According to an online article posted in the "Claremont Forum", a blog-friendly news site of Claremont McKenna, the college next door to my all-women's college Scripps College,"Just Dance" by Lady GaGa was voted Scripps' theme song. I have no idea how accurate that information is, because I was not aware of this poll and I do not know which Scripps students voted and why, but the article quoted a freshman Scripps student saying she feels empowered by this song and thinks it holds feminist values. Confused, I googled the lyrics to the song. Some of them are as follows:
"Wish I could shut my playboy mouth, oh oh oh-oh
How'd I turn my shirt inside out? Inside outright,
Control your poison babe, roses have thorns they say,
And we're all getting hosed tonight, oh oh oh-oh"
The article somehow tried to connect the fact that this theme song had something to do with the generalization that all the women at my college have some sort of eating disorder. A major up-rise broke out and many obscene comments to this article ensued, basically bashing the article for having a lack of a point and a lack of sensitivity for the women at my college. Basically, the article was not greatly liked.
I can see why this article created such an out-pour of comments, and I also do not agree with the article. However, the article only mentioned our so-called "theme song" for one or two lines and then continued on talking about eating disorders, but what I find more interesting is the fact that somehow, some women at my college decided that Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" was an empowering song for female activists. Getting "hosed tonight" doesn't seem like a song with feminist ideals at all.
As "Just Dance" continues, there is in fact one stanza where I can see how women would in some way find this song empowering. Lady GaGa sings:
"When I come through on the dance floor checkin' out that catalog,
Can't believe my eyes, so many women without a flaw,
And I ain't gon' give it up, steady tryin' to pick it up like a car,
I'ma hit it, I'ma hit it and flex and do it till tomorr' yeah"
And then she, of course, just continues on to dance and get "hosed". Even the one line of the song that describes how all the women on the dance floor have no flaws doesn't make up for the fact that there really is nothing else empowering in the rest of the lyrics.
I've been trying to think of songs sung by women artists that I WOULD consider feminist songs. I'm not just talking about any song sung by a woman; I'm talking about a song by a woman with empowering lyrics.
There is something to be said for women who sing openly about their sexuality, because generations before us, women have had to hide that side of themselves; they have had to suppress their emotions and leave their husbands to take over the sexual role. Lady GaGa does indeed sing openly about sex, as do other women like Beyonce ("Single Ladies") or Christina Aguilera ("Candyman"), as more examples.
Yet, I find it hard to connect to these musicians. Even though I applaud them for singing openly about sex, sometimes their point fades and these songs just become an excuse for men to take advantage of women's sexuality; many rappers hold women to be objects, and these women are adding to this problem by objectifying themselves to become the sexual playthings that these men are fantasizing about in their lyrics. Sometimes these fantasies become scary realities. Case in point: Rihanna and Chris Brown (I'm sure everyone by now knows their situation - Rihanna, the R+B singer who was dating Chris Brown, another R+B singer, was physically abused by Brown, who is now fulfilling his court-ordered mandatory probation of physical labor.)
As I write this, I realize that there is one feminist empowering song that I can think of, sung by the lovely Ms. Aretha Franklin (sadly, this song is over 40 years old - can anyone think of contemporary music sung by strong, un-objectified female artists?). The song I am thinking of is "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man". She sings:
"Take me to heart and I'll always love you
And nobody can make me do wrong
Take me for granted, leaving love unsure
Makes will power weak and temptation strong,
A woman's only human
You should understand
She's not just a plaything
She's flesh and blood just like her man
If you want a do-right-all-day woman
You've got to be a do-right-all-night man,
They say that it's a man's world
Well you can improve that by me
And as long as we're together baby
Show some respect for me."
There is also, of course, her famous hit "Respect", but because that song was originally written and recorded by Otis Redding, the song proves to be oriented towards either gender and not specifically written for a strong-willed woman.
I'd love to hear some more examples of other empowering female lyrics. I also did consider Indigo Girls, but I couldn't think of a specific example of lyrics that were more than just pining over a lost love. Please submit your opinions, and let's be done with all this GaGa.
Blog dedicated to music. For those who listen to it, those who create it, those who enjoy it, and anyone else too, I suppose...
Friday, September 4, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
This is Not a Pretentious Blog Post
I'm not afraid to admit it:
I sing along to Nsync in the car. Loudly.
I've seen Backstreet Boys in concert twice.
I own music by Coldplay and Dido.
And I have a dance playlist on itunes that includes Fergie, Nelly, Beyonce, and Rihanna.
But this in no way defines what my music taste is. And I don't feel like I need to justify myself by listing off names of obscure artists that I also know.
Many people think that the only way to have an opinion that other people will accept is to have an opinion that basically bashes anything and everything mainstream. This, to me, is pretentious. They will post lists of their favorite music artists on public forums like facebook and myspace to be judged by their friends and sometimes even complete strangers. The more obscure of artists they list, the more they think people will say "oh wow, I've never heard of these artists. This person must be totally legit and artsy."
