1./ Bob Dylan - Blowin in the Wind
Bob Dylan is an artist who has been an inspirational force in the world of music for more than five decades. His early lyrics which provoked social commentary, political references and philosophical standpoints defied the exisiting manner of pop music and played an intigrual role in expanding and personalising musical styles. He helped to shape certain genres of folk and blues and bring them into the mainstream and his songs became important in a cultural and musical sense, with certain releases becoming anthems for the anti-war and civil rights movements. He is a musical propietor who has made a unique sound universal and influenced other bands of the time who seeked to do the same.
His lyrics are often wistful and poetic and comment on flawed issues on society and 'Blowing in the Wind' is inspirational in the sense that it has become the influence for which bands use their music as a political device.
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Top Inspirational Artists - Number 2
2./ Paul Simon - The Boy in the Bubble
'It was a slow day and the sun was beating on the soliders by the side of the road.' / 'The way we look to a distant constellation that's dying in the corner of the sky.'
Just a couple of lines from a song that is filled with phenomenal lyrical power and which proves that more often than not great songs are made before a chord has even been struck or its words been sung. It is remarkable to think that Paul Simon has improved as a songwriter from the days of Simon and Garfunkel and that he still had the lyrical and musical power to make a major influence on a musical world heading into the nineties. His influence and inspiration can be found everywhere where there's a heart in people's music. Graceland's philosophical and cultural importance has been the inspiraton for the arrival of world music as a force to be reckoned with as more and more artists experiment with their choice of sound and culture within their music. Its ripeness of current affairs and storytelling as song can be seen in the lyrcis of U2 and REM among others and the poetic beauty of his music and lyrics is at the core of songs that broaden the mind and deepen the soul. Paul Simon has helped to popularise world music as a genre and still whilst losing none of his mainstream and critical appeal.
'The Boy in the Bubble' is a great example of how music can represent itself as much more than a tune but rather a slice of life in a coming age, a document of a world that is forever changing and which provokes the thoughs of its listeners. This is what great music does best. Paul Simon at his best sounds like vocals set to the classical sound of Bach.
'It was a slow day and the sun was beating on the soliders by the side of the road.' / 'The way we look to a distant constellation that's dying in the corner of the sky.'
Just a couple of lines from a song that is filled with phenomenal lyrical power and which proves that more often than not great songs are made before a chord has even been struck or its words been sung. It is remarkable to think that Paul Simon has improved as a songwriter from the days of Simon and Garfunkel and that he still had the lyrical and musical power to make a major influence on a musical world heading into the nineties. His influence and inspiration can be found everywhere where there's a heart in people's music. Graceland's philosophical and cultural importance has been the inspiraton for the arrival of world music as a force to be reckoned with as more and more artists experiment with their choice of sound and culture within their music. Its ripeness of current affairs and storytelling as song can be seen in the lyrcis of U2 and REM among others and the poetic beauty of his music and lyrics is at the core of songs that broaden the mind and deepen the soul. Paul Simon has helped to popularise world music as a genre and still whilst losing none of his mainstream and critical appeal.
'The Boy in the Bubble' is a great example of how music can represent itself as much more than a tune but rather a slice of life in a coming age, a document of a world that is forever changing and which provokes the thoughs of its listeners. This is what great music does best. Paul Simon at his best sounds like vocals set to the classical sound of Bach.
Top Inspirational Artists - Number 3
/3. The Clash - Rock the Casbah
The Clash did not invent the punk sound but they more than any other punk artist helped to broaden its sound and appeal to the wider music world. Though an endless debate could take place over who the greatest punk band ever are it surely can not be argued about which punk band were the most important. With a stunning debut album, The Clash could have quite easliy released more of the same to satisfy their growing audience but instead they decided to broaden their horizons and created a vastly, dynamic sound that became the inspiration for the new punk movement of the modern era. 'London Calling' marked the first signs of change, a classic collection that marked a delightful new sound to its listeners. This was punks's foray into different genres, with succesful attempts at both jazz (Rudie can't fail), rock n roll (Brand New Cadilac) and intelligent pop music ('Train in Vain)' - the lyrics and the vocals were still pure punk but the music had varied and with it had succesfully conveyed a range of emotions within a range of different sounds.
'Rock the Casbah' from the album 'Combat Rock' is essentially a punk song played over a disco tune and yet it loses none of its cool punk sound, if anyhting making the sound more exciting and versatile. The Clash showed that punk music could become more accesible and interesting when combined with different genres and their original music and sound became the inspiration for a number of artists who also tried both with and without success to combine certain genres to create a new and important sound. And as much as people might detest the sound of new punk with bands like Greenday, NOFX, Rancid amongst many other less talented outfits, they can not deny that the sound has been kept alive because it has been kept fresh and altered its pure sound. As talented as the sex pistols and the Ramones might have been, they seemed content to stick to the original punk sound where as The Clash made the genre more meaningful and fresh.
