ARCTIC MONKEYS

NAME OF ALBUM: WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM, THAT'S WHAT I AM NOT

DATE OF RELEASE: 23 JANUARY 2006

NAME OF ALBUM: FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE

DATE OF RELEASE: 18 APRIL 2007

NAME OF ALBUM: HUMBUG

DATE OF RELEASE: 24 AUGUST 2009

The history of music videos media coursework

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Analysis of The Reverend and The Makers- Heavyweight Champion of the World

"Heavyweight Champion of the World" is the top ten debut single by indie rock band 'The Reverend and The Makers', as well as the first single from their debut album 'The State of Things'. The song title is taken from a line in Barry Hines' book 'A Kestrel of a Knave'. The song is quite popular and has received rave reviews. The single appeared as Zane Lowe's 'Hottest Record in the World Today', and it is equally liked by fellows Radio 1 DJs Nick Kershaw and Greg James.

"Heavyweight Champion of the World" does not just tell the story of underachievers, but the majority of those who are ensnared living repetitive lives, doing "the same routine week after week", with the ironic hook "just be like everybody else", with the main character being a young boy growing up in Yorkshire (the band actually hail from Sheffield, South Yorkshire).

The music video is classified as a narrative video because the lyrics of the hit relates directly to the video itself, there are no elements of performance or concept included in the video. Therefore, because this video of the song relates to the lyrics, it is easier for the audience to identify what is going on before their eyes.

In terms of the audience, the song targets young people aged 18-24, but to an extent, it also attracts a mature audience, those who have been living repetitive lives for many years, so they have experienced what the main character is going through. Despite this proposition, the single also attracts a younger audience, who are currently unemployed, or those who are making 'ends meat', in relation to their salary because they associated themselves with the wrong people, giving them a bad image, and so a worthless occupation.

These are an example of several images that show that no matter what field you take, your surplus to living a continuous life where you go through the same stages everyday. The photos included above shows a businessman, an unemployed man, who sits on his couch all day, expecting his wife to do all the cooking and cleaning, whilst he watches TV, and also a Maths professor. They all have different levels of respect, intelligence and wage income, but they all go through the same phases of their job every day.

(This close up shot illustrates how bored the main character is, in this scene Jon McClure seems uninterested, on his own, with no one else occupying the pub he is currently located at. His face is also cushioned by his left hand which is a typical sign of tedium)

We see many close ups of the main character and also lead singer of The Reverend and the Makers, John McClure wearing different attire, due to the different jobs people have, although they still go through the same routine every week. The close up shots emphasises the emotions he is going through, and it is also a message to us, albeit negative one, that no matter what field you take in the future, it is inevitable that you will experience repetitive lives. The only difference would be upon wages, and those who earn the most would ultimately feel like "the heavyweight champion of the world".

Analysis of the Maccabees- 'About Your Dress'

"About Your Dress" is the fourth single by British indie band 'The Maccabees', and their second to make the UK top 40, peaking at number thirty-three - their highest charting single to date. The video for the song has become famous due to the fact that the band made it themselves with a home made set of miniatures and costumes, all shot with minimal cost.

The music video of the song is short- 2 minutes 22 seconds approximately, whereas most music videos are about 3-4 minutes long. The video itself is a 'left to right' transition from one stage of the band members' life to another, there are hardly any cuts involved in the video it just continues right until the end. The video ends in the same scene where it started, with Orlando Weeks, the lead vocalist and guitarist in the band receiving his jacket from his supposed mother.

The song is about going out with a young girl and despite all the mishaps that go on, for example, burning "your dress with my cigarette", it is just "what all young lovers do", so in other words, it is part and parcel of an adolescent life. So with that in mind, as well as the lyrics of the song, it does relate to the music video.

