We have now started to properly think about what our band should be called, and since I am the main girl, with the others still playing a vital role, we thought it made sense for it to be "[someone] and the [somthing]'s".
I have been looking at baby name websites such as this one: http://www.momswhothink.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-by-year.html
and have come up with a bit of a short list. I was looking for a name that isn't too common, but describes a strong character. This is just initial ideas of course.
Roxy
Sofia
Gina
Skye
Alexis/Alexa/Lexi
Savannah
Faith
Amber
Nikki
Ruby
Cassie
I think the best way to decide this is for all of us to pick a few names (maybe 10?), and then out of those names, pick one. Then we can start thinking about what the [somethings] will be.
Look at a selection of album covers (minimum of ten, CD or vinyl), maybe from your own, your parents or a friends collection, or online - the more variety in genre, style, decade etc the better. Make notes in answer to the questions below:
1. What are the typical features that an album cover has? Make a list of all the elements they have in common.
2. How would you categorise the covers in front of you? Are there any other ways of distinguishing between them other than generically?
3. Album covers serve many different functions. What do you think these are (ie what is their purpose?)
Front cover
Back cover
Spine
If it is a Debut Album, the cover needs to establish a strong band image using creative methods that are original, eye-catching and memorable.
This is "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (BSSM) by The Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP) circa 1991 (the year I was born).
It was their most successful album so far, and they got their first number 1 out of it; "Give It Away".
The album cover features all four band members locking tongues (in an abstract way), which matches their rebellious and un PC image. The graphic is interesting because of the way they are positioned, and the fact it is in black, white and red. The text is split up really interestingly, and since both the band and the title of the album have four words, each word is positioned about one of the band members, with the band name in red, and the album name in grey. The roses are symbolic of sex, which is one of the words in the title of the album, and connotes the band as they are a typical rock band in that they drink, take drugs, and have lots of girls. Since this album the band hasn’t featured on any of their covers. This could be as they are getting older or the fact they are now popular enough to not have to pose on the cover.
The back cover features a barcode, the title of the album down the sides along with the band name (in the same font and colours as the front cover) and the Record Label: Warner Bros. It features Anthony Kiedis’s out stretched arm and his hand written track listing. The band’s previous album covers had all been pretty rough and forgettable. BSSM marked their biggest commercial success yet and better album artwork. The tongue design was done by Henk Schiffmacher (a.k.a Henky Penky) who has done many of the bands tattoos. The album’s photography is credited to director Gus Van Zant who also directed the Under the Bridge film clip off the album. I like the way the tracks are listed in Anthony's handwriting as it seems more personal to the band, making the audience feel like they are privileged. The back continues the colour scheme of black/white/grey/red, which are strong, masculine colours.
RHCP were quite wellknown by this point, so their audience should be able to recognise their cartoonised faces.
http://www.cascada-music.de/
The website is the official website for Cascada, and as she is German, the website can be translated into either English or German. The colour scheme is purple and dark grey, and there are sparkles that follow the cursor on the banner. It has a feminine, luxurious feel to it, which goes with her image. At the top of the website is a CU of Cascada - a beauty shot. There is a music player with the option of playing 4 of her hits, as well as tour dates, her music videos, a poll about which of her songs should be on Clubland Live 3, a members area, a gallery, biography, discography, guestbook and much more. Her genre is a fusion of Europop, Eurotrance, Eurodance, R&B and House, which has similarities to our song with the "pop" and "dance" aspects.
The background to the website has a subtle pattern on the deep purple colour, which looks like the wallpaper to an exclusive club, similarly to the banner, which is black stencil on dark grey; very stylish. At the bottom of the webpage are the sponsors and her record label; Universal Music Group, Zooland Records, Vengeance, which is a conventional feature of the official website.
The website is very interactive, and there are lots of interesting things to click on.
http://www.myspace.com/kanyewest
This is Kanye West's Myspace Music page. It is surprisingly colourful considering R&B/hip-hop artists are usually associated with dark colours like black. The background is a pale duck-egg blue colour, and there are multicoloured dividers betweent he different features on the page. There are links to his official website, his blog, his videos, and the option to add him as a friend. There are music samples, videos, info about his albums and influences, and his record companies: Hip Hop Since 1978/ Def Jam/ Roc-A-Fella/ G.O.O.D.
