Tag: music

Posted on

Still Waiting

Music in America has been forefront in the efforts to change the world. From Nina Simone to Jimi Hendrix, musical artists have used their medium to speak out against oppression and voice their opinions. John Mayer offers his own take on this in his single, “Wating on the World to Change.” The song is one of Mayer’s most popular; it won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

The official music video from JohnMayerVevo

The music video on YouTube has nearly 41 million views. The video opens with pictures of New York City. John Mayer walks stoically along the East River. He looks out over the river, waiting for something to happen, waiting for the world to change. The video cuts to three graffiti artists, Futura 2000, Tats Cru, and Daze. They are gathering supplies for some large graffiti projects across the city. The rest of the video shows broken clips of them working on their art. It is in slow motion, with a blue filter that gives a laid-back and chilled out mood, fitting the music very well. We do not see their completed art until the end, creating an element of suspense as the song progresses. When it is revealed, we see that their art relates to the theme of the song. The first image is the word “Exploited” written on a wall, with the ‘O’ exploding into pieces. This depicts the exploitation of humans and the planet that happens in the US and around the globe. The next image is the words “wake up!”, with the ‘K’ constructed of assault rifles. This points to anti-war efforts and gun violence. Across the city, we see pictures of a circular design which perhaps depicts an atom, warning about the horrors of nuclear weapons. Finally, the word “Think” is written in bold letters on a billboard. All of these things illustrate the horrible things about the world that we must change. As the song says, “we see everything that’s going wrong, With the world and those who lead it.”

A still shot from the music video

From war and gun-violence, to exploitation and environmental issues, the problems are rampant. However, the song’s response to these issues has caused controversy. It states, “We just feel like we don’t have the means, To rise above and beat it.” Mayer feels powerless against the systemic problems he encounters. He and his friends, like the graffiti artists, are outsiders, they’re “standing at a distance” which means “It’s hard to beat the system.” Mayer is content to sit back and wait for changes to occur, until his generation “rules the population.” Critics take issue with this stance. As YouTube user Sebrina Greggs points out, “all it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.” User Elani Aniyvwia elaborates: “We need to stop waiting for the change and be the change. Dr King didn’t wait. Neither did Mother Theresa. They became the change and changed the world!! We are the ones that have the power to change the world. We need to stop waiting and be the change.” TheBuddyLama says “Waiting = Apathy.” This critique of Mayer’s hit song comes from other sources. An NPR article claims that “Rather than urging people to change the world, he seems to say, there’s nothing we can do.” Mayer comes to his own defense: “Look, demanding somebody do anything in this day and age is not going to fly…All I want a song to do is just to kind of present an idea…”


We are the ones that have the power to change the world. We need to stop waiting and be the change.

-Youtube User Elani Aniyvwia

So where is the line between political action and making demands that will turn off others? How do we seek change in a way that does not alienate others, but instead brings them in as allies? Mayer seems to suggest the moderate approach of starting a conversation, but not being overbearing. Like the graffiti artists, Mayer outlines a problem that must be solved but does not offer a solution. He is content to begin a conversation and back away. But will this really “bring out neighbors home from war?” Mayer is ok with waiting, and says that, “All I want a song to do is just to kind of present an idea…”

Whatever the critique of John Mayer, whether wittingly or unwittingly, Waiting on the World to Change” began a conversation which has continued on years after the song’s release. Perhaps it worked; for the world to change, first we must have these conversations. At Mayer’s expense, perhaps the wait has grown a little bit shorter.

Sources:

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/john-mayer/waiting-on-the-world-to-change

http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2007/john-mayer-waiting-on-the-world-to-change/

https://borderlessnewsandviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Waiting_on_the_world_to_change_by_PaLiLinz.jpg

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7765148

Posted on

21 Savage’s Deportation Being Discussed with New Released Track ‘A Lot’

21 Savage’s music video ‘A Lot’ sparked immense attention from the public with excellency of music & lyrics & video altogether, but also his arrestment on immigration status. His Album I Am > I Was, was in the top chart for two consecutive weeks after its releases, earning him Grammy Award nomination, with over 3.3 billion on-demand streams in the US. In his ‘A Lot’ music video, visual is unfolded as if telling a story and it dramatically augments the meaning of lyrics. In his track ‘A Lot’, he raps about brings his personal life story to the music – about his friend who was shot during a drug dealing, reality that money ineffective in solving personal plights, gang violence, trauma, and his fear. Rap is a sublimation of a speech/thoughts/novel transformed into an art form that often becomes a mirror of an individual’s personal stories. However, it sometimes becomes an issue where the boundaries to be set up that reveals how much of personal stories one opens up with the world. It is the question of how comfortably enough a person could open oneself that does not detriment their public images. 21 Savage spoked,

“People will be going through a lot of stuff, but you’ll never know what they’re hiding behind their smiles. Like, nobody would ever know that I wasn’t born here.”

