Thinking back to my first year at IU, I remember knowing I wanted to take at least one of the Rock Music History classes even before I enrolled in any classes. My older brother had told me how much he enjoyed the class, so I saw all the Spotify playlists he had downloaded for the class and my interest was piqued.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take any classes that first semester. But as I was registering for my second semester this fall, I remember revising my plans on a sofa in the Forest Quadrangle’s floor lounge, hastily replacing courses that had filled up just days before the designated registration date. Almost instinctively, I changed one of my filled classes to History of Rock Music II.
The first of three rock history classes begins with the earliest recordings of rock music and covers the late 1950s; the second focuses on the “Classic Era” beginning in 1964; and the final class covers the 1970s and 1980s. My older brother, who has taken all three classes, suggested that I start with the second section; yes, it would be out of chronological order, but he felt I would enjoy it more because it included revolutionary and iconic bands I already knew.
On the first day of classes, I didn't know what to expect. However, the moment I realized that Professor Andy Hollingden was very passionate about teaching music history, I was hooked. Not only that, but when I saw that he incorporated listening to music into his classes, I knew this was probably going to be the most fun I'd have at Ballantyne Hall.
The film reminds us that technology can potentially cause harm.
I was able to listen to music not only during class, but also as homework. Listening to music while walking around campus made the bitter cold more bearable. Walking while listening to music also provided an interesting time for reflection. I often noticed unique aspects of the pieces featured in lectures, and I practiced active listening, breaking down the instruments I heard to see how they worked together. I learned a lot as a musician. Many times my professors advised me to pay attention to what each musician was doing to complement each other in the recordings. I did just that.
The first two lectures of the semester were a package focused solely on the work of The Beatles and the beginning of the so-called “British Invasion.” Growing up with a father who was the closest thing in my family to a living musical encyclopedia, I thought I knew most of the important things about The Beatles. But I quickly learned that I was wrong. Perhaps the most interesting and memorable thing I learned in this class was the major role that psychotropic drugs played in their career.
I was also impressed by the rich history of The Beach Boys, the American version of The Beatles. To be honest, before taking the class, I only knew about The Beach Boys as the band that wrote songs like “Surfer Girl” and “God Only Knows,” but I didn't know about the personal struggles and genius of their leader Brian Wilson, or the relationship between drummer Dennis Wilson and Charles Manson.
The Beach Boys are a group I rediscovered while taking the class, and they've now become one of my favorite bands. As the class progressed, I put together a playlist of all my favorite songs covered in class. There are six or seven Beach Boys songs in a row that appear on the playlist, a testament to how much I've grown to love their music.
Insights into the American education system as an international student studying at IU.
My petrological history classes started at 4:45pm and ended at 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I would usually have dinner with friends in Forest Dining Hall 15-30 minutes after class, often bringing to the table stories I had covered in class.
After I removed the noise-canceling headphones that were playing music from the class playlist, I would often talk about new bands I had discovered or interesting or shocking facts I had learned about musicians.
I also frequently wrote down comments he would make during his interesting philosophical rants or short stand-up comedy routines: one minute he was talking about how it's okay to feel imperfect as a human being, and the next he was doing a hilarious imitation of Mick Jagger trying to avoid a heated argument with James Brown.
I believe the most important thing I learned from this class was the ability to appreciate music and become a better listener. It was a very enjoyable experience and motivated me to explore more courses that fit my interests, regardless of my major.
Joaquin Baerga is a sophomore journalism major.
