Mind Map of Rock Genre

History of Rolling Stones through the years

Rolling Stone is a magazine published every two weeks that focuses on politics,popular culture and music.
Throughout the years Rolling stone has covered many current affairs and controversial stories to the public, ranging from the nude shoot of John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the 1980's to the Boston Bombing in 2013.

Its first publication is dated to November 9 1967, the front cover featuring John Lennon in a still from "How i won the War"

in its first few years and publication the rolling stones was not a well known magazine, however because it was introduced in the time of pop culture and controversy it gave the magazine a kickstarter in the new developing world of media and pop-culture.

Since then the magazine continued to cover controversial and pop culture stories, notably the nude photo shoot of John Lennon and Yoko Ono by Annie Leibovitz in 1980 before he was killed.

Furthermore, Rolling stone magazine and since kept its consistency of covering controversial and popular stories to carry on entertaining the audience, notably the introduction of artists like Lady Gaga who have arguably perpetuated the whole meaning of pop-culture 

Not to mention recently in 2013 controversy has been on the uprise with the introduction of artists like Miley Cyrus, particularly as her road to controversy was somewhat unexpected, however Rolling stone have covered her story as well as her music influence. 

Through the decades Rolling Stone magazine has certainly kept up to date with current affairs and artists, expressing the whole meaning of pop culture as it was when the magazine was first published in the 1960's

Group Work analysing double page spread

Group classwork of analysing double page spreads 

There seems to be a consistent theme through each double page spread that the band picture is that of them in mid performance. Furthermore the amount of text that is featured is not that much thus not over encumbering the reader with information.

Double-page Spread design

This is a design plan for my double page spread, i already have the article written, all i need to do now is to add it to design.

Representation of Men/Women in metalcore and other genres

Representation of men/women in metal core

The representation of men and women in the genre of metal core, I believe, cannot be represented in one specific way. Each individual has their own way of presenting him or herself and should not adhere to the representation given to them. For example a member of a metal core band can dress as any other individual, they do not have to dress in a gothic fashion to just adhere to the genre itself. Each genre is much more than just a music and fashion statement.

The representation of women in the metal core genre all follow the same similar pattern of a gothic nature, this is contrary to my above statement, however these women have chosen to portray themselves the way they have. For example lead singer of evanescence, Amy Lee has adhered to the main representation of metal core band by dressing in a gothic nature.

Another example of this representation would be “within Temptation” Lead singer Sharon den Adel also follows the same pattern further perpetuating the representation of females in the metal core genre 

However males in the metal core genre do not particularly follow this representation, as can be seen with killswicth engage. This is contrary to the representation put on by females in the metal core genre.

 In contrary other genres do not necessarily have a representation, for example J-pop female Singer “YUI” has no particular accolades, which defines a representation.

However with the influx of J-pop there seems to be a representation of “Mecha or Fantasy” this can be seen with famous J-rock band GACKT

It seems that with the advancement in media technology certain genres can explore further into their genre and try different approaches. This can be seen with English J-pop singer “Beckii Cruel” whom has adapted to the “kawaii” or “cute” Japanese representation

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Music magazines in shops

This task required me to go into a news-agents or shop that sold a range of magazines and take a picture of the layout of the magazines and analyse the choice positioning

It seems that children and lifestyle magazines are at the bottom of the rack. the positions of the children's magazine maybe due to the fact that it will be easily accessible for the children, whereas the lifestyle magainze are not popular hence why they placed at the bottom. The more popular magazines are situated at the mid/top of the rack, with their big titles and vibrant colours it is obvious that these magazines are often purchased and are in constant use. Furthermore amongst the mens magazines and adult magazine there a few music magazines, they are situated in the middle of the rack and are somewhat not easily noticeable, customers that are looking specifically for the music magazines will notice them, however customers that are looking for any magazine may find it hard to notice the music magazines.

Brief history of three institutions

UMG

Universal Music Group (UMG) is an American-based, French-owned multinational music corporation. It currently operates as a subsidiary of Paris-based media conglomerate Vivendi. UMG also owns Universal Music Publishing Group, which is the second largest music publishing company in the world. Universal Music Group's headquarters are located in Santa Monica, California

Universal Music was once the music company attached to film studio Universal Pictures. Its origins go back to the formation of the American branch of Decca Records in 1934.

With the 2004 acquisition of Universal Studios by General Electric and merging with GE's NBC, Universal Music Group was cast under separate management from the film studio. In February 2006, the label became 100% owned by French media conglomerate Vivendi SA when Vivendi purchased the last 20% from Matsushita, the group's sole owner from 1990 to 1995 and co-owner from 1995 to 2006. On June 25, 2007, Vivendi completed its €1.63 billion ($2.4 billion) purchase of BMG Music Publishing

WMG

Warner Music Group (WMG) also known as Warner Music is an American major global record company headquartered in New York City. The largest American-owned music conglomerate worldwide, it is one of the 'big three' recording companies (the third largest in the global music industry). The company operates some of the largest and most successful recording labels in the world, including its flagship labels Warner Bros. Records, Parlophone Records and Atlantic Records. WMG also owns Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world's largest music-publishing companies.