The immigration issue has been one of the hottest topics in the US with the presidency of Donald Trump. It is a predicament to many people who don’t get publicly mentioned nor being much cared from society.

21 Savage was arrested on Super Bowl Sunday in Atlanta by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ironically less than a week after performing his track “A Lot” at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

https://youtu.be/opKizJadkzA

He performed with substituted lyrics where he shows compassion for immigrants and people who struggle to immigrate to the US. “Been through some things so I can’t imagine my kids stuck at the border / Flint still need water / People was innocent, couldn’t get lawyers,” (January 28). According to ICE, 21 Savage is originally from the UK and has been illegally staying in the US with his expired visa. Bryan Cox, the ICE spokesperson, iterated that the arrest was on a “targeted operation with federal and local law enforcement”. 21 Savage’s legal team stated that he was originally born in the UK, however, legally arrived in the US at the age of 7 (in 1999). He has been ongoingly present in the US for almost 20 years, but visited the UK in 2005 due to his uncle’s death, and returned to the US with H-4 Visa. H-4 Visa is “granted to spouses or children under the age of 21”. The visa was expired a year later it was granted in 2006. In 2017, he applied for a U visa, which is “a visa for victims of certain crimes” and his status is still under review. He has been acclaiming that he is from Georgia, Atlanta, and 3 of his children are all lawful US citizens.

All of these Youtube comments are mentioning about his visa status and his revealed UK citizenships:

21 Savage’s lawyer appeared on Good Morning America on February 15th, publicly acclaiming that he was targeted because of his music, fame, and ICE allegedly manipulating the incident to convey the message to non-US citizens. He spent nine days behind bars and was released on February 13th, with a granted bond. According to the most recent news, his hearings on deportation that was scheduled on April 9th has been postponed to no specific dates to come. He has expressed his fear of deportation – “The worst thing was sitting in there not knowing what was going to happen, or when it’s going to happen. Whenever I went to jail before, it was, ‘You’re being charged with this and going to court on this date.’ But immigration ain’t like that. You’re just being held.” Additionally, a fear of losing the home that he identifies with –

“the possibility of me not being able to live in this country no more than I’ve been living in my whole life.”

When an artist publicly brings their voices up, they automatically become the target of governments, organizations, and people. However, they sometimes bring hope to the other groups of people. The big voices become an incentive to one individual, bringing the confidence to fight back to the unjust, biased, prejudiced world of overflowing problems. Artists’ lives depended on what they put on to the markets is daunting and frightening. However, intrepid voices are also the ones that constantly transform our society to be a better place for us all.

‘A Lot’ by 21 Savage – Official Music Video

Additional articles worth reading ->>

Posted on

All I Ask of You

Music video can have a huge impact on the song — it can either enhance the feeling/meaning of a song or completely ruin the song. Of course, this is a based on subjective opinions. Andrew Lloyd Webber is most well-known for his Broadway music in his film productions. One of the most famous of them all is the Phantom of the Opera, which is also highly recognized for its incredible soundtracks. The song All I Ask of You is a great depiction of how the video/camera techniques work with the music itself to produce the music video that is highly praised by thousands of audiences.

The setting of the video already creates an atmosphere that relates to the character of the song, a snowy, dark day. It begins with an instrumental introduction that is a series of chords leading to the singing. The third chord is such a magical change that lines up directly with the drop of the rose. Once the singing starts, the camera switches focus depending on whose singing and that really allows the audience to engage with the music and video simultaneously. Worthy to note, the frame switches to a glance of Phantom at 1:20 and that enhances the intensity of the scene. Additionally, they do a good job of connecting the lyrics to the physical actions. For example, when Raoul sings “Let me be your shelter…” he hugs Christine and these little actions is what makes the song more powerful. Also, just throughout the video, the camera angle zooms out when it reaches more climatic moments, allowing the audience have a fuller sense of the atmosphere. One of the most heart-wrenching scenes is when Phantom sees Raoul and Christine kiss and the camera captures the entire frame, which makes the scene that much more captivating.

