MH2 Podcast 2

 http://www.divshare.com/download/16420043-15f

Peer Comment 3

Although I am not a huge fan of I can definitely say he has had a huge impact of a lot of people. He is a great lyricist something I have seen and heard on many occasions most notably of a track he was on with Missy Elliott called Bus a Rhyme off of her album Da Real World. I liked him most in that Slim Shady era. I just finished writing an Independent Research Entry for Dr. Dre and it is crazy to see how much he has done for west coast and non west coast artist such as Eminem. Good Post!

Independent Research - Dr. Dre

It is said that no one was more responsible for hip-hop’s move towards the platinum-enriched mainstream than NWA’s Ex- gangster rapper member than Dr. Dre.  Andre “Dr. Dre” Young grew up and discovered his talent around the rough urban area of Compton, California, a virtually unknown quarter at the time not to far away from Los Angles. Having quite the taste for electro-funk and 60’s soul records, Dre (as he was nicknamed) began to play these records as a DJ at house parties in the early 1980’s. It wasn’t too long before this likable DJ became successful and started spinning records at popular night club, Eve’s After Dark between 1982-85. Here after crafting some beats of in his bedroom that also became his “ Sound Laboratory”, Andre would then cleverly implement them into his set. By doing this he would quickly gauge what worked as well as what didn’t. This helped him greatly. Also at Eve’s After Dark, he met another DJ by the name of Yella who like him shared a lot of things in common musically. Consequently, they would soon find themselves cutting demos in side rooms of the club on an old four track-recording machine that was available.  It eventually lead young a spot on LA’s KDAY a radio station where he hosted a mix show. By using the same formula he used at the club, he would see a lot of notoriety from his hometown of Compton to the vast LA Basin. One of the many who caught on to Dre was Eve’s club owner and aspiring singer Lonzo Williams. Dre, Lonzo and a high school friend of Dr. Dre’s by the name of Cli-N-Tel would form the Lonzo williams’ group the Wreckin’ Cru. They would enjoy modest success but Dre eventually left the group at the end of the 1980’s. Dr. Dre would lend his talents after leaving this group to a new group that consisted of himself, a rapper name Ice Cube, Eazy E, MC Ren, DJ Yella, and a briefly Arabian Prince named N.W.A. Comprising of harsh lyrics of gangbanging and misogyny, N.W.A would rocket to fame. Dre made their sound be stark and minimal”. However, after member Ice Cube left, Dr. Dre’s skills as a producer grew exponentially becoming more layered and complex.  It would later garner him outside ventures to other projects for artist such as Michl’le, Snoop Dogg, Eminem in latter years, and even his own work The Chronic which is now helmed as a hip hop classic. This would lead him become the sound of the west coast. Two characteristics of this producer that gave him much success were originality and truth. Originality comes from recognition of his truth and truth comes from telling the story of the many who grew up just like him. As an industry professional, this producer leaves me feeling chill ,raw, and unapologetic. 

Peer Comment 2

         I agree with you when you describe the Velvet Underground and Nico as having the most chaotic and entrancing sonic landscape ever to be recorded on tape. It would be definitely a “what the hell” moment if someone would initially listen to. But you got to give credit where credit is due and it credit is due on the fact that they were very influential. Andy Warhol helped them out very much so and I also feel if he had not been as integrated as he was in the group, the group would have not been as influential as they were. Great job on the post!

Electronic Music and Innovations

         The technical innovation that I am choosing to discuss is modern minimalism discussed by Bjork. It is a documentary featuring Arvo Pärt, Alasdair Mallory, and Mika Vainio. The impact I feel that modern minilalism has had on eletronic music would be by the simple sounds it produces, how the sounds are produced or what are the things that produce these sounds, and above all, how these sounds are turned into music. The sounds produce when hear put you directly in the mind of electronic music. It’s that organic everyday industrial or natural sound that is the basis of electronic music; for instance in the very beginning of the documentary, when it showed a man playing the glass harmonica. What struck me is the sharpness and tone of this instrument. It is that simple ambient sound produced by the playing of this instrument that is noticeable in electronic music.  How the sounds are produced is I feel another element that has impacted electronic music. This can be seen when Bjork met a man by the name of Mika Vainio in Barcelona. During her meeting him, she saw the various things he used to produce these “electronic” type sounds in which one of them were made by turning a old wooden cigar box into some type of bass synthesizer. It was very interesting. All these sounds like I mentioned are produced in simple ways. And I think after looking at this documentary, I feel that in a way, a lot of electronic music is simple and not that complex. Two characteristics of this innovation are simplicity and its organic qualities mentioned frequently above. The impression this innovation has made on me is that you can make music out of the most basic and “non-musical” things. It makes me as a listener and industry professional have more of an appreciation of sound no matter where it comes from.