(photo shows one of the band members receiving help from their mother, some young females may find that 'sweet')

In terms of the audience, the music video is popular with young British females aged between 13-24, and this is obviously because of the meaning of the song, but also the nature of the band, to a certain extent. The band are reminiscent to that of the popular 1960s group 'The Beatles', due to the way in which they present themselves. Their 'mopped up hair' and neat dressing sense, as well as the scene in which Weeks is scene receiving a jacket from his mother (above), are all signs that would attract a feminine audience.

(light background contrasts to the background highlighted throughout the Babyshambles video- 'Killamangiro'.

In addition to this, the band also blend well with the colourful (although mostly white) background, which suggests that they are different to other indie groups such as 'the Libertine's and 'Babyshambles', who come across as unorganised, 'drunkards', who are also heavily influenced by illegal drugs. That, too, makes them a hit with teenage girls.

(unable to embed the video both on youtube and yahoo music station)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4xiP4gdTT4

THE DYKEENIES LYRICS – STITCHES

When you feel so weak
and you scratch those stitches
reminding you of why you fell away after yourself

And you cant hold still
and you gamble more than enough
you cant depend on them

Still, I adore the taste of rain
and the bouncing down on the ground
it reminds me

Make a wish tonight
all the stars are out
the sound of your hands were not out of reach cause

It’s not out of reach
this is not out of reach

You feel so weak
you burst those stitches
reminding you of just why you felt so cruel

Still, I adore the taste of rain
and the bouncing down on the ground
it reminds me!

Still, I adore the taste of rain
and the bouncing down on the ground
you cant depend on them

Make a wish tonight
all the stars are out
the sound of your hands were not out of reach just…

Make a wish tonight
all the stars are out
the sound of your hands were not out of reach cause
it’s not out, its not not out of reach

they build you up, they build you up

Don’t , don’t run away dear (4x)

Still, I adore the taste of rain
and the bouncing down on the ground
and the crackle of water well in the mark of all your…

Make a wish tonight
all the stars are out
it’s out of your hand but not out of reach
it’s out of your hand but not out of reach

The Dykeenies- 'Stitches'

The music video our group decided to re-make is a song called 'Stitches', by the Scottish indie group 'The Dykeenies'.

The reason behind our choice to make our own version of the group's singles was because we had to re-make a video of a son, under the criteria that they were not popular and were not signed to a major record label. Furthermore, by re-creating a music video, it would have been much easier to choose an individual or group that fall into the category of either ' indie' or alternative pop and/or rock, we understood. Therefore, we decided that The Dykeenies would be the perfect choice because they fall into both categories.

The advantage of selecting a band that come under the indie genre is that they are much easier to mimic in words and to make your video because as indie means independent, they tend to have their own style of music, as supposed to a 'hip hop' video, where the pace of the words are to hard to keep up with, and the music videos hardly match the lyrics and the video itself.

Another reason why we decided to go for the Scottish group was because the actual video of the song is a performance/narrative video, so that enables us the chance to tinker around with the video, and adding different elements to ours would thereby add a different dimension to the video.

In relation to the audience, we our aiming to target young people between the ages of 15-24. This is because during our target audience research, we discovered, that the band attract people of a similar age, and it was more popular within females because they are a boy band. This was shown on youtube.com, as we clicked the amount of views, which was over 230,000 incidentally, illustrating their relatively good popularity. In addition to this, successful indie rock groups tend to attract 15-24 year olds anyway, which is a compliment to the music the Dykeenies make.

Analysis of the Kaiser Chiefs- 'Ruby'

"Ruby" is a song by English rock band Kaiser Chiefs, and is also the lead single of their second album 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob'. It also became the band's first ever no.1 single in February 2007.

The song is basically a desperate plea from the lead singer of the band, Ricky Wilson to his supposed ex-girlfriend Ruby. During the music video, we witness the change in backgrounds (above), from the dusk in the desert to urban nightlife, but the continuous repetition of the name "Ruby" in the chorus (four times in the first and final lines of the chorus) illustrates the desperate need for Ruby to answer Wilson's question "And do ya, do, do ya, do ya, know what ya doing, doing to me?"

