Empire of Dirt: The Aesthetics and Rituals of British Indie Music

Britain is widely considered the cradle of independent music culture. This indepth study of the British independent music scene explores how the behavior of fans, artists, and music industry professionals produce a community with a specific aesthetic based on moral values.

Author Wendy Fonarow, a scholar with years of experience in the various sectors of the indie music scene, examines the indie music "gig" as a ritual in which all participants are actively involved. This ritual allows participants to play with cultural norms regarding appropriate behavior, especially in the domains of sex and creativity.

Her investigation uncovers the actions and motivations of audience members over time. She shows how ritual and art are codes of communication that allow for the expression of otherwise culturally taboo subjects. Empire of Dirt sheds new light on music, gender roles, emotion, subjectivity, embodiment, and authenticity.