Dr John Williamson

  • Lecturer (Music)

telephone: 0141 330 7414
email: John.C.Williamson@glasgow.ac.uk

Room 402, 14 University Gardens, Glasgow, G12 8QH

Import to contacts

ORCID iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1010-6998

Biography

Since 2019 I have been a Lecturer in Music.

Prior to that, I was Lord Kelvin Adam Smith Research Fellow in Popular Music Studies between 2016-19, conducting research on popular music as it appeared on television in Scotland between 1952 and 1985.

Previously, I was research associate on an AHRC funded project examining the history of the British Musicians' Union. 

Before that I spent twenty years largely self-employed doing various jobs in and around the music industries in Glasgow.

These incuded working as a journalist (for The Herald newspaper), band manager (for bis, Belle and Sebastian and others) and concert promoter / event organiser, often simultaneously. Inevitably, this has informed some of my research interests and teaching interests, and I completed my PhD in 2010 while doing a mixture of the above. 

I have been chair of the judging panel for the Scottish Album of the Year award since it began in 2012

Research interests

My research combines an interest in the political economy and business practices of the contemporary music industries within the wider context of the history and politics of popular music.

My PhD looked at the changes in the early C21st music industries from the perspectives of intellectual property, rent-seeking and entrepreneurship; my subsequent work has focused on the nature of musical labour and organisations during the twentieth century and I am currently completing a project on representations of Scottishness and popular music in the early days of television.

 

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2023 | 2021 | 2019 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2009 | 2007 | 2004 | 2003
Number of items: 31.

2023

Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (Eds.) (2023) Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music. Series: Routledge global popular music series. Routledge: London. ISBN 9781032161983

Williamson, J. (2023) Performing in Gaelic: A conversation with Joy Dunlop. In: Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (eds.) Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music. Series: Routledge global popular music series. Routledge: London, pp. 71-79. ISBN 9781032161983

Williamson, J. (2023) Riverside Festival, Glasgow: An interview with Dave Clarke and Mark McKechnie. In: Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (eds.) Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music. Series: Routledge global popular music series. Routledge: New York, pp. 59-70. ISBN 9781032161983

Williamson, J. (2023) Stramash! When pop music television comes to Scotland. In: Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (eds.) Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music. Series: Routledge global popular music series. Routledge: London, pp. 15-23. ISBN 9781032161983

Brennan, M. , Sarim, M. and Williamson, J. (2023) Glasgow Music City Map. [Website]

2021

Williamson, J. C. (2021) The Kilt Is My Delight: popular music on early television from Scotland. Journal of Popular Television, 9(1), pp. 105-122. (doi: 10.1386/jptv_00044_1)

2019

Williamson, J. C. (2019) The Rearguard of the Revolution: MI5, Communism and British musicians. Cold War, Aesthetics and Popular Culture, Turku, Finland, 13 December 2019. (Unpublished)

Williamson, J. (2019) Ten Years of Tears: Glasgow as a UNESCO City of Music. Solent Festival of Ideas, Southampton, UK, 19 June 2019. (Unpublished)

2017

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2017) The music industries: theory, practice and vocations – a polemical intervention. In: Heile, B., Moreda Rodriguez, E. and Stanley, J. (eds.) Higher Education in Music in the Twenty-First Century. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY, pp. 112-125. ISBN 9781472467324

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2017) Introduction. Popular Music and Society, 40(5), pp. 493-498. (doi: 10.1080/03007766.2017.1351117)

2016

Williamson, J. C. (2016) Protecting Musicians from themselves? Critical reflections on 123 years of the Musicians’ Union. Royal Musical Association 52nd Annual Conference, Guild Hall, London, 02-05 Sep 2016. (Unpublished)

Williamson, J. and Cloonan, M. (2016) Players' Work Time: A History of the British Musicians' Union, 1893-2013. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9781526113948 (doi: 10.7228/manchester/9781784991326.001.0001)

Williamson, J. (2016) 'A thankless task' - ATP and independent festival promotion in the UK. Keep It Simple Make It Fast (KISMIF), Porto, Portugal, 17-22 Jul 2016. (Unpublished)

Williamson, J. (2016) Fighting on all Fronts: The Amalgamated Musicians' Union During the First World War. Business as Usual?: Institutional Impact in the First World War, University of Glasgow, UK, 02 Mar 2016. (Unpublished)

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2016) Keeping Music Live: The History of the Musicians' Union. [Exhibitions]

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2016) Workers or Capitalists? Reflections on Musicians as Employers. In: Working in Music: The Musicians’ Union, Musical Labour and Employment, Glasgow, Scotland, 14-15 Jan 2016,

2015

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2015) Workers as Capitalists? Some Reflections on Musicians as Employers. In: Capitalism, Culture and Media, Leeds, England, 7-8 Sep 2015,

Williamson, J. (2015) Artist managers and entrepreneurship: risk takers of risk averse? In: Dumbreck, A. and McPherson, G. (eds.) Music Entrepreneurship. Bloomsbury: London, pp. 87-112. ISBN 9781472525406

Williamson, J. (2015) For the benefit of all musicians? The musicians' union and performers' rights in the UK. In: Rahmatian, A. (ed.) Concepts of Music and Copyright: How Music Perceives Itself and How Copyright Perceives Music. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham, pp. 167-193. ISBN 9781783478187

2014

Williamson, J. (2014) Co-operation and conflict: the British musicians' union, musical labour and copyright. MusiCultures, 41(1), pp. 73-92.

