Sunday, July 29, 2012
Independent Research Entry: The Neptunes
The Neptunes production duo is comprised of Pharrell
Williams and Chad Hugo, and they were presented the honor of being named
Producers of the Decade by Billboard. Throughout the 2000’s The Neptunes had
production credits on a multitude of songs of various genres on the charts, all
the while maintaining their signature sound. Pharrell and Chad met at a summer
camp for musicians in Virginia Beach at the age of 12. Their earliest works
were with another individual that would go on to become a very popular producer;
Timbaland, and they formed the group S.B.I (Surrounded By Idiots). It was at a
talent show that Hugo and Williams participated in that the innovator of New Jack Swing, producer Teddy Riley,
would discover the twosome and sign them to a contract. While working under the
legendary Teddy Riley, they would produce the hit song “Rump Shaker” for
Riley’s group Wreckx-N-Effect. When Teddy was asked about his discovery of the
future multi-platinum selling team he said, “I could see the talent in those guys and I picked them and
I over-ruled the Judge. That night everything they did they just free styled. I
saw a real versatility with them… what you have to understand is these guys
wanted to learn, they absorbed everything. Pharrell, everything he does is what I done. He has his own style
of course, but his work ethic and how he interpreted what he watched is what he
watched.” As Pharrell and Chad ventured out on their own, they produced songs
for groups like SWV, Teddy Riley’s other group Blackstreet and Bad Boy’s female
group Total; along with solo artists such as Taral Hicks, M.C. Lyte and Mase.
In 1998 The Neptunes would have their first hit with rapper Noreaga’s
“Superthug (What, What).” This was one of the first songs where the “Neptune”
name would be put on display through the rapper’s lyrics and fans would become
familiar with the duo behind the music. 1999 would see them put out artists on
their own Star Trak record label such as Kelis and the Clipse; they even had
the honor of working with the legendary Prince on a remix project. The year
2000 is when business really picked up for the Neptunes and their versatility
really shined through. No genre was off limits as they produced jazz, rap,
reggae, soul, pop, R&B, electronica, dance and rock all within that year
alone. Their reputation had grown as hit makers and they worked with the
biggest names in all styles of music. The Neptunes gave R&B artists like
Faith Evans, Babyface and Toni Braxton pop appeal; and gave pop artists like
the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake success on the urban
charts. Vibe magazine has ranked The Neptunes the 3rd greatest hip-hop
producers of all-time and they have won two Billboard Awards and three
Grammy’s. With a net worth of over $155 million dollars, these young men from
Virginia have definitely earned the consideration of being one the greatest all
around production teams ever, and they’ve undoubtedly left an indelible mark on
the recording industry.
When it comes to the production qualities of The
Neptunes, their sound has been described as everything from Middle Eastern,
Asian, electronic, funk, futurist and old school just to name a few. A lot of
those characterizations contradict themselves, but that’s a perfect example of
how broad and diverse their compositions are. On the Neptunes’ own website a
blogger wrote, “The Neptunes came
at a crucial time in the development of hip-hop. Sampling had been mostly
played out and many people were ready for a more original, electro-based sound.
The group’s unique mixture of chunky, almost jazz-like keyboard chords, flat
stuttering drums and funk rhythms reminiscent of legends like Prince quickly came to dominate
the charts.” Outside of Prince, Kraftwerk was a major influence on their ever-present synth heavy
productions. Chad and Pharrell are incredible instrumentalists and they’re able
to showcase their talents when working with punk bands or when working within
their own group, N*E*R*D, along with the “root” of the band their backup vocalist
Sheldon “Shay” Haley. If it is hip-hop, pop or R&B, The Neptunes might use
a Roland TR-808 drum machine or an Ensoniq ASR-10 sampling keyboard. For years
artists and producers have been trying their hardest to replicate the video
game-like sounds of the duo, but as often as they are imitated, they have never
successfully been duplicated. Prior to Hugo & Williams’ use of synthesizers
in their music, famous Compton, California producer and artist Dr. Dre exposed
the hip-hop world to the Funkadelic sounds of George Clinton. This incorporation
of synth in hip-hop was exclusive to the West coast at the time, creating a
melodic contrast to the East’s hard “boom bap” kick heavy beats. The Neptunes
globalized the sound that Dr. Dre unveiled to primarily the urban community,
making it a standard component in a majority of genres and influencing the way
popular music has been shaped.
