• Compare British punk to American punk in the 1970s. Your answer should make reference to the political outlook of each, and to at least one representative band or artist from each side of the Atlantic.

• The term “New Wave” was applied to many kinds of music that did not necessarily sound all that much alike. Compare the styles of two acts (individuals or bands) that have both been described as “New Wave,” but whose work is markedly different from one another. What seem the most crucial differences? What are the most crucial similarities?

Devo: Their music echoed this view of society as rigid, repressive, and mechanical, with appropriate touches -- jerky, robotic rhythms; an obsession with technology and electronics (the group was among the first non-prog rock bands to make the synthesizer a core element); often atonal melodies and chord progressions -- all of which were filtered through the perspectives of geeky misfits

Costello: The sensitive issues he wrote about, combined with the structures in which he composed them, indicated a major talent that would survive and outgrow this musical generation

• Select two rap artists active before 1994 and compare their work.

Run DMC:

                                As the first hardcore rap outfit, the trio set the sound and style for the next decade of rap. With their spare beats and excursions into heavy metal samples, the trio were tougher and more menacing than their predecessors, helped move rap from a singles-oriented genre to an album-oriented one -- they were the first hip-hop artist to construct full-fledged albums, not just collections with two singles and a bunch of filler

            Ice-T:

Has proven to be one of hip-hop's most articulate and intelligent stars, written some of the best portraits of ghetto life and gangsters, as well as some of the best social commentary hip-hop has produced, spare beats and samples that provided a backdrop for the rapper's charismatic rhymes, which were mainly party-oriented, matching excellent abrasive music with fierce, intelligent narratives, and political commentaries, especially about hip-hop censorship

• Based on the listening we have done in class, or any other listening you happen to have done, sketch out the career of a single “progressive rock” band active in the ‘seventies (album titles, dates, etc. come in handy here) and ponder the question: is this a rock band? What arguments can be put forth for their music fitting, or not fitting, into traditional notions of what rock is?

Formed in 1970, released Pictures at an Exhibition in 1971, released their second album in 1971 also with their title track Tarkus, they further refined their approach, the title track being among the best the group ever produced. Brain Salad Surgery (Manticore, 1973) contains the band’s most ambitious track, After a two-year break (1975–7), the group released Works, Volume 1 (Atlantic, 1977) and began a tour accompanied by a full orchestra. Logistical and financial problems forced the group to drop the orchestra and continue the tour as a trio. Facing waning popularity, the group broke up in 1978, Emerson and Lake regrouped with drummer Cozy Powell in 1986 to release Emerson, Lake and Powell,    I do believe this group is a rock band because the group became notorious for their rock versions of classical masterpieces. Also, since they were considered a progressive rock group their introduction of the synthesizer fit perfectly, they also contained ‘rock instruments’ such as drums and bass, but did not have a guitar, also Emerson became to be known as a flamboyant performer, which is not a necessary part of rock but many bands do have these

• Compare two bands active in the ‘seventies and/or ‘eighties who fall at least casually under the umbrella of “heavy metal” but seem fundamentally different in their musical style, lyrical content, or self-presentation. What makes them both heavy metal bands? How do they differ?

            Formed in 1970, released Pictures at an Exhibition in 1971, released their second album in 1971 also with their title track Tarkus, they further refined their approach, the title track being among the best the group ever produced. Brain Salad Surgery (Manticore, 1973) contains the band’s most ambitious track, After a two-year break (1975–7), the group released Works, Volume 1 (Atlantic, 1977) and began a tour accompanied by a full orchestra. Logistical and financial problems forced the group to drop the orchestra and continue the tour as a trio. Facing waning popularity, the group broke up in 1978, Emerson and Lake regrouped with drummer Cozy Powell in 1986 to release Emerson, Lake and Powell,    I do believe this group is a rock band because the group became notorious for their rock versions of classical masterpieces. Also, since they were considered a progressive rock group their introduction of the synthesizer fit perfectly, they also contained ‘rock instruments’ such as drums and bass, but did not have a guitar, also Emerson became to be known as a flamboyant performer, which is not a necessary part of rock but many bands do have these

• Highlighting the work of at least three bands, briefly discuss the role of technology—its conspicuous presence or absence—in rock from 1970 to 1985. You should try to pick three bands whose handling of technology seems to differ in some significant way.

Heavy Metal:

                                more distorted guitar sound and heavier drums and bass, distorted guitar ‘power chords’, heavy riffs, wailing vocals and virtuosic solos by guitarists and drummers

                Led Zeppelin:

                                incorporated mythology, mysticism, and a variety of other genres (most notably world music and British folk) -- into their sound

                Black Sabbath:

                hinted at the heavy, doom-laden and ingenious rock music they produced, Recording classic albums,