On Becoming a Rock Musician

In the 1960s and 1970s, becoming a rock musician was different than playing other kinds of music. It was a learned rather than taught skill. In On Becoming a Rock Musician, sociologist H. Stith Bennett observes what makes a rock musician and then persuades others to take him seriously. The book explores how bands form; the backstage and on-stage reality of playing in a band; how bands promote themselves and interact with an audience and music professionals, such as DJs; and the role of performance.