The main graphic at the top of the page is a broken heart, which links to his album "808s & Heartbreak". Within the myspace layout, he is advertising his album for a Valentine's Day Special. "Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, and love - and heartbreak - is in the air. Not sure what to get the love of your life for Valentine's day? Check out this cool package we have put together just for this special day, featuring a brand NEW 808s and Heartbreak T-shirt!"
Lady Gaga
http://www.ladygaga.com/default.aspx
This is Lady Gaga's official website. IT is predominantly black, which makes her outrageous costumes stand out. There is a picture of what looks like ice/foamy diamonds, giving a luxurious and daring feel. There are links to all the major social networking sites, including her twitter feeds. There are her music videos and videos of her appearances on chat shows and Saturday Night Live. The website is crammed full of colourful boxes, making it seem a bit overcrowded.
At the top there are links to her videos, her biography, photos, tour info, ringtones, music, merchandise, a forum and more. Like the others, her record label is at the bottom, Streamline Records, and Konlive (a sponsor?).
This video is for "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvgZkm1xWPE
Institutional/reference information
-What video are you analysing, who is it by, and, if you know, who directed it?
The official music video for "Viva la Vida" was directed by Hype Williams and premiered at Coldplay's official website on 1 August 2008. The video depicts the band performing against a blurry, warped version of Eugene Delacroix's painting "La Liberté guidant le peuple." The video ends with every band member crumbling to rose petals that fly into the air. Since its release, this video "Viva La Vida" has become one of the most viewed music videos on YouTube, with over 50,000,000 views worldwide.
- What genre does the music belong to and what broad characteristics of that genre does the video have?
"Viva la Vida" is a song by the English alternative rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). The lyrics to the song contain historical and religious references, and the track is built around a repeating string section with a percussion background. These themes are often linked with the "Alternative" genre so there are not that many conventions, except for the videos being a bit abstract.
What is the relationship between lyrics and visuals?
- Work through the song and identify ways in which the lyrics are illustrated or amplified or even contradicted by the visuals. Pick out some specific examples to back up your argument.
At 0:40 the lyrics are "I used to roll the dice, feel the fear in my enemies eyes" and Chris Martin (the lead singer) used his hands to mime the lyrics - he rolls his hands over each other for the line "roll the dice" and points to his eyes for "enemies eyes". This is illustration. For the lines
"Listen as the crowd would sing 'Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!'" he uses a hand gesture to mime shouting, as if he were the crowd, thus illustrating.
At 1:00, the lyrics are "Next the walls were closed on me", and he amplifies this by miming his hand being a wall, closing in on him (going towards his face). This is amplification in my opinion because he could have used an actual wall, but instead used his hands. This could be argued to be illustration, so maybe it is a combination of the two. "I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing" is illustrated by a CU of a large bell being struck.
"It was the wicked and wild wind" (1:50) is amplified because it shows a low angle wide shot of the whole band, with firey clouds in the background. This suggests "wicked and wild wind" but is not literal, so amplifies it, furthering the abstract theme of the Alternative genre.
At 2:25, "Roman Cavalry choirs are singing" is contradicted because the video just shows the guitarists, and Chris Martin striking his hand in time to the beat. This has nothing to do with Roman choirs, therefore contradicts it.
What is the relationship between music and visuals? (give examples to support your points)
- Does the video cut to the beat?
Yes, one part in particular, from 3:02 - 3:05, where the editing pace picks up and cuts to each beat. In general, it does sometimes, for example parts with a CU on the drum beating to the music, however usually the shots change in their own time.
- Are solo instrumental bits illustrated by the video?
Yes, often. There are CUs on the lead singer, the bell, the drum, the bass guitarist, the guitarist, the drummer, violinist, cellist, keyboard. It makes up the majority of the video, excluding the performance from Chris Martin.
- Does the video change pace with the music?
Yes, as I mentionned before, at 3:02 the editing pace speeds up to go with the bassline that has become more prominent. Earlier, it was slower, which reflected the song.
Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
- How is the record company looking to sell this track?
There are many close-ups of the lead singer Chris Martin, and since this song is on Coldplay's fourth album, he is a familiar face. The record company originally released the video on Coldplay's official website, before releasing it on YouTube, so it was originally targeting their huge fan base that already exists. The track was for download only at first, and became the sixth song in digital history to reach the 4 million mark in paid downloads.
- What image of the artist/band is being offered?
The band are portrayed as being very musical (they are always shown with their instruments except at the very end), and as contradicting the stereotype of musicians. Chris Martin doesn't smoke or drink alcohol, he is vegetarian, and practices Yoga. He is spiritual, and believes in God, therefore the lyrics of the song and the video itself reflect that. You can see the bands passion for music without them having to lead crazy lives.
- How does this video relate to previous videos by the artist?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skUJ-B6oVDQ
Their video for "Fix You" shows only Chris Martin for the first half, until he joins his band on stage at an arena during the climax of the song. It shows the massive crowd, but the editing is still not really cut to the music. It is slow-paced until the climax where Chris Martin is running (during the instrumental bridge) to the stadium. There is the same feel, although this one is less abstract than "Viva La Vida".
- Are there motifs which have been used previously? Or does this video represent a change of image?
The only real motif there is, is Chris Martin looking into the camera a lot, and the band being shown at some point. There is not really a narrative, there is a journey, but that seems more like a concept as opposed to a parallel narrative, considering the journey turns into the performance.
Is there reference to the notion of looking? (give examples and consider why these features have been chosen)
- Do you get the sense that the artist is on sexual display or that other people in the video are used in this way?
No, Coldplay's image is not sexual, it is more about passion for music. The band are not sexualised. The only notion of sexuality is at the end when the band members crumble to rose petals, which are a signifier of sex, romance and relationships.
- Does camerawork, costume, dance or something else imply sexualised display?
No, they are dressed casually; jeans, t-shirts, jackets. They don't dance, and the camerawork doesn't show them to be flirting with the camera, simply addressing the camera to get across the message of the lyrics.
- Are there other references to 'looking' such as screens within screens or binoculars, cameras, etc?
The only reference to 'looking' is the way the camera angles are quite canted, at quirky angles, suggesting that they don't know they are being watched (eg 1:24), but this is cross-cut with shots of them looking straight at the camera.
Are there intertextual references?
- Do these relate to other music videos, to aspects of the star's image or to completely seperate texts such as TV programmes or films? How are they used?
The background to the video is a blurry, warped version of Eugene Delacroix's painting "La Liberté guidant le peuple."
The painting is below on the right, and the album cover is on the left. This is strong intertextuality since it references the lyrics "My missionaries in a foreign field", the painting is used as the background to the music video, and is the album cover.
Is the music video performance-based, narrative-based or concept-based?
- How much of each?
As stated earlier, there is no narrative, it is just performance and concept. The concept centres around the performance, in particular the strong physical performance from the lead singer. His gestures and facial expressions make up for a lack of location variety, and matches the song well.
In conclusion, I really like this video, and I LOVE the song. It is relaxing yet with a good beat. And apparently, 52 million others agree with me...
PRODUCT
PLACE
PRICE
PROMOTION
For Sprite soft drink
http://www.brandsbandsfans.com/archives/1204
PRODUCT
WHAT BUY – music, band/artist merchandise
NEEDS SATISFY – individual needs for individual people. Satisfy taste for music
FEATURES – music, artist, lyrics (optional), video, narrative or performance, illustrating, amplifying or disjuncture of lyrics
HOW & WHERE – whenever and wherever with technology nowadays
LOOK LIKE – a music video, look of band
EXPERIENCE – however they want with technology nowadays
CALLED & BRANDED – individual to brand
PLACE
WHERE – music on internet, on television, through word of mouth, in clubs. Promotional product sprite, in shops
PRICE
PRICE SENSITIVE – music targeted mostly and teenagers, 20+, students so can’t cost too much because won’t want to pay it, free downloads to bring in audience
PROMOTION
Music and Coca-cola – synergy. Sprite endorsing new artists to target music fans. Webisodes is interactive which appeals to young market, young new artists – relates
REACH - Web – youtube
WHERE & WHEN – internet, whenever, very interactive and therefore personal
ADVERTISING & PR – organising music reality show and advertising online (frukt.com)
TECHNOLOGY – yes, available on internet, download webisodes available on new technology
BEST TIME TO PROMOTE – start of summer, summer no 1, February – love songs, Christmas – Christmas no 1, just before major music award shows to get coverage and possibility of winning
Trojan condoms and Cobra Starship music video
Promote safe sex along with music
Synergy band featured in condom advert
Controversial with CBS and Fox
Paid for/subscription Products:
