MUS 149G : Rock to Reggae: Tracking Popular Music in New Zealand
Creative Arts and Industries
2020 Summer School (1200) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Because popular music often reflects and sometimes shapes the society around it, this course will look at a broad sweep of New Zealand popular music from the mid 1940s to the present day in the context of New Zealand society, and the cultural, musical, social trends and political factors which informed it.
Semester Availability
#2 The influence of the Beatles and the pop explosion of the 60s: The rise of local pop stars, the impact of television and the recognition of a music/entertainment industry through awards. The beginnings of a popular music press, songs New Zealanders adopted as our own, and the schism between pop music and rock by the late Sixties.
#3 Maori musicians in the mainstream: The popularity of the Howard Morrison Quartet and other Maori artists in the 60s, and the importance of Maori showbands.
#4. The increasing diversity of popular music in the 70s: Singer-songwriters, examples of post-hippie and glam rock, and the rise and importance of Split Enz as musical and cultural trailblazers. Musicians finding their place in popular culture.
#5. The rise and fall of Flying Nun in the 80s: The small label which put the “Dunedin sound” on the world map. The diversity and talent explored with reference to specific artists including the Clean, Chris Knox, the Chills, the Verlaines and Sneaky Feelings. A look at why the label was so successful, but also why by the end of the decade it was faltering.
#7. The diversity of popular music in the 80s: Mainstream rock, singer-songwriters, Crowded House, the emergence of South Auckland as a socio-political force (through hip-hop and urban music)
#8. From 80s synth pop to contemporary electronica: Cold synth-pop to the first flush of electronica and beyond, and how it reflected the changing times
#9. Case Studies: The diverse careers of Shona Laing, Don McGlashan and Moana Maniapoto
#10. Sixties soul to contemporary r'n'b: Soul-pop, Poly-fonk to Pasifika r'n'b
#11 Hip Hop: New Zealand rap and a sense of place: From E Tu to White Sunday, hip-hop culture and rap as a vehicle for expression of social and cultural attitudes.
#12. Where we're at today: An overview of contemporary music across pop, rock, reggae and r'n'b, and music in the margins. Second listening test at the start of this lecture
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
| Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
| Capability 6: | Social and Environmental Responsibilities |
Learning Outcomes
- Display and apply knowledge in a range of socio-cultural and musical contexts, and across different popular musical genres. (Capability 1 and 2)
- Discover and explore resources relevant to the subjects studied and be able to apply them thoughtfully to the course content. (Capability 2)
- Recognise multiple musical possibilities as a means of personal expression by artists, songwriters and performers, and be able to apply these to diverse areas of popular music. (Capability 3)
- Develop and present informed viewpoints or interpretations of music, share knowledge, and engage and collaborate with others creatively and constructively where required. (Capability 4)
- Take responsibility for personal and professional development and independent study, and demonstrate integrity in work presented (Capability 5)
- Demonstrate an awareness of social cohesion through understanding and appreciating the diverse social and cultural functions of music within Aotearoa/New Zealand (Capability 6)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Listening Test #1 | 10% | Individual Test |
| Listening Test #2 | 10% | Individual Test |
| Essay | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 60% | Individual Examination |
| 4 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||
| Listening Test #1 | ||||||||||
| Listening Test #2 | ||||||||||
| Essay | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Teaching & Learning Methods
The course is loosely chronological so students may see a progression of ideas by artists and in genres (styles) across the decades from the 1950s to the present day.
The music and artists will be placed within the context of their time so there will be links made to New Zealand life, politics, art and culture at that time. The course does not require any prior musical knowledge but will expect students to listen and read beyond what is said in class.
There are no tutorials for this course.
The lectures will be recorded and readily available to students but it is advisable that students attend class as other information will not be captured by the recording.
There are two listening assignments and the format of these will be explained in advance, but the purpose of these is to test students’ ability to identify certain pieces of music or key artists who have been discussed in class.
There is one written assignment which will test students’ ability to research and read around a topic mentioned in class and to refine ideas down to a word limit.
The lecturer will be available for one-to-one discussion with any student who requires that. The lecturer also arrives early and stays after lectures if any student just a quick query.
Indicative student workload:
Students are expected to attend all lectures, to complete weekly reading and listening tasks, and to complete a series of coursework assignments. There will be a final 3-hour examination.
Learning Resources
There is no set textbook for this course. The lecturer will provide details of how to access listening material.
The following books provide useful supplementary reading. Most are available in the University of Auckland main library or the Auckland Central Library.
Bannister, M. Positively George Street: Sneaky Feelings and the Dunedin Sound. Auckland, 1999
Bollinger, N. 100 Essential New Zealand Albums. Awa Press, 2009
Bollinger, N. Goneville; A Memoir. Awa Press 2016
Bourke, C. Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918-64. Wellington, 2010
Columbus, R. Ray Columbus, The Modfather (Penguin, 2011)
Dix, J. Stranded in Paradise: New Zealand Rock 'n ’Roll Wellington l988, rev. 2005
Eggleton, D. Ready to Fly. Nelson, 2003
Grigg, S. How Bizarre, Pauly Fuemana and the Song That Stormed the World (Awa, 2015)
Keam, G and Mitchell T: Home Land and Sea; Situating music in Aotearoa New Zealand (Pearson, 2001)
Larsen, M. See Me Go, Conversations (Penguin, 2003)
McArtney, D. Gutter Black, A Memoir (Harper Collins, 2014)
Peters, M and George J: Showband; Mahora and the Maori Volcanics (Huia, 2005)
Russell, B (editor): Erewhon Calling, Experimental Sound in New Zealand (Audio Foundation, 2012)
Shepherd, R: In Love With These Times; My Life with Flying Nun Records (Harper Collins, 2016)
Shute, G: NZ Rock 1987-2007 (Random House, 2008)
Smithies, G. Soundtrack; 118 Great New Zealand Albums (Craig Potton, 2007)
Spittle, G. Counting the Beat: A History of New Zealand Song. Wellington, l997.
Staff, B and Ashley, S: For the Record; A History of the Recording Industry in New Zealand (Bateman, 2002)
Students are also referred to the following websites for historical information and contemporary interviews
www.audioculture.co.nz
www.13thfloor.co.nz
Other Materials or Software
All the lectures which will be readily available on-line to students have musical and video examples which students should be thoroughly familiar with. During the course reference will be made to other musical examples for students to explore. Most of the artists and music are on free streaming services such as Spotify, and the University of Auckland library also has a useful CD and DVD collection, as does Central Library in Auckland. Lectures will be recorded and made available through Canvas. There will also be revision and course extension pages
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 12 two-hour lectures, seven hours of reading and thinking about the content per week and 24 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Indicative student workload:
Students are expected to attend all lectures, to complete weekly reading and listening tasks, and to complete a series of coursework assignments. There will be a final 3-hour examination. Time and date to be confirmed
Total hours 150
Other Information
Office Hours and Individual Consultations
Throughout the course Graham Reid will be available in an office in the Fisher Building (804), room 511. You are welcome to set up individual consultations at any point in the course. The best procedure is to send an email to g.reid@auckland.ac.nz with 2-3 suggestions of possible meeting times. The lecturer is available after lectures also.
All questions regarding the course content, assignments, extensions, marks and exams should be directed to the lecturer, Graham Reid
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).
In the event of unexpected disruption
We undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions, the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the University website.
Copyright Warning Notice
This material is protected by copyright and has been copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license. You may not sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of this course pack/material to any other person. Where provided to you in electronic format, you may only print from it for your own private study and research. Failure to comply with the terms of this warning may expose you to legal action for copyright infringement and/or disciplinary action by the University.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.