There is also the crowd of music listeners who complain when their favorite artist becomes mainstream. I'll hear them talk about how they can no longer listen to that artist now that everyone else knows about them. I agree that if that artist has compromised his or her music in order to make it big in the industry and the songs have changed to something that these listeners no longer appreciate, then it makes sense to no longer listen to him. But I do not understand what the problem is when a musical artist is finally being appreciated on a larger scale for all the great music that he made when he was just an obscure artist. My friend told me that she doesn't like when her favorite song becomes popular because then she hears it on the radio all the time and gets sick of it. I can understand that, since radios use a formula where they play the fifteen or so most popular songs of the moment over and over again, so if you are listening to the same station for over an hour, you are bound to hear the same songs played again. My solution to this problem, if satellite radio is not available, is to have my ipod hooked up in the car, or to put on a mixed CD if the ipod idea is not an option, or to change the station or turn off the radio completely.
In this blog, I choose to talk about music and to communicate to an audience that is also passionate about music. I do not neglect those who have a different music taste than I, and I do not mock those who listen to whatever it is they listen to. Music is supposed to bring people together as a community of listeners who are inspired and who want to inspire; it is not a forum of judgment and contests. Nobody "wins" for knowing more obscure artists than somebody else.
My friend told me it was cliché that my favorite band was The Beatles. Um, who cares? I mean, come on, they are THE BEATLES.
I love working at KSPC, my college radio station. I think it is great that it supports local, independent, and unsigned artists and it supplies a forum for these artists to be heard. The one problem I have, however, is the fact that it denies musicians that are already popular. I love a lot of these artists as well. I have no problem playing independent artists on the radio; in fact, for my future career, I want to work solely with independent artists and leave the mainstream artists to "the man". However, I also listen to music that's somewhere in between independent and mainstream - bands that aren't completely obscure but are still on independent labels, or bands that are totally obscure but are still signed onto mainstream labels. These artists are not supported by KSPC and thus I will not be able to play them when I am a DJ this fall. I don't want to just grab some random CD among the thousands in the vaults of KSPC and play it just because it exists - I want to play music that I actually know and enjoy and want others to hear. This is why I wish I could bring in my own music to play at the station instead of having to choose from the albums that are already approved. As much music as I already know about, it is impossible to know it all, and there will always be artists I haven't heard of.
I don't want to list my favorite artists on facebook (if you are my facebook friend, go ahead and look, I haven't listed them, I'm not lying) because I don't need validation from anyone about whether my music taste is acceptable or not. There is no right and wrong, musical taste is personal and just important to yourself. It is you. And I don't want anyone telling me whether I am acceptable or not.
I sing along to Nsync in the car. Loudly.
I've seen Backstreet Boys in concert twice.
I own music by Coldplay and Dido.
And I have a dance playlist on itunes that includes Fergie, Nelly, Beyonce, and Rihanna.
But this in no way defines what my music taste is. And I don't feel like I need to justify myself by listing off names of obscure artists that I also know.
Many people think that the only way to have an opinion that other people will accept is to have an opinion that basically bashes anything and everything mainstream. This, to me, is pretentious. They will post lists of their favorite music artists on public forums like facebook and myspace to be judged by their friends and sometimes even complete strangers. The more obscure of artists they list, the more they think people will say "oh wow, I've never heard of these artists. This person must be totally legit and artsy."
There is also the crowd of music listeners who complain when their favorite artist becomes mainstream. I'll hear them talk about how they can no longer listen to that artist now that everyone else knows about them. I agree that if that artist has compromised his or her music in order to make it big in the industry and the songs have changed to something that these listeners no longer appreciate, then it makes sense to no longer listen to him. But I do not understand what the problem is when a musical artist is finally being appreciated on a larger scale for all the great music that he made when he was just an obscure artist. My friend told me that she doesn't like when her favorite song becomes popular because then she hears it on the radio all the time and gets sick of it. I can understand that, since radios use a formula where they play the fifteen or so most popular songs of the moment over and over again, so if you are listening to the same station for over an hour, you are bound to hear the same songs played again. My solution to this problem, if satellite radio is not available, is to have my ipod hooked up in the car, or to put on a mixed CD if the ipod idea is not an option, or to change the station or turn off the radio completely.
In this blog, I choose to talk about music and to communicate to an audience that is also passionate about music. I do not neglect those who have a different music taste than I, and I do not mock those who listen to whatever it is they listen to. Music is supposed to bring people together as a community of listeners who are inspired and who want to inspire; it is not a forum of judgment and contests. Nobody "wins" for knowing more obscure artists than somebody else.
My friend told me it was cliché that my favorite band was The Beatles. Um, who cares? I mean, come on, they are THE BEATLES.
