Interview/article openings:

• Mojo: 'Combining art school sensibilities and musical inability, Wire rejected punk's pub-rock posturings for driving minimalism, fewer chords and no guitar solos. With the reissure of their first three masterpieces, Kieth Cameron meets the eloquent gentlemen behind the steely battleplan.'


• Mojo: 'Relocated from LA to Rome, Morrissey has made the most passionate album of his career. "I now feel there's some joy to be had in life," he tells a shcoked Andrew Male. portraits by Andy Fallon.'


• Mojo interview: 'ake that, myth-making hacks! In your face, miserly record labels! The big man of celtic soul has returned. "I don't have a hero," growls Van Morrison... "Batman, maybe".


• Uncut- 'BABY HE WAS BORN TO RUN': 'Raised a few miles from Asbury Park and a few blocks from E Street, BRIAN FALLON, is Springsteen's latest, feistiest and best-qualified heir apparent. In 2009, Fallon's band THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM became rumbustious, show-stealing international phenomenon, beloved even by The Boss himself. Not bad for a tattooed punk kid whose 2mother fed me Born To Run with my Cheerios"...'


• Uncut- 'Tender is the Nyro': With her sophisicated , soulful lullabies of Broadways, LAURA NYRO was an incongruous figure at the late-'60s hippy love-in. Eventually, though, she would be acclaimed as the first of a passionate new breed of singer-songwriters, Forty years after her landmark New Your Tendaberry album, Uncut salutes the Gotham loner with a voice, according to Rickie Lee Jones, like "Pure Emotion".'


• Uncut- 'Ben Marshall meets Florence & The Machine': 'The biggest new British act of 2009. Florence Welch is a "fussy little English girl", apparently...'


• Classic Rock- 'Ever Meet Hendrix?': 'he played with Hendrix, toured with Muddy Waters, got tips from BB King and befriended the Stones. Clapton checked him out in Cream Days , Kid Rock had him play on his album, he's a long-time fan of Ministry... and he won the Marshall '11' award at this year's Classic Rock Roll of Honour. He is Billy Giboons, and these are some of his stories.'


• Q- 'The Cheek': 'Suffolk rockers. Sharp suites, disastrously tattoed.'


• Q- 'Lisa Mitchell': 'Machine washable folk-popstrel. Wary of coins.'


• Q- 'Marina & The Diamonds': 'Half-greek, half-welsh singer. Not your typical pop star.'


• Q- 'Lily Allen': 'At decade's end {The Wild Child} is busied by impending gobal meltdown, her carbon footprint... Oh, and her new Land Rover.'


• Q- 'Florence & The Machine': 'Before that Brit Award, {The Chanteuse} could be found pondering whether to have fish or beef with her Smirnoff Ice.'

Photo analysis

This is a very striking page due to the very few colours brought out in masses. The main focus is on her hair, bringing out her personality and this contrast with the black and white of her clothes and the background. Her positioning on the right makes it almost as if she is leaning on the text and provides a nice frame for the text of the contents page. She is quite striking with her eyes connecting with the viewers from just under her fringe. I really like the contrasting effects here and with probably experiment with this later on.

When first seeing this page, I found it quite weird and didn't like it, but after looking at it some more, I find it quite clever. It is almost as if one image has been reflected onto the other page, but really, they are two separate images. I really like how the attention is drawn to the colours, green and pink, which are very strange, yet seem to fit with the title of the page, rather than the attention oging straight to the people in it. The subjects are in black and white and look very washed out compared to the colours and their positioning in the top third has provided space for the text to be positioned.

This was probably one of my favourite photos. The colours are very subtle, but bright and are brought out by the colour of the graphology and text. The subject seem very friendly, innoccent and delicate due to her positioning. Her skin tone and hair colour contrast with the paler colours that surroung her and make her stand out more. This photo has become the main focus of the page and the sunlight that is being cast down on her makes it much more intriguing. Lighting is really important in images and this caught the element of summer and carefree atmosphere.

This image uses soft colours and looks quite desaturated, making it quite calm. The large object becomes the focus, whilst subtle focus is drawn to the subject resting against it in a contrasting colour. The page is linked together by colour and the photo really becomes the focus of the page. The long shot provides a full view of the subject and object and puts the objects into proportion in the frame.

This bright photo is quite different to most of the others I have looked at. It is extended across two pages and becomes the main feature of it. There is an element of character and curioisity brought out from the different coloured chairs lined up and their innoccences contrasts with her attitude and position, suggesting punk rock and rebellion. The blue background is quite subtle and allows the colours of the chairs to be exaggerated and emphasised. The figuure is placed on the left hand side, slightly towards the top of the page (leaving a small gap to bring out her boots) and this balances with the text on the opposite side.

