The year is 1989. Ronald Reagan has just been succeeded as president of the United States by George H.W. Bush. There is a certain smell lingering in the air, a certain aura of change and tension. The Berlin Wall has been destroyed, and the Soviet Union’s communist grip is beginning to loosen. Television news stations report that Exxon Valdez has spilled millions of gallons of oil into the sea in Alaska, giving the water’s surface a slick shine. This is a potentially devastating disaster for the animals that call the area home. However, far away in Georgia, something else is happening. Thousands of people have gathered in an arena, all packed together in the dark. The suspense is building; something is going to happen soon. Suddenly, the flickering of a projector can be heard, and thousands of people gaze towards the stage. “Hello. Welcome to the show. We are the band R.E.M. (as you know). It is great to be back in (your city name here). Are you ready to rock and roll? Great. “It lingers for a few moments, then turns to black. A dark figure meanders to the front-center of the stage. A light flicks on, coming from behind the figure, creating a silhouette. Three others walk out, each picking up an instrument. One steps onto a large platform, sitting behind the drums. An orange light in the front turns on, slowly increasing in intensity. The figures, now lit, are easily identified. From left to right: Mike Mills (bass), Michael Stipe (voice), Peter Buck(guitar), and Bill Berry(drums). Stipe is wearing a white suit with black eye shadow, his eyes appearing as bottomless pits. He is holding a megaphone in his right hand, and he purposefully strides to the microphone. “This one goes out…to the Exxon corporation”, he declares, and the r... ... middle of paper ... ...ed a notable absence of guitars. In a conscious act of cultural resistance, Radiohead released the most anti-commercial album they possibly could. In 2006 Radiohead once again threw the music industry a curveball by releasing their album “In Rainbows” completely free of charge. In a cultural experiment, fans were asked to pay whatever they felt necessary for the album. Some paid twenty dollars, some paid nothing. R.E.M.’s small acts of cultural resistance have paved the way for other bands, like Radiohead, to do the same. Due to R.E.M.’s hard work and dedication, it is now possible for a band to be more than “just a band” and a singer to be more than “just a singer.” Works Cited "Subcultural Identity in Alternative Music Culture." Popular Music 23 (1993): 33-41. Print.Duncombe, Stephen. The Cultural Resistance Reader. `: Verso Books, 2002. Print.Kruse, Holly.
Debra Rathwell is the Senior VP for AEG Live. Rathwell oversees the active New York office of AEG along with being a force in national touring. Rathwell has more than 30 years of experience in the industry and her dedication inspires me. I know she is well respected in the industry and I think it is impressive that she books on average 800 shows every year. Being a woman in the music industry is a big challenge, but Rathwell proves to me and the world that being hard working will help prove yourself. The first step that really started Rathwell’s career was during her last year at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. Rathwell was Harvey Glatt’s assistant and went on to work as Bass Clef Entertainment, which partnered on shows with Canada’s concert leaders. This introduced Rathwell to the industry and the rest was like a snowball effect, one job led to another. Another step Rathwell took in her career was pivotal was joining Donald Tarlton for 12 years at DKD. With DKD, Rathwell managed a staff ...
In this article Bruce Miroff explains what a presidential spectacle is and how it relates to the government of the United States and its presidents. A spectacle is a kind of symbolic event, one in which particular details stand for broader and deeper meanings. At spectacle also presents intriguing and often dominating characters not in static poses but through actions that establish their public identities. A spectacle does not permit the audience to interrupt the action and redirect its meaning. The most distinctive characteristic of a spectacle is that the actions that constitute it are meaningful not for what they achieve but for what they signify. What is important is that they be understandable and impressive to the spectators. The mass
This Is Spinal Tap is a Mockumentary that simultaneously depicts and parodies the life of rock stars, by capturing performances (both on and off stage) of the made-for-film rock band, Spinal Tap. The fabricated band is an exaggerated attempt to recreate a generic hard rock band that would generally fit somewhere from the 70’s through to the 80’s, and it happens to do it very well. Leaders of the group have distinct snobbish/dimwitted personalities like most bands that took themselves way too seriously at the time. The members look and act like rock stars, and stumble upon problems that artists alike may encounter. Throughout the film, entire songs, costumes, and set designs are generated to make the band appear all the more real. This Is Spinal Tap covers the band touring across the states, and depicts them as any rock documentary would. Interviews and concert shows are spliced in a mostly linear fashion throughout the band’s back stage discussions and preparations. Everything about this artificial world is meant to seem real; because the humor in spoofing something can be observed mostly in it’s tragic accuracy.
George W. Bush’s “9/11 Address to the Nation” is a speech in which he talks about the catastrophic event on September eleventh, 2001. Two airplanes crash into the Twin Towers in New York City on this day, shocking the entire world. He addresses this speech to the people of America on the night of the disastrous event, to let the people of the United States know what is going on. This speech explains how the United States is a strong country, the motives behind the event, as well as to bring the United States together and stronger.