One comment said, “I always had a sinking feeling that Christine was betraying the phantom, that she left his deep devotion to her for a petty boy who gave her flowers and was nice to look at, until I realized just recently that Christine’s love for Erik is Stockholm syndrome, and Raul is leading her out of a lifelong deception and swirling nightmare geniusly designed by Erik to trap her. I listened to this song for the millionth time once and realized that until she loved Raul she didn’t realize what she had wasn’t true.” This person’s in-depth observation of this music video shows that Webber and film director succeeded in their production because the commenter was able to capture how the actions are related to singing to portray certain feelings. Their reaction is definitely a good representation of what the music video is trying to display. Another comment said, “Probably THE most romantic song I’ve ever heard.” This person’s reaction is clear that the emotions of the song were delivered effectively, in order for the audience to feel emotionally connected. Additionally, another viewer commented, “Andrew Lloyd Webber: a freaking genius.” Just this one sentence is enough to show how powerful the music video is. With all these positive reactions, along with many more in the comments section, it is clear that this video evoked their meanings and feelings successfully. On another note, as I scrolled through the comments and actually did not find any negative observations, which is also a sign that the video was effective. All these comments show that technology allows us to directly communicate our thoughts or find relatable comments to agree with. It also expands the diversity of audiences because everyone is able to search for it.

As we can see, this music video delivers a strong performance through the coordinations of the music, actors, and directors. This is personally one of my all-time favorites and a huge reason is because of how well every aspect of video comes together to create the memorable experience of one of the most romantic songs. : )

Posted on

Bohemian Rhapsody

 Music videos were at first used for marketing and advertising purposes. They were used to increase the sale of a certain album or a song. However, music videos has also been a great tool for artists to use to complement their songs. A music video usually gives one’s song greater meaning and an easier way to understand what the music is about. The sounds, visuals, and the effects all contained in the music video and the music creates a unique experience that is its own. The artist can use symbols or references to make their music video more relevant and deep. One of the sensational songs that uses the music video make the song greater is Bohemian Rhapsody.

         There are six different parts in this song that is very different from each other. They all use a different musical style such as rock, ballad, or even opera. As the musical styles change, the visuals and the mood of the music video also change to fit the style that is being played. The song opens with an acapella of a multi-track recordings of Freddie Mercury singing. In the music video, it shows all four members of the band in dim lighting lip syncing the lyrics. The lighting helps with the mood of the slow style of the song. Later in the song, Mercury’s head is more prominent to depict him as the main character of the song as he sings the main lyrics. The other members are shown to be singing the chorus in the background.

         After the introduction, the song enters into a ballad. Here, the music video changes to show the members of the band playing their instrument. The lighting here is very colorful but a little dimmed to match the ballad style. Then there is a little guitar slow that helps to transition into the operatic part of the song. Here, just like opera, the members of the band are a different character. When there is a different character singing, that member playing that part will appear on screen. It feels like they are having a conversation because of this. The lights are also dim again just like the introduction here. Towards this end of this section, the music builds up that leads to a rock section. The music video tries to imitate a rock concert here to fit the style of the song. The visuals here are flashier and more dramatic than before which could be described as more calm. The clothing the members wear here are even flamboyant to help. As the song ends, the style and the visual goes back to how it was during the introduction.

I thought that one of the strong points of Bohemian Rhapsody’s music video was how there were many different styles of visuals to go along with the song’s change of styles. I thought that each style matched the mood of the part really well. However, I thought maybe it could have used some symbolisms or allusions to give it greater depth and meaning to the song. I just feel like they could have done a little more with it to enhance the music video whether making the the contrasts between the styles more different or something else. They could’ve maybe tried to emphasize the lyrics with the visuals. However, it was said that the meaning of the song was very individual to the listener. There are a lot of words in the lyrics that seemingly don’t make sense.

Zoom Out

 Bohemian Rhapsody is a great example that relates to what we have been learning in class. It shows how the use of technology can improve and be a part of music. Throughout class, we have been learning about how technology is used in a progressive way to change how we consume music. Some examples were recordings and the use of computers to create electronic music. With music videos, the songs that artists created were embedded with more meaning to help convey the message to the audience better.

Posted on

Our Favorite Brothers are BACK

Jonas Brothers pose for the cover of their single, Sucker.

