Blog Assignment 5

Proofs!!!

Rocking On, Lollapalooza Style by Mary Ellen Podmolik

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tue_lollapaloozaapr08,0,3026508.story

The author of this piece put a different spin on the Lollapalooza festival by elaborating on how much revenue it creates rather than just focusing on the acts. She went into detail about how festivals and touring have become the main source of revenue for artists due to a decline in CD sales. Artists now have to tour in order to generate revenue. The author also mentioned how prices for festival shows have gone up in the past couple of years due to the demand. Fans are used to paying into the hundreds for festival tickets now, so they will. She also briefly mentioned how the festival acts have radius clauses that keep performers who are part of the festival from playing certain concert halls in the area before the big show.
As far as my story goes on the politics behind Lollapalooza, the financial aspect and radius clause within this story support it fully. They are two important angles that I am focusing on in my story. The radius clause in particular interests me because of how it affects the music scene here. Since bands that are on the bill cannot play in the area, what do they do in the meantime? Are they losing any money because of the radius clauses?

Nine Inch Nails follows Radiohead and dumps label - By Josephine Moulds

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/10/09/bcnnine109.xml

In this article, the author elaborates on how both Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails have basically stuck it to the record companies by releasing their music independently through their own websites. Both have made large profits off of cutting out the middle man, which makes me wonder whether Lollapalooza organizers specifically focused on the getting these bands on the bill this year.
One small question I would like to answer within my story is if organizers feel that these bands will bring in more revenue. While my story focuses more on the smaller bands and the politics behind playing the illustrious festival, it would be interesting to included a little bit of information about these almost “guerilla” marketing tactics used by these both bands. Is this something that organizers were looking for while creating the bill? Did bands have to have some sort of criteria relating to this possible “guerilla” theme in any way?

Full Lollapalooza Line-Up Announced, Perry Peeved At "Pepe Le Pew"

http://idolator.com/376674/full-lollapalooza-line+up-announced-perry-peeved-at-pepe-le-pew
This is an interesting blog entry because of the author mentioning how this year’s lineup was supposedly leaked by Chicago Sun-Times writer Jim DeRogatis. This may be just hearsay, but it offers a little bit of perspective on how Lollapalooza organizers really like to keep everything extremely confidential. It kind of reflects where I am currently at with my piece. Why are the politics behind the festival kept so quiet? Is there anything going on behind the scenes that the public should know about?
Towards the end of the blog entry, the author displays a quote from the festival mastermind Perry Ferrell, talking about how many of the artists will be collaborating on music together to put onto ITunes, and then performing the songs they create together on stage at Lollapalooza. This has some validity within my story because of the fact that it may involve some of the smaller bands I am trying to showcase. Will one of the smaller more local bands get to collaborate on a song with Radiohead? If so, how will they end up getting to do that? Who decides who collaborates with whom?

MTVs You R Here Interactive Website
http://yourhere.mtv.com/

This I found to be rather interesting. It is an interactive fan website that allows the user to upload images and video at certain live concerts and create blogs about their experience and the content. This could be an interesting facet of my story because of how bands that are set to play Lollapalooza might be able create more buzz for themselves.
Are there any bands that are set top play that are involved in any websites or marketing campaigns like this? And if they are, did Lollapalooza organizers pick up on certain campaigns and determine the lineup from instances like that?




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Blog Assignment 4

No Loozas at Lolla This Year

With summer tours like Ozzfest and Warped Tour losing fans (largely in due to RPGs like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy), Lollapalooza is completely on its game and will most definitely be attracting a plethora of music fans to Grant Park in August.

The lineup, announced earlier this week, includes the three mammoth headliners: Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, and Nine Inch Nails (My mother used to say things always come in threes). Not to mention the rest of the lineup, which includes acts such as our hometown boys Kanye West and Wilco, along with Gnarls Barkley, The Raconteurs and Bloc Party just to name a few. The bill is definitely worth standing in a pool of hot sweaty grossness for three days straight (Does that make me CRAZYEEAH??).

