Lady Gaga

David Bowie was able to achieve cult status in the early 70s because he created a sexually ambiguous image for himself and played it up with makeup, dyed hair, and nonconventional futuristic-like clothing. He was successful at “confounding the images” and free of gender in a way and therefore was pushing the limits in ways that had never been pushed before. Another artist that is known for pushing the limits in extremely similar ways is Stefani Germanotta. You may know her as Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga released her first album, The Fame, in 2008 after many years in New York working as a songwriter for Interscope Records. The album included the singles “Just Dance” featuring popular rapper Akon and “Poker Face”. It was a commercial success and the album reached number one on the charts in six countries and she quickly became a world-wide success. She released a follow-up album, The Fame Monster, in 2009 and it also went on to top the charts with songs like “Bad Romance” and “Telephone” featuring Beyonce. “Her second studio album, Born This Way, is scheduled for release on May 23, 2011 after the arrival of its eponymous lead single "Born This Way" which achieved the number-one spot in countries worldwide and was the fastest-selling single in iTunes history, selling one million copies in five days”.

Lady Gaga has said many times in various interviews that she has been inspired by glam rock artists like David Bowie, Elton John, and Queen and also by pop singer Madonna. Her stage name was actually inspired by the song Radio Ga Ga by Queen and she is infamous for having an odd somewhat Avant-garde sense of style which she herself creates with the Haus of Gaga, a group of stylists and designers that work on her projects. She has worn a dress made out of meat which caused lots of controversy and even appeared at the 53^rd Grammy awards earlier this year in an “embryo-shaped incubator”, or what many referred to as an egg. In 2009, Gaga was rumored to be intersex and responded by saying, “At first it was very strange and everyone sorta said, 'That's really quite a story!' But in a sense, I portray myself in a very androgynous way, and I love androgyny”, on a Barbara Walters special that aired on ABC.

Gaga claims that she is trying to incorporate performance art into the mainstream but critical reception of her persona, music, and fashion sense are mixed. In my opinion, she brought something new to the table for the current generation which is why she became such a huge phenomenon so quickly. I also have to say though, that she is not original, or the first one to do what she is doing but she has said who were influences were and I’m glad she did a good job of reinventing what Bowie did in the early 70s as well as recreating the appeal of Madonna in the 80s. She’s different and although I’m sure not everyone is a fan of her outlandish style, there are plenty of people out there who are inspired by her message and in return have helped her break records and win five Grammy awards amongst 12 nominations to date.

Lady Gaga. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Gaga>

2Pac

I wrote about Tupac Shakur in a previous blog post in order to illustrate how generation after generation a new form of music arises and the general public always seems to be outraged by it while younger members of society take to it and interestingly enough are actually responsible for the artist becoming so popular in the first place. I can remember being little and having older cousins in high school who would bump Tupac in their cars everywhere they went. Although I didn’t know who he was or the names of any of his songs at the time, perhaps this is where my current appreciation for him and his music came from. In my opinion, Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Suge Knight, Dr. Dre and other old school rappers of the 90’s are what could only be described as the original gangsters of the industry.

Although Shakur was very well known and incredibly successful as an artist, there were also many downfalls to his fame. He left behind a legacy in the form of lyrics which were grossly misinterpreted by the media and other members of older generations who just didn’t get it. The media has served to tarnish Tupac's image, masking the true worth of his work. Many classified Tupac as just another angry black male, a thug, who advocated violence. “In 1992, a Texas state trooper was killed by a teenager who was listening to 2Pacalypse Now which included songs about killing police. This caused a swirl of media controversy. Dan Quayle, the Vice President of the United States at the time, demanded that the album be withdrawn from music stores and media across the country; Interscope refused. Shakur claimed his first album was aimed at the problems facing young black males, but it was criticized for its graphic language and images of violence by and against law enforcement. Quayle publicly denounced the album as having ‘no place in our society’” (Wikipedia, Tupac Shakur).