The Clash did not invent the punk sound but they more than any other punk artist helped to broaden its sound and appeal to the wider music world. Though an endless debate could take place over who the greatest punk band ever are it surely can not be argued about which punk band were the most important. With a stunning debut album, The Clash could have quite easliy released more of the same to satisfy their growing audience but instead they decided to broaden their horizons and created a vastly, dynamic sound that became the inspiration for the new punk movement of the modern era. 'London Calling' marked the first signs of change, a classic collection that marked a delightful new sound to its listeners. This was punks's foray into different genres, with succesful attempts at both jazz (Rudie can't fail), rock n roll (Brand New Cadilac) and intelligent pop music ('Train in Vain)' - the lyrics and the vocals were still pure punk but the music had varied and with it had succesfully conveyed a range of emotions within a range of different sounds.
'Rock the Casbah' from the album 'Combat Rock' is essentially a punk song played over a disco tune and yet it loses none of its cool punk sound, if anyhting making the sound more exciting and versatile. The Clash showed that punk music could become more accesible and interesting when combined with different genres and their original music and sound became the inspiration for a number of artists who also tried both with and without success to combine certain genres to create a new and important sound. And as much as people might detest the sound of new punk with bands like Greenday, NOFX, Rancid amongst many other less talented outfits, they can not deny that the sound has been kept alive because it has been kept fresh and altered its pure sound. As talented as the sex pistols and the Ramones might have been, they seemed content to stick to the original punk sound where as The Clash made the genre more meaningful and fresh.
Top Inspirational Artists - Number 4
/4. The Doors - The End
With dreamy lyrcis and a soulful voice, the unusal and brilliant instrumental vision of the Doors only helped to enhance their emotional appeal and musical power. 'The End' is the most inspirational record from the band both because of its length and its ambigouity. Here is a rock song that told a story, that changed its tone throughout and that had an air of unpredictibility and spontanoity that has gone on to influence many a daring band in the years that followed its release. Going somewhat against the conventions o fa traditional rock song, 'The End' is a song that takes many directions and is not afraid to shock, soothe and challenge the listener. Its lyrics conjure up images that are both surreal and ambitious and widen the horizons of reality.
Its uncertain, melodic tune challenged in turn by a pounding of the drums and frantic changes of pace is no less original than the strange and melancholy lyrics and its inspiration is unbound in bands who have tried with variations of success to create something more than just a rock song. Its profound inspiration can be found in the storytelling genius of Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven', Radioheads's darkly unsual single 'Just' and Guns N Roses 'November Rain' just to name but a few.
Like the Doors, these are bands with songs that subvert the usal rock steroetpye with deeply existensial and daringly poetic tunes that arent afraid to be challenging and restricted to a certain time.
The Doors deserve to be recognised as an inspirational band because they are an important part of rock's history, a band who helped the movement of a genre with daring, unusual and thought provoking music that defeated the limitations of an exciting style of music that they helped to show could be expressed in a variety of exciting and meaningful ways.
With dreamy lyrcis and a soulful voice, the unusal and brilliant instrumental vision of the Doors only helped to enhance their emotional appeal and musical power. 'The End' is the most inspirational record from the band both because of its length and its ambigouity. Here is a rock song that told a story, that changed its tone throughout and that had an air of unpredictibility and spontanoity that has gone on to influence many a daring band in the years that followed its release. Going somewhat against the conventions o fa traditional rock song, 'The End' is a song that takes many directions and is not afraid to shock, soothe and challenge the listener. Its lyrics conjure up images that are both surreal and ambitious and widen the horizons of reality.
Its uncertain, melodic tune challenged in turn by a pounding of the drums and frantic changes of pace is no less original than the strange and melancholy lyrics and its inspiration is unbound in bands who have tried with variations of success to create something more than just a rock song. Its profound inspiration can be found in the storytelling genius of Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven', Radioheads's darkly unsual single 'Just' and Guns N Roses 'November Rain' just to name but a few.
Like the Doors, these are bands with songs that subvert the usal rock steroetpye with deeply existensial and daringly poetic tunes that arent afraid to be challenging and restricted to a certain time.
The Doors deserve to be recognised as an inspirational band because they are an important part of rock's history, a band who helped the movement of a genre with daring, unusual and thought provoking music that defeated the limitations of an exciting style of music that they helped to show could be expressed in a variety of exciting and meaningful ways.
Monday, 22 October 2007
U2 - Mysterious Ways
By no means their best song, but it was this record and indeed the subsuqeunt 'Achtung Baby' album that brought about U2's transition into the 90's and inspired a wide range of bands creating a sound that could act as a metaphor for the direction of rock music in the nineties. An infectious beat with dreamy lyrics, Mysterious Ways is a melodic tune which has paved the way for the type of popular sound that was developed by bands such as Oasis, Manic Street Preachers, Suede and Coldplay. It marks the beginings of an indie movement that the band itself kept its distance from.
