Suggestions for my degree thesis (chapter on rock)

[zoso]

Hi,
I’m at my last year of University and I’m working on the last chapter of my degree thesis based on “videoclip”. These are some of the themes discussed:

- What is a videoclip
- The relationship between “Images” and “Music”
- The functions of the images and the music in the “videoclips”
- The origins of videoclip
- The history of MTV etc.

Now in the last chapter I’m trying to stress MTV’s defects but mainly the existence of two musical worlds. This is what I mean:
There is a musical world created by MTV and populated by dancers, hip-hop artists dressed all in the same way, singers that have nothing to offer to the crowd except their body, etc. this is a place where everybody seems to be cool, the vjs, the artists showed on video, the spots etc.……it’s a sort of Hollywood for musicians (?).
There is instead another musical world, the real one, where only one thing is important:
the MUSIC. I’m sure many of you know what I’m talking about. It’s a place where many, many different musicians live together: Ron Thal, Allan Holdsworth, Metallica, Jimi Hendrix, Shawn Lane, Death, Scott Henderson, Pantera, Rage Against the Machine, Andy Timmons, Marty Friedman, Jeff Beck, Slayer, Jason Becker, Frank Gambale, Dream Theater, Sonic Youth, Jesus Lizard, Shellac, Led Zeppellin, Savatage, Tool, Steve Morse, Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Patrick Rondat, Nirvana, Steve Vai, Carcass, Kyuss, Opeth, Fantomas, Tony Macalpine, Helmet, Michael Manrig, Mads Ericksen, Greg Howe, Primus, Blind Guardian, Iron Maiden, Impelitteri, Ted Nugent, Frank Zappa, etc……………..Ok it’s enough!! You’ve understood!!
So, I’d like to talk of this world in my thesis and especially of those artists who are not supported by media (TV, Radio). The first name that comes to my mind is Shawn Lane, who was technically more than a guitarist, he was an alien!! Another one is surely Allan Holdsworth, a real genius. And what about Greg Howe? Or Ron Thal? A totally crazy musician that reminds me Les Claypool of Primus or even Frank Zappa. There are so many!!!! Now, it is a while since I’m writing on this forum and I think there are many interesting people here that love music and that could surely give me advices for this thesis I’m working to.
I’M GONNA WRITE A SORT OF HISTORY OF ROCK (AND WHEN I SAY ROCK I MEAN MANY STYLES LIKE HARD ROCK, PROG-ROCK, METAL, DEATH, FUSION, JAZZ ROCK, INSTRUMENTAL GUITAR MUSIC…..) AND I WILL TALK ABOUT ALL THE GREAT MUSICIANS THAT DESERVE TO BE QUOTED FOR THE CONTRIBUTION THEY GAVE TO MUSIC, SO IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE ME A LIST OF ARTISTS THAT SHOULD BE MENTIONED I WILL APPRECIATE IT. TELL ME WHO ARE THE MUSICIANS THAT FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW I MUST CITE IN THIS HISTORY AND IF POSSIBLE SUGGEST ME LINKS* WHICH CONTAINS DETAILED BIOGRAPHIES OF THESE ARTISTS (mainly for those who are not famous like for example Ron Thal, Jesus Lizard, Scott Henderson, Primus, Greg Howe).

Thanks
Anthony

*If someone can suggest me Italians links so that I don’t have to translate it would be fantastic!!

P.S. every kind of infos/suggestions is welcome.

[Shred Fan]

A few that deserve a mention IMHO....

Jimi Hendrix - For revolutionizing rock.

Yngwie Malmsteen - For bringing Classical influences to rock/metal music and bringing technical playing to new levels (ie. Shred).

and then Jason Becker, for the same reason.

Black Sabbath - For essentially creating heavy metal. Going that little extra distance from rock.

[DanF]

Something worth thinking about is that some of those artists you mentioned really do have there own image also. Image is extremely important to selling music; unfortunate perhaps but true.

Even guys like Tool who seem to be anti-media - well that is an image that appeals to the anti-establishment aesthetic. A musician without an audience is...well, probably a hobbyist who has to do something else to support himself.

Also don't forget that some music other than hip-hop is harmonically void also, a lot of cubo-african stuff is rhythmic only.

Just a few ideas, this stuff is all very interconnected and it will be difficult to pull them apart. Good luck Anthony.

-Dan

[zoso]

Thanks for your suggestions.

Zoso

[Koala]

Originally posted by zoso
Hi,
So, I’d like to talk of this world in my thesis and especially of those artists who are not supported by media (TV, Radio).