2. Who is frukt uk and what is their mission statement/company ethos?
Frukt UK is an agency specialising in music marketin.
"We’re all about music and are really very fond of it. Music colours people’s everyday lives. It’s found in the mundane and the exalted. It moves us all. And it’s thriving. We help brands access the passion and the communities, the lifestyle and the artists. Music is a vast cultural space - it's flexible, it's multi-channel, it's live and digital, it unites gender, race and age and it defines the spirit of generations.You just need to know how to use it. "
"We bring communication ideas to life through music and aim to produce work that is creatively bold and distinct. Either we develop the central idea ourselves and bring it to life with our team of on and offline activation specialists, or work collaboratively with other agencies, using music to make their ideas shine."
This is "You Are What You Love" by Jenny Lewis, which despite being not that upbeat, is quite nice... I could imagine a cute narrative, but that's not really what we're going for..
This is called "Deceptacon" by Le Tigre. It's really weird, quite funny, and i love the funny dancing in this video (which i think is the official one..? But it's really bad quality..) Thought we could maybe do some kind of dance thing like this for a short time in a song if it fitted the genre. Because it creates comedy and suits the beat.
This is "The Journey" by Delores O'Riordan which I stumbled upon. It's quite uplifting, with a good beat, and there are a few female voices. I quite like it, however I think the visuals that it conjures up are of sweeping landscapes, something which we can't really do.. Obviously we could try and think up something else, but this is a possibility.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GBn-BpkNsA
This is "Walking On Broken Glass" by Annie Lennox, which is a fun song, it's upbeat and has a really good musical motif with the string instruments, and yet also a good beat. There are parts where there are more female voices, so this could be a possibility.
The other day I was watching TV, and this song "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" was played. I also reconised it from "The Parent Trap", and so I looked it up. Apparently it has been used in 9 films!
Anyway so here is the Natalie Cole version, which I really like. This song is very happy, has many female voices, and could have some great visuals to go with it. One concern I have is as to whether it would be plausible that their voices are our voices... So maybe we'll do a lip-syncing test run on it or something.. But I really like the song and I think it could work well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-d1w49RWSY
This is "Voodoo Child" by Rogue Traders, which is a fun song, only one female voice though.. It is from a few years ago, and I like it because it is catchy and has a strong beat. I can imagine plenty of weird narratives to go with this, which would allow us to be really creative with our music video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kifP3S7-OE
This is quite funny, this is a remix of "Voodoo Child" with "Funky Town". I don't really like it, but it's funny I found a remix of two of the songs I looked at...
Natalie Bassingthwaighte - "Alive"
Found this by chance, it's upbeat with a female vocalist, but it's fairly recent, however since it's an Australian artist, I don't think any of us know her.. This could work, with some extreme hair and make-up.. I've only listened to it once, but it's quite catchy, and I quite like it..
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http://www.lilyallenmusic.com/lily/
http://www.myspace.com/lilymusic
1. Summarise the changing image of the band/artist as it has developed over time. It might also be useful to summarise the music genre also.
When Lily Allen first came on the scene, her image was quite unique for the time. She usually wore "urban" clothes such as trainers and gold bling, mixed with long pretty (prom-like) dresses; an unusual mix. Over the years she has experimented with her style trying at times to seem more sophisticated, or more elaborate and creative, perhaps to fit in with newer artists who are extremely visual with their look such as Lady Gaga or Katie Perry. However her signature hairstyle has barely changed from long straight black hair with a straight fringe. She went blonde for a bit, even pink for a while, and cut her hair into a classy bob, but she went back to her original look for familiarity because it is part of her brand image. Part of her brand image is the fact that she is able to satirise herself, making her seem likeable. She dresses in funny costumes, showing her audience that she isn't serious. The main genre of her music is pop, however that can be broken down into "urban-pop", "ska", "electro pop" and "pop rock".