Formerly owned by Time Warner, the world's largest media conglomerate, the company was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange until May 2011, when it announced its privatization and sale to Access Industries, which was completed in July 2011. WMG employs in excess of 4,000 people and has operations in more than 50 countries throughout the world.

Warner music group dates back as afar as 1811 when the new Chappell & co open for business in Bond street, London, selling sheet music and various musical instruments. With the time-lapse of a century, Warner bros. studios purchases rights to the vita phone allowing them to synchronize music and effects to silent film in 1925.

           

Sony

Founded in Tokyo in 1946, Sony was . Engineer Masaru Ibuka and physicist Akio Morita invested the equivalent of Yen 190,000 to start a company with just 20 employees.

On May 7, 1946, Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation), also known as Totsuko, was established in Tokyo. The new company had no machinery and little scientific equipment. 

In the crippled post-war Japanese economy Ibuka and Morita made their living repairing radios and manufacturing small numbers of voltmeters whilst looking to develop a future in designing and manufacturing new electronics.

Ibuka and Morita were global thinkers. They realised the need for a global brand which crossed cultural and language borders in order to expand the business in the US and later Europe.

Although the name of the company was not officially changed to Sony Corporation until 1958, the first Sony branded product was the TR-55 transistor radio which went on sale in 1955.

This was shortly followed by Sony’s world first "pocketable" transistor radio.

Today Sony UK employs around 4,500 people in functions including Manufacturing, Sales and Marketing. Sony’s UK Headquarters are located at Brooklands, near Weybridge, in Surrey

Mary Mcflo to leave Damned Nation? - Second Draft

Mary Mcflo to leave Damned Nation?

It was announced - to the dismay of many fans - that Damned Nations's  Vocalist Mary Mcflo will be leaving Damned Nation. Mcflo, who was the vocalist of Damned Nation for twelve years, spoke about her departure and revealed some of the reasons behind it.  "Well, I guess I will shed a little light without going too deep,"

"As some of you may know, I've had a pretty interesting few years to say the least battling with some personal problems. One of the low points being diagnosed with a Bipolar that went unchecked for years. The rest of the band stuck with me through it, and to be honest they are the ones that kept me going. The whole experience definitely put a scare in me. Finding out you are Bipolar is pretty dramatic. I just started feeling weird, and then I started getting really clumsy. I collapsed at one point and was in a coma for three days. Afterwards, they told me I had a 50/50 chance of coming out with brain damage. Recently we've all been in work mode but somehow I couldn't get motivated about the new album and all that would follow with it. The guys saw it before I did. In hindsight I now realize that my heart wasn't in it. I have had an amazing decade with Damned Nation. I love the band for hanging in there and standing by me no matter how bad it was. I have so many good memories, and those are the ones that I will keep." "Will I be involved in music again? Most probably, I have been in bands for a little over half my life, can't stop now. I bid ye farewell. Till next time"

It is unclear what direction the band will now take, however there have been rumors that the band is currently holding interviews for a new Vocalist. 

Mary is currently working with Bed of Roses.

It’s pretty hard to imagine Damned Nation without Mary's soaring vocals over the likes of ‘This is our end’, but that’s the reality we now face.

The immediate reaction fans of the band will feel is one of disappointment. The reality of it is that a lot of good can come of Mcflo's exclusion. Sometimes removing a fundamental source of you group can allow a band to grow in ways they maybe otherwise couldn’t, and there is no question that Damned Nations well known attributes was Mary's amazing singing. Furthermore it will be a tough job for the new Vocalist to adhere to songs like “From now until then"and "Stand as one” and still give it justice.

 I really do believe that Damned Nation have a much more exciting future ahead of them now than what they did before Mcflos’s departure was announced. We now know that what Damned Nation produce in the future will be new. The fact Mary is so irreplaceable seems like the bands Achilles heel right now, but any real fan of Damned Nation will give the band time to show that they are still the same great band they were before.

Mary Mcflo to leave Damned Nation? - First Draft

Mary Mcflo to leave Damned Nation?

It was announced - to the dismay of many fans - that Damned Nations's  Vocalist Mary Mcflo will be leaving Damned Nation. Mcflo, who was the vocalist of Damned Nation for twelve years, spoke about her departure and revealed some of the reasons behind it.  "Well, I guess I will she'd a little light without going too deep,"

"As some of you may know, I've had a pretty interesting few years to say the least battling with some personal problems. One of the low points being diagnosed with a Bipolar that went unchecked for years. The rest of the band stuck with me through it, and to be honest they are the ones that kept me going. The whole experience definitely put a scare in me. Finding out you are Bipolar is pretty dramatic. I just started feeling weird, and then I started getting really clumsy. I collapsed at one point and was in a coma for three days. Afterwards, they told me I had a 50/50 chance of coming out with brain damage. Recently we've all been in work mode but somehow I couldn't get motivated about the new album and all that would follow with it. The guys saw it before I did. In hindsight I now realize that my heart wasn't in it. I have had an amazing decade with Damned Nation. I love the band for hanging in there and standing by me no matter how bad it was. I have so many good memories, and those are the ones that I will keep." "Will I be involved in music again? Most probably, I have been in bands for a little over half my life, can't stop now. I bid ye farewell. Till next time"

It is unclear what direction the band will now take, however there have been rumors that the band is currently holding interviews for a new Vocalist.