Listening for the Secret: The Grateful Dead and the Politics of Improvisation (Volume 1) (Studies in the Grateful Dead)

During their thirty years of existence, the Grateful Dead produced a musical as well as a cultural heritage that invites and rewards exploration and evaluation. This book engages critical theory in order to understand the band’s status and achievement, and what the cultural and political significance of the music as well as the wider phenomenon was, and is. The band and its music are studied in the tension between culture industry and self-organization. The first chapter looks at the dialectic of avant-garde and tradition in the mass cultural phenomenon that the Grateful Dead became. The second chapter builds on that analysis by directly engaging the political importance and legacy of a self-declared ”apolitical” band, assessing what ”politics” could mean in both the practices of the band and its audience as well as in the way mainstream America and law enforcement saw the band. The third and final chapter listens to the Grateful Dead improvising, presenting improvisation as the key element for any understanding both of the band’s music as well as its socio-political profile. A short coda summarizes the argument in a discussion of the band as an example of ”charismatic authority.” Listening for the Secret is a critical assessment of the Grateful Dead and the distinct culture that grew out of the group’s music, politics, and performance. With roots in popular music traditions, improvisation, and the avant-garde, the Grateful Dead provides a unique lens through which we can better understand the meaning and creation of the counterculture community. Marshaling the critical and aesthetic theories of Adorno, Benjamin, Foucault and others, Ulf Olsson places the music group within discourses of the political, specifically the band’s capacity to create a unique social environment. Analyzing the Grateful Dead’s music as well as the forms of subjectivity and practices that the band generated, Olsson examines the wider significance and impact of its politics of improvisation. Ultimately, Listening for the Secret is about how the Grateful Dead Phenomenon was possible in the first place, what its social and aesthetic conditions of possibility were, and its results.

This is the first book in a new series, Studies in the Grateful Dead. Listening For The Secret Is A Critical Assessment Of The Grateful Dead And The Distinct Culture That Grew Out Of The Group's Music, Politics, And Performance. With Roots In Popular Music Traditions, Improvisation, And The Avant-garde, The Grateful Dead Is A Unique Phenomenon Through Which To Better Understand The Meaning And Creation Of The Counterculture Community. Author Ulf Olsson Marshals The Critical And Aesthetic Theories Of Adorno, Benjamin, Foucault, And Others To Place The Group Within A Political Discourse, Focusing On The Band's Capacity To Create A Unique Social Environment. Analyzing The Grateful Dead's Music, As Well As The Forms Of Subjectivity That The Band Generated, Olsson Examines The Wider Significance Of The Politics Of Improvisation. -- From Back Cover. Popular Avant-garde? : Renegotiating Tradition -- Wave That Flag : An Apolitical Band -- Crashes In Space : Aspects Of Improvisation -- Coda : Listening For The Secret. Ulf Olsson. Roth Family Foundation Music In America Imprint--first Page. Includes Bibliographical References, Discography, And Index. Listening for the Secret is a critical assessment of the Grateful Dead and the distinct culture that grew out of the group’s music, politics, and performance. With roots in popular music traditions, improvisation, and the avant-garde, the Grateful Dead provides a unique lens through which we can better understand the meaning and creation of the counterculture community. Marshaling the critical and aesthetic theories of Adorno, Benjamin, Foucault and others, Ulf Olsson places the music group within discourses of the political, specifically the band’s capacity to create a unique social environment. Analyzing the Grateful Dead’s music as well as the forms of subjectivity and practices that the band generated, Olsson examines the wider significance and impact of its politics of improvisation. Ultimately, Listening for the Secret is about how the Grateful Dead Phenomenon was possible in the first place, what its social and aesthetic conditions of possibility were, and its results. This is the first book in a new series, Studies in the Grateful Dead . "Listening for the Secret is a critical assessment of the Grateful Dead and the distinct culture that grew out of the group's music, politics, and performance. With roots in popular music traditions, improvisation, and the avant-garde, the Grateful Dead is a unique phenomenon through which to better understand the meaning and creation of the counterculture community. Author Ulf Olsson marshals the critical and aesthetic theories of Adorno, Benjamin, Foucault, and others to place the group within a political discourse, focusing on the band's capacity to create a unique social environment. Analyzing the Grateful Dead's music, as well as the forms of subjectivity that the band generated, Olsson examines the wider significance of the politics of improvisation."--Page 4 de la couverture Cover -- Contents -- Series Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- INTRODUCTION -- 1. POPULAR AVANT-GARDE? RENEGOTIATING TRADITION -- 2. WAVE THAT FLAG: AN APOLITICAL BAND -- 3. CRASHES IN SPACE: ASPECTS OF IMPROVISATION -- CODA: LISTENING FOR THE SECRET -- Notes -- Discography -- Bibliography -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y -- Z During their thirty years of existence, the Grateful Dead produced a musical as well as a cultural heritage that invites and rewards exploration and evaluation. This work engages critical theory in order to understand the band's status and achievement, and what the cultural and political significance of the music as well as the wider phenomenon was, and is