I own every major release Chad & Pharrell have produced and I have
an extensive collection of all their underground and unreleased materials. I’m
a huge fan of everything they do and it’s been great seeing them grow and
hearing their sounds progress over the past two decades. I am not a person that
believes in the saying “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.” I would
rather carve my own niche and forge my own path rather than walk in someone
else’s. I admire The Neptunes because they worked under a very influential
producer in Teddy Riley, but you didn’t see them trying to emulate his
innovation (New Jack Swing). Pharrell and Chad became innovators in their own
right and changed the face of mainstream music. As both an industry
professional and fan, I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to The Neptunes
because they reinvigorated my passion on numerous occasions just by hearing
something new that they’ve released. Following them as closely as I do, with
their upcoming collaborations and newest signees, The Neptunes might be looking
to make history repeat itself as they embark on another substantial run at the
top!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Electronic Composer: The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers, formerly known as The 237 Turbo
Nutters and The Dust Brothers, are responsible for rebirth of electronica, and
bringing both the electronica and big beat genres to the forefront of
mainstream music. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons were childhood classmates that
would go on to form a formidable DJ’ing twosome and eventually transition their
success into becoming a highly regarded and sought-after musical duo and
production team. While DJ’ing at a
star-laden nightclub, they came across artists such as Noel Gallagher from the
band Oasis, James Dean Bradfield from the band Manic Street Preachers and Tim
Burgess from the Charlatans; forming relationships with the individuals that
would result in big breaks for the musical pair. After doing remixes for artists
who were already well established, The Chemical Brothers released their debut
album and it was an immediate success, going gold within the first year and
eventually selling over one million copies worldwide. Their first #1 single
wouldn’t be far behind as they teamed with Oasis on “Setting Sun”, the first
single off of their second album. The Chemical Brother’s second single, “Block
Rockin’ Beats”, earned them a Grammy
and their second album, Dig Your Own Hole,
reached platinum status as well. After taking a couple of years off to revisit
their roots as DJs, Tom and Ed returned to the studio to make their best
selling record to date. Surrender strayed
from the electro/big beat sound and was directed more towards house music. The
record went on to sell over two million copies, featuring collaborations with
familiar faces such as Noel Gallagher from Oasis and Bobby Gillespie. The
Chemical Brothers have released four more albums since 1999, exploring new
sounds and techniques all while returning to the electronic foundation that had
garnered them much praise. The northern England musicians’ contributions came
at a time when the music charts were dominated by modern rock and grunge. The
Brothers took what Kraftwerk had created and turned it into danceable party
tracks with crossover appeal. Starpulse.com describes their music as, “the first arena-sized sound in the
electronica movement, the Chemical Brothers united such varying influences as
Public Enemy, Cabaret Voltaire, and My Bloody Valentine to create a
dance-rock-rap fusion which rivaled the best old-school DJs on their own terms
-- keeping a crowd of people on the floor by working through any number of
groove-oriented styles featuring unmissable samples, from familiar guitar riffs
to vocal tags to various sound effects.” If Kraftwerk were the fetus,
then The Chemical Brothers would be the infant, crawling on its hands and knees
and eventually growing strong enough to support its own weight. Thanks to Ed
and Tom this genre has fully matured and is now running sprints with no finish
line in sight.
The Chemical Brothers have become inspirations to musicians
the way Kraftwerk had been inspirations to them. Artists such as Daft Punk,
Death in Vegas, Beth Orton, Cornelius and Air have all built their careers off
of the music made by The Chemical Brothers. Amazingly, The Chemical Brothers’ creations have been far
reaching, as Daft Punk are French and Cornelius is Japanese. Tom and Ed’s
influences go far beyond the music of Kraftwerk; they are said to have been
inspired by the works of The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, Run-D.M.C, Public
Enemy and New Order. Their eclectic tastes can be heard prominently throughout
their library of tracks as they join fans of all different backgrounds to
partake in the enjoyment of their performances. The Chemical Brothers are
innovators of this day and age, traversing so many styles and soundscapes that
everyone can find something to appreciate. Poet and journalist T. Cole Rachel
wrote, “Tom
Rowlands and Ed Simons has morphed from simply
being another pair of high profile club DJs into a stadium-selling dance act.
The band’s sample-heavy electro music inspired the term “big beat,” an apt
descriptor for music that typically relies heavily on epic drum sounds and
songs that almost always build towards euphoric, dance-floor-friendly
crescendos.” With two decades under their belt The Chemical Brothers have evolved
from the students to the teachers, and their creative minds have
afforded them longevity in the ever-changing music industry.
I remember being in my early teens when I first heard music
by The Chemical Brothers and just being blown away. I wouldn’t go as far as
saying I was a fan of theirs, but other artists such as Fatboy Slim and
Prodigy, who had similar sounds and gained exposure in the US largely in part
to The Chemical Brothers’ success, definitely reeled me in to this genre called
electronica. I was initially drawn by their use of drum machines, turntables
and synthesizers; and then I began to recognize some of the samples they used.
Now that I’ve had experience crafting my own songs, I’m more familiar with the
way The Chemical Brothers put together their pieces. A lot of their creations
are made with MAC computers; they too use Logic Pro and Pro Tools. Just like
Kraftwerk, Tom and Ed’s music includes a cocktail of synths and sequencers.
They also use effect units and ultra-harmonizers to enhance their music and
establish their signature sounds. After Kraftwerk’s electric sound had faded,
and all the artists that imitated them in the 80’s had their 15-minutes of
fame, the climate shifted and rock music dominated the charts. The Chemical
Brothers re-established what Kraftwerk had set in motion and helped to
officially give this sound a genre of its own. The Grammy Awards handed out its
first Dance/Electronica gramophone trophy in 2005, two of which have been
snagged by The Chemical Brothers since its inception. Kraftwerk was once
nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1982. In 2006 their latest
release Minimum-Maximum was nominated
for Dance/Electronica Grammy Award, a category where it rightfully belongs. One
can only imagine the hardware Kraftwerk could’ve taken home had there been a
grouping that specifically fit the electric genre during their stretch of
classic albums. Now artists and groups like David Guetta, Deadmau5 and Skrillex
owe a debt of gratitude to The Chemical brothers for making their dreams of
recognition a reality.
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk’s music was forever changing and evolving
throughout their years of activity, but the one constant component to their
creations was the use of electronic sounds. The two founding and leading
members of Kraftwerk, Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter, factor heavily into
the group’s music being labeled as “krautrock.” This distinction was given to
German artists that didn’t have a particular sound; rather their music was
considered experimental and didn’t fit one sole category. Rovi from Allmusic.com
describes Kraftwerk’s versatility best, stating: “From the British new
romantic movement to hip-hop to techno, the group's self-described "robot
pop" -- hypnotically minimal, obliquely rhythmic music performed solely
via electronic means -- resonates in virtually every new development to impact
the contemporary pop scene of the late- 20th century, and as pioneers of the
electronic music form, their enduring influence cannot be overstated.”
