‘A dying mutual friend’: popular music and the politics of deindustrialisation in Scotland in the long 1980s

Abstract

This article explores musical manifestations of the politics of deindustrialisation in late twentieth century Scotland. Focusing on the period from 1976 to 1997, a long 1980s, this music was set against years both of a profound Scottish crisis in confidence and cultural and political awakening in identity and towards devolution. They also reflected broader sentiments of decline and dystopia. It examines how a sense of personal and collective harm was interpreted and articulated through popular music. It considers how this was shaped by the personal and contextual circumstances experienced by these Scottish musicians, and the narratives of Scottish workers affected by deindustrialisation, and how these were expressed in different ways. The article locates these cultural responses within broader Scottish notions of industrial citizenship, nationhood, generational difference, and particular musical traditions.