Roots, rock, rebel : youth resistance through musical expression

Abstract

The phenomenon of protest music seems to have failed to capture the imagination of local researchers. This research project is a reaction to this and attempts to begin filling a void through a basic introductory exploration of protest music. Music is generally considered to be a cultural universal. Similarly, the use of music to express social discontent seems to be equally common. Malta too, has its share of political music. Through in-depth interviews (N=9) with people involved in protest music this research project explored the motivations behind engagement in this scene. The results suggest that different people within this scene have different intentions and expectations but in general the band members/artist have members that were/are politically active in both political parties and/or Non-Governmental Organisations. It was revealed that the musician's love for music and interest in socio-political issues are thus combined to express their own political positions through their musical expression. The study adopts a Gramscian perspective and combines it with a concept of 'no space' as presented by Klein (2000). Through this view music is seen as one method through which space can be created for free expression. In the case of protest music, it is seen as creating space that subverts the dominant hegemony by expressing ideas and world-views that undermine it.