When it came to the group’s appearance, they were rather plain and sort of
gloomy. They would all dress in the same garb and play up to the
scientific/mechanical themes of their songs; almost looking futuristic at
times. The group enjoys staying enigmatic to the public, and their
reclusiveness further disassociates them from the norm and aids in creating
their own artistic impressions.
The great things about Kraftwerk’s albums are that they had
themes built around the technological advancements of the time. In 1974 the
group released Autobahn, in which the
identically named lead single detailed the varied experiences of driving on
Europe’s famed expressway and was influenced by the fun loving nature of the
Beach Boys’ recordings. In 1975 the group released Radio-Activity. The 12 tracks were revealed to be a pun on the
title of the album, as half of the songs actually dealt with radioactivity and
the other half dealt with activity on the radio airwaves. At a time when
factories and power stations were coming into prominence, Kraftwerk documented
the surge of these new institutions in their music. Kraftwerk released Trans-Europe Express two years later and
this album relied more on their electronic rhythms and less on abstract and
improvised instrumental tracks. The album is similar to Autobahn where it deals with traveling and technology, but the
album’s chugging train-like beats and innovative drum patterns set it apart
from the previous two. Trans-Europe
Express was a classic that set the gears in motion for the advancements of
hip-hop, pop and rock. The Man Machine was released one year
later in 1978, followed by Computer World
in 1981. When describing The Man Machine sputnickmusic.com says,
“this
album successfully blends the boundaries between human and robot to the point
where it's unclear quite exactly what Kraftwerk are.” The Man Machine contained the single “The Model” which was a rather
odd fit on the album. Straying from their futuristic content, Kraftwerk
composed a song that was inspired by the models that worked at a Cologne
nightclub called The Bagel, and described to the listener how they got through
their busy days. The song gained notoriety; giving Kraftwerk their only #1 hit
and helped them earn the distinction of the first German group to top the UK’s
charts. Despite their surprising success (the song was unconventional
and didn’t have a catchy chorus), a majority of fans see this release as the lesser of the five albums released
within that magical seven-year span; additionally fans felt this album lacked
authenticity and didn’t deal with the subject matter or embody the sound
Kraftwerk had been known for up to that point. While most of Kraftwerk’s music
seemed ahead of its time, Computer World
appeared to directly coincide with what was prevalent at that juncture. Some
would say the reason for this is because the group had become mainstream and
viewers, listeners and consumers alike had become very familiar with their
sound. This had less to do with Kraftwerk’s efforts, and more to do with other
artists emulating their style. In sticking with the popular concept album
theme, Computer World represented the
rise of computers within society.
Although their sound had been pegged, their content was still beyond
anything the world was ready for. “Computer Love” is one song from the album
that details finding a love connection through the computer, way before
computers had become communicative devices. Kraftwerk had definitely set the
world ablaze with their unconventional sounds, but their prognosticative lyrics
are just as amazing as any manipulative technique they applied to their electronic
instruments.
Kraftwerk’s influence on the music industry has made a
resurgence of late. In the 80’s and late ‘70’s artists like Devo, Gary Numan
and David Bowie used the electronic sound that Kraftwerk had been perfecting.
David Bowie went as far as switching up his entire style for three albums
during what would be known as his “Berlin Era.” Today you have many artists
bringing electronic music back to the forefront; artists such as Chromeo and
Calvin Harris keep the tradition alive. Kraftwerk’s influence is not only
recognized in similar genres, but it’s reached a wide range of musical styles
and groups. Artists like Madonna, Afrika Bambaataa, Bjork and Franz Ferdinand
are from different walks of life and make very different music from one
another, but are still encouraged and moved by Kraftwerk’s contributions.
Digitaldreamdoor.com explains why Kraftwerk are considered innovators, despite
other artists using similar techniques before and during their time: “Kraftwerk was a band that fully dealt with electronics and took it beyond
human thought with their skills and music innovation, bridging the classical
music of Karlheinz Stockhausen with electronic music and became important
avant-garde enthusiasts. Therefore, they are the fathers of dance/electronica.” Another way the group influenced music was
with the equipment they used. The vocoder has been utilized in several genres such as hip-hop,
pop, R&B and of course electronica. Kraftwerk was similar to the Beatles with the way
they used their Kling Klang studio as an instrument in itself. They created
electronic drum kits, used a myriad of synthesizers and sequencers in ways
never before imagined and even an instrument known as the Orchestron; an analogue sampling
instrument which used optical disks to store the sounds of real voices and
orchestral instruments. It’s as if Kraftwerk’s group members were scientists, their
lab was their studio and “we” were the their test subjects.