(their image prompts comparisons to popular British band 'Oasis')

Throughout the music video the Kaiser Chiefs are established as monsters (althought clearly human), compared to the original members of public. This is so, the music video can be compared to the lyrics, and also the fact that Ruby cannot escape from Wilson and his fellow band members. In addition to this, the band are seen wearing black. In relation to the the music video, black denotes strength and authority, and it is also considered to be a formal, elegant and prestigious colour. This emphasizes the point that they are monsters, and so, oversee everything when they were in the desert as well as the city, from night to day.

In terms of the popularity of the song, the music video were viewed by over 1.5 million people, thus illustrating the success of this single. And in reference to the target audience, the video is most popular with young people aged between 13-24. especially within males, who are probably experiencing similar problems to Ricky Wilson.

Target audience dykeenies

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Analysis of Babyshambles- "Killamangiro"

"Killamangiro" was released on 'Babyshambles' second album 'Down in Albion', was achieved respectable success in the United Kingdom, peaking at #8 on the UK Singles Chart, and was released in November 2004 through the Rough Trade Records. Up until this present day, it remains one of the bands most successful singles.

A few critics were adamant that Pete Doherty (the lead singer,above), was still under the influence of drugs in this video. In fact, the band was only formed whilst he was on his hiatus from 'The Libertines', and drummer Gemma Clarke, later quit the group citing disagreements with Doherty, whom she believed was still taking drugs.

The video itself, features the lead singer, Doherty, throughout the video, along with the other members of the band, they appear to be located at a nightclub, though there are no signs of any fans grouped in their numbers to listen to them. Indeed it seems as though Doherty is drunk, and the red strobe lighting suggests that he is 'tipsy'.

Furthermore, red is both a romantic and negative colour. It is a strong colour that conjures up a range of seemingly conflicting emotions from passionate love to violence and warfare. Studies show that red can also have a physical effect, increasing the rate of respiration and raising high blood pressure. In the music video, Doherty seems to be influenced by 'heavy drinking', thus causing his to body language to react in such a manner. "Anything that makes you, feel hate, can do without hate, now I believe in love", "and I killed a man for his giro", this connotes that Doherty is experiencing conflicting emotions from passionate love (presumably his spouse, he did go put with Amy Winehouse, another drunkard), and the violence ("killing a man for his giro), hence the obvious red light and the black lighting as well, which suggests death.

Babyshambles are a flamboyant band, which is why they are an indie-rock band, because they are independent, but are also a rock group, due to their wild nature. There targeted audience are towards the younger audience, 18-30 ,presumably. This is due to the fact, that the band come across as individuals that epitomises young people. The enjoy socialising in nightclubs, where the intensity of strobe lights acts as the main catalysts towards strong intoxication of drinks as well as possibly, illegal drugs, such as cocaine and cannabis.

Furthermore, the point of view shot, showing Doherty, in his car (below), although there are still red lights shown whilst he is driving, suggests that he it is necessary that he drives with caution, especially whist under the influence of drinking. This is something of a recurring theme these days amongst young people, which is why they are easier to attract.

Analysis of Arctic Monkeys- 'Fake Tales of San Francisco'

The song 'Fake Tales of San Francisco' was featured on the Arctic Monkey`s debut album 'Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not'.

The song is about a fictional South Yorkshire band for taking its inspiration from the USA while never having been there, with lyrics such as "I'd love to tell you all my problem/You're not from New York City, you're from Rotherham," and "He talks of San Francisco, he's from Hunter's Bar". The band actually originate from Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

As an indie-rock band, they are expected to have their own style. In the music video, the band's target audience are to young people, with the age ranging from around 15 to as old as 25, in my opinion, because of the fans who have joined them in their concert. Furthermore, in the actual band, the eldest member of the band is 25, and the youngest is 24, which does speak volumes in terms of their age popularity.