2. Who are the fans? Do you have any sense of how the music companies have segmented the audiences? To what extent has the branding of a band been linked to target audience?
With her first album, "Alright Still" her songs were happy and upbeat, with "smile" being her first hit. Her audience was mainly made up of young fans, appealing to a certain group of people by using London as part of her brand image. This not only appealed to Londoners, but also to people who want to visit London. Her most recent album, "It's Not Me, It's You", is more sex-orientated, showing that the record label want to expand their target audience to older people. She is trying to draw on her life experiences that aren't always happy, shown by the song "The Fear".
3. What marketing strategies can you identify? What kinds of strategies can you list? (above/below-the line? unexpected promo stunts? etc). List any examples of the use of synergy with other industries to promote other media/products in connection with a band/artist.
Lily Allen uses the myspace music facility to target young tech-savvy fans, and other social-networkers, as well as tweeting on Twitter, keeping her fans updated by an informal personal connection. She has got her own jewellery collection coming out later this year, which she says is based on Chanel jewellery. This links with her connection to Karl Lagerfeld and the fact that she was in a Chanel advert earlier this year. Lily Allen has been signed up as the new brand ambassador to promote the new Braun Satin Hair range of styling products. She is promoting Braun’s new satinliner, satinstyler and satinpro products. As part of her role as brand ambassador, Allen is performing a special gig to celebrate the launch. No advertising campaigns are planned as yet. Allen said: “I love playing around with different looks and hairstyles and that’s why I wanted to get involved with Braun.” She partnered with fashion retailer New Look earlier this year to launch the ‘Lily Loves’ clothing range. Lily Allen's single "The Fear" is being promoted via a viral music game.
4. Add any relevant links to your blog, especially Myspace page/music vids/official websites etc. A couple of illustrations (e.g key web design graphics/album cover photography) would also be useful to add to your blogs.
(see above)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSqI3ve_rgY
(embedding was disabled)
(analysing using Vernallis' theory)
This is George Michael's rather strange music video to "Outside". I have a feeling that he had quite a strong Directorial role as it demonstrates something that happened to him. He was caught fooling around with someone in a public restroom by police, so in this video there are loads and loads of couples fooling around in public. There are even two male police officers who start kissing - something which is still quite taboo.
I think George Michael's message is that he should be free to do what he wants, and that the police were stupid for punishing him. This is quite a childish viewpoint, but I suppose he's brave for making this video.
The music itself is very upbeat and happy in character. It seems like a summery song, but I'm not sure if it matches the visuals. Some of the shots are of sunny landscapes and outdoor swimming pools, which do fit the timbre of the song, however some are people kissing in a skip, or a dark party, which I think would be more fitting for a dance tune, with lower pitches and a darker feel.
The camera goes back to an MCU of George Michael lipsyncing, however it doesn't do this too much. The MCU is a stable point and allows the audience a break from the constant montage of couples kissing in various places.
There is no real narrative in the video as there is no continuous story. There is a dance routine in a party where George is dressed as a police officer. If I to describe it in terms of performance vs narrative, I would say it was mostly narrative, however the narrative is in a montage style, and not a story with a beginning, middle and end.
It starts with a faux film in another language which kind of looks like an erotic film since the woman is moaning and undoing her top. There are credits in the foreign language (it looks similar to German, maybe Norweigan?) and jazz music. There is a CU of the blonde woman puckering her big red lips, which is dissolved into a middle-aged police woman showing her police badge as sirens wail in the background. This is when the song really begins. The opening sequence is convincing as a film because the editing pace is much slower, there is narration, and there are credits. I think the reason for this was to show the kind of film that the people featured in the rest of the video might watch. It uses classic Hollywood continuity editing, which is a contrast to the rest of the video.
There is also diegesis in the opening, when the man is washing his hands, and you can hear running water. This again makes it seem like a real film.
