ABSTRACT
Throughout the history of human society, the clown figure has been an important aspect of vernacular culture and popular entertainment. This trend can also be observed in popular music. While prevalent interpretations of contemporary popular music artists tend to dwell on issues of “authenticity,” including its connectedness with cultural milieu and generational significance, this chapter argues that the prevalence of the clown figure in rock and pop offers other ways of understanding the social and cultural value of popular music. Drawing on four examples—Zal Cleminson (Sensational Alex Harvey Band), Ron Mael (Sparks), Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick), and Angus Young (AC/DC)—this chapter examines the significance of the clown figure in contemporary popular music as both a comic and subversive element in the pop-rock visual and performative text.
