Key Concepts in Rock, Punk, and Electronic Music

Backward Masking

A recording technique where a sound or message is recorded backward onto a track. Controversially associated with hidden messages in rock music.

Lester Bangs

Influential rock critic known for his raw and passionate writing style, championing punk and garage rock.

Extended Form

Musical structure that exceeds standard pop formats, often found in Progressive Rock.

Keith Emerson

Keyboardist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, known for virtuosity and incorporating classical influences.

Gesamtkunstwerk

German for 'total work of art,' used to describe Progressive Rock's blending of music, visuals, and performance.

Monophonic

A single melodic line without harmony or accompaniment.

Moog Synthesizer

One of the first commercial synthesizers, widely used in Progressive Rock.

Pictures at an Exhibition

Classical suite by Mussorgsky adapted by Emerson, Lake & Palmer into a rock interpretation.

Progressive Rock

A style combining rock with classical or jazz influences, complex forms, and virtuosity.

Tritone

A dissonant interval (augmented fourth) historically called 'the devil in music,' used for dramatic tension.

The Bridge

A contrasting section in a song, offering variety and often leading to the final chorus.

James Brown

'Godfather of Soul,' pivotal in the development of Funk with his rhythmic vocal delivery.

Bobby Byrd

Longtime collaborator with James Brown and key figure in developing Funk.

Call and Response

Musical conversation between leader and group, rooted in African traditions.

Funk

Genre emphasizing groove, rhythm, and syncopation over melody and harmony.

Gestalt

A concept from psychology emphasizing that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts; used in analysis of musical textures.

Groove

A rhythmic feel or sense of 'swing' that propels Funk and dance music.

The One

Funk concept emphasizing the first beat of the measure.

Syncopation

Deliberate disruption of the regular rhythm by placing accents off the beat.

AOR (Album Oriented Rock)

Radio format focusing on whole albums rather than singles, popular in the 1970s.

Cock Rock

A term describing a macho, hyper-masculine style of rock performance.

Journey Song

Likely refers to music by the band Journey, emblematic of AOR and arena rock.

Oum Kalthoum

Iconic Egyptian singer, often referenced in studies of non-Western musical influence.

Eugene Landy

Controversial psychologist associated with Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys.

Led Zeppelin

British rock band blending blues, hard rock, and mysticism; pioneers of heavy metal.

WLUP FM (The Loop)

Chicago radio station known for promoting rock and staging the Disco Demolition Night.

Steve Dahl

Chicago DJ who led the Disco Demolition Night, a symbolic backlash against disco.

Disc Jockey

A person who plays recorded music for an audience, central to radio and club culture.

Disco

Dance music genre with a steady 4/4 beat, lush production, and orchestration, popular in the 1970s.

Disco Demolition Night

1979 event where disco records were blown up at a baseball stadium, seen as anti-disco (and implicitly racist/homophobic).

Discothèque

French term for nightclub featuring recorded music; the origin of 'disco.'

Four to the Floor

A steady bass drum on every beat, typical of disco and EDM.

Layering

Stacking multiple musical lines or sounds; common in disco, EDM, and hip-hop.

Rock Disco

Hybrid of rock and disco styles (e.g., Blondie's 'Heart of Glass').

Steve Rubell

Co-owner of Studio 54, the iconic New York disco club.

Studio 54

Nightclub famous for its glamor, exclusivity, and association with disco culture.

Subculture

A smaller cultural group with distinct beliefs or styles within a larger culture.

Twelve Inch Single

Vinyl format used in disco/club scenes for extended dance mixes.

Village People

Disco group with campy personas representing masculine archetypes, associated with LGBTQ+ culture.

Another State of Mind

Punk documentary about Social Distortion's tour and youth culture.

Better Youth Organization

Punk movement aiming to promote positive social change.

The Big Takeover

Punk zine and later record label.

Black Flag

Influential hardcore punk band known for aggressive sound and DIY ethic.

CBGB

Iconic New York club where punk and new wave bands like The Ramones and Talking Heads got their start.

DIY

"Do it yourself" ethic of producing, recording, and distributing music independently.

Double Time

A fast rhythmic feel where notes are played at twice the usual speed.

Fanzine

Self-published magazine by fans, key to punk and indie cultures.

Hardcore Punk

Faster, heavier version of punk emphasizing intensity and rawness.

