Motown to Salsoul pt.2: Music at the Birth of Post-Fordism

In this week's episode Tim and Jeremy continue their in-depth look at the economic, social and musical transformations of post-Fordism, focusing specifically on the years 1970 to 1972. They discuss the tedium, boredom and conformity many experienced during the post-war period, and the myriad ways people pushed back through art, inspired by a romantic vision of the expressive artist and new set of democratic demands from workers, hippies, black radicals, feminists and more.

We also hear about the resurgent economies of Japan and Germany, the ripple effects of the cybernetic revolution, the development of the Technics turntable, and the emergence of the synthesiser, and interrogate the charge that hippies should be held responsible for the advent of neoliberalism.

Tim Lawrence and Jeremy Gilbert are authors, academics, DJs and audiophile dance party organisers. They’ve been friends and collaborators since 1997, teaching together and running parties since 2003. With clubs closed and half their jobs lost to university cuts, they’re inevitably launching a podcast.

Produced and edited by Matt Huxley.

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Tune in, Turn on, Get Down!

Tracklist:
Stevie Wonder - Big Brother
Isao Tomita - Imagine
Isao Tomita - Snowflakes Are Dancing
Giorgio Moroder - Automation
Soft Machine - The Soft Weed Factor
The JBs - Gimme Some More