By no means their best song, but it was this record and indeed the subsuqeunt 'Achtung Baby' album that brought about U2's transition into the 90's and inspired a wide range of bands creating a sound that could act as a metaphor for the direction of rock music in the nineties. An infectious beat with dreamy lyrics, Mysterious Ways is a melodic tune which has paved the way for the type of popular sound that was developed by bands such as Oasis, Manic Street Preachers, Suede and Coldplay. It marks the beginings of an indie movement that the band itself kept its distance from.
Top Inspirational Artists - Number 6
/6. Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
With music that sounds as fresh and vital as the day it was released, The Rolling Stones are rock's greatest survivors - a band whose fan base has never died and if anything has grown stronger as the years have passed. Their music has incredible energy and vitality but they also have the range to convey a wide quality of emotions as they demonstrated that rock music could be both experimental and widespread with a mix of blues and soul helping to keep their iconic sound both striking, colourful and dynamic.
For this reason they have created an astounding body of work which spreads across a wide array of genres and which has influenced countless artists who have also made edgy, experimental rock music such as Primal Scream, Roxy Music, Guns N Roses and Nirvana among many others.
Gimme Shelter is like a rock opera, a song which is both harmonic and heavy, a beuatiful combination of blues and heart pounding rock n roll and a prime example of the broad nature of the rock music that they helped to both create and influence.
With music that sounds as fresh and vital as the day it was released, The Rolling Stones are rock's greatest survivors - a band whose fan base has never died and if anything has grown stronger as the years have passed. Their music has incredible energy and vitality but they also have the range to convey a wide quality of emotions as they demonstrated that rock music could be both experimental and widespread with a mix of blues and soul helping to keep their iconic sound both striking, colourful and dynamic.
For this reason they have created an astounding body of work which spreads across a wide array of genres and which has influenced countless artists who have also made edgy, experimental rock music such as Primal Scream, Roxy Music, Guns N Roses and Nirvana among many others.
Gimme Shelter is like a rock opera, a song which is both harmonic and heavy, a beuatiful combination of blues and heart pounding rock n roll and a prime example of the broad nature of the rock music that they helped to both create and influence.
Top Inspirational Artists Report - Number 7
/7 Sam Cooke - A change is going to come
A beautifully harmonic and racially important song, 'A change is going to come' is surely the most meaningful and poetic song in Sam Cooke's musical catalogue. It is Sung with such heart rendering passion, it feels as if Cooke is singing for all his brothers and sisters who have suffered at the hands of racism and he seems to carry with his voice all their hope, dignity, pain and suffering. The lines are both sorrowful - 'it's been too hard a living but its too hard to die' and filled with a ray of hope that times will improve 'it's been a long time coming but I know a change is going to come soon.' The song is a mark of pride in a world that found itself flawed with prejudice. In a musical sense it has inspired countless ballads and classics that reach out against adversity and act as a tribute of hope, for example U2'S 'Pride in the name of love' and Marvin Gaye's 'What's going on?', both of which speak about a similar type of prejudice. Sam Cooke is seen as one of the founders of soul music who has influenced countless soul artists and the poignant beauty of this record is an example of the power that the form of music can have.
Cooke was part of the Civil Rights Movement and 'A Change is going to come' is an honest, truthful, straight from the heart account with which Cooke tried his best to bridge the gap between black and white audiences. The song then had an important influence on not just the music world, but on life itself. If not Cooke's most populr song it should be recognised as his most influential. An important part of musical history and indeed history in general. It captures a moment in time and has remained timeless in the fact that we still live in a flawed society.
A beautifully harmonic and racially important song, 'A change is going to come' is surely the most meaningful and poetic song in Sam Cooke's musical catalogue. It is Sung with such heart rendering passion, it feels as if Cooke is singing for all his brothers and sisters who have suffered at the hands of racism and he seems to carry with his voice all their hope, dignity, pain and suffering. The lines are both sorrowful - 'it's been too hard a living but its too hard to die' and filled with a ray of hope that times will improve 'it's been a long time coming but I know a change is going to come soon.' The song is a mark of pride in a world that found itself flawed with prejudice. In a musical sense it has inspired countless ballads and classics that reach out against adversity and act as a tribute of hope, for example U2'S 'Pride in the name of love' and Marvin Gaye's 'What's going on?', both of which speak about a similar type of prejudice. Sam Cooke is seen as one of the founders of soul music who has influenced countless soul artists and the poignant beauty of this record is an example of the power that the form of music can have.
Cooke was part of the Civil Rights Movement and 'A Change is going to come' is an honest, truthful, straight from the heart account with which Cooke tried his best to bridge the gap between black and white audiences. The song then had an important influence on not just the music world, but on life itself. If not Cooke's most populr song it should be recognised as his most influential. An important part of musical history and indeed history in general. It captures a moment in time and has remained timeless in the fact that we still live in a flawed society.
