5. Pop/Punk genre

Presentation 1

4. Photography...

This picture was taken at a high-angled mid-shot shot so the audience can look down at this picture and feel a variety of emotions. Because the girl in this picture is glancing up, it could imply that she is asking for help or she may be of a low status. Or, because she is smiling, the low angle may also make her of a higher status, due to the sneaky smile caught in the angle. The audience can intepret any one of those emotions, but most of them will feel pity due to the high-angled shot always being associated with making things a low status.

This image was taken at a low-angled close up shot, therefore the emotion on the girl in the picture could be captured in detail. She isn't smiling but there is an essence of triumph within her so the shot implies that she is of a higher status and looking down at the audience from her higher location in the shot. This shot could also highlight the girl in a low status also, due to her looking down which could indicate that she may be looking longingly at something it and reminds her of a sad memory. However, most of the audience would think of her as a higher status due to the lo-angled shot always being assoicated with a higher status.

This image used the photography technique of the Rule of Thirds. This is used to seperate different sections of the picture and make them stand out individually to the audience. In this case the Rule of Thirds is used for the three individuals in the picture. They are all seperated into different sections of the image, so they are eye-catching to different people as they glance at the picture. The Rule of Thirds seperartes the boy and makes him stand out due to his bright red t-shirt, the middle girl is stood out due to her being in the middle and pulling a face, and the girl on the right-hand side of the image is crouched, so her sitting position is stood out and highlighted.

The rule of thirds in this image is used for the height differences of the people on the stairs. It also implies their status' in the image. For example, the girl on the left is of a lower status  due to her standing on the bottom of the staircase, so the Rule of Thirds makes that stand out. It also makes the boy in the middle of the picture the centre of attention due to him being of a higher status to the girl on the left but the light near his head also attracts the audience straight to him. Then the next part of the picture, being used by Rule of Thirds makes the other girl stand out, due to her standing higher than everyone else which implies a higher status.

The Rule of Thirds seperates everyone out in this picture, due to the background of three seperate windows, so it positions everyone in the correct part of the image. The height difference between the people is also affective with the Rule of Thirds due to them going from bigger to smaller from left to right. The Rule of Thirds enhances that, along with the use of the backdrop of windows.

The photography technique of Rule of Thirds is very effective in this picture,  due to the last image we know the height differences, so this image played about with it. The smallest person was sat at the front of the picture therefore making them bigger in the perspective of the photo, whereas the taller person is sat at the back, therefore making him look smaller. It makes the audience glance at the picture and wonder who is really taller than who. The use of the chairs as props also heightens the use of Rule of Thirds, because there are three chairs which highlights the three parts of the image.

Shallow depth of field was used as the technique for this image. You can see the girl posing at the back of the tunnel, however, the tunnel is what makes her noticeable due to it being big, and then shrinking as if to frame her. Therefore, framing is also used in the form of the tunnel framing the girl enhancing the audience glancing at her.

The two people in this photo are very opposing to each other, from the way they dress, to their expressions on their faces. On the right, the boy is happy and wearing bright clothes to distinguish that whereas the girl sitting next to him as turned away and looks really miserable and her black clothes enhance that. Juxtaposition has been used in the image because two opposing are ideas have come into one.

The macro lens on the camera was used to capture this shot to make the rose stand out and take centre stage in the image. It's bright colours are enhanced compared to the dull brown background behind it, and it makes the rose look like it has more quality than it already has. The macro lens also makes the background very blurry so the audience don't have to bother making an effort to look at it when there is a large pink rose that can already capture its attention.

3. Music Artists Research

FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS
There is a wide variety of music I listen to but it is mainly based around the core genre of rock. It then branches out into other sub-genres such as pop/punk, screamo and hardcore. One band that I heavily listen to is a band called Forever The Sickest Kids. They are labelled as rock band as a core genre, but they are then branched out into more detailed genres, such as (on their wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever_The_Sickest_Kids) powerpop, emo and pop/punk.

