Fantasy Band: Soulfull Minds

If I had to create a fantasy band I would use most of my favorite artist. I would like to use disco, soul, and funk rhythm section like “The Chic Rhythm Section”. I want David Byrne from the Talking heads as my leader singer/guitar and songwriter. I would also use Bjork as a backup singer and electronic musician.

My band would be known for our experimental sound. We will blend funk, punk rock, and world influences in our music. Also having social conscious songs about life, government, poverty, wealth, and other topics. Also the bad will have some samples of R&B.

This group will create original songs from experiences. I think one song would be about the greed for money and power in the world. I think Bjork can add some femininity to the group as well. We could have some songs embracing that characteristic as well.

I think as a producer I can help these artists find the right blend for their sound. I would like to have jam sessions with the band to get acquainted with them and allow us to get our creative juices flowing. I would open them up to exploring each other ideas and getting those ideas on a track.

I think I would name my fantasy band “Soulfull Mind”. I think the name best describe the music along with the lyrics of the songs.

The way I would market this group is first making a free EP. This will give listeners a free sample of the music and possibly gain a fan. To me this is great promotion because I think people should have a sample of the product without paying for it. I would sign the band to a indie label. This would be a personal choice of mine because I don’t trust the corporate music industry. I also would shot a video that would showcase the song and band. I want to show the band creativity and uniqueness.

Independent Research Podcast

The Pretenders: “Pretenders”

http://www.biography.com/people/chrissie-hynde-9542645/videos/chrissie-hynde-mini-biography-2079136776

The Pretenders was a British American punk rock band in 1979 they released their album “Pretenders”. The album was top hit in in the UK and American charts. The album was something relatively new to punk rock music. The bands lead singer/songwriter Chrissie Hynde wrote songs about sexuality and women’s desires. Prior to The Pretender’s major release only male rock artists were known for expressing themselves in this way. The group was also known for their fusion of genres in rock music, merging Bluesy-rock, new wave pop, and punk rock together for their debut hit. 

 The “Pretender” album was the debut for Chrissie Hynde and her career as the bands leader. It was Chrissie who created the band after playing with some upcoming bands in the London area. Chrissie was something new to rock with her expression of toughness and sexuality in her music. It was a characteristic that set the band apart from other bands. Another great characteristic of The Pretenders is James Honeyman-Scott unconventional guitar playing throughout the album. The blend of his phased treated guitar and Hynde’s tough sexuality really set the album off and gave the album its uniqueness.

The album was very original to me and it seemed, as it was different from what other punk bands were doing at that time. I really appreciated Hynde vocals she really had smooth and hard sound that blended perfectly with the guitar. The song the really impressed me was “Precious”. It was a great album opener and convinced me to listen to the whole album.

 I don’t know what will happen five years from now. For now, my plan is to learn and take in as much information to further my growth as a musician. Like Hynde learn to play guitar while living in London, I’m doing the same. I’m learning what I need to do to succeed. Also the songwriting in this album has inspired me to change the way I write songs and what I write about. I learn that nothing has to be the same and you can create what you feel. 

Peer Comments

Kraftwerk innovation was very much so equivalent to that of The Beatles or The Beach boys to electronic music. They basically set the bar for modern electronic music. Kraftwerk was a very experimental band making they’re own sounds. Also Kraftwerk was known for their “Robot music” which comes from the crafty sounds they use in their music. Their music has influence many artist from many genres of music. Their influence shows the impact they had on modern music especially pop, techno and hip-hop. Their minimalistic approach and rhythmic drum beats was the backbone of their music and change popular music.  

 

Kraftwerk

Electronic Music Innovator: Bjork

Bjork is a well-known artist in the Electronic world. She started her career in a n Avant-Pop rock Band named “The Sugarcubes”. After the falling of the band Bjork started her solo career in electronic/dance world of music. Bjork has used different elements of electronic sound and has been very experimental with her music.  On her third album “Homogenic” Bjork experimented with electronic beats and string instrument. Also she sung songs that were a tribute to her country Iceland. Bjork had much success internationally for her albums in Electronic music.

These are two way I think Bjork has influence electronic music. In Bjork’s album “Homogenic” there were elements of abstract electronic beats, glass harmonica, and strings played by the Icelandic String Octet to show Bjork’s experimental style. This album was Bjork most experimental album compared to her last two albums.  The album displayed electronic beats as the rhythm and the strings as the atmosphere.  In another Volta Bjork experiments some more. This time she is using African-influenced beats and elements of industrial music. To me it sounds like Timbaland had a child with Trent Reznor. She also uses different horn section is “Volta”. She worked with electronic house musician Mark Bell. This album had a lot of creative electronic sounds especially in the song “I See Who You Are”.

Bjork work is truly something of it own.  As a listener I hear so many influences in her music. I like how she is very experimental and goes out to make something different every album.  Although her music is classified as electronic/ dance music, I see it as more. There are so many different influences of genres in Bjork’s music. From trip-hop, alternative, dance, R&B, and electronica Bjork plays with these different types of music to make here own sound. As a future producer I appreciate Bjork’s work, effort, and passion she puts into her music.

Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk are pioneers of modern electronic music.  They came from the German experimental community of the late 60’s. Kraftwerk had small success in Germany until their breakthrough album 1973’s “Ralf and Florian”. Kraftwerk was known from their innovative concepts, using homemade rhythm machines and minimalistic ambient sounds, and creating robotic sounds. Kraftwerk’s music influenced a number of artist including Brian Eno, David Bowie, and Afrika Bambaataa.

In 1974 Kraftwerk release their international smash  “Autobahn”. Kraftwerk started to move away from the sound from previous albums.  The album “Autobahn” also had a more discipline sound. The album had much commercial success in the US reaching 5 on the Billboard’s Top 200.

In 1975 Kraftwerk released “Radio-Activity” another innovative concept album. This album was release in both English and German languages. The concept came from the groups shared interests in radio communication.  The album did not have the success that “Autobahn” had in the US and UK. The album did reach gold in France.

Trans-Europe Express was released in 1977. This album showcases their electronic music sound by creating songs about the Trans-Europe Express. The concept behind this album is the celebration of Europe.  The albums’ title track was the first single, and a single that would go on to influence the hip-hop movement. Later on Afrika Bambaataa would sample the song for his song “Planet Rock”. Released in 1978 was Kraftwerk’s “The Man Machine” it was the group highest UK charted album at number 9. This is an album where the group portrayed themselves as automatons, furthering their electronic sound. Three years later Kraftwerk released 1981’s  “Computer World” an album theme around computer taking over society.

Kraftwerk’s music has left a long legacy. I think the concepts they chose to use was perfect for their electronic sound. Using the Trans-Europe Express as a concept showed a unique sound that only their type of music could describe. They use of lyrics to describe technology taking over society in “Computer World is another characteristic of Kraftwerk’s music.

I can see how Kraftwerk’s music influences so many. The experimented with a lot of sounds and formed their own interpretation of music. Kraftwerk was working on sounds that they made and making rhythms with drum machines to create that “robot pop” sound.

What’s Going On

The image of Marvin Gaye before “What’s Going On” was clean cut type of guy. He mostly did R&B songs like “Grapevine”. Marvin had much success with R&B in the past. He had appeared in shows like American Bandstand and played at the Apollo Theatre. Marvin also had success with Tammi Terrell with a series of duets “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough composed by Ashford & Simpson.

 While recording “What’s Going On” Marvin suffer depression because he was basically broke.  Marvin started to hear and listen about the war stories from his brother Frankie. This motivated Marvin to record “What’s Going On”.  This was a Marvin’s take on what was going on in his community around him and society. Renaldo “Obie” Benson of the Four Tops wrote the title song. While on tour stop in San Francisco Benson seen violence between protesters and police over and urban lot. He saw police beating on the youth for no apparent reason. Which led him to wondering, “what the fuck is going on”.  This led to the classic song record by Marvin.

Trying to release “What’s Going On” wasn’t easy at all. Motown’s Berry Gordy did not like the song and turn it down numerous times. It was Marvin’s hard head that got the song released. Berry refused Marvin because he thought the song was too political and old, and was shying away from Marvin’s clean cut R&B image. Despite Gordy’s beliefs Marvin released the song anyways and got 100,000 orders on the first day. Which led to Gordy changing his mind after all.

 “What’s Going On” was a concept album unlike other soul hits in the 60’s. Marvin had taken a stand in his music and it relayed to his fans socially and consciously. The album had an urban feel and Marvin dressed more urban to connect to the album. The album also feature some cool jazz features, congas and doubled vocals on most of the tracks.

 I think this album is great progressive soul album. Not only was the message of the music socially conscious, it was also groundbreaking for soul and R&B music. The album really has a great impression on me. I like that Marvin made an album that was talking about what was going in society. 

“Brian Eno – 40 Years of changing music”

Brian Eno was influence by many styles and genres of music.  He was especially known for being influence African, Middle Eastern, and Oriental styles of music. In which he used a lot in his music and production.  Brian Eno took from other influences like electronic music, progressive rock, post-Cage avant-garde ideas, and minimalism. You can here a lot of the influences in songs like Talking Heads’ “I Zimbra”, David Byrne/Brian Eno’s  “A Secret Life”, and Brian Eno’s Discreet Music.

One album that showcase’s Brian Eno’s talent is his 1981 album “My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts”. He collaborated with Talking Heads’ David Byrne for this album. This was very experimental; Eno used various influences from around the world. One song that stood out to me was “America Is Waiting”. The song has bits of guitar playing through it and has electronic elements as well. Also you can hear the art (Avant-garde) with the recording of vocals and how they are sampled in the song.

Another great album produced by Brian Eno is Talking Heads’ “Remain In Light”. This album has funk rock or world beat feel rather than art or experimental rock like “My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts”. “Remain In Light” has a lot of African and afrobeat influence to it. This album also has an ambient music sound to it especially in “Once In A Lifetime”.

I think both albums at times had an ambient sound. The biggest difference “Remain In Light” was the funk-punk-afro feeling it had to it, although it was just as experimental as “My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts”. The biggest difference in “My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts” was styles connected to sample vocal, electronic, and third-world music.

Brain Eno’s music and production has made a great impression to me as a listener. As upcoming producer I was inspired the use of third-world music and culture. Also I felt his a lot of his music especially “My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts” were more pieces of art the just a great album.