What Tupac really wanted though was change. He wanted to stand up and rebel against those who stereotyped him as just another thug. He did a lot more than just entertain through his music; he used it as a vehicle for his message, to be heard and speak to young black Americans about the injustices they are up against. He was actually quite poetic and also had songs like “Dear Mama” in which he describes his love for his single mother who raised him. In fact, Tupac thought very highly of women; he raps, “since we all came from a women, got our name from a women, and our game from a women. I wonder why we take from women, why we rape our women, do we hate our women? I think it’s time we killed for our women, be real to our women, try to heal our women, cuz if we don’t, we'll have a race of babies that will hate the ladies, who make the babies. And since a man can't make one he has no right to tell a women when and where to create one” in one of his more popular songs, Keep Ya Head Up.

In September of 1996, Shakur was shot four times and died seven days later in Las Vegas, Nevada. Many dispute that he is dead, insisting that he faked his death in order to escape the music industry and all the negativity fame seemed to have brought him. I highly recommend watching “Tupac: Resurrection”, a documentary on Shakur and his impact on the world.

14 March 2011

Dear Editor:

I found the article in Music and Culture titled “It’s Easy, but Wrong, to Blame the Music” by Hilary Rosen, to be very interesting but I also have some qualms regarding Rosen herself. It seems obvious that she would be in favor of music regardless of content, and even more obvious that she would claim that music isn’t the cause of anger or violence amongst young Americans but merely a reflection of their feelings. I mean, she was the chief executive officer of the Recording Industry of America from 1998 to 2003 and a prominent spokesperson for the music industry founding programs like “Rock the Vote” and “Stop the Violence”. She is the face of the music industry, so of course she would be opposed to admit that maybe explicit language, sexuality, and violence in lyrics could have an effect on children.

However, I do like that she has made an effort to combat the violence, drug use, and other problems young people now face by founding and supporting programs that help encourage positive action in their communities. For example, the Drug-Free America campaign with artists was a very influential movement and really helped bring awareness to the issue in a way that adolescents were open to. Although I do not agree that the music industry is completely without blame for increasing violence and other societal issues, I do like that Rosen mentioned parents and their roles in preventing their children from listening to things that do not approve of. In my opinion, parental locks on televisions and computers are crucial as well as being aware of what your children are listening to and their feelings. Chances are, your child is listening to heavy metal all day and dressing in black because they are in the midst of teenage angst. Know your children and use music as a tool for opening lines of communication with them.

People are indeed influenced by their surroundings. I find it hard to believe that someone could even say that the media doesn’t infiltrate our brains or that it may affect how we feel and think. In fact, “Children, Violence, and the Media: A Report for Parents and Policy Makers”, also in Music and Culture by Anna Tomasino(62), is a government report that provides statistics and other data on media violence and how it has had detrimental effects on society. The media is definitely not completely at fault for the world’s evils but it could do a better job of steering in a more positive direction knowing their influence on children. “Not every child who watches a lot of violence or plays a lot of violent games will grow up to be violent. Other forces must converge, as they did recently in Colorado. But just as every cigarette increases the chance that someday you will get lung cancer, every exposure to violence increases the chances that someday a child will behave more violently than they otherwise would”(67). It is important that the media take some social responsibility but also important to stop playing the blame game.  

Alexis Martinez

Punk rock = abjection?

In the mid-70’s, punk rock bands had become a major cultural phenomenon, especially in the United Kingdom. The Ramones, Sex Pistols, and The Clash had made it big with their anti-establishment lyrics and fast edgy music. Punk rock was mainly geared toward those who rejected any association with the mainstream. Punk rockers usually played shows in local or underground venues where a punk subculture then emerged, expressing youthful rebellion with distinct haircuts and style and an anti-authority way of life.