With the speculation and rumors of possible lineups in the past, we can finally start to bask in the glory of Chicago’s most anticipated summer festival. And frankly, Lollapalooza is always a breath of fresh air from the “Get Ready to F*** Sh** Up Tours” that make their rounds in the area. So c’mon everybody, grab your sunscreen and baby wipes and let’s go!! Read more!

Blog Assignment 3 - Interview Log

Interview with Jason Calderia of The Helicopters

Can you give me a brief history of your band?

Here's an excerpt from our bio:


When Helicopters formed in 2005, the goal was clear: to write, fall in love with, break up with, destroy, build anew, polish, apologize to, and ultimately put to bed enough songs to compose their first full-length recording. In 2006 that goal was realized with the release of How to Fake Fall Asleep.

Having toured and recorded together in various band incarnations, How to Fake Fall Asleep signaled a clear departure from the band's four piece rock roots, delving headlong into electro-pop territories. Although electronic expermentation was always an integral part of live shows, it has now become a defining element of Helicopters' high energy, danceable pop sound.

While fans and critics spent 2006 enjoying the band's debut, filling shows, and trying to successfully learn just how to fake fall asleep, a new EP has taken form. Enter Walking to Be Looked At, the 2007 release from Helicopters: a series of succinct, melodic, vocal-driven arrangements that live somewhere in the middle of precise, deliberate, programmed blips and organic warmth of guitars and harmonies.

Attempts at genre-fication often place Helicopters somewhere between The Postal Service and Beck, with left field comparisons to Aluminum Group, Tahiti 80, New Order and other artists that embrace the digital side of songwriting.

2008 promises to be an exciting year for Helicopters, with a Lollapalooza performance under their belts, a new album already in the works, a busy schedule of shows, and a sense of optimism that only three regular guys from the Midwest can exude


- - -


As for our "history"...


Dave Moran (lead vocals, guitar) and I (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, vocals) have been performing together in various band incarnations since 1998. Initially an acoustic duo dabbling in collaborative writing for the first time, we eventually brought a bass player on board (Gregory McClendon) to help round out the sound. Then we rifled through, oh, too many drummers to count, before deciding to stop what we were doing, regroup, and find our "sound." In 2003 we stopped performing live altogether and dove head first into writing and recording, playing around with the digital side of things (largely to replace a drummer we never really found.) The album How to Fake Fall Asleep came out of all this experimentation, and since the sound was so radically different than anything we had done up to that point, we released the album under the brand new band name "Helicopters" (named for the title of the photo that was on the cover of our first 100 limited-edition cds).


In 2007 Gregory moved to Ireland and was replaced by a long-time friend of mine Brian Fifield (keyboards, drum programming, vocals), and we've been writing, recording and performing as a trio ever since.


Our 3rd album in as many years comes out in June.


What did the Last Band Standing experience entail and how did you get into the competition?

We were aware of last years' Last Band Standing contest simply because of the press behind it. This year we entered sort of on a whim, not really expecting to make it very far. (I think there were something like 2000+ entries.) When we checked out their site and saw we made it into the initial batch of bands, that was pretty cool. Then suddenly we were in the top 100, qualifying us for round 2... and that's where things got the most exciting for us. The next 20 were selected by Perry Farrell and members of The Recording Academy, not by online voting. That's the part that gave us the most validation. Online voting isn't really the best judge of a band's musical abilities - it's a judge of a band's marketing/begging abilities. Which is fine, I guess - it's an important part of the music game. But being selected for the top 20 based on our music was the biggest thrill of the entire process.

Were there any stipulations that went along with your spot on the bill (i.e. restrictions on playing in the Chicago area beforehand)?

There may have been technical stipulations - I actually don't remember. But we didn't have shows set up immediately after Lollapalooza, so restrictions never came into play.

