Week One: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Syllabus

Course Goals:

This course is a survey of rock music. The focus is on the music, musicians, the sociological, political and economic conditions merged in the evolution of this art form. This course should give you some of the basic tools by which you may judge and appreciate the development of Rock & Roll from the 1940s to the present. You will become familiar with the most significant artists of each decade and be able to identify their sound.

Required Text:

Rock and Roll: It's History and Stylistic Development(Sixth edition) (Joe Stuessy & Scott Lipscomb)

Website:

The website can be found as part of the whole online package on the CMC Blackboard.

Email:

You can reach me at ewill@edwill.net or daylewill@roadrunner.com or leave me a message on Blackboard. Please remember that there are 80 students online and only one of me. I will do my best to get back to you in a timely manner.

Listening:

On the website, MP3 files referenced in the lecture will be embedded for real time listening.

Videos:

Time/Life Series: The History of Rock n Roll ten volume set. If you are not in the Morongo Basin (local), let me know and I can work with you on obtaining a set. For the locals, there are two sets at YV Superstar Video, two sets at 29 Superstar Video, one set at Joshua Tree’s Eagle One Video and four sets in the CMC library. The CMC library checks them out for free. Other videos include: This Is Elvis, Woodstock (instructor edited), The Beatles Compleat and several Elvis Movies for your choice.

Assignments during the semester (due at end of semester):
1) Two page typewritten free form paper on your favorite musical group or artist.

Choose your favorite group or artist from any era and tell me about their music, their life, what influenced them and why you like them.

2) Two page typewritten free form paper on your favorite song or album.

Choose your favorite song from any era and tell me about the music and what it is about the song that you like. You may reference a small section of the lyrics but do not include the entire lyric set as part of your report.

OR

You may attend one Rock Concert. Although I will accept most any live performance concert, I would prefer that you went to a major headliner of some sort (i.e. The Eagles, Foreigner, Styx or like fare) at any of the Indian Casinos in the Coachella Valley, Los Angeles, Las Vegas are more than acceptable but not required. The general rule of thumb I use is: if it’s free, I won’t accept it. On-line requires a scan of the concert ticket OR email a cell phone picture or digital camer picture from the concert. Please e-mail to me (ewill@edwill.net) or fax it to 760-366-2976.

Grading Policy:

Weekly assignments- 50%, Midterm- 10%- Reports/Concert- 20%, Final Exam-20%

Assignments:

On Monday at the beginning of every week, you will receive (on Blackboard assignments) a set of 4-7 questions to answer. They will be due by the next Sunday evening 7 days later. Not meeting deadlines for questions at the end of the week will effect your chances of success in this class.

Note:
This course outline is intended as a guide and may be subject to change.

Instructor: Ed Will ewill@edwill.net

Wk Lecture/ Activities Reading/Video
1 Introduction, Class requirements Syllabus Review
2 Rock & Roll in the 50’s: Part 1 Roots Pp 1-30/ R&R Vol 1
3 Rock & Roll in the 50’s: Part 2 Elvis 1 Pp 31-45/ “This Is Elvis”
4 Rock & Roll in the 50’s: Part 3 Elvis 2 “This Is Elvis” (cont)
5 Rock & Roll in the 50’s: Part 4 Big Six Pp 49-69/ R&R Vol 2
6 Rock & Roll in the 50’s: Part 5 Fifties Stuff Pp 70-82/ R&R Vol 3
7 Rock & Roll in the 60’s: Part 1 Folk & Surf Pp 83-102/185-206/ Vol 4
8 Rock & Roll in the 60’s: Part 2 Beatles “Beatles”
9 Rock & Roll in the 60’s: Part 3 England Pp 155-184
10 Rock & Roll in the 60’s: Part 4 Motown/Jazz Pp 207-256/ R&R Vol 5
11 Rock & Roll in the 60’s: Woodstock 1969 “Woodstock”
12 Midterm Online password
13 Rock & Roll in the 70’s: Part 1 Punk/Glitter Pp 301-336/ R&R Vol 6
14 Rock & Roll in the 70’s: Part 2 Songwriters Pp 336-366/ R&R Vol 7
15 Rock & Roll in the 80’s: Part 1 Artists/Bands Pp 367-386/ R&R Vol 8
16 Rock & Roll in the 80’s: Part 2 Rap, MTV,… Pp 387-403/ R&R Vol 9
17 Rock & Roll in the 90’s: Developments Pp 404-471/ R&R Vol 10
18 Final Exam Online password