Hey Zoso, Im not sure i agree with you on this, because to some extent 99.9% of the players we all know ARE supported by media, be it online, the press, specialized magazines, specialized radio shows etc. I guess many of these guys you mentioned like the great Shawn Lane are just too much for the general public to handle. (But wouldnt 90%of the general male public love to handle Britney?)Therefore all these artists fall into their very own niche but that doesnt really mean theyre not supported by media. Well thats just my thoughts on this, and i must say you chose an interesting topic.

Now if youre writing a story on rock n roll,you cant forget pink floyd, the beatles, jimi, the stones, zeppelin, man.... i think i could go on forever hehehe.

Oh man! Something just came to mind! The History Channel has been showing a great show they put together called Rock n Roll History. It kicks ***, that might come in handy at some point.


Hope this helps, and good luck!

[zoso]

Shred Fan, those artists your mentioned will be SURELY on list !!

DanF, you’re right when you say that even Tool have their own image. There’s nothing wrong to me, removed everything (web sites, articles, interviews, videoclips) it remains the music which is fantastic. I can’t say the same thing about those, let say artists, that we see every day on MTV, without their image they’re lost!!

Koala, yes, even Lane, or Ron Thal in some way are supported by media like you said but it’ s not the same thing like going in “heavy rotation” on MTV. Obviously many (so many!!) of the artists we’re talking about don’t make exactly a radio- friendly music …but it’s a fact that I can see Britney Spears on TV every ******* day (many times) but never those artists that I love (but mainly deserve to be more exposed). What I meant in my thread is that many of the artists I mentioned are not supported by general and big media. Ron Thal has his own website (he makes interviews, gigs), even Christina Aguilera has one (she makes interviews, etc), the difference is that the latter, with a clip showed on MTV, can be viewed by millions of people, make success, without deserving it, Thal instead, to make a name for himself has to do somersaults even if he deserves to be more exposed. I’ve made these two examples but I could theoretically go on endlessly.
When Nirvana’s first album came out few people bought it, after signing with Geffen records Smell Like teen Spirit video was aired by MTV and it became a worldwide success. Someone can say that Nevermind is more melodic than Bleach, full of “hooks” in the songs but they were always Nirvana, in fact In Utero was a darker album compared to Nevermind but MTV showed their video Heart-Shaped Box. Why? Because they sold! Money Money Money. THE RECORD INDUSTRY HAS ONLY ONE INTEREST, MAKING MONEY, THEY DON’T KNOW THE MEANING OF ART.

ZOSO

P.S. I don’t know if Beatles will be on the list. I never considered them a rock group, even if obviously they’ve been a great band.

[EricV]

THE RECORD INDUSTRY HAS ONLY ONE INTEREST, MAKING MONEY, THEY DON’T KNOW THE MEANING OF ART.

It´s not called an "industry" and "music BUSINESS" for nothing...
Eric

[Spin 2513]

I don't know , Zoso , if your just writing an Essay on Video Clips , IS a History of Rock /Metal ... really necessary ?

What is a videoclip
- The relationship between “Images” and “Music”
- The functions of the images and the music in the “videoclips”
- The origins of videoclip
- The history of MTV etc.

You have a wide range of subject matter here. Let me elaborate :

Some music translates into Video Clips better than others .
music that tells a story , would be easy to make a video clip for .
Music with a political message ,would also, be easy .

Most likely music video is commercial , as to say it's selling a Trendy Image and a Dance Step , that's what really sells records .
Being as advertising space costs alot of money . If you've ever tryed to sell a car or guitar in the Papers Classified section , you probably already know that .

Many music Videos are created to make you say "I want those sunglasses , and that T shirt . and that car is cool ", you know ?

You can't fail to mention that.

i think what you must talk about is , the perception of video , how it tells the story a certain way ,in which if you were just listening to the song on headphones your imagination , mighnt give you something different . Or your imagination may give you something different every time you play an album , but once you've see the video or movie , let's say" Pink Floyd the Wall " now this imagry is for ever implated in your mind .

This is much in paralell to, how reading a book , compairs to seeing a movie made about the same story . Interestingly enough some directors go out of thier way to deplict the best imagry , to enhance your imagination . Like the movie "Sleepy Hollow" or any of the Hobbit "Lord of the Rings" movies , they map the landscape down to the last detail .

If you want to make a history of music video , i guss when rock bands started making movies about thier Bio's, and Elvis Did surf movies , and the Campy early 70s Music movies .

All and all ,You may find , some of the artists your most interested in don't promote themselves through video ,because Music is thier craft . Performance of music by instrumental artists is to other musicians , or some one besides "The Average Listener"
Besides the commercial industry , you have the Independent Industry , of people who make all the profits on thier sales , and do what ever they want , be selling on the internet in conjunction with , other internet lables , and by self promotion at Tower Records and Music Stores , so it's not all that bleak , really .


There are a lot of different angles you mighnt take on this vast subject .I don't know If any of this helps at all ?

get back with your ideas on what you plan to do , regardless .