Their songs are based around teenage problems that their target audience may come across but they also have an element of fun to the themes of their lyrics also. For example in Forever The Sickest Kids' song She Likes lyrics include:

She likes she likes
She likes to fight and make up
She likes she likes
She likes to be alone
She likes she likes
The hearache of a break up
She likes she likes
To be my bittersweet love

The lyrics of the chorus are very complex of how much of a trouble a girlfriend is and her faults are depicted, however the music which accompanies the lyrics is very upbeat so it could hint sarcasm or overdramatising who she really is. Their childish approach to their lyrics may also send a message out their target audiences of teenagers: "Don't take things too seriously and take them all in your stride. Don't stress over the smaller things."



Forever The Sickest Kids' fashion is very trendy and casual with the use of simple t-shirts, skinny jeans, and other casual accessories such as airwalks, flip flops and flimsy jewellery. Bright colours are also used therefore, they base themselves on a more fun-based audience to defy the stereptype of emo's. Emo's are known to be emotional and are stereotyped of being depressed therefore Forever The Sickest Kids' exist in that genre but for a totally different reason. They use the bright colours in their fashion to show that they are happy people, even if they are considered to be emo. FTSK's fashion is also based upon the light-hearted approach with their lyrics. They want to be known as teenagers who do have relationship and growing up problems, but they take it with quite a childish approach and with light-heartenedness also.

http://www.eastscene.com/2008/11/28/forever-the-sickest-kids-interview/
In an interview with EastScene, FTSK were asked 'What's your number one priority as band?' and vast majority of the band members mentioned fun.

Jonathan and Marc (members of the band) said:
Jonathan: We try to capture as much joy. You have seven chances a week to capture the joy that comes in the morning, so we have a goal, each individual, to get seven wins a week.
Marc: But it’s definitely to go out there and meet as many kids as we can and hang out and bring a smile to their faces.
Jonathan: And tell them that joy comes in the morning

FTSK's style and music is inspired by many bands from the past, the ones who may have started the evolution of pop/punk music since it originated in the 1990's with bands such as Green Day and Sum 41, who were famous were when the members of FTSK were teeneagers themselves. However, their style may be desceneded from the famous punk/pop band Fall Out Boy who branched out the mainstream with their music.

FALL OUT BOY
Fall Out Boy came to the eyes of their teenage audience with their breakthrough album From Under the Cork Tree. However, they did release a few EPs before but From Under The Cork Tree gave them commerical success with the mainstream circuit due to them signing to a mainstream label at that time. In my opinion, I believe they are one of the main influences in the pop/punk curcuit to bands such as All Time Low and FTSK.

 In the same style as FTSK Fall Out Boy's lyrics are also very dark but with a twist of fun to them. Their frontman and lyricist Pete Wentz informs that he has a negative mind when it comes to his creative work. On the From Under The Cork Tree album, a song called '7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen)' was based around the time when Pete descended into depression.

Pete Wentz: "I was isolating myself further and further, and the more I isolated myself, the more isolated I'd feel. I wasn't sleeping. I just wanted my head to shut off, like, I just wanted to completely stop thinking about anything at all."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Wentz

Other Fall Out Boy songs are based around Pete Wentz' negative mind, which could be triggered by his bipolar disorder (emotions change quickly and strongly) therefore that is a massive influence on his lyrics. Despit having dark lyrics such as 'We're the miserable and stunning,' from their song Carpal Tunnel of Love, it is accompanied by upbeat music to make it seem more lighthearted. This could be based upon Pete's bipolar. the range of emotions that are displayed in one song, and such opposing ones too.

The band's style is very detailed with each member of the band. Fall Out Boy are stereotyped a lot as being emo, mainly due to Pete dressing stereotypically with that genre. His style includes wearing eyeliner (teenagers call it guyliner as slang), skinny jeans, converses and hoodies. His hair is also sterotypical due to it being long and dyed black. Due to Pete Wentz also being the frontman of Fall Out Boy his style is the main interpretation of the bands brief fashion.



