White Boys, White Noise: Masculinities and 1980s Indie Guitar Rock

Inevitably, rock and politics run into each other and bump heads occasionally, but is it possible that rock promotes the patriarchy?

And is it possible that the alternative presentation of masculinity in Indie Rock helps to combat that? 

That’s the premise of White Boys, White Noise by Matthew Bannister. 

Why We Love White Boys, White Noise

It’s not that we agree with Matthew on every issue, it’s that we respect him for asking the questions and being adventurous enough to dive deep to find answers. 

One thing that he makes very clear is just how many interpretations of masculinity exist throughout the scope of indie rock and that many of these contexts do challenge the idea of patriarchal support. 

He also notes that the working class “deviance” that is often portrayed alongside rockers is also an unfair stereotype. 

Final Thoughts On White Boys, White Noise

White Boys, White Noise is a fairly academic work and the challenging nature of both the language and material won’t suit everyone but if you like to drill down into challenging issues, this is a great book. 

You can grab a copy online here.

Looking for other great music books? We’ve put together a list of the essential music books and we can also recommend Mavericks of Sound and Girl in a Band as standout reads.