Date of Submission
9-2021
Type of Work
Dissertation
Principal Supervisor
Dr. Jodie Taylor
Associate Supervisor
Dr. Lola Montgomery
Keywords
Music industry; recording studios; studio spaces; Australian music industry; women in audio; popular music history; history archives; archival practices; social justice; DIY archives; #MeToo; Social justice; feminist archives; Kulin nations music history; Melbourne music history; Naarm music history
Audience
Restricted (R 18+) - high impact language/themes, includes vilification, extreme language/violence, restricted to adults
Abstract
This dissertation serves as the theoretical underpinnings for development of the digital archival project [recordingstudios.net.au]. It examines the background methodologies of excavating existing ethnographic data of Melbourne recording studio histories from previous research by the author. As a female studio recording engineer in a sector where very few women are present, the researcher is positioned as an inside-outsider. Long-term involvement in the Melbourne music industry as a songwriter, musician, audio engineer and educator, offers an immersive approach to the project and research. Original research excavated for this current project focused on examining the contribution of recording studio spaces to Melbourne as a music city. It also reflected on the conservation of cultural spaces under threat of extinction due to neo-capitalist pressures faced by a rapidly growing city. By excavating this data in the current cultural context, a closer analysis of the causes for an absence of women in the recording studio sector emerged. This new project and dissertation consider traditional archive presentation against current social justice movements and the impact of private traumas on gender imbalances in positions of power in the music industry.
At the time of writing in 2021, a significant wave of social justice movement emerged in online culture. These movements coincide with accusations of both historical and recent sexual misconduct in Australian parliament and the music industry, inspiring reform of workplaces where white male hegemony is prevalent. This project examines recording studio data from a social justice perspective to present archival information on the website with a feminist theory lens. Previous data has been reworked to present a public-facing website that includes provision for community contribution. Inclusion of an online portal for further contribution to the data pool by the music and audio industry community is a key aspect to the ongoing collection and interpretation of data as a living archive. The initial website prototype will be presented to potential project partners for collaborative public presentation, project development and operational funding to maintain an evolving digital community archive.
Recommended Citation
Lane, L. (2021). Recording Studio Living Archive- Melbourne: DIY histories, a social justice approach [Masters dissertation, SAE University College]. Creo.
Included in
Archival Science Commons, Higher Education Commons, Music Commons, Women's Studies Commons