      The general public, however, was not very fond of these so-called punk rockers and their message. According to Paul Cobley, the press took abjection (vomit, snot, spitting, menstrual blood, fetishism, obscenity, perversion, violence, and unreason) and made it synonymous with punk rock. The funny part is that the press featured these bands in their newspaper articles as reprehensible and filthy, but it only brought more attention to the punk rockers and provided more appeal for youngsters in the midst of teenage rebellion.

      Those that were appalled by the “moral depravity” of punk rock were mostly of older generations. Of course parents didn’t want their children listening to punk rock and being a part of the new twisted culture that they not only didn’t understand but were against. Punk-rock was new, something different than had never been on the scene before and the press was magnifying its appeal to adolescents and young adults who wanted nothing more than the opportunity to be rebellious. The rise of punk rock isn’t the only time nor genre that has caused panic amongst parents and the older members of the population.

In the 1990’s, rap music became very popular with the rise of artists like Tupac Shakur(2Pac), Snoop Doggy Dogg, and Notorious B.I.G. “In 1992, a Texas state trooper was killed by a teenager who was listening to 2Pacalypse Now which included songs about killing police. This caused a swirl of media controversy. Dan Quayle, the Vice President of the United States at the time, demanded that the album be withdrawn from music stores and media across the country; Interscope records refused. Shakur claimed his first album was aimed at the problems facing young black males, but it was criticized for its graphic language and images of violence by and against law enforcement. Quayle publicly denounced the album as having "no place in our society”.” (“Tupac Shakur”, Wikipedia).
As you can see, every decade or so there is the rise of something new in music. A new genre makes it big because it’s different; out with the old, in with the new. Young people, who are very impressionable, immediately take to it while parents are outraged. Times change and therefore music changes with it. Parents who listened to music of the 70’s and 80’s are appalled by the suggestive lyrics their children are now listening to just like their parents were of the music they listened to. It’s all a matter of a generation gap and the inability of older people to get out of their ways. Remember, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Deaf

Bloom’s ideas on rock music are that it is decreasing the morality of children by allowing them access music that is highly suggestive which may lead to sex, violence, or drug use. Or at least this is what I understood his article to be about in Music and Culture. In my opinion, he makes a very valid point. Before, music wasn’t so easily accessible to kids and it was wholesome. Now that we have the internet and the invention of iPods and CDs, music is everywhere. There are radios in every car, television channels dedicated to music, and there’s even music being played in elevators or when you are on hold. It’s like the world doesn’t know how to function in silence, like we need to be constantly amidst chaos. Perhaps if music was the same as it was in the 1940’s it wouldn’t be considered so detrimental to youngsters. Unfortunately, today’s music is saturated with profanity, sexually suggestive lyrics, and references to drug use. Are these the kind of messages we should be sending to the people in control of society’s future?

Children of today learn early on that being successful means being rich, beautiful and famous thanks to the media and glamorization of celebrity. Working hard at an ordinary job isn’t what kids are aspiring to anymore. They want it all and they want it now. Bloom wrote that because students "cannot hear what the great tradition has to say," they "find they are deaf." I think this means that Bloom wants today’s youth to appreciate all the work older generations put in to pave the way for them. Our parents and grandparents worked very hard to achieve the American dream and they did it not just for themselves but to ensure that their children would have greater opportunities. Regrettably, young Americans are commonly without a strong work ethic and a proper education. They expect everything to come easy and fast just like everything else in today’s world. Nonetheless, whose responsibility is it to make sure that children “hear what the great tradition has to say”?

I’m sure many people, especially rock stars, would disagree with Bloom’s ideas. I personally agree with his ideas but I do think that today’s youth is not completely hopeless or “deaf” as he put it. If parents practiced instilling good morals and ethic in their children the world would be a better place. I know that there are good parents out there that are showing their children how to “hear”. Monitoring what kind of music your children are listening to, shows they’re watching, and internet sites they access is very important and your right as a parent. We should be teaching children by example what it is to be a good person with strong work ethic and respectable morals. Encourage them to partake in extra-curricular activities, go to church, help others, and be the best they can be. We cannot just turn a blind eye to parental responsibility and blame it all on society and the media.