Sunday, 21 October 2007
Top Inspirational Artists Report - Number 8
/ 8 - The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows
Painfully overrated and at times vastly annoying, the Beatles still deserve credit as creating some damn fine, catchy songs on the borderline of pop and rock that while may not have hit the high emotional range of the far superior Rolling Stones, still inspired a stream of impressionable young pop artists in the 60's. Their greatest creation however has been inspirational in the much more modern era and may continue to create a timeless impression in years to come. A far cry from the lively pop of 'Daytripper' and ballad form of 'Let it be', Tomorrow never Knows sounds like it was released about a week ago. Instrumentally it has clearly inspired the sound of 'The Chemical Brothers' and vocally it reminds me of the dark, dreamy melancholy of Radiohead. A delightful blend of instruments and a distant, calming voice playing over a song that is around thirty years ahead of its time, 'Tomorrow' is a cunning experiment of sound and lyrics with lines such as 'This is not dying', 'Love is everyone' and 'Turn off your mind', conjuring up a series of powerful and ambitious lines of thought and imagery that is both existensial and thoughtful. The song touches the soul and mind and is mixed with an infectious sound that has inspired many an ambitious artist in more recent times.
Painfully overrated and at times vastly annoying, the Beatles still deserve credit as creating some damn fine, catchy songs on the borderline of pop and rock that while may not have hit the high emotional range of the far superior Rolling Stones, still inspired a stream of impressionable young pop artists in the 60's. Their greatest creation however has been inspirational in the much more modern era and may continue to create a timeless impression in years to come. A far cry from the lively pop of 'Daytripper' and ballad form of 'Let it be', Tomorrow never Knows sounds like it was released about a week ago. Instrumentally it has clearly inspired the sound of 'The Chemical Brothers' and vocally it reminds me of the dark, dreamy melancholy of Radiohead. A delightful blend of instruments and a distant, calming voice playing over a song that is around thirty years ahead of its time, 'Tomorrow' is a cunning experiment of sound and lyrics with lines such as 'This is not dying', 'Love is everyone' and 'Turn off your mind', conjuring up a series of powerful and ambitious lines of thought and imagery that is both existensial and thoughtful. The song touches the soul and mind and is mixed with an infectious sound that has inspired many an ambitious artist in more recent times.
Top Inspirational Artists Report - Number 9
/9 Blondie - Atomic
An artist or band should I say that most people probably wouldnt admit they like or enjoy listening to, Blondie and their music presented unique pop music served with a delightful punk edge that captured a very vital and striking sound. With a voice so dynamic that it is both harmonic and rebellious at the same time, Deborah Harris follows the incredible beat of the song flawlessly to an incredible tune that seems to shift effortlessly from a ballad pop song to an edgy rock beat. The song is Atomic and is I feel the best example of Blondie's inspiration towards several succesful, edgy and dynamic female singers of the future.
Deborah's stunning capacity for making her voice seem both angelic and as a statement of prosperity can be heard at different places in the careers of Madonna, Alannis Morrisette and Sheryl Crow among many others. These artists seem to harbour the sound of Blondie who made both hypnotizing and sensual music. 'Atomic' is the song that seems to best demonstrate this statement.
An artist or band should I say that most people probably wouldnt admit they like or enjoy listening to, Blondie and their music presented unique pop music served with a delightful punk edge that captured a very vital and striking sound. With a voice so dynamic that it is both harmonic and rebellious at the same time, Deborah Harris follows the incredible beat of the song flawlessly to an incredible tune that seems to shift effortlessly from a ballad pop song to an edgy rock beat. The song is Atomic and is I feel the best example of Blondie's inspiration towards several succesful, edgy and dynamic female singers of the future.
Deborah's stunning capacity for making her voice seem both angelic and as a statement of prosperity can be heard at different places in the careers of Madonna, Alannis Morrisette and Sheryl Crow among many others. These artists seem to harbour the sound of Blondie who made both hypnotizing and sensual music. 'Atomic' is the song that seems to best demonstrate this statement.
Top Inspirational Artists Report - Number 10
/ 10. Soundgarden - Standout Track - Nothing to say
A brooding kick as the riff starts up and the drums pound in anticipation before that intoxicating voice kicks in. It is the voice of grunge, a voice that the world that has never heard before, a voice that belongs to Chris Cornell, lead singer of Soundgarden.
The song is 'Nothing to Say', a song so addictive it streams into your consciousness and remains there. Long before Nirvana and Pearl Jam made grunge accesible, though no less brilliant, Soundgarden created a type of music that was truly unique to the rock world and indee to music itself. Neither rock nor metal, it sits between a mix of genres, a heart pounding rush of adrenaline and bizarre, briallint vocals that provide unavoidable imagery for its listeners.
