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Academic Disability Festival Public engagement

Public lecture, Festival of Arts and Science, University of Birmingham, 19 March

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‘Crippled with nerves’: the curious case of polio and popular music

Ian Dury, Steve Harley, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Donovan, Israel Vibration, Staff Benda Bilili: all marked by polio. How  has that childhood experience influenced their music, (how) have they sung about it, what does the disabled pop body look like on stage, have they been activists or advocates in disability rights movements, what might there be specific to polio and popular music?… Drawing on work from his acclaimed book Shakin’ All Over: Popular Music & Disability, Professor George McKay delves further into this musical-medical narrative.

  • Thursday 19 March, 12.30-1.30 pm
  • Free admission (reservations essential)
  • Barber Institute of Fine Art lecture theatre
  • Further information (including directions, accessibility and reservations) available here.