Electronic Music

         The music and image of Kraftwerk (which means in German power plant) was very different from other acts throughout there time. And though some tried to imitate (i.e. Gary Numan), there was only one original. Their music was futuristic and industrial as Kraftwerk got inspiration from things like the radio, cars down a highway, and even trains in Europe. Their image was uniformed and emotionless, as they would wear suits while giving emotionless faces as they performed on videos or in live settings. The albums Kraftwerk released between the years 1974 to 1981 would get for the most part, receive little recognition initially but more so later on as their work would influence a whole genre of music and artist. When  Kraftwerk  drop Autobahn at the tail end of 1974, it push them to international status. Unlike previous albums released, this one would actually have a concept. They would in dropping this record give homage to the Beach boys with the title track. Their next album Radioactivity in 1975 was very different from Autobahn were even though it was another concept based record, the focus however was on nuclear energy and the radio. It was an album with shorter tracks and a record that pushed their sound into different areas were the sound would move very much into the electronic sphere contrary to previous work where they would incorporate non-electronic instruments. Following this was Trans Europe Express, a record about the train system of Europe. It wasn’t as anticipated as Radioactivity due to Radioactivity being deemed unsuccessful.  Man Machine conversely became a break though for the group as this album presented a new image with commercial material.  Two characteristics that set the group Kraftwerk in a position of being the biggest influence of electronic music would definitely be the number of musicians following them taking cues and because of their musical aesthetic. Kraftwerk inspired many from their music to generate a synth/ industrial sound whether it was pop, rock, or hip hop. Their music aesthetic was contagious. It also inspired a slew of artist like David Bowie, Afrika Bambaata, Donna Summers, Throbbing gristles, and Gary Numan as mentioned. The impression left on me by the group Kraftwerk is that creativity is everything. I really enjoyed their originality because it longer lasting and will get farther than mediocrity or imitation.

MH2 Podcast

http://www.divshare.com/download/16334188-5fd

Peer Comment

Great Post! I definitely agree with the Marvin’s reason for wanting to do the song and not do the typical Motown love song. The world needed it at that time when things were rough for people of color and for Americans in general. I can appreciate him using his on brother Frankie as an inspiration for the song because he had gone through a lot; going to war is bad enough but to see people kill and be killed is a whole other arena within itself. I am glad he took a risk to create something so powerful, meaningful, and at the same time be something you could jam to.

What's Going On

Prior to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Marvin’s image and music was cool and collected. Marvin was known as the sex icon of his time and generated millions of fans. He had before this iconic song had never written a record that was controversial. The social and national influences that contributed to What’s going on was in part due to the racism, war, and Marvin ‘s brother Frankie who came back from the Vietnam war haunted by images and memories of what he had gone through. Marvin Gaye accompanied by Renaldo “Obie” Benson who also was also inspired by a series of events that happened at that time, began to create this masterpiece. The obstacles faced by Marvin Gaye to get What’s Going On recorded and released were many. Berry Gordy founder of the Motown records didn’t want Gaye to sing contentious song. It was totally the opposite of what Motown was known for and Berry Gordy didn’t like it. It was “The worst thing I’ve ever heard in my life” Said Gordy. He didn’t know how it would affect Marvin’s career or how his fans would take to this song. The record label even refused to release his record, which Marvin Gaye responded by not coming in the studio. They eventually released the album and contrary to their beliefs, the album sold and was an instant hit. What set Marvin’s record apart from others in his time was the fact that its subject matter was something not discussed by any act on Motown. Another thing was his double lead on vocals, something that eventually became signature to him. The impression What’s Going on by Marvin Gaye has on me is a good one. He has taught me to go outside the box and do what your heart tells you even if others don’t believe at first.

The Velvet Underground and Nico

         The image and music of Velvet Underground and Nico was unlike any group during its conception. Their aesthetic was an “unapologetic embrace of the opposite poles of the musical, emotional, and thematic spectrum.” And even with that said, it would take the world a long to jump on the ban wagon of this far out group. The group formed in 1964 when primary songwriters Lou Reed and John Cale decided to start a rock band. Before the group though these twos love for music came in very distinct ways. For instance, John Cale began is fascination with music at a young age and continued it when he studied composition at London University’s Gotham College from 1960-1963. There he became captivated by contemporary experimental music. Here he also met Aaron Copland who convinced a man named Leonard Bernstein to give Cale a scholarship to study in the United States. In the United States, he became focused on sonic and metaphysical implications of the drone while playing his Viola at the theater of Eternal Music then the Dream Syndicate from 63-65. Lou Reed on the other hand grew in Long Island where his rebelliousness steered him to rock and roll and sexual experimentation along with drugs. He also became drawn to avant-garde jazz and intellectual and emotional stimulation of poetry among other things as he studied at Syracuse University. As a result, their roles in the group were crucial; Reed provided cinema vertié songs while Cale delivered a droning viola that elevated the band to sonic futurists. This was all supported, promoted, and produced by Andy Warhol. Two characteristics that I can say that set this group apart from others was from its unapologetic songs about things that were real for them and their dead and gloomy approach to music. From all that said, The Velvet Underground and Nico have inevitably left me feeling more appreciative for people’s individuality, something they sure had a lot of it.