As mentioned before, with indie music actually meaning independent, the Arctic Monkeys, have decided to represent themselves, as neat tidy people. Their 'mopped' up hairstyle, and clean, casual clothing draws links between them and the Beatles, in terms of presentation. This also further emphasis the fact that they are targeting a young audience, in addition to this, they are also seen 'play-fighting', drinking strong beverages, sitting laid back, as well as having a game of 'fussball', which connotes that they are typical 'young men', as suggested by the images above.

Throughout the music video, we encounter a mix between strobe lighting and a dark pitched colour, largely due to the periodic movement of an object, in most cases this because of a guitar, that the vocalist and lead guitarist, Alex Turner, is witnessed playing. This suggests that they are very informative. This suggestion is also further enhanced by the fact that the band are seen moving their heads around almost non stop, in a way that signifies that they are drunk. Nevertheless, this still keeps them in touch with their target audience.

Indie Music

In popular music, indie music (from independent) is any of a number of genres, scenes, subcultures and stylistic and cultural attributes, characterised by (real or perceived) independence from commercial pop music and mainstream culture and an autonomous, do-it-yourself (DIY) approach.

Definitions of "indie"

The term "indie" is often used to mean a sound that a musician presents, but when interpreted more literally, it is the way that sound is presented or made. "Indie" often refers to an artist or band that is not part of the mainstream culture and/or making music outside its influence. Though the sound of these bands may differ greatly, the "indie" definition comes from the do-it-yourself attitude and ability to work outside large corporations.

Indie meaning "not major-label"

One of the most common and simplest definitions of "indie" is the definition of not being connected with a major recording label (currently one of the "Big Four" recording companies: Warner, Universal, Sony BMG and EMI). This is the definition used by NME's indie music charts in the UK, among others.

The problem with this definition is that there is often little correlation between the commerciality or creative freedom offered by major labels and those outside the "big four". Most of the larger independent labels are run along the same business principles as the major labels, with A&R departments, marketing budgets and commercial considerations guiding their operations. Meanwhile, major labels often retain independently-oriented artists who are given greater creative independence, and who receive considerable critical acclaim. Some notable major-label artists of this sort include Sonic Youth, Radiohead, Pulp and The Flaming Lips.

Indie and commerciality

A more puristic structural definition of "indie" would draw the line further down, not between the "big 4" major labels and others but between the "big indie" labels and smaller labels, considered by purists to be true indie labels. These small labels are typically run by a few people, often out of their home or garage, and often coupled with a mail-order service representing other labels. The people running the labels have a close connection to a certain scene; many labels are run partially or wholly by musicians in bands on them. A concern for the purity of the creative mission of the label takes precedence over commercial concerns; many labels close down or go on hiatus when the owners lose interest or (as often happens) run out of money (or sometimes close down when the owners feel their mission has been fulfilled, as happened with Sarah Records). Archetypal examples of such labels include the aforementioned Sarah Records, Factory Records, Dischord, Kindercore, SST and Kill Rock Stars.

The converse of this are independent labels that have been perceived, rightly or wrongly, as being overly "commercial" or exploitative of certain artists or trends. Examples at various times include Fat Wreck Chords, Matador Records and Sub Pop. Epitaph was often the focus of similar accusations, however in 2005 label management signed an agreement with RIAA arguably making them no longer "independent".

Once again, this is not so much a dichotomy as a continuum; some labels grow from such independent status and gradually become more commercially oriented (often prompted by the success of one of their acts), eventually becoming subsumed by a larger conglomeration or a major label. One example of this was Creation Records, a label Alan McGee started in the 1980s on a small scale, which, in the 1990s had success with Oasis, subsequently becoming much more commercially oriented before being acquired by Sony.