I love working at KSPC, my college radio station. I think it is great that it supports local, independent, and unsigned artists and it supplies a forum for these artists to be heard. The one problem I have, however, is the fact that it denies musicians that are already popular. I love a lot of these artists as well. I have no problem playing independent artists on the radio; in fact, for my future career, I want to work solely with independent artists and leave the mainstream artists to "the man". However, I also listen to music that's somewhere in between independent and mainstream - bands that aren't completely obscure but are still on independent labels, or bands that are totally obscure but are still signed onto mainstream labels. These artists are not supported by KSPC and thus I will not be able to play them when I am a DJ this fall. I don't want to just grab some random CD among the thousands in the vaults of KSPC and play it just because it exists - I want to play music that I actually know and enjoy and want others to hear. This is why I wish I could bring in my own music to play at the station instead of having to choose from the albums that are already approved. As much music as I already know about, it is impossible to know it all, and there will always be artists I haven't heard of.
I don't want to list my favorite artists on facebook (if you are my facebook friend, go ahead and look, I haven't listed them, I'm not lying) because I don't need validation from anyone about whether my music taste is acceptable or not. There is no right and wrong, musical taste is personal and just important to yourself. It is you. And I don't want anyone telling me whether I am acceptable or not.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
My Life According to The Kinks
Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to at least 10 people and include me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "my life according to (band name)"
Pick your Artist:
Kinks
Are you a male or female?
Lola
Describe yourself:
I'm Not Like Everybody Else
How do you feel:
A Long Way From Home
Describe where you currently live:
Dead End Street
If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
Animal Farm
Your favorite form of transportation:
Drivin'
Your best friend is:
Do You Remember Walter?
What's the weather like?
Sunny Afternoon
Favorite time of day:
This Time Tomorrow
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
Young and Innocent Days
What is life to you:
All Of My Friends Were There
Your fear:
Strangers
What is the best advice you have to give:
Act Nice and Gentle
Thought for the Day:
Where Have All The Good Times Gone
How I would like to die:
Alcohol
My soul's present condition:
Complicated Life
My motto:
This Is Where I Belong
Pick your Artist:
Kinks
Are you a male or female?
Lola
Describe yourself:
I'm Not Like Everybody Else
How do you feel:
A Long Way From Home
Describe where you currently live:
Dead End Street
If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
Animal Farm
Your favorite form of transportation:
Drivin'
Your best friend is:
Do You Remember Walter?
What's the weather like?
Sunny Afternoon
Favorite time of day:
This Time Tomorrow
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
Young and Innocent Days
What is life to you:
All Of My Friends Were There
Your fear:
Strangers
What is the best advice you have to give:
Act Nice and Gentle
Thought for the Day:
Where Have All The Good Times Gone
How I would like to die:
Alcohol
My soul's present condition:
Complicated Life
My motto:
This Is Where I Belong
Monday, August 17, 2009
Beatles Rock Band
I really want The Beatles: Rock Band. I don't have any game system so I can't get Guitar Hero or Rock Band, so I always have to hit up my friends that have one of the two to play.
I saw an ad on the outside wall of Blockbuster for The Beatles: Rock Band and I've seen one of the Beatles' Rock Band music videos on tv for "Ticket to Ride". It looks really bizarre! Seeing the Beatles in black and white on The Ed Sullivan Show, for example, and then seeing them in computer animation, is really a trip. It was like when The Beatles' "Love" came out (which, by the way, I really didn't like. Why combine songs together and try to make them sound more psychedelic if that wasn't the original intention for the song?) Even though I am not sure if I like how The Beatles have been put into the music video world of the 21st century, the songs don't seem to have been changed for the game, as far as I can tell.
What is different about this new version of Rock Band is that four-piece harmonies have now been added, and each song you master rewards you with extra rare footage of the Beatles. As the advertisements provide, "The acclaimed Rock Band elements of interactive play and full band capacity are here, but with brand-new additions. This will be the first music game to offer harmonies, challenging you to recreate The Beatles’ vocal blend. There are custom-built models of the instruments the band itself played, audio straight from the masters, and graphics that take you on a magical tour through the key moments in Beatles history. Master the songs to hear rare audio and view unseen photos from the archives!"
The songs on Rock Band that I enjoy playing the most are the ones that are fast, or at least have good guitar solos because it presents more of a challenge. I'm interested to see how Rock Band with the Beatles will turn out - Rock Band and Guitar Hero haven't used Beatles songs yet probably because they don't usually seem to be "hard rock" enough, but at the height of The Beatles, they were the ultimate rock and rollers. The definition of what rock music even is has completely changed; forty or fifty years ago, Elvis, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones defined rock and roll music, but for today's standards, their songs, when not played on "Classic Rock" radio stations, would be considered softer rock. Rock music has changed with every musical decade: the faster guitar riffs of the 1980's, the grunge era of the '90s, and now the addition of indie pop-rock that has ruled the 2000's.
In the 1960's, The Beatles had the mop tops that parents feared were too long and that their kids would copy (and they did!), but it is absolutely ridiculous to look at their haircuts now and see them as a threat. After all, we saw what the 1980's hair bands were like.