The thing that amazes me most about Kraftwerk is there ability to stay
so far out of the public eye. A few years ago the frontman from the band
Coldplay reached out to Kraftwerk asking for permission to use a sample from
one of their songs. Chris Martin said that it took weeks for a response, and
when he received it, the letter simply said, “Yes.” Martin also said, “I love the idea that
they're Kraftwerk but nobody really knows who they are. They're like the
original GORILLAZ. Or the electronic BEATLES." My Mom is a huge fan of
Kraftwerk but I didn’t immediately jump on the bandwagon. I was younger and I
didn’t have dreams of being in the music industry at that time. As I had gotten
older I realized that so many of the hip-hop songs that I loved (Jay-Z’s It’s Alright, Sunshine & Lil Cease 4 My N****s) sampled Kraftwerk, if not
blatantly ripped them off beat for beat and note for note. I really enjoyed
listening to the originals, especially one of the group’s most sampled tracks Trans-Europe Express. Being even older
now and since I’m exploring a career in this business, I’m much more
appreciative and grateful for their contributions. I am not a musician, nor am
I a singer, but I have made songs and sang rather decently because of vocoders,
drum machines and sequencers. Those innovations gave me the opportunity to be a
part of something that I have a passion for, but may not necessarily have the
talent equivalent of someone who’s been honing their craft for years. Some may
see their contributions as a curse to the industry due to the overwhelming
amount of computer musicians there are today, but I consider it a gift, as I am
one of the many who weren’t blessed to have piano lessons, drum lessons or
instruments period. I may never be as big of a fan as my Mom is, but the level
of respect I have for the gentleman that comprised Kraftwerk has grown
immensely.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Peer Comments
To Claibourne Washington:
Reaching the Top 40 charts 22 times and your name not being The Beatles is an amazing feat. That statistic solidifies The Beach Boys as one of the greatest groups ever assembled. I really like the fact that you mentioned how cleverly crafted their lyrics were. You could definitely picture catching a wave on all their songs pertaining to surfing, or riding around in your nice car in songs like Little Deuce Coupe and 409. By listening to their songs, you could almost learn how to be cool as if their lyrics were instructions on how to live. The nod you gave to the Four Freshman was a worthy one, but don’t forget about other artists that influenced their sound as well, such as: Chuck Berry and the Hi-Los. It looks as if you came away from your research of the Beach Boys with a newfound respect, and I think that’s awesome. It’s always a gift when our eyes are opened to something new. I wish there were more groups influenced by the Beach Boys’ style. There is a group that I recently came across called The Davis Brothers who are substantially shaped by The Beach Boys’ methods of harmony. If you have time check them out, you won’t be disappointed. I really enjoyed reading your post because of the enthusiasm it contained. I look forward to seeing more posts from you in the future.
Hi Elisia,
I really enjoyed reading your post about The Velvet Underground; it was very informative. You included information that I wanted to squeeze into my post and I’m fascinated by the way that you found links to tie certain facts together that I couldn’t necessarily do the same with. One particular statement you made about Lou Reed’s bisexuality and the electroshock therapy he received to treat it was great. You tied his experiences as a youth into the lyrical themes of in his music as an adult, but I would’ve loved for you to be more specific and point out some examples of his work that coincided with the abuse he suffered. You also touched on the band’s demise, which you correctly stated had a lot to do with their lack of cooperation with one another. If I were unfamiliar with the history of the band, I would want to know who was mostly responsible for the infighting? I think there are not only a great deal of similarities between Cale and Reed, but a great deal of contrast as well. There’s a lot left to that story to explore and if I played the role of the uninformed reader, you would leave me thirsting for further enlightenment on the situation; which could be great if you were intentionally trying to draw me in, or bad if there was no set-plan to administer more information on the subject.
You seem to have great awareness of what accounts need to be told when writing your blog. I would’ve learned a lot from post, but I also would’ve craved more. Don’t be afraid to go into more detail and thoroughly explain your thoughts to the reader. Overall you did a great job and I am impressed with your understanding of The Velvet Underground. I can’t wait to see what you have written for Kraftwerk!
Take Care,
Cameron McBride-Gee
Hi Justin,
This piece about Aphex Twin is amazing! I was excited to
read about someone I was unfamiliar with, and I was not disappointed. I had to
check out some of his music after reading your post, and your description was
spot on. His work is very abstract, very electronic and at times very
disturbing. The drum line in “Come to Daddy” reminds me of UK Garage music and
the synth was very catchy. The video looked to be inspired by a few horror
movies I’ve seen; I’m not sure if he directed his own video or not but I’m
interested in finding out. I’ve seen some songs categorized as Hardcore, I’ve
even seen songs categorized as Horrorcore, but that song was the first that
I’ve ever seen under the label of Breakcore. I don’t even know what to say
about "Windowlicker"! It was funny, very creepy and the music was actually really
good. The melody was soothing, almost similar to a down tempo type of song. I
saw you make reference to the “glitch” styles in your post, and I saw someone
describe “Windowlicker” as Glitch-Hop. My mind has officially been blown after
being introduced to Aphex Twin.
I can definitely see how this may be considered avant-garde
because of the variety of styles he incorporates into his creations. I really
wish I was aware of him when his videos were shown on MTV, I’m sure they
created quite a stir. I will certainly follow up on Aphex’s work from here on,
and get familiar with his earlier releases, as I’m quite intrigued. Kraftwerk was
a little eerie, but Aphex Twin is outright terrifying! Thank you for a great blog
and exposing me to some new music.
Cameron McBride-Gee
What's Going On?
Marvin Gaye was a man who never settled for what he was
given; he always aspired to be more successful and do it on his own terms.
Marvin had hoped to gain notoriety by singing jazz tunes and commercial pop
music like some of his contemporaries, but his initial attempt didn’t garner the
type of results he had desired. He did however have success in the R&B
genre; singing tunes that would make women swoon, solidifying him as a “ladies
man.” Still not satisfied with his newfound popularity, he tried yet again to
emerge as a jazz vocalist but to no avail. He had decided to never try his hand
at jazz again and with that, he proceeded to make more hits as part of two separate
duet teams, one with Kim Weston and the other with Tammi Terrell; the latter
being the most acclaimed of his collaborations. After three albums as a tandem,
Tammi Terrell passed away and Marvin receded into seclusion, dealing with his
sadness the best he could. BBC News reported, “His mood was compounded by
other personal problems - his marriage was crumbling and he was having
continual arguments with Motown over the material they wanted him to record.” It was during this time that the idea for one of the greatest songs
in music history would be conceived.
One could say the concept of What’s Going On stemmed directly
from an incident witnessed by songwriter and Four Tops member Renaldo Benson.
