Look me in the eye

In this article, Roger Scruton's caustic criticism that rock is not music but noisy self-expression is taken seriously but redescribed as a virtue; not only because it grants rock the status of a distinct artistic practice but also because it clarifies an aspect true of every artform. Having developed into defining traits of rock, the exploration of tone, amplification and recording highlight the essential connection between personhood and oeuvre, as physical traits of the artist become inextricable from and essential to identifying the artwork. A further connection between personhood and art in the field of rock is made evident by the common use of a normative vocabulary in the reviewing of albums and live performances.