The second most important and popular member of Fall Out Boy (to the fans) is the lead singer Patrick Stump, who is famously known for his stronge voice and range. He can sing from very low to very high, therefore the wide variety of sound within the bands songs can be very wide, so it can reach out to a very wide audience of people who have different preferences to their favourite type of singing.

Patrick Stump's style is similiar to Pete Wentz's with the use of skinny jeans, however Patrick takes this style and turns it into his own individual persona. He is rarely seen without his glasses, caps and very well known sideburns. This then seperates him from the rest of the band as the member who is the 'adorable' due to him being of a bigger size to the very skinny Pete Wentz. The fans take that as a positive part of him, especially the female audience. Many girls think of him as cuddly and shy due to his style and size. Due to his heavy use of caps and glasses he is sometimes known as the 'cute geeky one' also but in a positive perspective.



So, what do you think of Patrick?Any one have anything to say, please say it. I think Patrick is a great singer and musician, a true talent.  Plus, he's very adorable. And if anyone else visits here, I'd love to hear what you say.

http://www.tv.com/patrick-stump/person/412086/biography.html

Fall Out Boy's drummer Andy Hurley then also seperates himself from the rest of the band and tries to stand out, due to the heavy popularity of Patrick and Pete, with his own sense of style. He is seen a lot of the time wearing t-shirts, jeans and trainers, therefore he is very simple with a casual style. However, it isn't his clothing that seperates his personality from the rest of the band because he uses his skin in the form of tattoos.

Andy's arms and chest are heavily covered in tattoos which is stereotypical of people who are into heavy metal. This suggest where one of the bands many influences originate from, due to some of their songs being quite heavy, such as The Carpal Tunnel of Love.

Also, Andy also likes to seperate himself with his immaturity due to the image below of him wearing a crown. This highlights how confident he is, therefore it sends out a message to the fans to be confident in their own skin and just be themselves.

 

Joe Trohman, the guitarist of Fall Out Boy likes to make himself known with the style of his hair. There isn't really any other individuals in the rock circuit these days who have big hair like Joe Trohaman, therefore it does make him stand out with Fall Out Boy in the musical market. His influnces for his style could be from Jimmy Hendrix who is an icon with his music.



Joe, like Andy, also coveres himself in tattos to differentiate himself from the rest of the band. Therefore, there are two styles within Fall Out Boy, the mainstream emo style (from Pete and Patrick) and there is also the old school rock and roll style from Andy and Joe.

However, due to Fall Out Boy coming onto the music scene in 2003 and the pop/punk scene starting in the 1990's obviously there are some bands before Fall Out Boy who were their influences for their music. Bands such as Sum 41 and Green Day may be their main influences due to them making pop/punk more well known in the music industry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_out_boy

SUM 41

Sum 41 were one of the many bands that increased the popularity of pop/punk music in the 1990's. They first came onto the music scene with their first single 'Makes No Difference', however the first single from their first full-length album 'Fat Lip' earned them commercial success as band and kicked them into the eyes of their audiences.

Along with many other pop/punk bands, Sum 41 write lyrics that are based on complex issues but are accompanied by upbeat music to make it seem less complex than the matter actually is. Due to them being one of the first popular pop/punk bands, their stucture for their lyrics is very influential on modern bands now such as Fall Out Boy and FTSK due to their lyrics following the same theme. In one of their songs they reach out to a teenage audience with the theme of class struggles in their song 'Underclass Hero':

Calling out loud with no respect
I’m not the one, just another reject
I’m the voice to offend, All those who pretend
Unsung against the grain I'm here to rise against

This relates to a teenage audience, and their target audience of mainly teenagers is also reached out to many pop/punk bands now such as FTSK, Fall Out Boy and All Time Low.

Sum 41 created the original fashion of pop/punk with the use of black t-shirts, causal wear of short and jeans and converses. Its casual to stress the laidback attiude that they have with their music even if it is very complex with the issues they press onto. The use of colour is also very dark, so it does highlight how much darkness there is in their lyrics.

