Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Safe spaces, extreme music: finding protest and refuge in Appalachian punk and metal scenes
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
While punk and heavy metal have long been associated with both musical and social rebellion, they’ve also historically been made by and for a predominantly white and male subculture, serving as an echo chamber for the worldviews of that populace. In recent years, however, the politics of these scenes have evolved to embrace the struggles of women, persons of color, and the LGBTQ community. This phenomenon is particularly notable in the punk and metal communities of central and southern Appalachia, which frequently serve to provide both a community hub for far-flung nonconformists and a singularly nurturing environment in which the dispossessed are empowered to find a voice for speaking out about social, racial, economic and ecological injustices. As part of a projected book on punk in Appalachia, this paper situates underground music as a neglected but powerful thread in the region’s fabric of expressive practices. Combining scene theory, musical analysis and field research, and with a particular focus on the activity at one representative venue – The Odditorium in Asheville, a central gathering place for queer/trans-friendly punk/metal fans from around western NC, upstate SC and eastern TN – I will explore the extreme meaningfulness musicians and audiences apply to, and derive from, their participation in this newly-welcoming community.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
marc faris is Teaching Assistant Professor and DE specialist in music theory and composition at East Carolina University.
Safe spaces, extreme music: finding protest and refuge in Appalachian punk and metal scenes
While punk and heavy metal have long been associated with both musical and social rebellion, they’ve also historically been made by and for a predominantly white and male subculture, serving as an echo chamber for the worldviews of that populace. In recent years, however, the politics of these scenes have evolved to embrace the struggles of women, persons of color, and the LGBTQ community. This phenomenon is particularly notable in the punk and metal communities of central and southern Appalachia, which frequently serve to provide both a community hub for far-flung nonconformists and a singularly nurturing environment in which the dispossessed are empowered to find a voice for speaking out about social, racial, economic and ecological injustices. As part of a projected book on punk in Appalachia, this paper situates underground music as a neglected but powerful thread in the region’s fabric of expressive practices. Combining scene theory, musical analysis and field research, and with a particular focus on the activity at one representative venue – The Odditorium in Asheville, a central gathering place for queer/trans-friendly punk/metal fans from around western NC, upstate SC and eastern TN – I will explore the extreme meaningfulness musicians and audiences apply to, and derive from, their participation in this newly-welcoming community.