'Nothing to Say' is Soundgarden at their most pure and raw, both vocally and instrumentally and it instantly feels like a new experiment the moment you listen to it, even in the modern day. It is exciting and fresh whilst also strange and whilst it doesnt feel a very accesible song, it is a tune that you can still hear long after its being played, like a memory, it grows and grows in significance whenever you are reminded of it or hear it played again. The music fits in so well with the instruments that 'Nothing to Say' doesnt even feel like a recording but more like an organic sound that never ceized to exist and is as natural as daylight.
Cornell's voice is striking, caught in the background of the song - but like an actor who is underracting, he steals the show with a phenomenal vocal range and vocal mood which fits in perfectly with the mood of the lyrics.
I have chosen the song 'Nothing to Say' as Soundgarden's standout track because it is the song that marked the birth of grunge, a new intoxicating sound that is as addictive as it is flawless and which lead to one of the most popular musical movements of the past century.
A brooding kick as the riff starts up and the drums pound in anticipation before that intoxicating voice kicks in. It is the voice of grunge, a voice that the world that has never heard before, a voice that belongs to Chris Cornell, lead singer of Soundgarden.
The song is 'Nothing to Say', a song so addictive it streams into your consciousness and remains there. Long before Nirvana and Pearl Jam made grunge accesible, though no less brilliant, Soundgarden created a type of music that was truly unique to the rock world and indee to music itself. Neither rock nor metal, it sits between a mix of genres, a heart pounding rush of adrenaline and bizarre, briallint vocals that provide unavoidable imagery for its listeners.
'Nothing to Say' is Soundgarden at their most pure and raw, both vocally and instrumentally and it instantly feels like a new experiment the moment you listen to it, even in the modern day. It is exciting and fresh whilst also strange and whilst it doesnt feel a very accesible song, it is a tune that you can still hear long after its being played, like a memory, it grows and grows in significance whenever you are reminded of it or hear it played again. The music fits in so well with the instruments that 'Nothing to Say' doesnt even feel like a recording but more like an organic sound that never ceized to exist and is as natural as daylight.
Cornell's voice is striking, caught in the background of the song - but like an actor who is underracting, he steals the show with a phenomenal vocal range and vocal mood which fits in perfectly with the mood of the lyrics.
I have chosen the song 'Nothing to Say' as Soundgarden's standout track because it is the song that marked the birth of grunge, a new intoxicating sound that is as addictive as it is flawless and which lead to one of the most popular musical movements of the past century.
Friday, 12 October 2007
Top 10 Inspirational Artists and their best songs (reviews to follow shortly)
Sam Cooke - A change is gonna come
Paul Simon - I know whar I know
Rolling Stones - Tell me
U2 - One Tree Hill
The Clash - Janie Jones
Bob Dylan - Corrina, Corrina
Soundgarden - Nothing to Say
Blondie - Atomic
Metallica - One
Nirvana - Dive
Sam Cooke - A change is gonna come
Paul Simon - I know whar I know
Rolling Stones - Tell me
U2 - One Tree Hill
The Clash - Janie Jones
Bob Dylan - Corrina, Corrina
Soundgarden - Nothing to Say
Blondie - Atomic
Metallica - One
Nirvana - Dive
Monday, 8 October 2007
A new technique
Whilst revising my notes from last year on Media censorship and regulation, I have discovered a rather useful technique in helping to process information and also getting invovled with the subject on a more personal level which I feel is beneficial for learning. Whilst reading a section where a man claimed that the apparent 'underclass' shouldn't be subjected to violent movies because it could cause a direct influence, I decided to put myself in his shoes and write a speech based on his views despite not actually holding much interest in his beliefs:
'It has come to my attention that we have become a society in which everyone, regardless of their sensitivity, intellect and background are allowed access to and can see things through the same eyes as citizens with higher sensibilities. This is especilaly true of the media where the 'underclass' are being influenced by films they watch, music they listen to and magazines they read in a highly negative manner. How can we expect these young delinquets to understand these media forms that confront serious issues and which portray violence with anyhting less than a literal eye. They are inspired rather than repulsed by the gangsters in the pictures and they inspire to be the gangsters in the pictures they watch.' They do not understand irony or representation or the film as a medium but rather are engrossed merely by the action on the screen. Whilst admittedly great films like Taxi Driver can be seen by citizens of worth who understand that it is an exploration of the loneliness of human beings and isolation from society, the underclass see only guns and death and are excited solely by the visual content of the film. I say that whilst films like Taxi Driver are being shown to people who do not understand its principles, then they should ceize to be shown at all, and then not the run the risk of exciting the labido of the wild.'
I then thought up of a response speech, putting myself in the shoes of someone who was very much against this idea.
'I would like to start by saying that I find the evidence which which you have deemed parts of our society to be an 'underclass' extraordinary. How you know or can be aware of how so-called people from an underclass think or feel about anything is beyond me. Needless to say I have seen little research or evidence to link everyday violence to the media and the research I have seen evidently means very little. An underclass to me it seems is merely a term that has come about from the insecurities of a nation who want to reassure themselves that they are greater than the sum of their parts. It is only they who can appreciate high art and culture, and only they who understand the principles of the media. Well whilst 'they' might think this is so, I would like to remind you all that movies are a medium for the masses and that until concrete evidence is found that provides a profound link between acts of 'underclass' violence and their representation from the media, such accusations should ceize to exist.