Our entire lives have been shaped by the events happening around us. Along with us many factors in our day to day lives have evolved too, including musical genre. One such genre is rock. Rock is a genre for the youth, by the youth, it has evolved to stay with the times and stand up for what’s right. In this essay I will prove why rock is a good example to show how genre has been defined, maintained, constructed and negotiated through the past 60-70 years since the very first Proto Rock song came out.
When the band Rage Against the Machine spit, Zack de la Rocha wanted to go solo, while other members and even guitarist Tom Morello and frontman of Soundgarden, Chris Cornell, formed another big group called Audioslave (“ Without Rage, Just Music” 1). After Cobain’s death in Nirvana, they released some more albums, and even played some live shows for MTV. The death of Staley, of Alice in Chains, they began playing with a new singer, William Duvall. They continue to release albums and go on tours even today. Like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam still play and release albums today. Despite all of the success all these bands had, they still stayed true to their fans, and fought for what they would want, good music with a reasonable price. Bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana both wanted all their fans to be able to get their music and see them in shows. Pearl Jam took Ticketmaster to court and sued them for making their ticket prices so much and service charges. Ultimately Pearl Jam ended up paying for some of the service charges for each ticket sold so their fans get a little cheaper
Most things have their beginnings in something small: a word, a breath, or idea; but not music. Music begins with a single vibration. It explodes and carries on, morphing worlds of unrelated personas. It lives rampantly in the mouths of millions of unruly and free-spirited teenagers, like a fever. The rock 'n roll trend that defiantly rose against the conformist ideology of the mid-twentieth century left remnants that commenced the start of a progressing society: a culture that redefined the rules of society and pushed social and moral limits while addressing social concerns.
Three weeks ago, Trump’s title elevated from GOP candidate to president-elect. Following this revelation, protests erupted and injured countless civilians and law enforcers. Even high schoolers, trapped in the wrong place at the wrong time, have been tear gassed and endangered through the protests. Yet, these protests determine nothing: on January 20th, Donald Trump will still become president. While hatred continues to simmer below the surface, protesters slowly realize that their street performances cannot ensure a better future, only a violent present. As they become discredited about the state of their country, the democrat’s anger morphs into anxiety. With a president-elect, who, in the past three weeks, has altered his platform and changed
Throughout the nation catastrophes occur on a daily basis; however there are a few catastrophes that have taken national precedence and left a traumatized nation. Most usually these catastrophes are an act of terrorism. Michael Nelson (2010) describes the nature of such terrorism catastrophes as disconcerting, unanticipated and that unnerve “the country’s sense of safety and identity” (p. 20). When such “a traumatic event results in the death of civilians” and “calls the nation’s institutions or values into question” the nation as a whole looks to their leader, our president, to offer solace and calm through a responsive speech (Campbell and Jamieson, 2008, p. 102). In Presidents Creating the Presidency, (2008) the authors have labeled these speeches as a national eulogy in which they usually occur at the sight of the
The rising punk rock scene that has existed for decades is notorious for how easy it is to get on stage. The spotlight usually does not last long which causes bands to come and go, but that treasured few moments captures an indescribable adrenaline rush that is compared to a similar rush that results from using drugs. The lifestyles of some musicians fall into this desire for a thrill while some musicians can control it.
Nothing would be better when President Obama would be at an event and start singing or cracking jokes with the crowd to lighten the mood or to make everybody’s days. During the two terms, he was an amazing president and did so much more than what I have written in this paper.
President Reagan, at the time in the beginnings of his second term, had successfully maintained overall a high approval rating with the American people. He had won their trust and respect by being quite relatable to the average citizen (Cannon). He had planned that evening to give his State of the Union address, but instead postponed it. The tragedy that had unfolded just hours earlier demanded his complete attention (Eidenmuller 29).
In closing, the undoubtable influence of music, more specifically of Rock ‘n’ Roll on American society is responsible for a number of changes to the status quo. These range from sexual liberation and racial desegregation all culminating with other influences to create an intergenerational identity. Despite the desperate attempts of older generations to smother these influences, these changes ultimately shaped the years that followed, molding the country into what it is today. Along the way these changes as well as individual involvement in them has also eased the lives of many through empowerment and a feeling of community and purpose. Despite a lull and renewal Rock ‘n’ Roll continues to serve as an agent of influence and change in today’s youth culture and continues to burn in the heart of past generations of loyal fans.
President Bush’s speech was directed towards an audience of northern Arizonan republican supporters. Bush continuously uses the rhetorical appeal of pathos, the appeal to the audience’s emotions, to gain support from the crowd and connect them to the issues he addresses on an emotional level. The best example of such an issue is the promise of creating a new forest policy. By raises an issue that the audience was emotionally concerned with, Bush is able to persuade the audience to his purpose as well as relate them to it on an emotional level. It was likely that there were people in the audience who were directly affected by the recent forest fires in Arizona who felt very passionately about the topic of a new national forest policy. The appeal of emotion became a very effective tool in motioning the audience in the direction of his purpose, mainly the gain of support for the republican candidates in the next Arizona election.