The Jonas Brothers took to world by storm when we were children in the late 2000’s, and now they are back to rock our world once again. On February 28, 2019, they announced their reunion, and on March 1, 2019, the Jonas Brothers released their single, “Sucker” after a six year hiatus. We thought 2013 was the last time we would see our favorite brothers, but after a few sudden Instagram and twitter posts, we prepared ourselves for their return. They quickly hit the top charts, reaching #1 on the Hot 100 Billboard. Not only was their song a banger, their music video was unique and unexpected, pulling us closer to our computer screens.

The elegance of the castle and the costumes contrasts with the pop, upbeat feel of the song. But I feel like there is a connection. In the ages where elaborate dinners and large ball gowns were in, there was an emphasis on showing off and giving importance to women. Their spouses are the center of their attention, the brothers singing these endearing lyrics to them for the whole video. Sucker seems to have been inspired by the fact that the three Jonas Brothers have grown up, and now have wives/fiancees. A popular comment from the video was about the brothers including their significant others, someone writing, “lol I love they added their significant others!” The inclusion of their beautiful, powerful spouses adds emphasis to the meaning of the lyrics “I’m a sucker for you”. Each of the spouses personality was shown through choreography, outfits, and even hair styles, adding to the personal effect that they wished to convey.

The video has a mix of old and new, antique and modern. The castle with the long driveway, the butlers, the elaborate dresses and the large dinner party with dozens of guests is a flash of the past, but they twist it to include a more modern vibe, with smaller details such as the colors and contemporary lyrics to add a 21st century feel. The outfits were bright and flashy, symbolizing their stunning return, but also shows how fashion has developed over the centuries, from monotone colors to bright pinks and sequins, but also referencing current fashion trends sported by other celebrities. For example, Kevin Jonas is seen wearing a psychedelic patterned shirt, a reference to one that Beyonce wore on a day out

This music video was everything good and new, and everything we could have hoped for. The technology used was mostly cameras and lighting, using aerial cameras to capture the mansion and its gardens in its entirety. Another effect of this music video was to be confused about the time period: is this a flashback or just a really ornate costume party? Surprisingly, most of the reactions and comments were positive, people stating, “who else is watching this video continuously cause its just awesome.” Everyone was so excited about their return, there was little room for negativity. Most people were just so shocked that they were back together that every other comment was “omg” or “I love them”. Audience reaction was exactly what the Jonas Brothers were hoping for, the video already at 106 million views.

“Sucker” by the Jonas Brothers. 106 million views.
Posted on

The Variation and Impact of Ol’ Man River by Paul Robeson

Since its inception into American society, American popular music has, in some form, always been at the forefront of critiquing American politics. A plethora of songs have been written specifically to combat or call into view injustices shown in politics and a number of originals song have had their text or music changed to fit a message of political criticism. For instance, America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” has had its fair share of rewrites in order to fit a certain issue or message. William Robin, in his article regarding Colin Kaepernick and the Radical Uses of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” quotes a temperance advocate’s text revision that peers into the reality of America’s drinking issue. The quote reads, “Oh! who has not seen by the dawn’s early light / Some poor bloated drunkard to his home weakly reeling.” Now, I absolutely love this method of using music to talk about politics; it grabs the listener in with a familiar tune with the intent of educating them on a real-world issue. As I’ve said before, there are a plethora of songs that have been rewritten to fit a cause, but none come close to the revision of “Ol’ Man River” that Paul Robeson wrote during the Civil Rights Movement. 

Full discloser: Paul Robeson is one of my favorite basses to listen to and one of my favorite people to learn about. He was born on April 9th, 1898 in Princeton, New Jersey to Rev. William Robeson, a former runaway slave, and Maria Lousia Bustill, a Quaker. Without going into too much detail about his life, I can say that he received a scholarship to play football at Rutgers College, where he graduated class valedictorian. He went to Columbia Law School and soon after landed a job at a law firm, only to leave almost immediately after a white secretary refused to take dictation from him due to his race. It was at this point that Robeson decided to quit law to dedicate his life to his true passion of singing. Throughout his illustrious music career, Robeson worked with the likes of Eugene O’Neill, W.E.B. Du Bois, and James Joyce. But none of his collaborations would be as pivotal as his work with Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II in their groundbreaking musical Showboat. Most people identify Showboat as the defining show for American musical theater because it was one of the first musicals to fully integrate the plot of the show into the songs, which created a whole new form of storytelling. Although working in this play essentially made Robeson a sensation among American audiences, he saw his character Joe, a black dockworker singing about his troubles to the Mississippi River, as well as the hit song “Ol’ Man River” a bit demeaning to his pursuit of highlighting African American progression. 