Indie and genres

The word "indie" is often used to refer specifically to various genres or sounds. During the 1980s, "indie" was synonymous in Great Britain with jangly guitar pop of the C-86 movement. During the 1990s a lot of Britpop bands were referred to as "indie", despite most of the movement being signed to major labels and dominating sales charts. More recently, the word "indie" is sometimes used as a synonym for new wave revivalist bands such as Franz Ferdinand and The Killers. The word "indie" is sometimes used as a synonym for alternative, a word which often bears the stigma of being associated with cynically manufactured mass-market teen-rebellion music from major labels. Such usages of "indie" may be considered inaccurate for various reasons: for one, stylistic qualities are often not accurately correlated to commercial independence or adherence to indie principles (this is particularly true when a sound becomes popular, its leading exponents are signed by major labels and more success-oriented bands and production teams attempt to imitate the style; this ultimately culminates in commercially driven artists sporting the same stylistic traits the "indie" artists of a year ago had). Secondly, however pervasive any style of music (even one as broadly defined as "guitar pop" or "post-punk rock") may become at a particular time, it by definition cannot embody all of indie music, as, by indie's nature, there will be indie artists, labels and entire local scenes operating outside of this style and its definitions.

Cultural and philosophical attributes of indie

There are a number of cultural and philosophical traits which could be more useful in pinpointing what "indie" is about than specific musical styles or commercial ownership. Indie artists are concerned more with self-expression than commercial considerations (though, again, this is a stance that is affected by many artists, including hugely commercially successful ones). A do-it-yourself sensibility, which originated with punk in the 1970s, is often associated with indie, with people in the scene being involved in bands, labels, nights and zines. Indie often has an internationalist outlook, which stems from a sense of solidarity with other fans, bands and labels in other countries who share one's particular sensibilities; small indie labels will often distribute records for similar labels from abroad, and indie bands will often go on self-funded tours of other cities and countries, where those in the local indie scenes will invariably help organise gigs and often provide accommodation and other support.

Indie artists of any particular time often go against the prevailing trends (for example, the twee pop movement that started in the 1980s was a reaction against the testosterone-fuelled swagger of rock). A 'lo-fi' aesthetic (i.e., an often deliberate lack of polish and a more "authentic" roughness and imperfection) has often been associated with indie, particularly when slick, polished recordings were the preserve of the commercial music industry; this line has since become blurred, in a world where high-quality recordings can be made increasingly easily with inexpensive computer-based recording systems and where commercial production teams often deliberately affect a fashionably "lo-fi" sound.

In terms of music, many adherents of indie collect vinyl records, and consider them to be more "authentic" than more recent and convenient music formats such as CDs. Paradoxically, items such as MP3 players have also become popular, if only to some of the adherents of indie music, because of the practical benefit of carrying one's record collection in one's pocket. In such cases, the cachet gained by being able to express one's taste in music sometimes trumps the value of the authenticity of vinyl.

People into the indie lifestyle are commonly referred to as "indie kids", regardless of age, and often use that term for themselves. Other terms exist; the term "hipster" has, in recent years, become somewhat synonymous with this subculture. In Australia, adherents of the indie subculture/lifestyle are sometimes referred to as "coolsies".

Subcategories of indie

There are several subcategories indie music is often grouped broadly into. Indie rock and indie pop are the most common ones. The difference between these is difficult to pick up from the instrumentation or sound, as both genres include distorted guitar-based music based on pop-song conventions. If anything, the key distinction comes not from instrumentation or structure but from how strictly they follow cultural constructions of rockist "authenticity". There is also indie dance, which comes from a fusion of indie pop and electronic/dance music. Crossover between electronica (mostly glitch) resulted in so-called indietronic, electronic indie or indie electronic, for example some artists on the German Morr Music label, or The Postal Service. Another type is Post Rock, which includes bands like Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, or Sigur Rós. The idea behind Post Rock is that there are very few (if any) lyrics, yet the songs are long (sometimes upwards of 20 minutes), and the point of the songs are to paint an emotional landscape with just music and no words. Further expanding the original meaning of the term, when used in the independent sense, Blog-Rock has come to encapsulate the wave of upcoming artists in the mid-2000s.