In the 1960s and 1970s, becoming a rock musician was fundamentally different than playing other kinds of music. It was a learned rather than a taught skill. In On Becoming a Rock Musician, sociologist H. Stith Bennett observes what makes someone a rock musician and what persuades others to take him seriously in this role. The book explores how bands form; the backstage and onstage reality of playing in a band; how bands promote themselves and interact with audiences and music professionals like DJs; and the role of performance.
Foreword to the Legacy Edition, by Howard S. BeckerPrefaceA Guide for the ReaderAcknowledgmentsPart I. Group Dynamics1. Introduction2. Group Definition and Redefinition Part II. Rock Ecology3. Instruments and "the Outside World"4. Equipment and the Band Van5. GigsPart III. Mastering the Technological Component6. Technology and The Music7. The Realities of PracticePart IV. Performance: Aesthetics and the Technological Imperative8. Playing9. "Other People's Music"AfterwordAppendix: Loudness and EqualizationNotesBibliographyIndex