A ‘Social Form Of Knowledge’ in Practice: Unofficial Compiling of 1960s Pop Music on CD-R

In this article I explore the ‘unofficial’ (and technically illegal) compiling of marginally known 1960s pop records on Compact Disc Recordable (CD-R). I do so by situating it within the proposition by the late Raphael Samuel, that history is ‘social knowledge’ and a practice rather than a professi...

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Main Author: Paul Martin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UTS ePRESS 2012-01-01
Series:Public History Review
Subjects:
Online Access:http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/phrj/article/view/2249
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spelling doaj-80357a98aa0d43228b9fb80c099a5dce2020-11-24T23:14:23ZengUTS ePRESSPublic History Review1833-49892012-01-011801291501619A ‘Social Form Of Knowledge’ in Practice: Unofficial Compiling of 1960s Pop Music on CD-RPaul Martin0Leicester UniveristyIn this article I explore the ‘unofficial’ (and technically illegal) compiling of marginally known 1960s pop records on Compact Disc Recordable (CD-R). I do so by situating it within the proposition by the late Raphael Samuel, that history is ‘social knowledge’ and a practice rather than a profession. I propose that this compiling activity exemplifies this proposition. The core of the paper is centred on a 2007 survey which I conducted via three on-line 1960s music enthusiast discussion forums. I draw on the sixteen responses to demonstrate how the motivations, values and intentions of those respondents engaging in the practice of CD-R compiling are historically and socially centred. In doing so, I seek to problematise the music industry’s undifferentiated condemnation of all copying as theft. I do so by showing how, far from stealing, these CD-R compilers are adding to the musical social knowledge of 1960s pop and rock music. I further situate them within a longer lineage of ‘unofficial listening’ dating back to at least the 1930s. In using the term ‘unofficial’ in both a legal and public historical sense (eg to take issue with a received narrative), I point to wider definitions of what historically has or has not been musically ‘official’ to listen to. I seek also to point to the practice of CD-R compiling as a historical ‘moment’ in technological change, which might otherwise go unremarked upon as the CD-R itself heads towards utilitarian obsolescence. Although, the issues and concepts raised in the paper can be little more than pointed to, it is hoped it might act as one platform for the historical engagement with a subject more commonly discussed in sociological terms. As public historians we should be reflexive and inter-disciplinary and it is with this mind set that this article is written.http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/phrj/article/view/2249unofficial, official, Public History, social knowledge, social practice, problemetise
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Paul Martin
spellingShingle Paul Martin
A ‘Social Form Of Knowledge’ in Practice: Unofficial Compiling of 1960s Pop Music on CD-R
Public History Review
unofficial, official, Public History, social knowledge, social practice, problemetise
author_facet Paul Martin
author_sort Paul Martin
title A ‘Social Form Of Knowledge’ in Practice: Unofficial Compiling of 1960s Pop Music on CD-R
title_short A ‘Social Form Of Knowledge’ in Practice: Unofficial Compiling of 1960s Pop Music on CD-R
title_full A ‘Social Form Of Knowledge’ in Practice: Unofficial Compiling of 1960s Pop Music on CD-R
title_fullStr A ‘Social Form Of Knowledge’ in Practice: Unofficial Compiling of 1960s Pop Music on CD-R
title_full_unstemmed A ‘Social Form Of Knowledge’ in Practice: Unofficial Compiling of 1960s Pop Music on CD-R
title_sort ‘social form of knowledge’ in practice: unofficial compiling of 1960s pop music on cd-r
publisher UTS ePRESS
series Public History Review
issn 1833-4989
publishDate 2012-01-01
description In this article I explore the ‘unofficial’ (and technically illegal) compiling of marginally known 1960s pop records on Compact Disc Recordable (CD-R). I do so by situating it within the proposition by the late Raphael Samuel, that history is ‘social knowledge’ and a practice rather than a profession. I propose that this compiling activity exemplifies this proposition. The core of the paper is centred on a 2007 survey which I conducted via three on-line 1960s music enthusiast discussion forums. I draw on the sixteen responses to demonstrate how the motivations, values and intentions of those respondents engaging in the practice of CD-R compiling are historically and socially centred. In doing so, I seek to problematise the music industry’s undifferentiated condemnation of all copying as theft. I do so by showing how, far from stealing, these CD-R compilers are adding to the musical social knowledge of 1960s pop and rock music. I further situate them within a longer lineage of ‘unofficial listening’ dating back to at least the 1930s. In using the term ‘unofficial’ in both a legal and public historical sense (eg to take issue with a received narrative), I point to wider definitions of what historically has or has not been musically ‘official’ to listen to. I seek also to point to the practice of CD-R compiling as a historical ‘moment’ in technological change, which might otherwise go unremarked upon as the CD-R itself heads towards utilitarian obsolescence. Although, the issues and concepts raised in the paper can be little more than pointed to, it is hoped it might act as one platform for the historical engagement with a subject more commonly discussed in sociological terms. As public historians we should be reflexive and inter-disciplinary and it is with this mind set that this article is written.
topic unofficial, official, Public History, social knowledge, social practice, problemetise
url http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/phrj/article/view/2249
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