There are very few people who can honestly say they don’t like to listen to music. No matter what type of music you like, the availability of the internet means you can buy or listen to the music that fits your style. There are so many web sites that have music links or musical downloads that you can listen to.
Those people who like cultural selections from Brazil, for example can type in the word Brazil dance or Brazil music in the YouTube search field and watch many pieces that fit that category. You can choose Indian music if you prefer or music from almost any culture in the world, you can find examples on the internet. It’s interesting to see how dance and music sequences are treated in various cultures.
Some pieces of music you listen to are hard to enjoy without wanting to dance. Some of the joyous Irish pieces for example would be hard to listen to and remain in a melancholy mood. Still one wonders how there can be so much energy during the music and dance known as Celtic or Irish.
Straight instrumental music is popular in many cultures. You can listen to everything from symphonies to classical guitar music. On the lighter side, there are music pieces that feature one man bands or novelty instruments such as the kazoo. At the other end of the spectrum is the big bands and rock and roll groups.
Music is used not only for entertainment, but has been shown to have physical and psychological impact on a person as well. Music in a minor key, for example will often sound sad or mournful, while some chords are almost a signature sound for various rock groups. Because different musical scales are used by different cultures, you can often feel a different atmosphere or personality reflected when you listen to music from China as compared to music from Ireland.
Whatever your country of origin or whatever type of music you prefer to listen to, you can now
Do you Look Good on the Dance Floor? Indie-rock Musicians Initiate a Revolution in Men’s Fashion
The clothes worn by musicians have always sent shockwaves through the fashion industry, helping to stimulate trends that have gone down in history. Today, things are no different. It’s no secret that guitar music has leapt into the charts of late, and that over the last few years, indie-rock groups have become a mainstay in the local media. In fact, music magazines like the NME have been flying off the shelves with the newfound popularity of these bands. However, just as their music has become increasingly ingrained in the mainstream, so too have their fashion trends. From Alex Kapranos, Franz Ferdinand’s front man, to Pete Doherty, indie music has hit the fashion industry hard in recent years – and to good effect.
The idea of popular music artists starting fashion trends is not an alien one; indeed, it is a phenomenon that has gripped our society for decades. During the 1960s in the heyday of The Beatles, many men would wear their hair long, inspired by the style of the Liverpudlian songsters. Similarly, in the 1980s, Michael Jackson’s legendary red zipper jacket – made famous in music videos for Beat It and Thriller – was all the rage, with both men and women donning the fashion item. These clothes helped spark the fashion sense of many generations, as people took inspiration from their favourite musicians in order to create their own look and define the fashion atmosphere of an era.
Today, a variety of modern musicians have helped engender new trends in men’s fashion. Modern rockers Kasabian for example, are featured in the 150th anniversary ad campaign for British fashion label, Burberry. Moreover, Pete Doherty’s relationship with British supermodel Kate Moss has made him a staple figure not just in the mainstream press but in the fashion world as well. Indie rave and electro acts, such as The Klaxons and Brazilian scenesters CSS, have also had a significant impact on musical fashion, with The Klaxon’s bright neon t-shirts and jeans engendering a new generation of cool.
Music and fashion have become so intertwined that the NME’s annual music awards have even incorporated the category of ‘Best Dressed Artist’ in their annual NME Awards Show, this year held on March 1st at Hammersmith Palais. The category is sponsored by Topman, a popular fashion retailer who continue to lead the way in men’s clothes and men’s fashion. Last year’s nominees included Pete Doherty, Alex Kapranos, The Killers’ Brandon Flowers, Liam Gallagher and the eventual winner, Ricky Wilson from the Kaiser Chiefs. The proliferation of indie-rock figures here clearly indicates the influence of such artists in the men’s fashion industry today – a trend which is sure to continue into the future.
Martin McAllister is an online freelance journalist. He lives in Scotland.
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This type of guitar is normally played with a plectrum, and represents a transition from acoustic to electric guitar, because the guitar itself has some acoustic property although nowadays it is normally amplified. Although a component of the rhythm section of early jazz groups where its distinctive “chunk” sound would cut through and be heard without amplification, this guitar was also used extensively for melody and solo work, an example being the work of great players such as Django Reinhardt.
Distinguishing features include the violin-like f-holes which replace the circular sound hole of the traditional guitar. Often jazz guitars are larger in size than classical or acoustic guitars,and they usually have arched tops and backs, like a violin. This is said to improve their sound projection. Pickups are now built into the guitar, as are volume and tone controls.
The pioneering guitarist Les Paul was a technical as well as musical wizard. He is famous for multitrack recorded performances, and his developments on the instrument itself led to the extensive use of solidbody guitars with no innate acoustic resonance. Used for chords and lead in contemporary rock groups, the solid-body guitar has no sound until it is plugged into an amplifier. The electronic sound from pickups is processed in inventive ways for special effects, including deliberate distortion. The result is a new creation that has a fingerboard and strings but acoustically shares little with the traditional guitar.
