Untitled

10/13/14

English 1103

Free Write

Me: Good morning everyone, welcome to the show. Today we have several famous guests. We have Michael Azerrad, Thomas Frank, Nitsuh Abebe, Kaya Oakes, and finally Alissa Quart. Lets discuss “indie” culture, mike if you’d like start us off.

Azerrad: Thank you for having me. As I stated in my book, “The indie movemnet was a reclamation of what rock always was”. Rock used to be about connections with your favorite band. With indie, it makes these connections that are made, stronger. As in debuting a new album on MTV, as compared to simply doing it themselves.

Quart: Excuse me but may I interrupt, I must disagree with Mr. Azerrad’s statements. Personally, I believe that indie or indie culture has its roots from their ancestors. It has been created with the ideals of the hippies. Its simple rebellion and anarchy and is meant to be non-conforming.

Abebe: I must agree with Alissa Quart!

Oaks: I feel as if the term “indie”, should be about the ingenuity and will power to do It yourself, just like Mr. Azerrad said.

Frank: Wow, a lot of differing opinions here.

Me: Things seem to be getting heated. Despite the differing consensus here lets keep talking. What types of music represents indie-rock?

Azerrad: I would say one of the best examples would be Nirvana!

Oaks: I’d think of Minutemen, and other bands such as Sonic Youth.

Franks: I see all of this as more of a new breed of rebels. So I would say a good example would be alternative rock.

Abebe: I agree with Oaks on this one!

 Quart:I don’t believe it can be conjured through clothing, but as more of a title. Being the non-mainstream outsider is more identifiable.

Me: Alright, that’s all the time we  have for today, thanks so much!

Abebe: Thanks!

Oaks: Thanks for having me.

  Azerrad: Thanks so much.

Frank: Thank you sir!

Echosmith – Cool Kids

            The video starts with an opening shot of the band themselves. They seem to be well dressed and very serious. This continues to a shot of seven kids, some sitting in desks and some not. They seem to represent the aspect of “not cool” in the video. They consistently do these quick shots where they show a not so “cool” kid and they look very concerned. It’s also showing these “loners” in stances that make them seem closed off or shunned.

            A big aspect that is clearly noticeable throughout the first eighty five percent of the video is that they are trying to establish this aura of uncomfortable. As an example, the next scene is of a kid sitting down on his phone, as kids walking behind him are on their phones as well. They’re trying to project how our youth uses technology to escape from reality and its problems.

            They show in some of the next scenes that those seven kids again all hanging out and talking. Then one of the lines of the verse in the song kind of catches your ear. She says “They’re driving fast cars, but they don’t know where they are going.” It shows how the kids of “hip” culture are not seeing the bigger picture in life.