2013

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2013) Researching the British Musicians’ Union: Bridging Troubled Waters. In: 17th International conference (IASPM), Gijon, Spain, 24-28 Jun 2013,

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2013) Researching The Musicians Union: Some Initial Findings. In: Musicians’ Union Conference, Manchester, England, Jul 2013,

2012

Williamson, J. and Cloonan, M. (2012) Contextualising the contemporary recording industry. In: Marshall, L. (ed.) The International Recording Industries. Series: Routledge advances in sociology. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon. ISBN 9780415603454

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2012) Researching The Musicians' Union: Some Initial Thoughts On A Musical Community. In: IASPM UK and Ireland Conference, Manchester, England, Sep 2013,

2011

Williamson, J. , Cloonan, M. and Frith, S. (2011) Having an impact? Academics, the music industries and the problem of knowledge. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 17(5), pp. 459-474. (doi: 10.1080/10286632.2010.550682)

2009

Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2009) On music as a creative industry. In: Pratt, A.C. and Jeffcutt, P. (eds.) Creativity, Innovation and the Cultural Economy. Series: Routledge studies in global competition (46). Routledge, pp. 74-89. ISBN 9780415419758

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2009) Mapping the music industry in Scotland: building an industry or building an empire. In: Gyde, A. and Stahl, G. (eds.) Practising Popular Music. International Association for the Study of Popular Music: Montreal, pp. 129-138.

2007

Williamson, J. and Cloonan, M. (2007) Rethinking the music industry. Popular Music, 26(2), pp. 305-322. (doi: 10.1017/S0261143007001262)

2004

Cloonan, M., Williamson, J. and Frith, S. (2004) What is music worth? Some reflections on the Scottish experience. Popular Music, 23(2), pp. 205-212.

2003

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2003) Mapping the music industry in Scotland: building an industry or building an empire? In: 12th Conference of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM), Montreal, Canada, 3-7 July 2003, pp. 129-138.

Williamson, J. , Cloonan, M. and Frith, S. (2003) Mapping the Music Industry in Scotland: A Report. Project Report. Scottish Enterprise.

This list was generated on Fri Apr 19 03:28:08 2024 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Books | Book Sections | Edited Books | Research Reports or Papers | Conference or Workshop Item | Conference Proceedings | Exhibitions | Website
Number of items: 31.

Articles

Williamson, J. C. (2021) The Kilt Is My Delight: popular music on early television from Scotland. Journal of Popular Television, 9(1), pp. 105-122. (doi: 10.1386/jptv_00044_1)

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2017) Introduction. Popular Music and Society, 40(5), pp. 493-498. (doi: 10.1080/03007766.2017.1351117)

Williamson, J. (2014) Co-operation and conflict: the British musicians' union, musical labour and copyright. MusiCultures, 41(1), pp. 73-92.

Williamson, J. , Cloonan, M. and Frith, S. (2011) Having an impact? Academics, the music industries and the problem of knowledge. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 17(5), pp. 459-474. (doi: 10.1080/10286632.2010.550682)

Williamson, J. and Cloonan, M. (2007) Rethinking the music industry. Popular Music, 26(2), pp. 305-322. (doi: 10.1017/S0261143007001262)

Cloonan, M., Williamson, J. and Frith, S. (2004) What is music worth? Some reflections on the Scottish experience. Popular Music, 23(2), pp. 205-212.

Books

Williamson, J. and Cloonan, M. (2016) Players' Work Time: A History of the British Musicians' Union, 1893-2013. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9781526113948 (doi: 10.7228/manchester/9781784991326.001.0001)

Book Sections

Williamson, J. (2023) Performing in Gaelic: A conversation with Joy Dunlop. In: Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (eds.) Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music. Series: Routledge global popular music series. Routledge: London, pp. 71-79. ISBN 9781032161983

Williamson, J. (2023) Riverside Festival, Glasgow: An interview with Dave Clarke and Mark McKechnie. In: Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (eds.) Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music. Series: Routledge global popular music series. Routledge: New York, pp. 59-70. ISBN 9781032161983

Williamson, J. (2023) Stramash! When pop music television comes to Scotland. In: Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (eds.) Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music. Series: Routledge global popular music series. Routledge: London, pp. 15-23. ISBN 9781032161983