In my previous post, I talked about how it is interesting to think about how The Beatles would be seen if they became a new band of today and if nobody had any preconceived notions of them. Although it would be hard to study because it is impossible to ignore the history we already know, blending Rock Band and The Beatles together is probably as close as we can get; we can see an example of a 21st century music frenzy combined with a 1960's music revolution and see the affect one has on the other.
Here is a link to the website that is promoting the new game, out on September 9th:
http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com/
I saw an ad on the outside wall of Blockbuster for The Beatles: Rock Band and I've seen one of the Beatles' Rock Band music videos on tv for "Ticket to Ride". It looks really bizarre! Seeing the Beatles in black and white on The Ed Sullivan Show, for example, and then seeing them in computer animation, is really a trip. It was like when The Beatles' "Love" came out (which, by the way, I really didn't like. Why combine songs together and try to make them sound more psychedelic if that wasn't the original intention for the song?) Even though I am not sure if I like how The Beatles have been put into the music video world of the 21st century, the songs don't seem to have been changed for the game, as far as I can tell.
What is different about this new version of Rock Band is that four-piece harmonies have now been added, and each song you master rewards you with extra rare footage of the Beatles. As the advertisements provide, "The acclaimed Rock Band elements of interactive play and full band capacity are here, but with brand-new additions. This will be the first music game to offer harmonies, challenging you to recreate The Beatles’ vocal blend. There are custom-built models of the instruments the band itself played, audio straight from the masters, and graphics that take you on a magical tour through the key moments in Beatles history. Master the songs to hear rare audio and view unseen photos from the archives!"
The songs on Rock Band that I enjoy playing the most are the ones that are fast, or at least have good guitar solos because it presents more of a challenge. I'm interested to see how Rock Band with the Beatles will turn out - Rock Band and Guitar Hero haven't used Beatles songs yet probably because they don't usually seem to be "hard rock" enough, but at the height of The Beatles, they were the ultimate rock and rollers. The definition of what rock music even is has completely changed; forty or fifty years ago, Elvis, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones defined rock and roll music, but for today's standards, their songs, when not played on "Classic Rock" radio stations, would be considered softer rock. Rock music has changed with every musical decade: the faster guitar riffs of the 1980's, the grunge era of the '90s, and now the addition of indie pop-rock that has ruled the 2000's.
In the 1960's, The Beatles had the mop tops that parents feared were too long and that their kids would copy (and they did!), but it is absolutely ridiculous to look at their haircuts now and see them as a threat. After all, we saw what the 1980's hair bands were like.
In my previous post, I talked about how it is interesting to think about how The Beatles would be seen if they became a new band of today and if nobody had any preconceived notions of them. Although it would be hard to study because it is impossible to ignore the history we already know, blending Rock Band and The Beatles together is probably as close as we can get; we can see an example of a 21st century music frenzy combined with a 1960's music revolution and see the affect one has on the other.
Here is a link to the website that is promoting the new game, out on September 9th:
http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com/
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
A List (and A-List)
A list of some bands that I love and actually do know enough about that KSPC supports (to make me feel like I actually am valid and legitimate enough to be a DJ for the station in the fall, since I am freaking out about not being "hipster" enough):
*Coconut Records - side project of the actor Jason Schwartzmaan after he left "Phantom Planet". I heard about the album "Nighttiming" when I heard the song "West Coast" played on one of the KSPC Americana shows. His second album "Davy" is also now available.
*She and Him - band of actress Zooey Deschanel and musician M. Ward. Their first album "Volume 1" has a few songs that Jason Schwartzmaan wrote, and I first heard some of the songs on another KSPC Americana show. Their second album is on the way. When I saw Norah Jones in concert a few years back, M. Ward opened and he brought out Zooey to play a few songs with him. Eventually they started up a group because of their musical chemistry, so I am proud to say that I saw them before they were officially a band! (And Zooey is engaged to Ben Gibbard from "Death Cab for Cutie" and "The Postal Service" wahoo!)
*The Mountain Goats - band from Pitzer College! wahooo!
*O'Death - they played at Pomona College and they were awesome!
*Tokyo Police Club - I volunteered to help out at their concert at The Glass House that KSPC hosted. They are really cool guys.
*Gogol Bordello - anyone see the movie "Everything is Illuminated" ? The main singer was in that. Also, the character in the movie "Wristcutters: a Love Story" is based on the lead singer, and Gogol Bordello's song "Through the Roof 'n Underground" appears in the movie.
*Rocky Votolato - favorite Seattle indie singer. I've seen him twice in concert and tried to get him to play a show at Scripps's Motley Coffee House but he was too expensive to nag. I saw his last album, "The Brag and Cuss", in KSPC and I offered to write a review of it, so I can always play him! (Too bad they don't have my favorite album of his, "Makers").
*MGMT - I saw them open for Of Montreal at The Glass House my sophomore year. I hope their album is at KSPC, although they might be too mainstream now? Will check up on this.