While on tour in San Francisco, he had seen peace protesters attacked and
beaten by police officers. This, along with Marvin’s brother Frankie’s recounting
of his time served in the Vietnam War, sparked the creativity needed to craft
this classic. These situations might have inspired the composition, but coming
off of some of the most prominent moments of the Civil Rights Movement and
facing racial inequality all of his life served as the foundation for such a
timely song. What’s Going On was a
“call to action” for people to wake up, open their eyes and make a change. When
Marvin says, “Mother, mother there’s too many of you crying. Brother, brother,
brother there’s far too many of you dying. You know we’ve got to find a way to
bring some lovin’ here today.” Marvin wasn’t
just pointing out the flaws of society, he was commanding us to be accountable
for our roles in the degeneration of humanity. Marvin’s message was clear and
understood, but there was fear amongst industry professionals (primarily the
CEO of Motown Records, Berry Gordy) that a song containing this subject matter
wouldn’t sell any records. Additionally, Gordy supposedly was concerned that a
song with such a strong stance and theme would derail all the momentum that had
been put behind Gaye being showcased as a sex symbol. There are many stories
circulating that Gordy held this project up for multiple reasons, but Berry Gordy set the record straight when he spoke to journalist
Marc Myers. According to Gordy, Marvin reached out to him saying he wanted to
do a protest song, and Gordy was stunned because, up to that point, Marvin’s strayed from such provocative issues. Berry grew accustomed to
Marvin coming to him with outlandish ideas, and because Berry regarded Marvin
as a brother, he felt it was his duty to alert him of the possible consequences
of his actions. Gordy’s stance was starting to loosen once Marvin explained his
need to “awaken” the masses, but issues remained with a few of the words chosen for his
song. Marc Myers writes, “Mr. Gordy still had reservations about some of Gaye's lyrics for
"What's Going On," specifically the line about police brutality.
"I told Marvin he couldn't generalize like that, that the people in the
Detroit Police Department were my friends and that every policeman wasn't
brutal…" When asked about the four-month gap between the completion
of the single and its release, Berry went on to say “The other labels would put out their big
releases in September and October for Christmas," Mr. Gordy said.
"But we would typically wait until after the holiday season to release
singles on our major artists so the field would be clear." There’s no denying that Marvin had his obstacles when it came to releasing
his controversial single, but similar to an urban legend, these stories of
marvelous proportions start to take on a life of their own and the truth can gradually
become distorted.
There were a few key characteristics that separated What’s Going On from other Motown
productions. Marvin wanted to be sure that his song didn’t have the traditional
Motown sound, so he and his arranger David Van DePitte enlisted a slew of percussionists
that had no affiliation with the Hitsville, USA label. Marvin was about to
finally live his dream; he was able to incorporate his love for jazz into his
production. The sax playing in the beginning of the piece was actually the
saxophone player warming up, not his intended take. Marvin implemented scatting
into his song (another supposed turn-off for Berry Gordy), and stumbled upon
what would become the future of multi-layer vocal recording (a mistake made by
the engineer when he played both of Marvin’s lead vocals through a mono
speaker, instead of separating them on individual tracks so that Marvin could
choose which one was better.) This was the beginning of Marvin distancing
himself from the pop sounds that Motown was so known for at the time. The song
was an instant hit and held the #1 spot on the R&B charts and the #2 spot
on the Pop charts; a sign of its amazing crossover appeal. The album went on to
sell 2.5 million copies and became Motown’s fastest selling single at that
time.
What’s Going On has a lot of significance to me; I grew up
listening to Marvin Gaye. My Mother and my Uncle would play his albums every
year on April 1 and April 2 as a tribute to one of the greatest artists that
ever recorded. From a cultural standpoint, I’ve always felt that when I listened to What’s
Going On I was the main character in the story he was telling. The album wasn’t
directed specifically to one demographic, it wasn’t made for one race or
gender; but his stances on love and acceptance are subjects that minorities have
fought and literally died for. We continue that very same fight today… for
equality. Sure, Marvin spoke about the Vietnam War, but those very same
principles apply to the people of different nationalities and creeds that
make up this country as well. Marvin’s album still gives me goose bumps as if
it was the first time I heard it. From a musical standpoint, the multi-layer
vocals really set this album apart from other albums. There was so much emotion
in his voice and it felt like it was being thrown at you from different
directions. I’m happy Marvin was able to integrate his love for jazz into his
work on What’s Going On; it added a fresh element to the R&B/Soul
production. To me, this album is a living organism; it breathes, it grows and
it procreates. Unfortunately Marvin is not here to see the longevity his work sustains, but his message will undoubtedly live on forever.
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground were unconventional pop musicians
known for introducing an experimental and artistic style to the genre. They
attempted to mesh the “avant-garde”
with mainstream culture, and over a short period of time became very
influential in what Pop music would come to be. Reporter Jon Pareles wrote that
their sound was, “poised between street-level grit and literary irony, rock
simplicity and minimalistic drones, clarity and noise.” Visually the group strayed from the uniformed look of popular bands. The
members were individuals in image and music, reflecting the New York City state
of mind in the 1960’s. While other commercial bands were walking straight and
narrow paths to success, the Velvet Underground diverted from the mundane.
Author Herb Bowie writes, “Although the Velvets were apparently similar to other late-sixties
rock groups, in that their subject matter included sex and drugs, these
similarities were only superficial… the New York based VU trod an entirely
different path: they sang, without apparent moral judgment, about addiction to
harder drugs, such as heroin, with music that simulated the experiences
accompanying such drug use. In the sexual realm, they sang about sado-masochism
and other alternatives, again focusing on the immediate feelings of the
participants, and not on the attitudes of the surrounding society, or on the
larger consequences of such behavior.” When the group added model/actress Nico, they gained a presence. Nico’s vocals
were deep, icy and somewhat haunting; all of which detracted from her beauty
and showcased the talented artist she were to become. The Velvet Underground
were pioneers in every sense of the word and if you judged their contributions
based off of their record sales, they are indeed proof that numbers can lie.
