We started today by looking at the Blog Post Tracker in your Google Drive. It can be found the in Pop Culture 2014 OUT folder.
This was also a reminder to blog and to be consistent in your blogging. If you get behind, it gets difficult to catch up. There has been time in almost every class to blog IF you take advantage of it.
What do I mean by "Connections?" That's reading something online related to pop culture and/or reading someone else's blog post and commenting about it on your blog.
INTRO TO MUSIC MATTERS.
From there we watched this clip from Portlandia featuring Carrie Brownstein.
She's a more important figure to modern music than a lot of folks realize because of her band Sleater-Kinney which was hugely influential in establishing the indie rock scene of the mid-90s. We watched this interview where she discusses the influence of gender on music listening. (Spoiler: She doesn't think it matters too much.)
While Sleater-Kinney weren't a political band in terms of singing about government and laws and such, they were political in that they pushed for DIY over corporate control, were feminists in a way that said "feminism isn't about man-hating; it's about being hardcore rad women -- period." Listen to their stuff. Highly recommended.
MUSIC MATTERS. MUSIC AND POLITICS.
This led us to day one of our music as politics exploration.
We looked at this Music Matters graphic organizer which is also in your Google Drive under Pop Culture 2014 OUT.
We chose Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" as the song to use as a model for the class. This led us to The Roots & John Legend as well as Pharrell and Robin Thicke and what is currently going on in Ferguson, Mo.
This work is due at the end of class on Wednesday. You may work with by yourself, with a partner, or with two partners to complete that work.
You have your first of two major projects for this quarter due this week. (The second is a restaurant project to be introduced next week.) The rubric for the Side A/Side B Soundtrack is available right here and embedded here as well.
Finally, you have a req'd blog post due this week. It is described in the Pop Culture 2014 Blogs link to the right and also here below.
HOMEWORK.
Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd Post:
Week of 10.3
To what extent should music be edited/censored before being broadcast/played in public i.e. on radio, television, sporting events, school?Provide two points of view (at least one paragraph for each):1. Your own.2. That of someone who thinks the opposite of your opinion. Try to see it from their point of view and present an honest version of what that individual would say.
Due: Friday, Oct 3
Complete: A-Side/B-Side Soundtrack Project
Rubric: Here.
Described:
Create: A-Side/B-Side Soundtrack
A-Side Soundtrack of Your Life (4+ Songs)
B-Side Soundtrack for Others (4+ Songs)
A-Side Soundtrack of Your Life
Consider:
- Music that tells the story of who you are and where you have been
- Music that could take the place of your presence
Consider:
- Who is your audience? Be specific. Crystal clear.
- Interview your audience. Empathize.
- Music that serves your audience's needs
- One-paragraph rationale for each of your songs.
- Cover art for each side; be intentional
Due: Friday, Oct 3
In-Class Work for Wednesday: Music Matters: Music and Politics
