POP CULTURE
THE 1960S IN ATLANTA
The 60s were a time of hippies and rock and roll. Young people assembled at the local record store and could be found at various concerts at night. The Bird made sure it kept its readers in the loop, reviewing new rock albums and advertising upcoming concerts. This mix of business and pleasure is something that sets the newspaper apart from other underground publishings. Included in this issue are articles reporting on the music scene in Atlanta: "Concrete Music" and "Atlanta Rock Riff."
CONCRETE MUSIC
d.b. and s.b.
With the recent acceptance of electronic music in mainstream productions, “Concrete Music” aimed to give a background to the development of the unique type of music. Concrete music is described as “not ‘pure’ electronic music but rather the manipulation of natural sounds on tape.” (Page 10) On the other hand, electronic music is produced exclusively by electronic means. The creation of electronic music can be traced back to the 1880s in France. This was a time of substantial change, as is seen in each of the periods where electronic music makes a comeback. As electronic music became accepted across the world, it became recognized as “the music of the hope of the future.” (Page 10)
The inclusion of pieces related to music and pop culture is one of the defining features of the Bird that helps set it apart. In “Concrete Music,” it seems as though the authors are attempting to draw a connection between the popular types of music and the current events. By stating that electronic music is the music of hope, it gives the readers a sense of optimism towards the tough issues that are being discussed in other parts of the newspaper.
ATLANTA ROCK RIFF
david baker
david moscovitz
bill fibben
This section of the paper reviews music concerts. This month featured a review of a rock benefit show. The report was mostly negative, saying that the players focused too much on the musical equipment and not the sounds being produced. The reviewers were also disappointed in the lack of the culturally southern sound of blues in the music, saying, “I thought Georgia had this great musical and cultural thing and country and western. You didn’t hear anything from country and western tonight. No Southern blues either, it was all English blues.” (Page 11) The trio of reviewers said that only one band was able to save their evening, and they encouraged their readers to go to their show on the upcoming weekend.
The tone of the review is informal. The authors use swear words and talk in the first person, which has the effect of building a more personal connection with the audience. The reporters are also very opinionated and seem to have a lot of knowledge about the different types of musical equipment that are used and their effect on the listeners. Their analysis of the equipment, as well as the comparison to other artists, gives the writers a sense of credibility that earns the trust of the audience in their musical analysis.