*Built to Spill - one of their songs is playing constantly on the music video screen at the entrance to EMP, the music museum I work at this summer. I know KSPC supports this group, so I need to do some more research on them and find more songs that I like from them! It seems like my radio show is going to lean a little more towards Americana...
Please please please have anything by The Velvet Underground because I want to call my show "The Underground Velvet" show and I want to be DJ Nico, so as part of my schtick, I'd like to play a Velvet Underground song each show. I know at one point KSPC was missing the album "The Velvet Underground and Nico" but somebody else told me that they were no longer allowing the album to be played since it was too mainstream. I will also check up on this. If I was allowed, I would bring this album in (and all of the other ones!) so I could play Lou Reed songs.
I'll let you know about more cool bands soon! I hope this inspired you to listen up on the ones I just mentioned.
Peace.
*Coconut Records - side project of the actor Jason Schwartzmaan after he left "Phantom Planet". I heard about the album "Nighttiming" when I heard the song "West Coast" played on one of the KSPC Americana shows. His second album "Davy" is also now available.
*She and Him - band of actress Zooey Deschanel and musician M. Ward. Their first album "Volume 1" has a few songs that Jason Schwartzmaan wrote, and I first heard some of the songs on another KSPC Americana show. Their second album is on the way. When I saw Norah Jones in concert a few years back, M. Ward opened and he brought out Zooey to play a few songs with him. Eventually they started up a group because of their musical chemistry, so I am proud to say that I saw them before they were officially a band! (And Zooey is engaged to Ben Gibbard from "Death Cab for Cutie" and "The Postal Service" wahoo!)
*The Mountain Goats - band from Pitzer College! wahooo!
*O'Death - they played at Pomona College and they were awesome!
*Tokyo Police Club - I volunteered to help out at their concert at The Glass House that KSPC hosted. They are really cool guys.
*Gogol Bordello - anyone see the movie "Everything is Illuminated" ? The main singer was in that. Also, the character in the movie "Wristcutters: a Love Story" is based on the lead singer, and Gogol Bordello's song "Through the Roof 'n Underground" appears in the movie.
*Rocky Votolato - favorite Seattle indie singer. I've seen him twice in concert and tried to get him to play a show at Scripps's Motley Coffee House but he was too expensive to nag. I saw his last album, "The Brag and Cuss", in KSPC and I offered to write a review of it, so I can always play him! (Too bad they don't have my favorite album of his, "Makers").
*MGMT - I saw them open for Of Montreal at The Glass House my sophomore year. I hope their album is at KSPC, although they might be too mainstream now? Will check up on this.
*Built to Spill - one of their songs is playing constantly on the music video screen at the entrance to EMP, the music museum I work at this summer. I know KSPC supports this group, so I need to do some more research on them and find more songs that I like from them! It seems like my radio show is going to lean a little more towards Americana...
Please please please have anything by The Velvet Underground because I want to call my show "The Underground Velvet" show and I want to be DJ Nico, so as part of my schtick, I'd like to play a Velvet Underground song each show. I know at one point KSPC was missing the album "The Velvet Underground and Nico" but somebody else told me that they were no longer allowing the album to be played since it was too mainstream. I will also check up on this. If I was allowed, I would bring this album in (and all of the other ones!) so I could play Lou Reed songs.
I'll let you know about more cool bands soon! I hope this inspired you to listen up on the ones I just mentioned.
Peace.
Monday, August 10, 2009
My Life According to Bright Eyes
Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to at least 10 people and include me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "my life according to (band name)"
Pick your Artist:
Bright Eyes
Are you a male or female?
When the Curious Girl Realizes She is Under Glass
Describe yourself:
No Lies, Just Love
How do you feel:
Easy/Lucky/Free
Describe where you currently live:
Down in a Rabbit Hole
If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Road to Joy
Your favorite form of transportation:
Train Under Water
Your best friend is:
Neely O'Hara
What's the weather like?
If Winter Ends
Favorite time of day:
Sunrise, Sunset
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
A Song To Pass the Time
What is life to you:
Tourist Trap
Your fear:
Light Pollution
What is the best advice you have to give:
Take It Easy (Love Nothing)
Thought for the Day:
I Must Belong Somewhere
How I would like to die:
Hot Knives
My soul's present condition:
I Won't Ever Be Happy Again
My motto:
Don't Know When But a Day is Gonna Come
Wow that totally sounds emo. Siiigh Conor Oberst.
Pick your Artist:
Bright Eyes
Are you a male or female?
When the Curious Girl Realizes She is Under Glass
Describe yourself:
No Lies, Just Love
How do you feel:
Easy/Lucky/Free
Describe where you currently live:
Down in a Rabbit Hole
If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Road to Joy
Your favorite form of transportation:
Train Under Water
Your best friend is:
Neely O'Hara
What's the weather like?