Paul Robeson in the movie version of Showboat

Understandably, Robeson didn’t appreciate the original lyrics that included the N-word to describe the type of workers working along the Mississippi nor did he appreciate the presentation of African Americans in this play as second class citizens. So, in an attempt to bring light to his feelings on the equal rights of black U.S. citizens, Robeson began in 1938 to rewrite the lyrics of this song in recitals. Similar to the pro tolerance writings put into the star-spangled banner, Robeson added text to “Ol’ Man River” that promoted African American freedom and strength. The famous line “There’s an old man called the Mississippi, that’s the old man that I’d like to be” was changed to “There’s an old man called the Mississippi, that’s the old man I don’t like to be” and the ending of the stanza “I get weary and sick of trying, I’m tired of living and scared of dying” was changed to “But I keep laughing instead of crying and I’ll keep fighting until I’m dying.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evwtK81KFrs

Through this decision to rewrite and perform this text, Robeson gained much prominence in the early stages of the civil rights movement, especially during the early part of the cold war. Unfortunately, Paul Robeson as well as many African American leaders of the Harlem Renaissance period saw the emphasis on racial equality in the Soviet Union as a model for the U.S. to look toward, which to many Americans marked them as Communist supporters. This labeling eventually got Paul Robeson blacklisted from Hollywood, thoroughly questioned and searched by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and unable to reach American audiences as he once was able to do. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLVqCGeK6JM
A recreation of Paul Robeson’s HUAC hearing by James Earl Jones

However, the effect Robeson was able to make on 20thcentury politics through his music was still a triumphant victory for African Americans searching for equality and a testament to the power of music against its environment. Music, as Robeson has shown, is a vital tool in sharing emotion and ideas which is why it has such a stronghold in the world of politics.

Posted on

Thomas Adès’ ‘Asyla’

Thomas Adès

Artists express their political view by inheriting a political connotation to their artwork. It is either to express a personal political viewpoint, or it is to contribute, commemorate, and celebrate political events, protests, or a certain group of minority people by inviting attention. Thomas Adès’s ‘Asyla’ written in 1997 is a four-movement piece for a large orchestra that includes six timpani, roto-toms, tuned cowbells, water gong, washboard, and two pianos with one tuned quarter-tone flat. It is one of his most widely performed pieces and was premiered by the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with Simon Rattle conducting. ‘Asyla’ is the plural of Asylum and is sort of a wordplay that represents a double-edged meaning of the word.

Album release

Asylum refers to both a madhouse where people are sent for protection and a sanctuary for refugees (who have been forced to leave their country) as in political asylum. The word itself is contradicting as people in a madhouse are trapped in a facility, whereas asylum seekers are people who stepped outside of their origins and are seeking a new shelter.


Performance of ‘Asyla’

In Thomas Adès’ interview, he explains that the symphony orchestra is no longer a mainstream medium. He argues that composers have evolved, however, the medium – an orchestra, is stagnant in a pre-First World War state. The piece ‘Asyla’ expands the perception of “what an orchestra is”. The wordplay of the title seems to fit the concept of the piece. An asylum seeker is associated with his use of unconventional instrumentations and innovative sound creation, and the trapped people in a madhouse are associated with the piece sticking to a strict four-movement scheme that has succeeded from Haydn (also, the third movement is a dance movement).

Syrian Refugees by Claire Felter and James McBride

Refugees and asylums are huge underground political issues around the world. Not until the day of complete world of peace, there will be refugees and asylums. Around the world, there are 68.5 million people who were ‘forcibly displaced’. The majority of them remained around their home countries, however, 25.4 million of them had to seek asylums and fled to other countries, with more than half being children. The number of immigrants skyrocketed after World War II and 1997 in the UK (when ‘Asyla’ was premiered), there was an increase of immigrants in the UK from the abolition of a law that restricted entrants of people who were married to UK citizens.