What did Lollapalooza do for you guys in the long run?

The biggest thing Lollapalooza did for us was put us on people's radars. In a city like Chicago where everyone and their brother is in a band, simply writing interesting music isn't always enough. It's extremely difficult to get noticed, and a lot of really amazing bands never do, which is a shame. Chicago no longer supports the local music scene like it did in the "High Fidelity" era, unfortunately. But having a Lollapalooza show on your resume gets people to listen, and that's really the whole point, isn't it? Read more!

Blog Assignment # 2

Elements of a Good Story/Audience Analysis

Conflict: http://gizmodo.com/352762/riaa-wants-to-cut-artist-royalties-to-9-apple-wants-them-at-4-artists-just-want-to-eat

This short editorial really displays the type of conflict that I could see within a good story. Even though the story may be lacking in proximity, its subject matter directly affects the artists making a living off of music in the Chicago area. The article states that the RIAA would like to cut artist’s royalties from 13% to 9%. Furthermore, Apple, Inc. wants to lower the royalty rate down to 4%. The potential for this story is the fact that this affects the Chicago music scene, as well as every other music scene, directly. It will be an on-going conflict for quite a while and reaches many different audiences in and out of the music industry. In the article, the writer takes a very sarcastic tone at one point while explaining the situation. “Yes, the RIAA doesn't think the record companies are making enough and that musicians are clearly making too much. I mean, they get 13% now. Like they deserve 13% for writing and creating the music that people are paying for. Hogwash! Someone had to, you know, encode it. That's worth at least 40%. And hey, these shoes don't shine themselves! So they're pushing to get that rate cut down to a shameful 9%, giving artists even less of a slice of the pie than before.” This blog is definitely intended for a reader that enjoys a little humor in the stories that they read rather than straight fact.

Impact: http://nwitimes.com/articles/2006/12/29/entertainment/entertainment/e6921c283b6aaca286257251007209bd.txt

This article directly affects musicians within the Chicagoland area and the funds they receive for developing their products. In the article, the writer explains how the Chicago Music Commission, a non-profit agency, will be conducting a study to assess how large the music industry in Chicago really is, how healthy it is running, and how it compares to other cities. This article has a lot of potential because of how many people it involves, from the industry itself to the artists within. “The study -- expected to be completed by mid- to late-January -- will quantify the economic and cultural impact of music and music-related businesses on Chicago and compare Chicago's music community to that of other major American cities.” The CMC is also dedicated to preserving the well-being of the artists in this region. “Bruce Iglauer, CMC board member and president and founder of the Chicago-based blues label Alligator Records, noted, "Chicago's music community is second to none -- we have one of the most active and varied live music scenes in the world. But while other cities such as Austin and Nashville have touted their music to the world, Chicago isn't hailed worldwide as the music capital it truly is. The findings of this study will provide a full and accurate picture of Chicago as a music city." There is a lot of potential in this story because of how wide of an audience it can attract; artists within the business, music fans, concert goers, etc.

Currency: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/chi-1214_c_allagesdec14,1,5344309.story

Even though this story is a few months old, it still holds a lot of weight within the Chicago music scene today. The concept of more all ages shows taking place within the city’s many venues is something that is very appealing to some, but not as desirable to others. Club owners obviously want to make more money, therefore more all ages shows are a plus for them. Local and national bands would most likely see this as beneficial too. Many bands have loyal followings that are under the age of twenty-one, which means more revenue coming in and more faces in the crowd. “In the last three years, it seems the scene has gotten a lot better," said Castro. Most of the shows I want to see are all-ages. Part of the reason it's thriving is because of kids doing basement shows themselves." These shows may add life to the scene as well. However, some may see this concept as kind of annoying. If you’ve ever been to a rock show to see your favorite band, you sometimes wonder why there are so many children everywhere. Many fans end up asking themselves whether the band they love is “their band” anymore. Others get quite annoyed by the younger fans, and at more abrasive rock shows, those “old timers” can lash out a bit. One could also question whether this is a trend or not. This issue affects all concert goers.
Prominence: http://www.indierockcafe.com/2008/02/2008-music-fest-news-lollapaloozas-line.html

