Call for chapters
Global Glam: Style and Spectacle in Popular Music from the 1970s to the 2000s
Deadline: 1 November 2013

Contributions are invited for an edited book on style and spectacle in “glam” popular music performance from the 1970s to the present day. The editors are seeking chapters of about 7000 words on artists, bands, and movements, and covering a range of national, regional, and cultural contexts from around the globe.

The book will approach “glam” music performance and style broadly. Using the “glam/glitter rock” genre of the early 1970s as a foundation for case studies and comparisons, the editors are keen for authors to engage with subjects that help in defining the glam phenomenon in its many manifestations. Glam rock, in its original, term-defining inception, had its birth in the UK in 1970/71 (David Bowie, T-Rex, Roxy Music, etc.). Termed “glitter rock” in the US, stateside artists included Alice Cooper, The New York Dolls and Kiss. In a global context, glam is represented in many other countries, where the influences of early glam rock can be seen clearly (e.g. Japan, Brazil, Australia, Russia, etc.). In this book, “glam” exists at the intersections of glam rock and other styles (punk, metal, disco, goth, etc.). Its performers are characterized by their flamboyant appearance (clothes, costumes, makeup, hairstyles); they often challenge gender stereotypes (androgyny); and they create spectacle and a glam style in popular music performance.

In its global context, the visual spectacle of glam aesthetics and star construction demands critical and comparative enquiry. Questions and themes that contributors may consider include, but are not limited to:

– What is “glam” rock/pop/music? How did it develop? Is glam a global phenomenon, and, if so, what are these global manifestations? Does glam have boundaries, and, if so, what are they?
– How has glam, in any of its manifestations, negotiated a place for itself as a music genre or cultural style? How has glam been received in the media? Has the glam style (music or fashion) been contested?
– Has glam influenced other music styles, and, if so, how? How was glam music invented? Has glam been part of a revival movement?

The editors encourage theoretically-informed contributions that address the diversity of the world’s popular music (artists, bands and movements). Of particular interest are the ways glam has been influential not only as a music genre, but also in fashion, design and other visual culture.

Timeline:
1 November 2013: Deadline for proposals (300 words)
1 December 2014: Deadline for receiving book chapters (7000 words)

Proposals should be sent to both editors:
Ian Chapman (University of Otago): ian.chapman@otago.ac.nz
Henry Johnson (University of Otago): henry.johnson@otago.ac.nz