Re: [sixties-l] U. Massachusetts prof publishes 60s rock n roll book

From: William M. Mandel (wmmmandel@earthlink.net)
Date: 12/12/00

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    No single fact demonstrates the revolutionary effect of the '60s upon academe as
    that Howard Zinn's People's History of the United States has sold half a million
    copies, largely for use on campus. Totally inconceivable prior to that decade.
    
    William Mandel
    radman wrote:
    
    > U. Massachusetts prof publishes '60s rock 'n' roll book
    >
    > <http://news.excite.com:80/news/uw/001208/university-education-102>
    >
    > December 8, 2000
    > By Karen Madsen
    > Massachusetts Daily Collegian
    > U. Massachusetts-Amherst
    >
    > (U-WIRE) AMHERST, Mass.Nick Bromell, a University of Massachusetts English
    > professor, defines his new book, Tomorrow Never Knows, as an attempt to
    > explain the importance of rock and roll, and an exploration of a 60s that
    > many people know about, but very few have written about.
    > The work discusses the experience of rock and roll and psychedelics, and
    > what it meant to the youth of the 60s.
    > "There really is no such thing as the 60s," said Bromell. "My book is about
    > a 60s: what it was like to be young, white, middle class, in college and
    > confused, and excited about the world you were coming of age in."
    > He began writing the book in 1993 as a counter to some of the images he saw
    > in the scholarly histories and popular cultural accounts of the decade. "I
    > think our culture is very undecided about the about the 60s. Some people
    > completely hate it. Some will defend it to the dying end," explained
    > Bromell. "As they fight it out, their messages get simpler. In reality,
    > there's truth to both sides. It was an extraordinarily complex moment."
    > Bromell believes that these different images come out of the tumultuous
    > social and political climates of the decade.
    > "I think the 60's were an earthquake," he said, "and they force us to
    > rethink what history is, what truth is, what youth is and what music can do."
    > With regard to academics in America, Bromell thinks that the envisioned
    > revolution of the 60s experienced some degree of success.
    > "The pressure of political events on academic curriculum at most schools
    > forced students and professors to think again about what was important to
    > learn and think about," he said.  "The revaluation that most colleges and
    > universities were deeply tied into the military-industrial complex forced
    > students and professors to ask hard questions about academic freedom."
    > The influence of this era is still very much felt today, according to
    > Bromell, as indicated by the Nader movement. He sees the potential for two
    > generations of progressives to join together.
    > "This is symbolized by the new Santana album. It's got the 60s love
    > message, but it also has young voices singing their message," Bromell
    > explained.
    > A significant difference that Bromell sees between his generation's
    > attitude toward music and the attitude held by students today is in the
    > diversity of tastes.
    > "When I was young, the question was 'Do you like Folk or Rock?' and if you
    > liked rock the question was 'Do you like the Stones or the Beatles?'" said
    > Bromell. "One of the consequences is that it will be harder for this
    > generation to unite around a shared musical sensibility, for better or worse."
    > Bromell hopes that students will share his appreciations for the historical
    > importance of the 60s.
    > "I'm teaching a course in contemporary poetry," said Bromell. "As we read
    > poets who are writing today, I'm suddenly more aware than ever of the
    > profound ways the 60's changed the way we think about life."
    



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