The above picture is a link to an article in which Vampire Weekend responds (and confirms) the "Africanisms" in their music. They also answer the Graceland parallels. (Sorry, Dr. Vaneman!) If you're not familiar with their music, stop reading NOW and go. Your life is incomplete.
[Stuff Two.]
In my first blog I mentioned in passing Kanye West's song, "Love Lockdown" on his album 808s & Heartbreak. The first video below is the music video for the song. I encourage you to listen more than watch due to scantily clad tribal women I mentioned in class... I tried to find a good video of the VMA performance which had drummers behind him, but couldn't... The second video is his interview on Conan where he credits takei drums as inspiration.
He begins talking about his career around 5:40, his music around 7:05 and the drums around 8:00 just before he does an awkward segue on how he needs to use the restroom... Oh, Kanye...
[Point Three.]
The other day fellow YouTubers and self-proclaimed "Internetainers" (Internet + Entertainers) uploaded their full documentary they assembled a few years back on their search for their first grade teacher that brought them together. Titled "Looking for Miss Locklear" they abandoned all use of internet and phone, using only people to try to locate her. This leads them to a Lumbee Indian pow wow in North Carolina. I was going to link to the actual film, but YouTube has put a restriction that now you have to pay to rent it. Instead here is a clip from a Lumbee pow wow that I enjoyed:
[Sidenotes.]
"You can make an instrument out of that?" I have two fellow YouTubers who have also stretched the limitations of that statement. This first clip is an attractive British guy our age (Charlie McDonnell) who we can all grow to love. He's not a trained musician per se, but he has become famous worldwide through YouTube and makes a living off of YouTube and his music. He has a series called "Challenge Charlie" and was challenged to make a song using only items around his house that weren't standard instruments. This witty, catchy song is the result:
The other day fellow YouTubers and self-proclaimed "Internetainers" (Internet + Entertainers) uploaded their full documentary they assembled a few years back on their search for their first grade teacher that brought them together. Titled "Looking for Miss Locklear" they abandoned all use of internet and phone, using only people to try to locate her. This leads them to a Lumbee Indian pow wow in North Carolina. I was going to link to the actual film, but YouTube has put a restriction that now you have to pay to rent it. Instead here is a clip from a Lumbee pow wow that I enjoyed:
[Sidenotes.]
"You can make an instrument out of that?" I have two fellow YouTubers who have also stretched the limitations of that statement. This first clip is an attractive British guy our age (Charlie McDonnell) who we can all grow to love. He's not a trained musician per se, but he has become famous worldwide through YouTube and makes a living off of YouTube and his music. He has a series called "Challenge Charlie" and was challenged to make a song using only items around his house that weren't standard instruments. This witty, catchy song is the result:
The next video is from YouTuber, Michael Aranda, who I actually chat with time to time. As a part of the Ford Fiesta Movement he was given a Ford Fiesta for a period of time and in turn had to make videos featuring it. Most likely inspired by the Julian Smith Jeep video that Dr. Vaneman posted last year, here's his video. The horn is autotuned, but beyond that... everything's produced by the car. I LOVE it. & of course the Beethoven salute doesn't hurt either.
Hope you enjoy! :D
8 cah.mints:
Hey Maggie! I noticed the same thing when Kanye West's "Love Lockdown" came out. My friends and I joked that it sounded like a tribal dance before we saw the music video and sure enough, it is kinda. I also thought that the "song about love" was really neat and I think you should do something like that on one of your videos :)
I like how you used American pop music that incorporates the concepts that we've been learning in class. I especially like the Kanye video (although I still prefer that he stick to rapping and not sing as much) because of the contrasts: all the white and clean lines and the tribal drumming and clothing create a unique image.
Thanks, Maggie--these are fun. I do have to admit, Charlie is absolutely adorable! And the Kanye video is rather interesting as well, especially in the contrasts mentioned above by Emily. Oh, and I do like that the "Beethoven" moment in the ad was apparently incited by a whack in the head.
I am not a Kanye West fan, but it is neat that he was inspired by takei drums. I wish you had been able to find a quality video of the live performance! I am also astounded by the musical abilities of Charlie McDonnell. He more than succeeded at that challenge. I am amazed at how he weaved everything together. Where do you find videos like this?
@Emma.] Buy me an editing program that could hand it, and I'm on it. =P
@Emily.] Bah, don't call that singing. Auto-tune. Auto-tune. Auto-tune.
@Dr. V.] Yes. & yes. :D
@Meagan.] I really wish I could have found a good recording too, the drummers were so intense. & it comes with the YouTube territory, it's an amazing, amazing community when you get right down to it. Capable of a lot. =]
-Maggie.
Vampire Weekend: I will admit, I'm not a fan of their music (I prefer my rock anywhere from a bit more to as aggresive, hard and heavy as it gets - just me, though) but boy, my youngest brother sure is...and bands like them. I remember when he got their first CD: he would play it in a player that we had in our kitchen all the time. Oddly enough, the song that I could (and still can) not forget was "One (Blake's Got a New Face)". I had no idea that they were drawing from African influences; I just found it unusual and kind of annoying (not the African influence part; that's great, just the song as a whole...and now you want to kill me). I'm glad to know that musicians of the popular genre are drawing influences from cultures outside their own. On another note, I am also a Conan O'Brien fan.
@Jason.] As far as choosing an annoying song goes, "One (Blake's Got a New Face)" would be the one I'd choose. Diss them beyond that (as you have to a lesser degree) and only then would we ever have a debate. Oh, & both Dr. Vs are fans of Vampire Weekend. =]
-Maggie.
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