Picture of Vatican

In Adès’ interview, he mentions that the original title for the second movement is ‘Vatican’. The Vatican is the smallest country that exists, having a monarchy ruled by the pope (who also carries the role of a king). Citizens of the Vatican are specially picked members who are technically refugees that are given citizenships in order to work for the pope. The Vatican is a source of refuge and hope for immigrants and refugees who have had to flee their homes. However, Adès took away the title after he realized that “it was just too specific to many people”. This made me wonder whether Adès intended to advocate his support of ‘asylums’ for refugees. Nevertheless, his association of artwork to the political concept brought attention and awareness to the public eye, thus bringing significance to both politics and music worlds.

Edward Venn’s Thomas Adès: Asyla

“We write symphonies,” Donald Trump said on July 6th, 2017, during a speech in Warsaw. Article by Anthony Tommasini argues that classical music is often portrayed as the ‘greatest art form’ precedent from Beethoven’s era – “a heroic visionary with a rare link to transcendent realms, creating symphonic works for the ages.” ‘Asyla’ by Thomas Adès is written with a completely different approach (180-degrees to be exact) as the piece deviates from the greatness and highness of the symphonic format. The piece is the opposite from greatness that is full of self-conceit – it is a piece that reflects the greatness of our human nature that looks out for people needing help in times of trouble.

To Listen to full version of the interview (World Premiere):

https://youtu.be/28v6oBv37K0

Another Performance of Asyla:

Interesting Blog Entry: http://themusicsalon.blogspot.com/2014/08/thomas-ades-on-his-asyla.html

Posted on

I’m Not Racist

In 1803, Beethoven dedicated his epic symphony Eroica to Napoleon – the emancipator and hero of the French Revolution, yet Beethoven’s admiration for Napoleon as a champion of freedom quickly vanished as he recognized Napoleon’s newly established emperorship. As a result, he “violently erased Napoleon’s name from his manuscript — so forcefully, in fact, that he erased his way right through the paper, leaving holes in the title page”.



Composers and lyricists have long been creating music in a political fashion, whether it be the music or explicit lyrics that serve to announce their political views, artists have always been seeking ways to educate the public about the current social and political issues.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, American rapper Joyner Lucas sparked controversy after the release of his non-album single “I’m Not Racist” in November 28, 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43gm3CJePn0

The two parts of the song express the distinct opinions of a trump supporter as opposed to those of an African American man regarding the systemic racism that is very much alive today. For instance, the song opens with the trump supporter’s brutally honest perspective: “With all due respect, I don’t have pity for you black niggas, that’s the way I feel.” As the Trump supporter represents a larger culture of hateful racism, his contentious introduction suggests that the political view that African Americans “deserve” the unequal treatment that is present at various levels in our society. In the same part of the song, the Trump supporter uttered: “But you lazy as fuck and you’d rather sell drugs than get a job and be straight, and then you turn around and complain about the poverty rate”. It would have been much more problematic if the song had ended just there as it legitimized the effects of the systemic racism by proposing a causal relationship between the actions of African Americans and their “race-specific” circumstances. In a similar fashion, American rapper Kanye West caused online furor when a video went viral showing his statement at TMZ headquarters on May 1st, 2018: “When you hear about slavery for 400 years … For 400 years? That sounds like a choice.”



Thankfully, the second part of “I’m Not Racist” offered the perspective of the African American man and strove to explain the current trends in the African American community from a historical perspective: “And even if I wasn’t picking cotton physically that don’t mean I’m not affected by the history. My grandmomma was a slave, that shit gets to me”. Of course, there is something to be said about the psychological impacts of being the descent of slaves, but as we look at the current racial issues today, people rarely discuss the origins of these issues, blinding us from the truths that surround the cultural trends of the African American community. Furthermore, the African American man in the music video vocalized his thoughts: “Hatred all in your brain, it slowly start to convince you, and then you teach it to your children until the cycle continue”. The message is clear: Racism is taught – it is a human construct made to oppress the minority.

Although the song expressed strong opinions from both sides of the political spectrum, it did not conclude the “right” view, leaving the audience in deep wonderment. It is obvious that songs like “I’m Not Racist” are made to pronounce political opinions to the mass, but the effect goes far beyond the music and lyrics themselves: just as Beethoven “un-dedicates” his epic symphony to publicize his condemnation toward Napoleon’s emperorship, I believe that we can impact the political views of our generation if dominant artists today can speak up against ignoble and corrupted political actions.

Posted on

Napster: The Start of Music Streaming Services

Now in 2019, how many people have not used Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, or any music streaming services yet? There is simply too much music that we are exposed to listen to with just a press of a button.