I found this task quite liberating because it made me think creatively about the subject matter and increased my interest level through getting to grips with the mind set of each individual and each side of the argument.
'It has come to my attention that we have become a society in which everyone, regardless of their sensitivity, intellect and background are allowed access to and can see things through the same eyes as citizens with higher sensibilities. This is especilaly true of the media where the 'underclass' are being influenced by films they watch, music they listen to and magazines they read in a highly negative manner. How can we expect these young delinquets to understand these media forms that confront serious issues and which portray violence with anyhting less than a literal eye. They are inspired rather than repulsed by the gangsters in the pictures and they inspire to be the gangsters in the pictures they watch.' They do not understand irony or representation or the film as a medium but rather are engrossed merely by the action on the screen. Whilst admittedly great films like Taxi Driver can be seen by citizens of worth who understand that it is an exploration of the loneliness of human beings and isolation from society, the underclass see only guns and death and are excited solely by the visual content of the film. I say that whilst films like Taxi Driver are being shown to people who do not understand its principles, then they should ceize to be shown at all, and then not the run the risk of exciting the labido of the wild.'
I then thought up of a response speech, putting myself in the shoes of someone who was very much against this idea.
'I would like to start by saying that I find the evidence which which you have deemed parts of our society to be an 'underclass' extraordinary. How you know or can be aware of how so-called people from an underclass think or feel about anything is beyond me. Needless to say I have seen little research or evidence to link everyday violence to the media and the research I have seen evidently means very little. An underclass to me it seems is merely a term that has come about from the insecurities of a nation who want to reassure themselves that they are greater than the sum of their parts. It is only they who can appreciate high art and culture, and only they who understand the principles of the media. Well whilst 'they' might think this is so, I would like to remind you all that movies are a medium for the masses and that until concrete evidence is found that provides a profound link between acts of 'underclass' violence and their representation from the media, such accusations should ceize to exist.
I found this task quite liberating because it made me think creatively about the subject matter and increased my interest level through getting to grips with the mind set of each individual and each side of the argument.
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
A distant tear
Stopping to say goodbye to you on the train,
Perhaps there was a thought or feeling there left unexpressed,
A formal exchange which dicounted the eternal pain
Of realising you had left.
Walking away from the station at night,
Perhaps there was a tear which had not been there before,
Something of which I had tried hard to fight,
But being alone, I could not ignore.
Arriving home to an empty world,
Perhaps I was a fool to fall in love,
Because the sounds of the radio could not satisfy my soul,
And a comforting read did not warm me much.
Sleeping in a lonesome bed,
Perhaps I pretend that you'll be here when I wake up,
And there will be no war, no pain, but instead
Just the relief of your loving touch.
Perhaps there was a thought or feeling there left unexpressed,
A formal exchange which dicounted the eternal pain
Of realising you had left.
Walking away from the station at night,
Perhaps there was a tear which had not been there before,
Something of which I had tried hard to fight,
But being alone, I could not ignore.
Arriving home to an empty world,
Perhaps I was a fool to fall in love,
Because the sounds of the radio could not satisfy my soul,
And a comforting read did not warm me much.
Sleeping in a lonesome bed,
Perhaps I pretend that you'll be here when I wake up,
And there will be no war, no pain, but instead
Just the relief of your loving touch.
1 Hour Film - Script Outline
Laurent Kelly
BASW 2
1 Hour Drama Idea
Working Script Title: Growing Young
ACT 1:
Set up and Explosive Incident
The death of an elderly acquaintance reunites three old and long retired friends at his funeral, neither of whom has seen the other for years.
Discussion over a few pints reminds Marcus, David and Tom of how exciting their lives once were and brings home the reality of their current stale lives and marriages.
David suggests the three of them should go out one night in the next couple of weeks.
Over the next few days we are shown why these three men are experiencing somewhat of a life crisis. David can't stand the banile chatter that takes place with his wife and their apparent 'friends' when they are over at a dinner party, Tom's sexual yearnings are not recipprocated by his loved one and Marcus is just plain bored. Each men begin their rebellion against the system, an old age protest at having to act their age which includes secretly drinking, staying up and in general just trying to have some fun.
ACT 2:
The Journey
What starts out as a friendly pint between three old friends in their late sixties soon becomes a night of wild action as the drinks start to take their toll. Playing pool, throwing darts, laughing and cheering and having a hell of a good time to the astonishment of the pub crowd, when they hear some youths discussing going into the town to hit the clubs they decide to follow albeit dismissing the curfew that has been set for them by their wives. Somehow managing to get themselves into a club, the three men drunkedly dance the night away, too drunk to care or notice the astonished looks on the faces of the youths around them - it's a kind of envy.