This blurb may be hearsay more than anything, but it provides the local music enthusiast with some excitement over this year’s possible Lollapalooza line-up. With rumors flying around that Radiohead may be headlining on one of the nights, fans are beginning to become more eager for the official announcement. This is quite relevant to the current Chicago music scene because of the fact that a good number of local artists get to play the festival. It might be interesting to see what the process behind getting a spot on the illustrious bill actually encompasses. What does it take for a local band to get on the bill? Nine Inch Nails is also rumored to headline one of the nights. Rumors about all of these wildly popular bands are making quite the rumble within the local scene. “If the lineup is anything like last year's, there will be more lolla than looza.” As the summer months get closer and closer, more information about the festival and its talent will be revealed; only adding fuel to the fire. This blurb has a lot of potential for the future. An obvious route for showcasing prominence within this subject is focusing in on the bands themselves; finding out what compelled them to do such a festival. The article can connect to a large readership because of its content.

Oddity: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-drumcircles-both-12mar12,0,6381397.story

This story is a little odd and unusual. It is not the typical news story you hear about a nursing home. Chris Lavidas is a local Chicago musician who has played in bands around the area in the past and currently runs his own drumming school out of his parents basement. On this day, he was the “drum circle facilitator” at a Vernon Hills nursing home. About two dozen elderly folks gathered in a circle and were given drumsticks. Together, the group made a collective rhythm. Even though this story is a little odd, it is also kind of heart warming, and has the potential to give the reader a smile. Many residents in the nursing home enjoyed it very much. "It's hard, but we're trying to make our minds work, our legs work, our hands work, and I think this is wonderful," said Alberta Papini, 89, who has lived at Hawthorn Lakes for three years. An exuberant Maryann Bolek, 85, found the exercise challenging for a different reason -- she couldn't stop laughing. "I love it," said Bolek, a resident since May. "I'm glad to see the place get a little bit of pep." This is a lighter story that would work well in between others stories within my chosen subject matter, because it involves elements from the Chicago music scene. This article is also something that an older reader would be more inclined to read, but not limited to an older readership.

Proximity: http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/chicagomusic/835071,newside031108.article

This article places a focus on the current competition in the Chicago music scene. The music festival, Lollapalooza, that takes place in Chicago every summer, apparently steals a little bit of business from Chicago’s music clubs. Bands who sign on to play at the festival are prohibited from playing anywhere within a certain radius of Chicago before the festival takes place. This means club owners lose some business for a third of the year. Joe Shanahan, owner of the Metro, states, “It’s a very different summer now for all of us. I look at those Lolla bills, and I know they’re paying so many of those bands really well. It may not be the career moves that all of them should be making, but I’m not their manager or their agent. I’ll still be standing in the fall, and they’ll come back to work for us then or in the winter. But the shift has definitely been to the other seasons because of this.” This story is all about proximity, and it affects many people both inside and outside of the music scene. Many potential stories can come out of this issue. This is something that all Chicagoans can connect to in some sort of way.


Timeliness: http://chicago.metromix.com/bars-and-clubs/article/clearing-air-on-new/278982/content