However, did you know that history of the music streaming services first derived from Napster, Inc., which uses a mechanism of Peer to Peer (P2P) service? This unprecedented application on the internet began in the fall of 1998 by Shawn Fanning, brought both cheerful acclamation and troublesome disputes (lawsuits from major records) at the same time. The songs were stored in central servers that provided a real-time directory with specifications of stored file names and locations. Users uploaded music to the server from their vinyl, tapes, and CD recordings, in returns, downloading over billions of other songs in MP3 format. “MP3 technology was developed by a German engineering firm in 1987 as a way of compressing digital audio files by removing inaudible space and squeezing the rest.” (Honigsberg, 474)

P2P Mechanism by David R. Cheriton
Napster running under Mac OS 9 in March 2001
Screenshot by Njahnke

On December 6th, 1999, A & M Records and seventeen other record companies filed a complaint about Napster off copyright infringement. The image of Napster was rapidly waning and on February 12th, 2001, the court ordered Napster to install filters to halt the use of any copyrighted materials, thus “blocking over ninety-nine percent of copyrighted material.” On July 2nd, 2001, Napster eventually had to close their online service.

Nevertheless, during the span of court hearings, Napster was preparing for their transformation. BMG record company, which was one of the five major companies who sued Napster, turned their side and partnered with Napster for a “fee-based membership service.” Napster and BMG together, they planned on creating a new online service that provides a digital version of the music, books, and magazines with the utilization of P2P mechanism. Hank Barry, who is the former CEO of BMG record announced to offer the users with $4.95/month and about seventy to eighty percent avenues shared to record companies. Unfortunately, the offer did not appeal to any other major records as their calculation suggested that the deal was not profitable enough. With Konrad Hilbers’ replacement of Hank Barry, Napster previewed their new subscription model In January 2002 with a limitation in a diversity of music selections.

[News Article] Napster Unloads Interim CEO Hank Barry, Brings BMG Insider on Board

Soon after, Napster sadly had to announce their bankruptcy and Roxio, a CD-burning software maker, purchased Napster’s brand and logo with his bid that was worth about $5.3 million. After he successfully brought back Sean Fanning to the company, they planned on launching a fully legalized version of Napster. Roxio acquired PressPlay for $12.5 million in cash and made reborn of PressPlay possible with the name of Napster 2.0. After five years, Best Buy purchased Napster with $121 million but resold ‘Napster’s customers and intellectual property’ in 2011 to Rhapsody with returns of a minority stake. Rhapsody has been growing ever since, especially big in Europe, and In 2016, Rhapsody rebranded itself with the name of Napster. Now Napster is competing against major music streaming services, Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, iHeartRadio, Deezer, Beats Music, and many more.

[Article] Roxio Buys Napster Assets

[Article] Roxio Hires Napster Founder, Will Re-Launch Service In 2003

[Article] ROXIO BUYS PRESSPLAY, NAPSTER LIVES

[Article] Napster Is Back as Rhapsody Rebrands Its Streaming Service

[Article] The History of Napster

This is the brief history of Napster, the pioneer incorporate that brought the music streaming services to us. Watch some of the documentaries about Napster.

Napster Documentary: Culture of Free
Napster Documentary ‘Downloaded’ Part One

Sources:

  1. U.S.C. A&M Records. Inc. v. Napster. Inc. 114 F. Supp. 2d 896 (N. D. Cal. 2000)
  2. Peter Jan Honigsberg, The Evolution and Revolution of Napster, 36 U.S.F. L. Rev. 473 (2002)
  3. https://www.businessinsider.com/napster-is-finally-dead-heres-a-look-back-at-what-happened-2011-10
  4. H. Michael Drumm, Life after Napster: Will Its Successors Share Its Fate, 5 Tex. Rev. Ent. & Sports L. 157 (2003)
Posted on

The Thrilling Theremin

When you think of the theremin, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps a violin being played under water? Ghost movies? Alien abductions?? For me, I always think of that one episode on the Big Bang Theory where Sheldon used it to played the Star Trek theme song (much to the annoyance of his friends).

Even though your views of the theremin might not be as intrinsically linked the the Big Bang Theory as mine, I’m sure we can all agree that this instrument is already pretty cool. And now that we have established that the theremin is pretty freaking cool and therefore worth studying, I’m about to flood your brain with all the necessary knowledge you never thought you needed about how this pretty incredible piece of electronic technology came to be.