The band’s two major songwriters, John Cale and Lou Reed,
brought extremely different dynamics to the group. Lou Reed had a very eclectic
knowledge of music, ranging from folk to jazz. While attending Syracuse
University he studied contemporary poetry and film. It was while working as a
songwriter for Pickwick Records that he met John Cale. John was classically
trained, particularly skilled with the viola, and though he had performed with
orchestras, he always had an appreciation for rock music. Upon traveling from
Wales to the United States to continue his musical training, John met both Lou
Reed and soon-to-be Velvet Underground guitarist Sterling Morrison. John Cale
would be of service to the Velvet Underground in a multitude of ways; he played
a variety of instruments and provided vocals on quite a few of their songs. Lou
Reed was the driving force behind the groups “controversial” subject matters.
Being born in Brooklyn, New York (raised in Long Island) he was exposed to the
city’s sites of the mid to late 60’s; which happened to include drag queens,
pimps and heroin addicts. There seemed to be a constant power struggle
between Cale and Reed, which resulted in Cale leaving the group just a few
short years into their existence. John Cale and Lou Reed also shared the love
of lead singer and “Factory” regular Nico. Sterling Morrison was strongly
against meaningful lyrical content, going as far as saying, “I never sit down
and listen to lyrics, because rock 'n' roll is not sit-down-and-listen-to-lyrics
music! Why is it that the Velvet Underground's celebrated lyric-smiths never
published a lyrics sheet? Was that to make you strain to hear the lyrics that
you could never hear? No. It's because they were saying, "Fuck you. If you
wanna listen to lyrics, then read the New York Times." It has nothing to
do with the intellectual apprehension of content.” Sterling went even further to discredit his band mate, Lou Reed, this
time not taking such a subliminal approach, “How could Lou, seriously, be better off
without John Cale, and without me, than he was with us... With Cale and I, we
were a real creative band. Lou really did want to have a whole lot of credit
for the songs. So on nearly all the albums we gave it to him. It kept him
happy. He got the rights to all the songs on Loaded, so now he's
credited with being the absolute and singular genius of the Underground, which
is not true.” Eventually the rivalry between Lou Reed and John Cale forced band
members to choose sides, forcing the group to completely disband.
The Velvet Underground & Nico were supported and
produced by legendary artist Andy Warhol, along with Warhol’s associate Paul
Morrissey. Warhol would be known as the man that discovered The Velvet
Underground, but Paul Morrissey has since stated that he was the one who
discovered and signed the group. When interviewer Greg Barrios had an
opportunity to question Sterling Morrison about Warhol’s role as a producer,
Sterling replied, “This was "producer" in the sense of producing a
film. We used some of his money and our money. Whoever had any money that just
went all into it. Andy was the producer but we were the "executive
producers" too. We made the record ourselves and then brought it around
and MGM said they liked it. We just never cared to do it the way most people
do.” Andy Warhol’s eccentricity helped create an outside-of-the-box artistic
outlet to aid in the explorations of the Velvet Undergrounds conceptions. The
pairing of Warhol’s visual art with the Underground’s musical art set it apart
from the traditional music of the 1960’s. Never before had there been such
integration between both properties in that manner. Andy fused the Velvet
Underground’s music with his live events and films, which were performed and
shown throughout the United States. Outside of the aforementioned Andy Warhol
productions, there wasn’t much done to promote The Velvet Underground’s music,
which led to disappointing sales. Amazingly, despite the limited awareness the
band had received, their creations would inspire legions of musicians preceding
the group's collective efforts. Herbie Bowie mentioned in his story that, “Brian Eno once
said that even though hardly anyone bought Velvet Underground recordings at the
time they first appeared, almost everyone who did formed their own bands.” The characteristics and legacy of the Velvet Underground still shine
through today.
I was surprised by how abstract the Velvet Underground’s
music was upon hearing it for the first time. The way they knit visual artistry
with aural artistry was very original and separated itself from anything ever
constructed within popular music during the 60's. There were so many odd and unconventional
elements thrown together (Nico’s voice, Cale’s viola, excessive feedback) yet
it meshed well and didn’t take away from the overall product. It is always
unfortunate when an artist’s contributions are slow to be recognized and
appreciated, and it's only until after they’ve been paint-brushed with all the negativity and scrutiny that they receive a fragment of praise. There is typically no such thing as "bad music; it is usually us, the listeners, who are not
open to hearing sounds that divert from the conventional. Once we find the newest and latest innovation to disparage, it is then that we realize the energy spent
on hating the previous novelty wasn’t worth the time and effort. We need to find a
balance between neophobia and neophilia. Change is something we should embrace,
especially in a time of extreme repetition. The next Velvet Underground (in
terms of creativity and originality) is out there somewhere today, it is up to
us to find them and celebrate them for making advancements in an industry full of
sheep; rather than belittle them and discourage them from injecting unconventionality where it's needed.
Monday, July 2, 2012
The Beatles: Revolver
The Beatles were very versatile when it came to their
musical abilities and choices of genre. The group’s initial sound evolved from
John Lennon’s former group, The Quarrymen. Lennon and his band members played a style of music known as
“skiffle” which was similar to ragtime/traditional jazz of the early 20th century.
The Beatles would add upon their knowledge of skiffle and create “beat music”
which was a combination of the aforementioned skiffle, R&B, soul, doo-wop
and rock and roll. Their style of dress is considered “mod” or in a modernistic
fashion, and their dark tailored suits and mop-top hairdos became culturally
and sociologically impactful. The uniformed look would eventually change as the
group would grow and individualize themselves from one another, but as the
saying goes, “History repeats itself” and a revival of the mod look is slowly
coming back.