This article is perfect for the time being. Large amounts of people have been affected by the decision to band smoking throughout Illinois. Smokers are being inconvenienced and many are choosing to stay home rather than go out. However, at concerts, there is no smoke to cover up the stench of hundreds of sweaty concert goers.
”According to Empty Bottle owner Bruce Finkelman, "I have friends who are hard-core smokers and hard-core music people who have basically told me, 'You will see me for 45 minutes, and then I will leave.' People have told me that they'll just spend more time at home." This is a hot button issue within the concert going scene, and the bar and club scene as well. “Will the air quality be noticeably better? Probably, and your hair and clothing will no longer smell like smoke when you emerge from a show. But there's something else. "I've been to a lot of shows in cities that ban smoking," smoker Tim Edwards says, "and the stale cigarette smell is not great, but it's not much worse -- or in some cases better -- than what a thousand sweaty people sweating out alcohol smells like.” This article reflects timeliness extremely well and has great deal of potential for future articles. The writing style caters to a younger crowd, but the issue is geared towards many. It not only affects the concert going audience,but smokers and non-smokers as well.






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Maniacal Metal Sculptor Adds To The Corgan Machine

Billy Corgan recruits local metal sculptor for stage aesthetics.

Next week, Billy Corgan will be playing the Vic Theatre in support of his new album "TheFutureEmbrace". Along with himself and his solo band, he will be incorporating local metal sculptor Dessa Kirk’s work on stage with him during the performance. Kirk specially made 16 vine like pieces for the show, which will grow from the floor to harness the keyboards, and wrap around Corgan’s microphone and mic stand. The Corgan crew has been touring with the elaborate stage setup since they began the two-month tour, and the group is headed to Chicago for two sold-out shows next week.
The blending of the two artists' work on the same stage seems like a good fit and not just thematically. Corgan and Kirk have actually been fans of each other for quite a while. In the late '90s, Kirk collected Cadillac scraps and welded them into enormous metallic lilies. Corgan saw them at a gallery show. They eventually met years later at Whole Foods and he told her, "Don't ever quit making your work." Kirk believes this happenstance to be kind of profound. "It sounds kind of hokey, but when someone you admire likes your work, you feel like you're doing the right thing."
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Cartoon Metal Band Dethklok Perform Flawlessly at NU

Dethklok destroys Northwestern University. Over 500 strong packed the Ryan Family Auditorium to witness the creators of the fictional television show Metalocalypse and various heavy metal musicians play the music of Dethklok, the stars of the hit television show. As part of the Adult Swim Presents Tour, the band visited 11 different college campuses throughout the West and the Midwest in November with opening act And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead. “Metalocalypse" is a late-night Cartoon Network show focused on the abuses of the heavy metal band Dethklok. The show takes the viewer through days in the lives of Dethklok’s five members. They ended up playing a great show, which was no surprise to the fans. Fan Vanessa Diaz was among the first in line to buy merchandise after the show. "Oh my God, they're amazing," Diaz said. "Whatever they have here, I'm going to buy it." The live band played in near darkness while a large screen of the cartoon figures played behind them. Co-creator and lead singer Brendan Small ended the night by speaking to the crowd in the voice of Nathan Explosion. "It was a pleasure to come to your miserable college and play in the smallest room ever." Read more!

Punch In The Face Dish Out Exactly What They Stand For

Chicago’s Punch In The Face deliver a well-rounded, pummeling first album. Despite their lack of live shows, playing only three in 2007, Punch In The Face display their raw aggression and overall application and expansion of hardcore musical techniques on At War With Everybody. The band conveys a feeling of hostility and angst throughout the record, but expands on those themes through well-crafted songwriting, giving the listener plenty of ear candy to experience through continual listens. The title track really displays this sense of ire and rage through both music and lyrics, while incorporating solid songwriting methods. “In the city/I can’t connect/Surrounded by assholes/With no respect… Keep on pushing me/They keep on pushing me/Keep on pushing me/Everyone’s an enemy.” The lyrics have the capacity to hit home with many, whether you live in a city or not. The hardcore musical formula is preserved on this record through a combination of the four obvious elements: drums, bass, guitar, and vocals. But the difference between this band and other hardcore bands is how they use those instruments. You can hear the emotion in their playing. Punch In The Face will not be touring anytime soon, but “At War With Everybody” is a testament that this band will be going places in the future. Read more!