April 17, 2013
Institute for Popular Music to Host Musicians from the Doors, Barenaked Ladies
‘In Conversation’ with Steven Page As the former primary songwriter and lead vocalist for Barenaked Ladies, Steven Page will provide insight into how a song goes from an idea to a hit single and discuss the business of popular music. “In Conversation” with Steven Page is planned for 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 1, in Strong Auditorium.
‘In Conversation’ with John Densmore On Monday, April 22, John Densmore will provide a look into the creative and turbulent world of rock music during the late 1960s and early 1970s. His talk starts at 2 p.m. in Strong Auditorium. Earlier that day Densmore will participate in a book signing at the Record Archive in Rochester for his new book, The Doors: Unhinged.
Doors songwriter and drummer John Densmore and former lead singer and guitarist for Barenaked Ladies Steven Page will sit down with John Covach, director for the University’s Institute for Popular Music, for a behind-the-scenes look at their careers.
Both talks are part of the institute’s new “In Conversation” series, which explores the lives of popular recording artists and their creative process. The events are open to University faculty, staff, students, and the general public, space permitting.
“This is a great chance for students to get to know someone who has an impact on pop music and to hear them discuss topics that rarely come up in television or magazine interviews,” says Covach, founding director of the institute, the Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor of music in the College’s Department of Music, and a professor of music theory at the Eastman School. “The goal is to give students a glimpse into the real-world life of the people most responsible for pop music and its history.”
“In Conversation” is one of two lecture series presented by the newly established Institute for Popular Music, which offers courses, lectures, workshops, and performances as a way to increase awareness and understanding of the scholarly study of popular music.