If Winter Ends
Favorite time of day:
Sunrise, Sunset
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
A Song To Pass the Time
What is life to you:
Tourist Trap
Your fear:
Light Pollution
What is the best advice you have to give:
Take It Easy (Love Nothing)
Thought for the Day:
I Must Belong Somewhere
How I would like to die:
Hot Knives
My soul's present condition:
I Won't Ever Be Happy Again
My motto:
Don't Know When But a Day is Gonna Come
Wow that totally sounds emo. Siiigh Conor Oberst.
A Potential Masters in Beatles Studies from Liverpool University?
Weeks ago, my dad showed me an article about how Liverpool Hope University has just started a program where one can receive a Master's Degree in Beatles Studies. An online equivalent of the article can be viewed here:
http://www.nme.com/news/the-beatles/43200
My dad showed me this article because he knew I would find it interesting, since I knew and adored the Beatles before I knew what music even was. I don't care if it sounds cliché because every bit of it is true, but the Beatles are the reason why I like music. I have an endless amount of stories that prove how much the Fab Four mean to me, but all of those stories aren't all that necessary because most people have stories that probably match mine. It is obvious that a lot of people idolize the Beatles to the same extent I do; that's exactly why they have thousands of books dedicated to the life of the Beatles and even young kids today who do not know a lot of their parent's music still know who the Beatles are. They are absolutely classic and timeless and will never become obsolete.
I kind of joked to my dad about how I wanted to go to Liverpool and get my Master's in Beatles Studies, but I was also half serious. My dad laughed, playing along, and asked what I would do with that degree - how it would actually help with whatever profession I choose to pursue. He said there are already enough books written about the Beatles where I wouldn't need to spend thousands of dollars on a two year program in Liverpool just to write a book on a subject that has been done hundreds of times. I tried to dismiss the idea of this degree when he said this because he is probably right, but I haven't dismissed it completely because I am still constantly thinking about it.
A few weeks later, my dad and I were talking about the Beatles and I brought up the Masters idea again. Joking around, he asked me what my dissertation would be on. I gave him a completely serious answer, which led into an interesting discussion. I told him that I would want to research not just the music of the Beatles; I brought up the paradox that I always wondered if the Beatles, if never having existed before, would be popular today in the same way they started a revolution 40 years ago, but that this was a moot question anyway because if the Beatles hadn't existed 40 years ago, we would have no concept of what our music industry, or even what our society, would be like today. I have always been interested in how everything connects together, which is why I always liked history class: "This happened because this happened which made this happen which is why today this is happening", etc. and I think it would be interesting to research why the Beatles became successful when they did: what was going on in society at the height of their fame, and how the 1960's culture was affected by the 1950's, and how the baby-boom era of the 1950's was a direct result of the post-World War 2 era, and so on and so forth.
Honestly, getting a Masters in Beatles Studies probably isn't necessary, because like my dad said, there are already enough books written about the Beatles, so what else would I do with it? But I think it would be interesting to study because of how passionate I am about it, and it made me realize, anytime something seems a little intimidating and impossible but is still something I would like to do, it hasn't stopped me from doing it.
Another example is this:
I have worked for KSPC, the underground radio station at my university, for the last few years. I have always done behind-the scenes promotional work, because I like working with the music industry but don't want to be up and in front of the scene; I have terrible stage fright and having people hear my voice or see me or listen to me play (even though I can't really play anything) scares me. For this upcoming fall, without even thinking, I signed up to be a DJ instead of applying for any of the business positions. When I received an e-mail telling me what time my new radio show was going to be on, I started freaking out a little bit. I don't know a lot of the musicians that the other DJs play on the station, and I don't know how I am going to fill up two hours each week with obscure bands. I don't want to just choose songs to play because they are available, I want to choose songs that I also enjoy. There are hundreds of albums at the station, but I can only use the albums there and I can't bring in my own. When I read the weekly KSPC email, I look at the top 30 most requested musicians of that week, and there might only be one, if any, on that list that I have even heard of.
But then I think about how there is definitely a reason why I decided to be a DJ. If I didn't want to be one, I wouldn't have signed up. If I had overly thought about it, I would have chickened out, but because I wanted to do it, I decided to sign up and figured that I would figure it all out later.
And it's true, I'll be able to do it. I'll be able to do it because I want to do it, and so I will make it work.
If I want that Masters in Beatles Studies, I should just do it. I can think about the ifs and buts later on. Maybe I WILL apply for it on a whim, just like I did for the DJ position. Maybe eventually the station will even let me have my own Beatles show! Yeah, I know, wishful thinking, right?
http://www.nme.com/news/the-beatles/43200
My dad showed me this article because he knew I would find it interesting, since I knew and adored the Beatles before I knew what music even was. I don't care if it sounds cliché because every bit of it is true, but the Beatles are the reason why I like music. I have an endless amount of stories that prove how much the Fab Four mean to me, but all of those stories aren't all that necessary because most people have stories that probably match mine. It is obvious that a lot of people idolize the Beatles to the same extent I do; that's exactly why they have thousands of books dedicated to the life of the Beatles and even young kids today who do not know a lot of their parent's music still know who the Beatles are. They are absolutely classic and timeless and will never become obsolete.