Around the time their 7th studio album, Revolver, was made; The Beatles were experimenting with LSD and
becoming more spiritually enlightened.
Certain songs were influenced by outside sources and later revisited
during the creative processes of their album. In a discussion about the song
She Said She Said, a contributor to Songfacts.com says, “The song was inspired by actor Peter Fonda, who
was dropping acid with John Lennon while they were together at a party at the
Playboy Mansion. John was trying to take in the beauty of the girls and the
atmosphere, and Peter Fonda was whispering, "I know what it's like to be
dead man." John originally wrote it as "He Said He Said" because
it did come from Peter, but felt it didn't sound right, so he changed it to
She." Another story tells that John Lennon
had read a book titled The Psychedelic Experience: A Manuel Based on The Tibetan
Book of the Dead, which was written by an American psychologist named
Timothy Leary. Lennon wrote the lyrics to Tomorrow
Never Knows based off of his findings and ended up creating one of the
first songs of the psychedelic era. The Beatles were musically talented and
spiritually awoken, and this resulted in one of the most acclaimed albums of
all-time.
The Beatles used everything they could to come up with
original sounds for Revolver,
including non-conventional means such as the studio itself. Effects such as
reverb and compression were generated rather oddly. In certain situations
George Martin’s assistant Geoff Emerick would stuff a wool sweater in the bass
drum to give it a bigger “boom.” Emerick has been quoted as saying; “I stuffed that inside the drum, to deaden the sound. Then we put the
sound through Fairchild 600 valve limiters and compressors. It became the sound
of Revolver and Pepper really. Drums had never been heard like
that before.” As brilliant as these ideas were, it made it increasingly difficult for The
Beatles to recreate these sounds during live performances. These were great
innovations but not well thought out. Another innovation used by Lennon was
Artificial Double Tracking or ADT. Lennon used this technique for doubling his
vocals by means of tape delay. While John Lennon was working on vocals, George
Harrison was creating modifications for their instruments. Harrison had the
idea to play the notes for the lead guitar and the second guitar in reverse
order, and then reverse the recording and mix it together. George’s newly
attained knowledge of Indian instruments such as the sitar added a worldly
element to their psychedelic creations that no one had heard before. Today most
of these methods are easily achieved with DAWs, but if not for The Beatles
mastering these techniques in the 60’s; we could be much further behind in the technological aspect of music presently.
Revolver is an unbelievable creation and it took
a lot of “thinking outside of the box” in order for it to be created. It’s a
very spiritual album without being overly introspective. The techniques that
were used can be utilized today with greater ease, but having the ability to
use them… and knowing how to use them
are two different things. The Beatles had the right frame of mind for the task they
were undertaking and their creation came out masterfully. I have a greater
understanding and appreciation than I have had in the past regarding The
Beatles and I’m very interested in checking out the rest of their catalogue, especially
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys had made their imprint in the music industry
by ingratiating the American fans with fun lyrics and harmonious sounds. The
Four Freshmen were a group that heavily influenced the band’s sound and the
background harmonies that the Freshmen showcased became a staple for what The
Beach Boys would be remembered for. Lyrically, The Beach Boys’ music was a
narration of a surfer’s life. The music captured the California “fun in the
sun” scene and was set to Rock ‘N’ Roll rhythms reminiscent of Chuck Berry. The
group’s wholesome and clean-cut image was adorned with clothing that fit their
style. Pendleton shirts were popular amongst the surfing community and not only
did The Beach Boys wear the heavy wool shirts, but they adopted the popular article of clothing as their band name before settling on their more well known appellation.
Brian Wilson was the machine that kept the group running smoothly. His depth not only as a musician, but also a fan of music, breathed
life into the music scene in the 1960’s. Wilson’s contributions and genius are
severely understated; drummer John Cody wrote, “Wilson wore many
hats. Previously, music industry roles were clearly defined; performer, A &
R man, songwriter, producer, arranger … each had a distinct position, and
rarely did the roles overlap. But he managed to do them all, and do them
extremely well.” Brian had a wide range of influences throughout his career, most
notably Phil Spector and The Beatles. The Beatles were instrumental in
motivating Brian Wilson to construct The Beach Boys most praised album, Pet Sounds. When The Beatles released
their record, Rubber Soul, Wilson was
enthralled with the idea of a complete album that told a story rather than a
handful of good tracks littered with a few fillers in between. The Beatles were
successful in accomplishing this feat and left Brian yearning for the
opportunity to attempt the same. Brian Wilson proved to be the nucleus of the
group and both elevated and halted the fortune of the band.
The production of their critically acclaimed Pet Sounds was very interesting and innovative.
Brian Wilson had studied Phil Spector’s approach to production and modified
Phil’s famed “wall of sound” technique. Originally The Beach Boys recordings used 3-tracks, one for the main vocals and the other two for
background vocals. With the creation of the 8-track recorder, and Brian
Wilson’s ingenuity, the proverbial floodgates were opened and out poured
endless musical possibilities. Wiki Answers documents the creative process
stating, “Brian Wilson pretaped all
the instrumental backing tracks with a large ensemble, recording the
performances live, direct to a four-track recorder. These four-track backing
tapes were then 'dubbed down' to one track of an eight-track tape. Six of the
remaining seven tracks were then used to individually record the vocals of each
member of The Beach Boys, and the eighth track was reserved for any final
'sweetening' overdubs of instruments or voices.” Interestingly, their
music was still mixed in mono due to Brian Wilson’s indifference to stereo
quality recordings stemming from Brian’s partial deafness in his right ear. Almost
30 years later, when the album was mixed in stereo, listeners were awed and
impressed once more with the technical production that went into this project. Another
characteristic that distanced Pet Sounds
from other albums and artists of their generation was its lyrical content.
