What Happened to Music?

Do you remember when a band consisted of about four people, each one playing an instrument, playing music that they wanted to play, and could actually play their music? Those were the good days. But now, one doesn't even need talent in order to be in a band, have a record label, and be a famous millionaire.  

With all this "new technology", auto-tuning has basically been turned into a necessity for almost every singer, band, musician, and group there is. A band used to be a group of people who could grab some guitars and a set of drums and play a whole show for their fans. Fans who were there to listen to their music, not to see what outfit the singer was wearing, or what crazy thing the guitarist was going to do this time.

Today, things are different. Think of your favourite band from when you were, say, 11 years old. Why did you like that band so much? Was it because the music related to you, or because the music was so catchy that it was annoyingly stuck in your head 24/7? Would you want to see them live because it would mean the world to you to be in the same building as your musical hero, or because you wanted to see if they did something crazy and stupid? Hopefully your answers to these questions were the first options provided.

It seems music has evolved into, not the sound of the band, but the image of the band. If the band doesn't "look the part", then they are nothing anymore. I never thought that they way that a musician looks or dresses has anything to do with how good the music sounds! Now ask yourself, is this really how you want music to be? It's your decision.

Music and Identity

There's no harm in music, correct? Everyone who said yes, well I'm sorry to say, but you are quite wrong. In todays society, music is everywhere. Restaurants, school, the beach, and all over the internet. People listen to music everyday, whether it's on the radio, in gym class, or just as something to keep them from getting bored.

                The music people choose to listen to is the type of music that can change them as a person. Studies have shown that people who listen to classical music have a higher grade point average than someone who listens to something such as rap or rock.

                Also, more aggressive music, like rap, metal, rock, et cetera, can affect how a person acts in public. Lyrics like in the song Justt Don't Give A F*ck by Eminem suggest that people should just, well, not give a f*ck.

Please excuse the Language

So when you see me on your block with two glocks

Screaming Fuck The World like Tupac

I just don't give a fuck!!

Talking that shit behind my back, dirty mackin

Telling your boys that I'm on crack

I just don't give a fuck!!

So put my tape back on the rack

Go run and tell your friends my shit is wack

I just don't give a fuck!!

But see me on the street and duck

Cause you gon' get stuck, stoned, and snuffed

Cause I just don't give a fuck!!

          Telling teenagers and younger/older audiences that this is how a celebrity lives his life, will most likely cause them to react and try to do the same. This is not good!

                Whatever music someone listens to may also cause them, not only to act differently, but to dress differently, talk differently, be friends with different people, etc. For instance: if someone listens to mainly country music, they may dress in "country-style" clothing like plaid shirts, blue jeans, possibly a pair of cowboy boots and a noticable belt buckle. They may also try to talk using the language that country singers and bands use, their type of lingo. And, not saying this is all true, friends can also be chosen by the type of music they listen to. What is one of the first questions that comes up in a conversation with a complete stranger? "What type of music do you listen to?" If you are a big fan of indie rock, and the person you are talking to says they are really into r&b, while you hate r&b, are you really going to want to hang out with them ALL the time? Most people would say "It doesn't matter what type of music they listen to, it's all about their personality."

                But let's be serious. Would you ACTUALLY want to hang around with someone who absolutely detests your favourite genre of music? My guess is, probably not. People are basically shaped by their favourite type of music, whether it's rap, reggae, rock, metal, screamo, country, punk, r&b,  pop, hip hop, techno, you name it! Everyone is changed by the music they listen to, we don't really have a choice. 

How Does the Media and the Messages Brought to Us Affect of "Identity"?

The media is everywhere. On television, internet, magazines, even in schools and on the streets. Almost everywhere you look, there is something being advertised in one way or another. These advertisements send out messages to people that strongly affect our "identity" or who we are/will become. Now how does this happen? 

                Companies have targetted a certain group of people for their products. For instance, a clothing company such as American Eagle or Hollister would target teenagers, therefore, they need to think of a way to sell their products to these teenagers. In order to do this, they send out advertisements of teens wearing (or not wearing) their line of clothing.

One may also be affected by the prices of the product. They may feel like they fit in better if they have a more expensive brand than the cheap Walmart clothes, and since they wear these more expensive clothes, they now fit in with the rest of the teenage population.

This can change a person's identity because once someone sees these images and these advertisements,  they may feel they need to have the product, or they need to change so they can be like the person in the ad.

Making Chemistry With Dentyne Ice

Before you read this, please take 33 seconds from your day to watch the video posted above. I don't know about other people, but I personally find this commercial very offensive.

First of all, I'd like to point out that this commercial is supposed to be advertising gum, but in the commercial, it portrays a girl. This girl seems to be looking for her perfect match, and where does she go to do this? A club, in the middle of the night! Before she even gets inside, she is scoping out guys, showing their personal traits from what she observes in the 3 seconds she looks at them. Of course, this is how one finds true love, right?

Not only does she find her "Mr. Right", but she completely ignores this guy, who just so happens to be the one for her, and goes for "Mr. Right Now" implying that she is a complete and utter slut, who would rather flaunt herself in front of a guy who she will probably only be with for one night.