As time passes, more nights the same follow as the men rediscover their love for life and friendship and continue to annoy their wives with their youthful ways.
After 'embarrasing the family' by letting his 17 year old grandson see him half naked in the garden laughing hysterically, David realises he might have taken his joy trip a little too far. Marcus too is the source of humility when he accidentally tries to chat up his daughter in a packed night club. The three men decide that they should probably cut down on their nights out and it is not long before they have found themselves in the same stale routines as before. Neither of them are happy.
ACT 3:
Highest Point and Resolution
Hoiwever after 'embarrasing the family' by letting his 17 year old grandson see him half naked in the garden hysterically laughing, David realises he might have taken his joy trip a little too far. Marcus too is the source of humility when he accidentally tries to chat up his daughter in a packed night club. The three men decide that they should probably cut down on their nights out and it is not long before they have found themselves in the same stale routines as before. Neither of them are happy.
It is during a dinner party that for the first time David confronts his wife about their lives and about pretending to be happy when they really arent. Whilst David appreciates that he may have taken his excitement a little too far with his friends he says that it wouldnt kill for them to have a bit of fun every now and again. His wife is astonished by the passion in David's anger and agrees with his point of reason.
Tom's fragile wife finally treats him to a night of passion and Marcus and his daughter manage to laugh off their little night time encounter.
The story ends on a positive note when a bunch of old friends rejoice in life and dismiss the anxieties of growing old by having a good time down the pub.
BASW 2
1 Hour Drama Idea
Working Script Title: Growing Young
ACT 1:
Set up and Explosive Incident
The death of an elderly acquaintance reunites three old and long retired friends at his funeral, neither of whom has seen the other for years.
Discussion over a few pints reminds Marcus, David and Tom of how exciting their lives once were and brings home the reality of their current stale lives and marriages.
David suggests the three of them should go out one night in the next couple of weeks.
Over the next few days we are shown why these three men are experiencing somewhat of a life crisis. David can't stand the banile chatter that takes place with his wife and their apparent 'friends' when they are over at a dinner party, Tom's sexual yearnings are not recipprocated by his loved one and Marcus is just plain bored. Each men begin their rebellion against the system, an old age protest at having to act their age which includes secretly drinking, staying up and in general just trying to have some fun.
ACT 2:
The Journey
What starts out as a friendly pint between three old friends in their late sixties soon becomes a night of wild action as the drinks start to take their toll. Playing pool, throwing darts, laughing and cheering and having a hell of a good time to the astonishment of the pub crowd, when they hear some youths discussing going into the town to hit the clubs they decide to follow albeit dismissing the curfew that has been set for them by their wives. Somehow managing to get themselves into a club, the three men drunkedly dance the night away, too drunk to care or notice the astonished looks on the faces of the youths around them - it's a kind of envy.
As time passes, more nights the same follow as the men rediscover their love for life and friendship and continue to annoy their wives with their youthful ways.
After 'embarrasing the family' by letting his 17 year old grandson see him half naked in the garden laughing hysterically, David realises he might have taken his joy trip a little too far. Marcus too is the source of humility when he accidentally tries to chat up his daughter in a packed night club. The three men decide that they should probably cut down on their nights out and it is not long before they have found themselves in the same stale routines as before. Neither of them are happy.
ACT 3:
Highest Point and Resolution
Hoiwever after 'embarrasing the family' by letting his 17 year old grandson see him half naked in the garden hysterically laughing, David realises he might have taken his joy trip a little too far. Marcus too is the source of humility when he accidentally tries to chat up his daughter in a packed night club. The three men decide that they should probably cut down on their nights out and it is not long before they have found themselves in the same stale routines as before. Neither of them are happy.
It is during a dinner party that for the first time David confronts his wife about their lives and about pretending to be happy when they really arent. Whilst David appreciates that he may have taken his excitement a little too far with his friends he says that it wouldnt kill for them to have a bit of fun every now and again. His wife is astonished by the passion in David's anger and agrees with his point of reason.
Tom's fragile wife finally treats him to a night of passion and Marcus and his daughter manage to laugh off their little night time encounter.
The story ends on a positive note when a bunch of old friends rejoice in life and dismiss the anxieties of growing old by having a good time down the pub.
Three
Backpack and rack in my hand,
This is war you understand,
Seargeant's words echoe in my head,
But If I'm shot or not I'll still feel dead.
There she was, her eyes alive,
Whilst fools claimed their paradise,
shooting everyhting in sight,
But this one had to be mine,
So I aimed the gun at her head.
Mind now plays on endless repeat,
I shot a girl, she was only three, (the fright)
So I took a pill to help my sleep,
But I only dream of her.
Dirty boots and dirty minds,
Hear chatter from behind,
'Will we find a girl who looks nice this time?'