It is quite obvious how the fashion of pop/punk has gone down through the years. The same articles of clothing are used, but the colour co-ordination is very different. In the 90's Sum 41 started off the trend with dark colours such as black and grey, then a few years pass by and Fall Out Boy come onto the scene with the same style but also add a few lighter colours in there such as reds and blues. Now in 2010 FTSK have changed the style a little bit. T-shirts and jeans are still used, but the converses have been replaced by airwalks and the colour scheme has been changed to make the colours much more brighter with the bold chose of wearing pink and many other brighter colours to hightlight much more of the happy shield around their lyrics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sum_41



FASHION WITHIN BAND MERCHANDISE
All of these bands also incorporate their style into their band merchandise as another way to influence their audiences.

Sum 41 have used dark colours which was the trend at the beginning of the pop/punk trend. Also, due to the dark uses of colour, it does suggest that at this point in time with Sum 41's popularity that the pop/punk is isolated to just a male based audience. However, maybe a small group of girls are attracted to the genre even though they are not the main aim.

Fall Out Boy then sell their merchandise with the same use of dark colours just like Sum 41 but then a little splash has been added to their band merchandise. This also suggests that with the use of bright colours that the pop/punk market is starting to branch out to more females as well as males.

However in this case, Forever The Sickest Kids have changed the fashion of pop/punk to a whole new level. The common use of the dark colour black is nowhere to be seen but instead it is replaced with all bright colours. However, these colour aren't masculine but quite feminine with the use of purple and pink, therefore it suggests that pop/punk is now reaching out to females as well as males now.

2. Weblinks and Magazine influence

MUSIC MAGAZINE INFLUENCES

The one music magazine that I read frequently is Kerrang! which is based on mostly rock orienated music. This could expand from metal, to alternative rock, to pop/punk music. Many bands and artists are featured in the magazine through interviews and posters such as Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Lostprophets and 30 Seconds To Mars. It's target audience is mainly teenagers, preferably from age thirteen to probably early twenties. Many teenagers attend gigs throughout the country therefore Kerrang is helpful with notifying them about ticket prices and dates. The writing aspect of the magazine is very informal but at the same time it is creative with exploring band's opinions on matters such as world hunger and what influences their musical material. I read this magazine myself, due to it being appropiate for my age, but also it is very affordable at £2.30 and is easily accessible to find in the shops. It also includes my favourite bands. Kerrang magazine is my main influence when it comes to creating my own music magazine cover, contents and double page spread in the Media Studies course.
LINK: http://www.kerrang.com/


WEBLINKS:

http://bvbchicagoteam.wetpaint.com/ (Black Veil Brides support site)

http://www.rocksound.tv/

http://www.kerrang.com/

http://www.rollingstone.com/

http://www.nme.com/home

http://www.thesituation.co.uk/

http://www.countryweekly.com/

http://www.ilikemusic.com/

http://www.mojo4music.com/blog/

http://www.blender.com/?blenderpublickey=6LcX_AgAAAAAAOmIZ3eYQ09FvLIaVVTBvUNc4zLf

http://www.billboard.com/

http://www.qthemusic.com/

http://www.musicbox-online.com/

http://www.rockrap.com/

http://www.spin.com/

http://www.offbeat.com/

http://www.countrylinemagazine.com/

http://www.operanews.com/

http://www.bluesandrhythm.co.uk/

http://www.bluenight.com/BluesBytes/

http://www.xxlmag.com/

http://info.bbcmusicmagazine.com/

1. Introduction to coursework

This is my trial blog where I will be uploading and typing about my work which is involved in my Media Studies AS course. The first part of the course is based upon the media in music magazines.


There is wide variety of music, and I have expanded my horizons with it and eventually learned what my musical options are and influences. Magazines in the media are also what I read to create my influences of what bands and artists I like to listen to.