Ways of Communication

I like to think that I am a spontaneous fun person. I like being on the go and having places to be, things to do, and people to see. I like living adventurously. I do things somewhat impulsively at times but so far nothing too bad has happened as a result of that. My idea of communicating with friends and family is by doing things with them. I go out with my friends to parties or to a friend’s house to hang out because that’s how I communicate that they are important to me. I go shopping with my mom or help her cook and that’s how we bond. My father and I like to go out to eat and travel to different parts of the world. As you can see, I do different things with different people depending on what it is we have in common. The point, however, is that they know I want to spend time with them.

I communicate how much I love people with how much time I spend with them. How I see it, if I didn’t care for you why would I spend a vast majority of my time with you? I have a limited amount of free time and there are lots of things I need to get around to in any given week. Relationships need to be nurtured and require real effort from both parties in order to maintain it, I know that. I have to spend my time wisely in order to balance my social life with school. But, I always make sure I spend even just a couple of hours with those that are important to me.

There are many different ways that people communicate, like through sports or music. Like Mr. Dara said, "When we get together, there's no words thrown away, no idle talk. We'll sit down, play drums, and just conversate musically". I have lots of friends who play instruments. When I hang out with these friends they usually all have their guitars in tow and end up “jamming” at least once before the end of the night. Other people like playing basketball, baseball, or hockey with their friends and bond over their common interest in the sport they play. If you don’t have any hobbies or talents like sports or music, you can do what I do. I use my personal/social life to communicate with others. I like to get friends together and go out to eat, to the movies, to a party, to the beach, wherever! The possibilities are endless! A good thing to remember is that there is no “right” way to communicate.

Making Connections (In response to prompt 1)

If a stranger were to take a look at the music library on my computer he or she would probably be a little confused. I don't listen to just one type or genre of music. In fact, if you looked at my playlists you would notice that I make each playlist according to genre or band. When I listen to music, I like to listen to one type of music at a time. It's actually kind of weird.

Some days I wake up in a very relaxed mellow mood and I end up just listening to reggae all day. Other days, I may be be really excited about something and want to be super pumped up so I blast techno. You see, I go through phases. Sometimes the phase may last a day, a week, or even months. It all just depends on my mindset.

As you age, you grow both physically and mentally. Your mindset changes as you go through different stages in your life. My musical choices have also changed as I went through those different stages. There are a lot of artists in my music library that I haven't listened to since I was in high school. It's like their albums are just there collecting virtual dust. I have thought of just deleting the music files, knowing that I will probably never want to listen to it again since my taste in music is now so different, but I can't bring myself to do that. I think it's because every time I see it there in my library I might not want to actually listen to it, but it reminds of when all I did was listen to that band or that type of music. It reminds me of a different time in my life.

For example, rock bands like Armor for Sleep, Senses Fail, Dance Gavin Dance and Hit the Lights are all bands I saw perform at Warped Tour in Ventura, Ca when I was a sophomore in high school. Listening to their songs takes me back to that day. Almost like a mental slide show. I remember what I was wearing, who I was there with, the crowd, how excited I was to see them perform, everything. That is what is so great about music; it represents eras. Just like listening to The Beatles reminds you of the 60's or what you could at least imagine the 60's were like if you weren't alive yet. This is why I can't just delete the files, stop wasting iTunes space, and call it a day. It would be like looking through my yearbook and tearing out the pages. Memories would be thrown away.

I know that I may be into one particular kind of music right now, but that I will soon be on to something else. Why? Because soon I will also be in a different place in my life. Whether it be new friends, a new career, or new surroundings, the end result is always just a “new” me. Well, a new STAGE of me, and the music I will be listening will represent that stage. I can't wait until I am fifty and I can look back at how much my musical choices have changed throughout my lifetime.