Independent Label

A music label operating without major corporate backing.

Punk

Raw, rebellious genre reacting against mainstream rock and corporate culture.

Punk Magazine

Fanzine that helped define the punk scene.

The Ramones

Pioneers of punk rock, known for fast, short songs.

Slamdancing

Early term for moshing; aggressive dance style in punk scenes.

British National Front

Far-right political group, frequently opposed by 2 Tone and punk artists.

Dub

Remix style in reggae with reverb, delay, and instrumental emphasis.

Bob Marley

Iconic reggae artist who brought Rastafarianism and Jamaican culture to global audiences.

One Drop

Rhythmic reggae pattern emphasizing the third beat.

The Police

British band blending rock with reggae influences.

Rastafarians

Religious movement from Jamaica central to reggae ideology.

Reggae

Jamaican music with syncopated rhythms and spiritual/social themes.

Ska

Predecessor of reggae, upbeat and brass-driven.

Trench Town, Jamaica

Kingston neighborhood foundational to reggae history.

2 Tone Records

British label fusing ska, punk, and new wave with anti-racist ethos.

Enola Gay

1980 synth-pop protest song by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark about the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

"Home Taping is Killing Music"

1980s industry slogan targeting cassette tape piracy; symbolized tensions around changing tech and copyright.

Michael Jackson

Pop icon whose Thriller album broke racial barriers on MTV; revolutionized music videos.

MTV

Music Television, launched in 1981, reshaped pop music through visual branding and promotion.

MTV and Black Artists

Early MTV was criticized for excluding Black performers until Michael Jackson's success forced integration.

Second British Invasion

1980s wave of UK artists (e.g., Duran Duran, Eurythmics) popularized via MTV.

Synth Pop

1980s genre using synthesizers, drum machines, and futuristic aesthetics.

The Circle of Fifths

A music theory diagram showing key relationships; used for understanding harmonic progressions.

Heavy Metal

Loud, distorted rock subgenre with virtuosic guitar work and aggressive themes.

Kreutzer's "Caprice No. 2"

Classical violin piece referenced to show musical complexity, possibly connected to metal virtuosity.

"Parental Advisory" sticker

Label created in response to explicit content concerns, championed by the PMRC.

PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center)

Group founded by Washington wives in the 1980s to label and censor music.

Dee Snider

Twisted Sister frontman who testified before Congress defending artistic freedom.

Tapping

Guitar technique involving both hands on the fretboard, popularized by Eddie Van Halen.

Eddie Van Halen

Guitarist known for innovative playing techniques like tapping.

Virtuoso

A highly skilled performer, often used to describe metal/prog musicians.

"Washington Wives"

PMRC founders, including Tipper Gore, who led efforts to censor music.

Agogo Bells

Percussion instrument used in Afro-Cuban and funk-influenced music.

Biz Markie Ruling

Legal case on sampling (Grand Upright Music v. Warner), which changed hip-hop production.

The Bomb Squad

Public Enemy's production team known for dense, political, sample-heavy beats.

Hip Hop

Culture and music genre from the Bronx including DJing, MCing, breakdancing, and graffiti.

Intertextuality

Referencing other texts or music within a piece; key in sampling culture.

The Loop

A Chicago radio station or musical concept, depending on context.

Miller vs. California

1973 Supreme Court case that set standards for obscenity.

The Naked City

Possibly a reference to TV or album with noir or urban themes.

Obscenity

Content deemed offensive under community standards; central to PMRC debates.

Gilbert O'Sullivan

Artist involved in landmark sampling lawsuit.

Rap

Rhythmic vocal style central to hip-hop, often with political/social themes.

Sampling

Reusing portions of existing recordings; essential to hip-hop and electronic music.

Synecdoche

Figure of speech where a part represents a whole; used metaphorically in music.

2 Live Crew

Miami rap group central to obscenity trials in music.

Alternative

Genre umbrella that opposes mainstream commercial rock.

"Alternative to What?"

A critique of how the term "alternative" is often undefined or commercialized.

Kurt Cobain

Nirvana frontman and voice of 1990s alternative rock.

College Radio

Key platform for emerging indie/alternative bands in the 1980s-90s.

Damage

Could refer to Black Flag's Damaged album; a punk touchstone.

Independent Labels

See earlier; crucial to the alternative scene.