I kind of joked to my dad about how I wanted to go to Liverpool and get my Master's in Beatles Studies, but I was also half serious. My dad laughed, playing along, and asked what I would do with that degree - how it would actually help with whatever profession I choose to pursue. He said there are already enough books written about the Beatles where I wouldn't need to spend thousands of dollars on a two year program in Liverpool just to write a book on a subject that has been done hundreds of times. I tried to dismiss the idea of this degree when he said this because he is probably right, but I haven't dismissed it completely because I am still constantly thinking about it.
A few weeks later, my dad and I were talking about the Beatles and I brought up the Masters idea again. Joking around, he asked me what my dissertation would be on. I gave him a completely serious answer, which led into an interesting discussion. I told him that I would want to research not just the music of the Beatles; I brought up the paradox that I always wondered if the Beatles, if never having existed before, would be popular today in the same way they started a revolution 40 years ago, but that this was a moot question anyway because if the Beatles hadn't existed 40 years ago, we would have no concept of what our music industry, or even what our society, would be like today. I have always been interested in how everything connects together, which is why I always liked history class: "This happened because this happened which made this happen which is why today this is happening", etc. and I think it would be interesting to research why the Beatles became successful when they did: what was going on in society at the height of their fame, and how the 1960's culture was affected by the 1950's, and how the baby-boom era of the 1950's was a direct result of the post-World War 2 era, and so on and so forth.
Honestly, getting a Masters in Beatles Studies probably isn't necessary, because like my dad said, there are already enough books written about the Beatles, so what else would I do with it? But I think it would be interesting to study because of how passionate I am about it, and it made me realize, anytime something seems a little intimidating and impossible but is still something I would like to do, it hasn't stopped me from doing it.
Another example is this:
I have worked for KSPC, the underground radio station at my university, for the last few years. I have always done behind-the scenes promotional work, because I like working with the music industry but don't want to be up and in front of the scene; I have terrible stage fright and having people hear my voice or see me or listen to me play (even though I can't really play anything) scares me. For this upcoming fall, without even thinking, I signed up to be a DJ instead of applying for any of the business positions. When I received an e-mail telling me what time my new radio show was going to be on, I started freaking out a little bit. I don't know a lot of the musicians that the other DJs play on the station, and I don't know how I am going to fill up two hours each week with obscure bands. I don't want to just choose songs to play because they are available, I want to choose songs that I also enjoy. There are hundreds of albums at the station, but I can only use the albums there and I can't bring in my own. When I read the weekly KSPC email, I look at the top 30 most requested musicians of that week, and there might only be one, if any, on that list that I have even heard of.
But then I think about how there is definitely a reason why I decided to be a DJ. If I didn't want to be one, I wouldn't have signed up. If I had overly thought about it, I would have chickened out, but because I wanted to do it, I decided to sign up and figured that I would figure it all out later.
And it's true, I'll be able to do it. I'll be able to do it because I want to do it, and so I will make it work.
If I want that Masters in Beatles Studies, I should just do it. I can think about the ifs and buts later on. Maybe I WILL apply for it on a whim, just like I did for the DJ position. Maybe eventually the station will even let me have my own Beatles show! Yeah, I know, wishful thinking, right?
Friday, August 7, 2009
wow I am a good blogger...not!
So I realize I haven't posted anything since last October. This just proves how I am a great journalist, but a sub-par blogger.
The problem is this:
My entire life I have talked about how I have wanted to be a music journalist. I started writing for my high school paper first semester of sophomore year, and it only took a year until I became the Editor-in-Chief my junior year and senior year. I wrote my college essay on why I enjoyed journalism so much. Some of the lines in my essay were as follows:
"Although being Editor is very time-consuming, there is great satisfaction when the newspaper is printed and I see the result of our staff’s dedicated effort. It is exciting to know that the entire school community reads our paper: faculty, students, and even parents. On the day The Prep Press comes out, I walk through the cafeteria and see the entire student body huddled over their copies and devouring the news."
This is what journalism is about; getting a staff together, sharing ideas, creating a final product, distributing the paper, and finding satisfaction in the fact that everyone around you is reading it. Journalism not only creates an awareness within a community, but it in fact creates a community.
In college I continued to write for the newspaper, but now that I am graduating in a year, it has become more clear to me that although newspapers still exist within campus communities, the life of a newspaper or magazine journalist in - a place I am still afraid to face - "real life" is becoming obsolete. As Bob Dylan said it best, "times, they are a-changin'". The economy has turned and newspapers and magazines everywhere are going under. Rolling Stone Magazine, THE Rolling Stone Magazine, the very magazine that has been a forum for some of the most important and influential artists of our time, has shortened to half its size due to funds and lack of readers.