Their laughter sick as my stomach inside,
As I think back to last night.
There she was, her face bright red,
From blood in fights she'd already shed,
An experienced survvior,
She wants to live for another day,
So I turned the barrel the other way.
Mind now plays on endless repeat,
I shot a girl, she was only three, (the fright)
So I took a pill to help my sleep,
But I only dream of her.
Another day, another fight,
Another injured, Another life,
Body is numb,
And mind is black,
Just three thousand hearts
That want to turn back.
But last night,
I joined the club,
Of scarred men doing something
They shouldn't have done.
Because I pointed the gun back her way,
Her pleading eyes, Her desperate face,
Only spoke a few words since that day.
This is war you understand,
Seargeant's words echoe in my head,
But If I'm shot or not I'll still feel dead.
There she was, her eyes alive,
Whilst fools claimed their paradise,
shooting everyhting in sight,
But this one had to be mine,
So I aimed the gun at her head.
Mind now plays on endless repeat,
I shot a girl, she was only three, (the fright)
So I took a pill to help my sleep,
But I only dream of her.
Dirty boots and dirty minds,
Hear chatter from behind,
'Will we find a girl who looks nice this time?'
Their laughter sick as my stomach inside,
As I think back to last night.
There she was, her face bright red,
From blood in fights she'd already shed,
An experienced survvior,
She wants to live for another day,
So I turned the barrel the other way.
Mind now plays on endless repeat,
I shot a girl, she was only three, (the fright)
So I took a pill to help my sleep,
But I only dream of her.
Another day, another fight,
Another injured, Another life,
Body is numb,
And mind is black,
Just three thousand hearts
That want to turn back.
But last night,
I joined the club,
Of scarred men doing something
They shouldn't have done.
Because I pointed the gun back her way,
Her pleading eyes, Her desperate face,
Only spoke a few words since that day.
Trance
Stepping softly on a cobbled beach,
Sun within reach,
She whispers like owls in moonlight,
Want to spend the night here?
Fever rising against a former gloom,
Watching her conquer the cold shade of moon,
Wild locks burn bright under the timid light,
Her gaze too much this time.
In her eyes,
I see all fear long gone through a passage of hasty demise,
I see her heart thrown into her glance,
The birth of romance.
Stepping softly on a cobbled beach,
Sun within reach,
And she whispers like owls in moonlight,
Want to spend the night here?
Sun within reach,
She whispers like owls in moonlight,
Want to spend the night here?
Fever rising against a former gloom,
Watching her conquer the cold shade of moon,
Wild locks burn bright under the timid light,
Her gaze too much this time.
In her eyes,
I see all fear long gone through a passage of hasty demise,
I see her heart thrown into her glance,
The birth of romance.
Stepping softly on a cobbled beach,
Sun within reach,
And she whispers like owls in moonlight,
Want to spend the night here?
Cocaine
A kiss too deep,
From a love once sweet,
Brushes broken hearts to a filthy sweep.
Cocaine.
A bath so warm,
Brings back feelings long gone,
The scent of her touch reborn,
Cocaine.
A sensation so vile,
It first makes you smile...
Until you remember what you are.
From a love once sweet,
Brushes broken hearts to a filthy sweep.
Cocaine.
A bath so warm,
Brings back feelings long gone,
The scent of her touch reborn,
Cocaine.
A sensation so vile,
It first makes you smile...
Until you remember what you are.
'The Time for Love is dead'
Just one of a handful of poems I wrote over the summer.
The mood seemed right for a glass of wine
To further inflame my aching head,
The night was bright
The stars a sight
For Lovers lonely beds.
Young girls romanced
By men who danced with sharp an acid tongue.
The same men who listened to their drivel with spite
Whilst the night was young.
My mood was shaken by the drink,
It had left my emotions bear,
I had run out of bitter thoughts to think,
When I met her lonesome stare.
My arms moved where my words were stuck
In a pass at something sincere,
But she disliked my touch and told me as much,
Saying she would scream if I came too near.
I tried to impress her with clever words that I had
somewhere read,
But she merely rolled her eyes as she told me 'the time for
love is dead.'
My eyes quickly cleared as my dark thoughts reappeared,
And I sadly nodded my head.
The mood seemed right for a glass of wine
To further inflame my aching head,
The night was bright
The stars a sight
For Lovers lonely beds.
Young girls romanced
By men who danced with sharp an acid tongue.
The same men who listened to their drivel with spite
Whilst the night was young.
My mood was shaken by the drink,
It had left my emotions bear,
I had run out of bitter thoughts to think,
When I met her lonesome stare.
My arms moved where my words were stuck
In a pass at something sincere,
But she disliked my touch and told me as much,
Saying she would scream if I came too near.
I tried to impress her with clever words that I had
somewhere read,
But she merely rolled her eyes as she told me 'the time for
love is dead.'
My eyes quickly cleared as my dark thoughts reappeared,
And I sadly nodded my head.
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