, and cultural framework for exploring and threading together a variety of popular music and media texts. The profiles and perspectives focus on the peripheries; on texts which might be considered 'B-sides' - overlooked, under appreciated, and unsung cases, creators, patterns and productions that have unassumingly, but significantly, marked popular culture, music and media during the past 40 years. The under appreciated yet enduring contributions of a variety of creative individuals in music, television and film are a centerpiece of this volume: actress Doris Day's son, Terry Melcher, a 1960s music producer whose imprint is on the surf, country blues, garage pop and most importantly the folk rock genre; Hans Fenger's kid chorus cover project, a musical variation of 'outsider art' that became representative of the tribute wave that began in the 1990s and continues today; versatile guitarist virtuoso Ry Cooder's extensive film soundtrack work; World Music 'missionary efforts' of American artists beyond Paul Simon's Graceland, including Neil Diamond's precursor with Tap Root Manuscript in the 1970s and the exotic adventures of Henry Kaiser and David Lindley in Madagascar and Norway - to name just a few examples. These B-sides represent undercurrents, but they resonate as overtones in the mainstream of music and culture, many as historical hinges. Collectively, these B-sides are an A-side antidote of outskirt observations, individual snapshots of artists, artifacts and rituals, genres and generations, producers and musical productions in television, film and video. They constitute an important connect-the-dots cultural chronicle with a multi-layered context - social, legal, historic, economic, technological, generational, aesthetic - for interpreting the interrelations between creators and institutions, the music market place, the production of culture and important connections between the peripheral and the popular. Contents 6 General Editor’s Preface 8 Preface: My Back Pages 10 Acknowledgements 12 Introduction: The Flip Side: Let It B 14 1 Get Your 45s On: Terry Melcher, Lost in the Surf and Sun of the 1960s Sound Waves 26 2 How the Midwest Was Won: The Chicago Suburbs Seven, a Mid-1960s Regional Rotation 38 3 Covering Outside the Lines: Hans Fenger and the Langley Schools Music Project 48 4 Geffen Records v. Neil Young: The Battle of the Brands 64 5 Music and Movie Mutuality: Ry Cooder, the Involved Bystander 82 6 World Music Missionaries: Cross Cultural Convergences 98 7 The Vital Visual Voice of the Videotape Editor: Seamlessly Sculpting Graceland: The African Concert 114 8 Rock Around the Cop: Bochco’s Broadway Blue Print as Television Musical Muse and Martyr 132 9 Must Sing TV: Pop Rock Sitcom Cameo Obscuras 148 10 Umbilical Musical Chords: Lineage, Legacy and Mom and Pop Pedigree 166 11 Die Another Day: Warren Zevon’s Desperado “Deteriorata” 186 Bibliography 208 Index 216 Get Your 45s On : Terry Melcher, Lost In The Surf And Sun Of The 1960s Sound Waves -- How The Midwest Was Won : The Chicago Suburbs Seven, A Mid 1960s Regional Rotation -- Covering Outside The Lines : Hans Fenger And The Langley Schools Music Project -- Geffen Records V. Neil Young : The Battle Of The Brands -- Music And Movie Mutuality : Ry Cooder, The Involved Bystander -- World Music Missionaries : Cross Culture Convergences -- The Vital Visual Voice Of The Videotape Editor : Seamlessly Sculpting Graceland : The African Concert -- Rock Around The Cop : Bochco's Broadway Blue Print As Television Musical Muse And Martyr -- Must Sing Tv : Pop Rock Sitcom Cameo Obscuras -- Umbilical Musical Chords : Lineage, Legacy, And Mom And Pop Pedigree -- Die Another Day : Warren Zevon's Desperado Deteriorata. George Plasketes. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [195]-201) And Index. Get your 45s on : Terry Melcher, lost in the surf and sun of the 1960s sound waves How the midwest was won : the Chicago suburbs seven, a mid 1960s regional rotation Covering outside the lines : Hans Fenger and the Langley Schools music project Geffen Records v. Neil Young : the battle of the brands Music and movie musicality : Ry Cooder, the involved bystander World music missionaries and cross culture convergences The vital visual voice of the videotape editor : seamlessly sculpting Graceland : the African concert Rock around the cop : Steven Bochco's blue print, television's musical martyr and muse Must sing TV : pop rock sitcom cameo obscuras Musical umbilical chords : lineage, legacy, and mom and pop pedigree Die another day : Warren Zevon's desperado deteriorata. "These B-sides represent undercurrents, but they resonate as overtones in the mainstream of music and culture, many as historical hinges. Collectively, these B-sides are an A-side antidote of outskirt observations, individual snapshots of artists, artifacts and rituals, genres and generations, producers and musical productions in television, film and video. They constitute an important connect-the-dots cultural chronicle with a multi-layered context-social, legal, historic, economic, technological, generational, aesthetic-for interpreting the interrelations between creators and institutions, the music market place, the production of culture and important connections between the peripheral and the popular."--Jacket