A History of Lev and his Theremin

Léon Theremin
(1896-1993)

The thermain begin in the mind of Russian inventor Lev Sergeyevich Termen, more commonly known today as Léon Theremin in 1919. The 23 year old soviet (who was also a KGB spy) invented the device accidentally while working on a meter that measures the density of gas. Basically this gas meter created an electromagnetic field that would produce a sound when the area around it was disturbed. Theremin realized that the closer he brought his hands to the gas meter, the higher the pitch became, and the further away he pulled his hands, the lower the pitch became. So, like any 23 year old in a laboratory when you find out your new machine makes funny noises, Theremin busted out some tunes for his lab buddies. His buddies and his boss were like “Wow that’s so cool . How about you like make an actual instrument out of it and like take it on the road and stuff?” And, so he did.

But first young Theremin made a pit stop at Vladmir Lenon’s house in 1922 to show him the new diddy maker he had just made, which he called the Aetherphone. And Lenin was like “Woah, this is cool, like really cool. It electronic technology like this that will help me spread all the communism. You should totally go out and share this Aetherphone with the people (and also maye think of a new name while you’re at it.)” So, with Lenin’s gold star of approval, Léon Theremin went out and spent the 1920s touring Europe with his fancy new doodad, which he now called the Thereminvox (which was then shortened to Theremin because it’s easier to say).

from “Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage” by Albert Glinsky, and Bob Moog

After traveling and performing around Europe, Mr. Theremin and his wife Katia then made their way to America in 1927. In America, Theremin performed in the nation’s top concert halls and venues making his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1928, then New York Philharmonic in 1928, and Carnegie Hall in 1928 and 1929. It was at this time that Leon Theremin also patented his theremin in the United States and the Theremin began to be produced and marketed by RCA (*Radio Corporation of America) in 1929 and 1930. Unfortunately, they were not a commercial success.

However, while in America Mr. Theremin met Clara Rockmore (née Reisenberg) who would go on to become a theremin virtuoso and perpetuate the use of theremins in modern music and cinema. Clara went on to devise her own fingering to allow for greater control and dexterity on the instrument, and as their partnership continued, Clara convinced Mr. Theremin to continue to refine his instrument, expanding the instrument’s range from three octaves to five octaves. Mr. Theremin, who was so encapsulated by Clara’s gifts, then proposed to her (a bunch of times) ((even though he may have still been married to Katia)), and was rejected, and Clara went on to marry the attorney Robert Rockmore.

Leo Theremin and Clara Rockmore

In the 1930s, Mr. Theremin established a laboratory in New York where he continued to develop the Theremin and other electronic instruments including the Rhythmicorn (electronic drum set) and the Fingerboard (cello) Theremin. Theremin even went on to perform a 10 theremin program in Carnegie Hall in 1930 and conducted his first electronic orchestra in 1932. Mr. Theremin also went on to marry the African-American ballet dancer Lavinia Williams, which resulted in his ostracization from society.

Lavinia Williams, second wife of Leo Theremin

The Theremin continued to make appearances in films and media in the background tracks of movies like The Lost Weekend (1945), Spellbound (1945), and Forbidden Planet (1956). Meanwhile Clara Rockmore continued to play the Theremin in a variety of concert halls and venues (and was also featured in the 1932 performances in Carnegie Hall). Clara went on to release an album entitled “The Art of the Theremin” in 1977 with Delos CD, containing a variety of selections from the classical canon. Even moving into the late 20th and early 21st century, the Theremin is still heard in a variety of pop songs including in the Beach Boys 1996 single “Good Vibrations,” the 1967 Rolling Stones albums Between the Buttons and Their Satanic Majesties Request.

And through the theremins continued success across the mainstream media and musical performances, what ever happened to Leo Theremin? One day in 1938, he disappeared from his New York studio and vanished, being swept back to Russia, leaving behind his wife, Lavinia, and his theremin (among many his other musical inventions). Never to be heard from again until the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1991.

Technology Behind the Theremin

So how does this thing actually work? We’ll you’re in luck because SciShow made a super informative video that explains the whole thing. The theremin really didn’t change a whole lot since its invention; the body of the device grew smaller due to the advancements in microtechnologies and the rod that determines pitch was made longer as to accommodate a more extended range. Aside from these small adjustments, the science behind the theremin remained relatively unchanged.

The Theremin In Action

Here are some super cool videos of the Theremin in action!