I admit that I am a good networker - I know how to use the internet and how to get in touch with important people through sites like myspace and facebook. But I still can't fathom the fact that the journalism world has now become part of internet and no longer part of an actual product you once were able to hold in your hand. These days, anyone can be a journalist. When a news story breaks, it takes a newspaper journalist all night to get the story out by the morning; in the internet world, anyone can post a news story onto their blog and call himself a journalist. The internet stories aren't always (not to say never) researched fully and the sources aren't always reliable, but the stories can get out faster so that within minutes, the entire world knows what is going on. This has hindered the life of an old fashioned journalist. Graduate schools are starting to realize this, and with research, one can see how many schools now offer a masters in "new journalism." Schools are now teaching how to make it as a journalist in the internet world; one learns how to network, how to put together a website, and how to use internet dialogue so that readers can connect to you and understand what you are trying to say. Basically, these schools are teaching future journalists how they can still survive.
The internet has also changed the music world. With myspace, anyone can be a musician, with or without a record deal, and anyone can receive their 15 minutes of celebri-dom. As a result, there are thousands of musical artists on the scene all trying to make it big. Years ago, I asked my dad if all musicians back when he was growing up were known, since nowadays it is absolutely impossible to have heard of everyone out there in the scene. He wasn't sure of the answer, but he did tell me that there simply weren't as many musicians then as there are now.
With the journalism and music world changing, it is impossible to know where we will be in a month, or two months, or a year from now. I have had to seriously reconsider, in the last year (since I will be graduating soon) what type of profession I want to, or even will be able, to have. I don't necessary want to work for "the internet" - I don't know if I would want to go to graduate school and learn about "new journalism" - but if I want to continue to have music and journalism both continue to consume my life, I have to give in just a little bit and become more than a sub-par blogger.
Look for - gasp! - more blogs in the near future.
The problem is this:
My entire life I have talked about how I have wanted to be a music journalist. I started writing for my high school paper first semester of sophomore year, and it only took a year until I became the Editor-in-Chief my junior year and senior year. I wrote my college essay on why I enjoyed journalism so much. Some of the lines in my essay were as follows:
"Although being Editor is very time-consuming, there is great satisfaction when the newspaper is printed and I see the result of our staff’s dedicated effort. It is exciting to know that the entire school community reads our paper: faculty, students, and even parents. On the day The Prep Press comes out, I walk through the cafeteria and see the entire student body huddled over their copies and devouring the news."
This is what journalism is about; getting a staff together, sharing ideas, creating a final product, distributing the paper, and finding satisfaction in the fact that everyone around you is reading it. Journalism not only creates an awareness within a community, but it in fact creates a community.
In college I continued to write for the newspaper, but now that I am graduating in a year, it has become more clear to me that although newspapers still exist within campus communities, the life of a newspaper or magazine journalist in - a place I am still afraid to face - "real life" is becoming obsolete. As Bob Dylan said it best, "times, they are a-changin'". The economy has turned and newspapers and magazines everywhere are going under. Rolling Stone Magazine, THE Rolling Stone Magazine, the very magazine that has been a forum for some of the most important and influential artists of our time, has shortened to half its size due to funds and lack of readers.
I admit that I am a good networker - I know how to use the internet and how to get in touch with important people through sites like myspace and facebook. But I still can't fathom the fact that the journalism world has now become part of internet and no longer part of an actual product you once were able to hold in your hand. These days, anyone can be a journalist. When a news story breaks, it takes a newspaper journalist all night to get the story out by the morning; in the internet world, anyone can post a news story onto their blog and call himself a journalist. The internet stories aren't always (not to say never) researched fully and the sources aren't always reliable, but the stories can get out faster so that within minutes, the entire world knows what is going on. This has hindered the life of an old fashioned journalist. Graduate schools are starting to realize this, and with research, one can see how many schools now offer a masters in "new journalism." Schools are now teaching how to make it as a journalist in the internet world; one learns how to network, how to put together a website, and how to use internet dialogue so that readers can connect to you and understand what you are trying to say. Basically, these schools are teaching future journalists how they can still survive.
The internet has also changed the music world. With myspace, anyone can be a musician, with or without a record deal, and anyone can receive their 15 minutes of celebri-dom. As a result, there are thousands of musical artists on the scene all trying to make it big. Years ago, I asked my dad if all musicians back when he was growing up were known, since nowadays it is absolutely impossible to have heard of everyone out there in the scene. He wasn't sure of the answer, but he did tell me that there simply weren't as many musicians then as there are now.
With the journalism and music world changing, it is impossible to know where we will be in a month, or two months, or a year from now. I have had to seriously reconsider, in the last year (since I will be graduating soon) what type of profession I want to, or even will be able, to have. I don't necessary want to work for "the internet" - I don't know if I would want to go to graduate school and learn about "new journalism" - but if I want to continue to have music and journalism both continue to consume my life, I have to give in just a little bit and become more than a sub-par blogger.
Look for - gasp! - more blogs in the near future.
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