A lot of the video is through the perspective of policemen, for example with the helicopter. When the music begins, a helicopter is shown to be flying in the air. This is crosscut with "frame within a frame" where the screen has a red border to show it is a police camera that is watching people get arrested for public displays of affection, something which happened to George. This is interesting that he wants the audience to see things through the perspective of the enemy.
There are several effects used, for example, the sweeping shots of cliffs (taken from the helicopter presumably) change from full colour, to grayscale, to full colour again, as if a monitor was flickering.
Due to the visuals and the lyrics, it seems that this is not a serious song. The first few lyrics being "It's human nature" and "I think I'm done with the sofa, I think I'm done with the hall, I think I'm done with the kitchen table baby". This suggests that he is bored of having sex indoors, and has now decided to do it wherever, in spite of the law. I think George Michael's aim was to destroy the taboo around sex, and find out how many people agree with him. According to the youtube comments, there are many who agree and some who have been in similar situations....
I think it's a funny song, great music, a great summer dance track. The dance routine is quite funny because of the outrageous costumes (women in their bras, George in a police outfit). This shows that he has a sense of humour, and I think he was trying to get his fans on his side over the public arrest.
Carol Vernallis says the camera in music video seems to mimic the way we view sonic space... do you agree? Do you think we are conditioned by music video to read sonic space in particular ways?
I don't understand what "sonic space" is, and I can't seem to find a definition online. I've tried to guess what it could mean, but I can't come to a conclusion, so for now, I can't answer this question....
She suggests that the jumping camera focus is like the camera in place of our eyes, doing what we do when we listen. However, this is predefined for us by the Director - we have even less choice to look away/outside of the Director's choice than we do in film - do you agree?
Yes I do agree. I think that when you watch a music video, there is no opportunity to create your own mental pictures because the visuals created by the director are constantly changing, which doesn't give your mind enough time to look outside the Director's choice. With film, because the shots are longer, the audience can create mental pictures and look outside the Director's choice more easily, however even then, it is difficult.
She says music video is more like listening than viewing - do you agree?
I disagree. I think music video is more like viewing than listening because you watch a music video to see what vision the band had for their song, and to see if your interpretation of the song matches theirs. If you wanted to just listen to the song, you would, but if you specifically watch a music video, then you are viewing it, not listening as much.
"We compensate imaginatively for what we do not see in the frame" - Agreed?
Yes, I agree. If you see a quick shot of a bearded man, a baby, and a passport, you automatically try to fill in the blanks in your mind, creating links between the images. For example you might think the bearded man was going to fly to visit this baby, or maybe he is taking his baby on holiday.
The constant motion in a music video and the variances it shows mean that a strong CU is a stable point. The music video "brings us towards these peaks, holds us against them, and then releases us" - do you agree?
Yes I agree. The CU, or "beauty shot", is a stable point. We are drawn into the face of the performer, it is one of few still shots, and provides familiarity with the artist and shot type.
Is the viewer "sutured (stitched) into the diegesis of the film world through the editing"?
Yes I think this statement is true. The editing creates the narrative. The order in which shots are displayed created different meanings. For example, if there were shots of a couple standing together, and an explosion. If the shot of the couple was first, the meaning could be that the couple are blown up. If it was the other way, then the couple would be seen as onlookers, a totally different meaning...
Music video is freer in terms of viewer identification and perspective - agreed?
Music video is freer for the director, but for viewer perspective I would argue that it is less free since you are shown exactly what perspective the Director wants you to see, and the shots are so short that you don't have time to contradict them or think of it from a different perspective.
Carol Vernallis believes the image alone cannot tell the story - do you agree?
Yes I agree. If you watched a music video without the music, you wouldn't really know what tone it was supposed to create. For example in a film, if there is an image with no music, often you may not understand what it is meant to mean. Music creates a mood, and without a mood, you can't tell a story.
Well, I think that Carol Vernallis definitely has some insight into music video construction, however a lot of it is complex, and difficult to understand.
Irena Cara - "What A Feeling"
Continuing my journey through 1970s hits I came across this one. A classic, could be done.. We'd have to have some kind of dance routine in it at some point.. A challenge, but do-able..