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2017) The music industries: theory, practice and vocations – a polemical intervention. In: Heile, B., Moreda Rodriguez, E. and Stanley, J. (eds.) Higher Education in Music in the Twenty-First Century. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY, pp. 112-125. ISBN 9781472467324

Williamson, J. (2015) Artist managers and entrepreneurship: risk takers of risk averse? In: Dumbreck, A. and McPherson, G. (eds.) Music Entrepreneurship. Bloomsbury: London, pp. 87-112. ISBN 9781472525406

Williamson, J. (2015) For the benefit of all musicians? The musicians' union and performers' rights in the UK. In: Rahmatian, A. (ed.) Concepts of Music and Copyright: How Music Perceives Itself and How Copyright Perceives Music. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham, pp. 167-193. ISBN 9781783478187

Williamson, J. and Cloonan, M. (2012) Contextualising the contemporary recording industry. In: Marshall, L. (ed.) The International Recording Industries. Series: Routledge advances in sociology. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon. ISBN 9780415603454

Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2009) On music as a creative industry. In: Pratt, A.C. and Jeffcutt, P. (eds.) Creativity, Innovation and the Cultural Economy. Series: Routledge studies in global competition (46). Routledge, pp. 74-89. ISBN 9780415419758

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2009) Mapping the music industry in Scotland: building an industry or building an empire. In: Gyde, A. and Stahl, G. (eds.) Practising Popular Music. International Association for the Study of Popular Music: Montreal, pp. 129-138.

Edited Books

Frith, S., Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (Eds.) (2023) Made in Scotland: Studies in Popular Music. Series: Routledge global popular music series. Routledge: London. ISBN 9781032161983

Research Reports or Papers

Williamson, J. , Cloonan, M. and Frith, S. (2003) Mapping the Music Industry in Scotland: A Report. Project Report. Scottish Enterprise.

Conference or Workshop Item

Williamson, J. C. (2019) The Rearguard of the Revolution: MI5, Communism and British musicians. Cold War, Aesthetics and Popular Culture, Turku, Finland, 13 December 2019. (Unpublished)

Williamson, J. (2019) Ten Years of Tears: Glasgow as a UNESCO City of Music. Solent Festival of Ideas, Southampton, UK, 19 June 2019. (Unpublished)

Williamson, J. C. (2016) Protecting Musicians from themselves? Critical reflections on 123 years of the Musicians’ Union. Royal Musical Association 52nd Annual Conference, Guild Hall, London, 02-05 Sep 2016. (Unpublished)

Williamson, J. (2016) 'A thankless task' - ATP and independent festival promotion in the UK. Keep It Simple Make It Fast (KISMIF), Porto, Portugal, 17-22 Jul 2016. (Unpublished)

Williamson, J. (2016) Fighting on all Fronts: The Amalgamated Musicians' Union During the First World War. Business as Usual?: Institutional Impact in the First World War, University of Glasgow, UK, 02 Mar 2016. (Unpublished)

Conference Proceedings

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2016) Workers or Capitalists? Reflections on Musicians as Employers. In: Working in Music: The Musicians’ Union, Musical Labour and Employment, Glasgow, Scotland, 14-15 Jan 2016,

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2015) Workers as Capitalists? Some Reflections on Musicians as Employers. In: Capitalism, Culture and Media, Leeds, England, 7-8 Sep 2015,

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2013) Researching the British Musicians’ Union: Bridging Troubled Waters. In: 17th International conference (IASPM), Gijon, Spain, 24-28 Jun 2013,

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2013) Researching The Musicians Union: Some Initial Findings. In: Musicians’ Union Conference, Manchester, England, Jul 2013,

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2012) Researching The Musicians' Union: Some Initial Thoughts On A Musical Community. In: IASPM UK and Ireland Conference, Manchester, England, Sep 2013,

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2003) Mapping the music industry in Scotland: building an industry or building an empire? In: 12th Conference of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM), Montreal, Canada, 3-7 July 2003, pp. 129-138.

Exhibitions

Cloonan, M. and Williamson, J. (2016) Keeping Music Live: The History of the Musicians' Union. [Exhibitions]

Website

Brennan, M. , Sarim, M. and Williamson, J. (2023) Glasgow Music City Map. [Website]

This list was generated on Fri Apr 19 03:28:08 2024 BST.

Grants

 

Supervision

 

Teaching

Undergraduate

I am course leader on the Popular Music Politics undergraduate course.

I also teach on the Writing the Arts and Humanities course and supervise a number of undergraduate dissertations. 

Postgraduate

I teach on the MSc Music Industries programme as course leader on:

  • Contemporary Music Industries
  • Music Industries Project
  • Music Industries Dissertation
  • Popular Music Politics

 

 

Additional information