Now let me ask you this question: If you wanted to impress a guy, would your first thought be to pop a piece of gum in to your mouth? And if you were a guy, would that be what you would want to see from a girl trying to impress you? My guess is probaby not.

This commercial, which is supposed to be advertising their brand of gum, switches what gum should be –giving one fresh breath or something to chew on- to, what other than, sex. Because it seems that all marketing companies think everyone wants to see sexual advertisements for gum on their television every day. 

So Many Days

So many days have passed. So many laughs.  So many cries. So, so many days. But not a single day has passed that the thought of you has not crossed my mind.  

 I write this as I sit here, curled up in your sweater, wondering, knowing that you are reading every word that I type. You are here with me, but I cannot see you. You are now just alive in my memory. In my imagination.

                I worry about you sometimes. Up there. Not alone, but yet so lonely. What have you thought about through these many, many days? The same as I, perhaps? Only you know, but maybe you don't. I will never know.

                Are you still here with me? In the minds of many, you are. But I know. I know that you are never here for long. Short visits, sometimes. But never forever. I know you better than the many who think differently than I. I know where you are, all the time.

                Are you proud of me? This is the question that haunts my every move. Will you approve? I can never be sure. You don't approve of much unless it has anything to do with your interests, dated back to 19—who knows when? I try, I really do, but I never know if you approve. I want to tell you so many things but I can't make up the nerve to do it. You already know. I don't have to tell you because you already know.

                So many days, so many accomplishments. I know you know. But there's still so much to tell. So many things I wish to share. So, so many things. These things are sometimes good, but that's not always the case.

                I try to live by you. By what you have done, what you have taught me. But I cannot remember. Sometimes I lie, but I lie so well that I believe these lies about you. I know there's so much shame in this but sometimes I just can't help myself. I feel like these lies bring back memories of you, though they never happened. I just don't want to forget.

                So many days have passed. So many laughs. So many cries. So, so many days. But not a single day has passed that the thought of you has not crossed my mind. 

How My Father Changed My Life

Before you read, I'd like to start off by saying that this is an essay I wrote for grade 10 Enlgish class. The topic was "Who/what has made the biggest influence on your life?". I read this in front of the class the day my father died, probably around the same time ambulance and police crews were arriving to try and save him. That is just something to think about while reading. 

     There are a lot of people that I could write this speech about. Too many really. So before I started writing, I had to ask myself: “What has made the biggest impact in my life, and who caused this impact to happen?” After little contemplation, I came to my conclusion. I am grateful, above all, that my father, Rick Hanley, is here in my life. He has truly changed me to be who I am today.

     Along with many memories, I came across a quote that may help me and many others through life. “Don’t judge people… you don’t know their life.” If everybody obeyed this quote, I find that life would be much better. Everyone gets judged by people who don’t know their lives… including me. I haven’t told many people the life that I’ve lived, how I’ve changed since grade 8. So I decided that now is the time to share.

     Throughout the summer of 2008 my dad was getting these strange feelings. He described these feelings as his head “spinning”, not understanding what people are saying, everything being a blur, and not being able to pick out words. These feelings came to my dad often. Finally, on October 27, 2008, the day of my brothers 10^th birthday, he couldn’t handle these feelings any longer, my father decided to go to the hospital.

     The next day, he came home, sat me and my brother down, and told us the news that would change my life forever. My father had a brain tumor. Most people think that it’s sad, devastating… but I was only 12. I didn’t think of the possible damages that could happen to him. I thought that it would go away, that it was no big deal. But as I grew older my knowledge increased and I now know the outcome.

     My dad lost his license, lost his job, and lost most of his life. Because of the change in his life, mine was bound to change as well. It was unpreventable. My life was changed in a matter of days. I couldn’t make plans. If dad wasn’t feeling good, my plans disappeared and I stayed home to help him out. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.

     The tumor kept growing and never shrinking, so finally my dad had no choice but to get surgery. So on June 28^th 2010, he was off to London where I would not see him for another week. The surgery was a success, though they could not obtain the whole tumor. But after the surgery, I was there beside him, every other day, despite my plans. My dad turned out alright afterwards, only to thrust lessons upon me.

     Through him I learned to live on the edge and take life as it comes to me. He taught me a lot these past three years, and hopefully theres more to come. He has changed my life to who you all know me to be today. So overall, I am grateful, that my father, Rick Hanley, is here in my life. He has changed my life for the best.

                                                   ~Richard Hanley, March 7, 1961-

                                                                 April 28, 2011~

Night

Having fun at the party,
The fire burning high,
we had a few good memories,
but it's time to say goodbye.

It's beginning to get late,
The dark is coming soon,
so i whip out my flashlight,
now to see the moon.

I get into my car,
begin to drive away,
the stars in the sky remind me,
of the end of this beautiful day.

Finally I hop into bed,
and look out at the twilight.
But before i go to sleep,
I turn on my nightlight.

Goodnight!