Research at the University of Salford, funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council, is shedding new light on experiences of disability as reflected in the work of disabled musicians such as Ian Dury.
Professor George McKay's 'Spasticus: Popular Music and Disability' takes its name from the Ian Dury single Spasticus Autisticus, which was released in 1981 to mark the UN International Year of Disabled Persons. Dury, whose life inspired the recently released biopic ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’, starring Andy Serkis as the controversial star, was himself disabled after catching polio as a child.
Professor McKay’s research, which focuses on jazz and pop music, has examined how Dury and other artists who were affected by polio, such as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, have grappled with disability through their music, writing and performances. Other jazz and pop performers who suffered the after-effects of polio include Steve Harley, Connie Boswell, Horace Parlan, Doc Pomus, Judy Collins, Charlie Haden, David Sanborn and Israel Vibration.
"Spasticus Autisticus remains the highest profile and most controversially direct intervention from a major pop artist to disability culture, and Dury produced a whole range of songs about his experience of disability," says Professor McKay. "Yet as disability cultural studies have taught us more generally, the moment we begin to look for disability in popular music, we find it everywhere.
"My research will examine just how these artists made sense of their disabled bodies through their music and lyrics."
Professor McKay aims to release the results of his research as a book in 2011, to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Spasticus Autisticus' release.
Notes to editors
Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC): Each year the AHRC provides approximately £102 million from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the arts and humanities, from languages and law, archaeology and English literature to design and creative and performing arts. In any one year, the AHRC makes approximately 700 research awards and around 1,350 postgraduate awards. Awards are made after a rigorous peer review process, to ensure that only applications of the highest quality are funded. The quality and range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK.
AHRC Support for Individual Researchers is now through the Fellowships scheme. Applications for the new scheme have been accepted since 1 September 2009 and the scheme has an annual budget of £8m. The Fellowships scheme offers the same support for individual researchers as the Research Leave scheme but in a much more flexible way. This increased flexibility includes: the duration and time commitment to the Fellowship; the range of research approaches and activities that can be included and of outputs that may be produced; the nature of the institutional support provided; and the funds that can be requested to support research activities and communication and impact plans. In addition, there is more explicit provision and expectation of institutional support for early career researchers. The introduction of the new scheme confirms the AHRC’s commitment to individual scholars.
An important improvement in this support has been an increase in the potential value of an award up to a maximum of £120K under the Fellowships scheme. For more information see http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/Fellowships.aspx.
The University of Salford has a rich history stretching back to 1896, with world-famous graduates including painter LS Lowry, comedian Peter Kay, actors Sir Ben Kingsley and Christopher Eccleston, and CEO of ASDA, Andy Bond. 83% of the University’s research was judged of international class by the Government's latest Research Assessment Exercise, and 12% was judged to be world-leading – at the very cutting edge. In 2011 Salford will be joining five major BBC departments, including Sport and Children's, at MediaCityUK only a short distance from the University campus, with 100,000 square feet of space filled with state-of-the-art technology right next to the BBC buildings. All parts of the University will be involved in working with the BBC and other tenants to create job opportunities for graduates, and benefit business and the local community. http://www.salford.ac.uk/