No Machos or Pop Stars: When the Leeds Art Experiment Went Punk

In the 1970s, art students in Leeds, England, turned to music, creating post-punk bands that challenged rock and pop conventions. Bands like Gang of Four, Soft Cell, and Delta 5 fused avant-garde ideas with pop music, creating Situationist anti-rock and art punk. They also explored deconstructed pop ditties about Jacques Derrida and incorporated collage and shock aesthetics into dark, brooding electro-dance music. Gavin Butt's book No Machos or Pop Stars explores how the state-funded education policy brought art students from different social classes together, fostering a fertile ground for musical experimentation and dismantling art world and music industry hierarchies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2022
Publisher: Duke University Press

After the advent of punk in 1976, a significant number of art students in the northern English city of Leeds abandoned their paintbrushes in favor of guitars and synthesizers. These artists-turned-musicians formed bands that spanned a diverse range of genres, including Gang of Four, Soft Cell, Delta 5, the Mekons, Scritti Politti, and Fad Gadget. Their musical endeavors pushed the boundaries of what was considered possible in rock and pop music, incorporating avant-garde ideas and challenging established conventions.

These artists-turned-musicians not only pushed the boundaries of rock and pop but also introduced the concept of Situationist anti-rock and art punk to the record-buying public. They crafted deconstructed pop songs that explored themes such as Jacques Derrida, employing the aesthetics of collage and shock to create dark, brooding electro-dance music.

In his book, No Machos or Pop Stars, Gavin Butt delves into the captivating story of the post-punk scene in Leeds. He highlights how England's state-funded education policy brought together art students from various social backgrounds, creating a fertile ground for musical experimentation. Butt conducts extensive interviews with band members, their associates, and teachers, providing a detailed account of the groups that aimed to dismantle both art world and music industry hierarchies by enabling the dance to their art.

Through their stories, the book reveals the subversive influence of art school in a regional music scene of lasting international significance. The artists in Leeds not only challenged the status quo but also paved the way for future generations of musicians and artists who continue to push the boundaries of creativity and expression.

Weight: 431g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478018636