Making music in the shadow of industry: An ethnography of everyday musical experiences and working-class culture in the deindustrialised South Wales valleys

Abstract

This thesis investigates the social role of everyday musical experiences in the
deindustrialised South Wales Valleys. In this research, I take an ethnographic approach to examining diverse musical activities, from cover bands and pub sing-alongs to rock festivals and line dancing, in order to explore the question: “What work does music do in deindustrialised contexts?”. Based on three years of ethnographic fieldwork, I argue that everyday musical experiences are contingent on industrial legacies and contemporary processes of deindustrialisation. The findings suggest that, in this context, musical experiences are deeply embedded in social practices of community, hegemonic masculinity, and working-class culture. The three data analysis chapters explore 1) the construction of community and class identity in local working men’s clubs; 2) the negotiation of hegemonic masculinity by both men and women in the club circuit; and 3) the tension between musicians performing “covers” versus “originals” and its connection to place. I conclude that examining such everyday practices and the evolving rhythms of musical culture—its venues,
genres, trends, and structures—illuminates how music shapes responses to social changes, from deindustrialisation to class identity and poverty. This work contributes a Wales-specific case study on the sociology of class, community, and place, and furthers contemporary studies in popular music heritage.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Nyle Bevan-Clark: orcid.org/0000-0002-8050-9995

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