OSHER 761 - Music, Media, and the Counterculture 1950-80

This class examines music, media, and culture at a time of profound social upheaval. The intersection where they met in post-War America was pivotal, the effect they had on each other was unprecedented and altered them in ways that still impact society today. At its core is a classic struggle between art and commerce, innovation and orthodoxy, freedom and control. And it's only rock 'n' roll. We encounter soon-to-be famous musicians, tour (twice) with the Rolling Stones, and witness the birth of the Classic Era of Rock Music. With a mix of lecture, audio-visual, music, and discussion, we study why it's a story worth remembering and retelling through our personal narrative of the time.