Brian had solely made the decision to divert from the “sunny” California sound
that popularized the group early on, and move towards a more psychedelic
distinction. With the help of writer Tony Asher, Brian Williams was able to
focus more on the production and instituted abstract sounds into their music
such as bicycle bells and barking dogs. Allmusic.com describes the
compositional content as evoking, “both the intensity of newly born love affairs and the
disappointment of failed romance (add in some general statements about loss of
innocence and modern-day confusion as well).” Pet Sounds firmly stands as a precursor to the sounds
of music today.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Pet Sounds, as it was my first time ever
hearing the album in its entirety. Thinking about the advancements The Beach
Boys made with this album is comparable to cavemen and their use of the wheel
and pulley; it’s hard to imagine where the idea came from, but you’re just
thankful that it did. It takes an incredible amount of foresight to manipulate
and operate machinery in the style that Brian Williams had, and though he might
not have been in the clearest state of mind, his brilliance shined through and
that adds to the exclusivity and exceptionality of his work on this album. Both
professionally and personally I’m appreciative of The Beach Boys’ contributions
to this business because a majority of the more conceptual and theoretical
albums that succeeded their work might never have come to fruition.
Welcome
Hello my name is Cameron McBride-Gee and I am currently in
my final year of the Music Production program at Full Sail University. I am 28 years old and as a child the
family that occupied my overcrowded home exposed me to a multitude of genres.
My Mom loved Classical and Jazz, my Grandparents introduced me to the Oldies
and my Uncle enjoyed House and Hip Hop. I familiarized myself with the
remaining genres my family weren’t privy to, and expanded their horizons in
return for creating mine. I am very thankful to have had relatives that were so
“in-tune” (no pun intended) with the history of music and so willing to share
all they had learned through their years of listening.
In my spare time I enjoy watching sports. I have been a
lifelong follower of boxing, wrestling, football and basketball all the while
learning and appreciating other sports such as baseball, tennis and mixed
martial arts along the way. I’m using what I know about music and applying it
towards my love of sports everyday. I have composed music for sports shows,
created wrestler’s entrance music and provided my hometown football team with theme
songs. For me, this is a dream because I’m able to merge my two passions and I
couldn’t be happier. I host an online wrestling radio show on Monday evenings
via blog talk radio and I put as much effort into continuing to learn about
sports as I do music. All I want is to become better at everything I strive to
do and most importantly, be able to see myself as being successful in achieving
my goals while maintaining my happiness and joy.
References
Cody, J. (2002). Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys' Musical Genius. In Lee Aaron. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://www.leeaaron.com/john/brian-wilson-the-beach-boys-musical-genius/
An8thg.(n.d.). When were 8-tracks Invented. In Answers. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://wikianswers.com/Q/When_were_8-tracks_invented
Unterberger, R. (n.d.). Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards: AllMusic. In AllMusic. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://www.allmusic.com/album/pet-sounds-mw0000398074
Saint. (n.d.). She Said She Said by The Beatles Songfacts. In Songfacts. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=107
Sheffield, R. (2012). Ringo's Greatest Hit. In Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/pop-life/ringos-greatest-hit-20100414
Modern, N. (July/August 1980). Sterling Morrison. In Reflections In A Lone Star Beer. Retrieved July 13, 2012, from http://olivier.landemaine.free.fr/vu/articles/reflections/reflections.html
Barrios, G. (March 6, 1970). Velvet Underground. In An Interview with Sterling Morrison. Retrieved July 13, 2012, from http://olivier.landemaine.free.fr/vu/articles/sterl69/sterl69.html
Cleveland A., Benson R., Gaye M. (September 1970) What’s Going On [Recorded by Marvin Gaye]. On What’s Going On [Album] Detroit, MI.: Tamla Records
Myers, M. (June 7, 2011). Berry Gordy Jr.: What's Going On: When Marvin Gaye Broke Pattern: Cultural Conversation. In Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 13, 2012, from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304432304576369391596539946.html
Rovi. (n.d.). Kraftwerk. In Allmusic. Retrieved July 21, 2012, from http://www.allmusic.com/artist/kraftwerk-mn0000104714
Med57. (June 3, 2005).
Kraftwerk The Man Machine (album review). In Sputnikmusic. Retrieved July 21,
2012, from http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/2371/Kraftwerk-The-Man-Machine/
Jeff B. (n.d.).
Kraftwerk. In DigitalDreamDoor. Retrieved July 21, 2012, from http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_artists-bio/kraftwerk.html
Contactmusic. (June 7, 2005).
Coldplay Track Influenced By Kraftwerk. In Contactmusic.com. Retrieved July 21,
2012, from http://www.contactmusic.com/news-article/coldplay-track-influenced-by-kraftwerk
Starpulse. (n.d.). Chemical Brothers Biography. In Starpulse.com. Retrieved July 22, 2012, from http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Chemical_Brothers/Biography/
Cole Rachel, T. (n.d.). The Chemical Brothers. In Critical Mob. Retrieved July 22, 2012, from http://www.criticalmob.com/music/more/the_chemical_brothers
Cornish, M. (July 27, 2008). Producer's Corner: Teddy Riley. In HipHop DX. Retrieved July 26, 2012, from http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interviews/id.1182/title.producers-corner-teddy-riley.
Mika. (December 22,
2009). The Neptunes Named Producers of the Decade. In theneptunes.org.
Retrieved July 27, 2012, from http://theneptunes.org/the-neptunes-named-producers-of-the-decade/.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)