This image is a longshot, the contrast between the black coat and white wings drawing attention to the wings first and makes the viewer wonder why they are there. They are positioned in the centre of the frame, which is very common, and the blackness and the style of the coat contrasts with the idea of angels as well as in colours and tones.

This image is quite subtle. The black is dominant in the image, surrounding his face and blending into the background, thus the grey areas of his face are emphasised. The black and white image brings out the details in his features and shows his age with the wrinkles and beard, bringing out an element of his character. The eye contact and close up shot makes it quite personal and intriguing.

In this image, the subject isn't looking at the camera, and it is intriguing to the viewer to where he is looking. The character of this subject is brought out with the tattoos on his arms (which have been placed just below the centre of the frame, and across the width, bringing attention to them) and also by the peeling wood in the background, suggesting a rougher personalitly. The white top provides a nice canvas for the background, his facial hair and the tattoos to stand out. He is positioned in the centre of the frame and the image is a mid shot of his body.

This photo is also a long shot and uses the rule of thirds to position the figure in the right third of the frame. The background is in less focus than the foreground and an aged look is given through the almost dull colours and urban railings that she rests upon. The paleness of her skin contrasts with the black of her dress and the railings, which really draws attention to her. It has a quite contemplating atmosphere due to her position and creates a very calm page. The red and green of her skirt is brought out in the text on the opposite page and black and white photos are used on the following pages to emphasise the age of time period of this artist.

This is quite a striking image as there is a harsh contrast between the black and white. The masthead fits in with these colours, but the white of his shirt is almost overpowering but balances with the blackness at the top of the photo. The greyness of his face contrasts with the extreme black at the top and extreme white at the bottom and attention is drawn here as it is in the middle. This is quite a close, mid shot and seems quite powerful, due to the personal closeness.

This image is less overpowering as it is a long/mid shot. Against the blue background, his tan and black shirt/hair stands out and makes him seem more in the foreground. He is positioned in the centre of the frame and his arms cross just below the centre (also just under the main coverline) which provides a nice break in the black of his top. His facial expression isn't unfriendly but his stance suggests power and masculinity.

Double Page Spread analysis

Here I am looking at the different double page spreads in Mojo, Uncut and Q and analysing what has been used and the effect it gives.

This was my favourite double page to look at as it si just so colourful and positive. These pages use the image as the strong focal point of the page. The fonts matches the colours and is quite relevent to the artist and the writing is interesting, complex and informative. Her personality is shown through well here. The pull quotes are in the same font as the title, so they stand out, link back. There are too many fonts though, only 2 or 3 on first page and a few more on second due to the added sidebar on the right. This is a nice feature as it provides exra information that may not be entirely relevant to the article. It uses the title font to make the first letter of certain paragraphs, making them stand out and structure the text well.

The image spreads across two pages here, a very dakr one with only the lights and their faces being in focus. There is a small intodution and review at the bottom right of the spread and is very informative and snappy. The whole page is artistic and is clevel considering it is based heavly on the image.

This is a very different and quirky double page. The green and pink contrast with each other as well as with the black and white of the figures and benches. The text boxes reuse these colours, keeping the theme and these colours fit in with the title 'Tense. Nervous. Headache' which spreads across the two pages. The majority of the page is on the first one, making it seem very busy, and is emphasised by the moving effect of the title.

The title on this page is very bold, striking and colloquial in tone. The image is also striking and brings out his personality through the tattoos and stance. There is little writing on this page but is continues over onto another double page. It is quite simple with only red, white and black, but makes it seem quite traditional. The image is details, making the page busy, as does the varying sized title.

This includes a really striking and captivating image that takes up the whole of the secnd page. The first page is centered and uses pull colours from the image to present the pull quotes. I really like the use of the black and white photos, as this gives the effect of aging and the past. The text has been split into 3 colunms, keeping it organised and neat. The title use a combination of her name and her personality and is quite clever.

Contents page analysis

Mojo:

Colour scheme: grey, black, red and gold. Focuses on colour in the one image to the right. Black writing contrasts and shows up well on grey/white background. Red numbers, for features and regulars and caption of quote.

Images: One strong image to the right, as if leaning on the writing. Focus on her hair, controls the page. Mid\long shot of body. Collection of photos on the left of second page. Contributors and descriptions at bottom on page.

Text: Quote from main article. Always include regulars/features/cover as sub-headings. Detailed summary of articles/pages.

Q:

Colour scheme: red, silver, black and white- classics, red on white for text, easier to read, black for coverlines etc.

Images: few images, accompany article/review, Q banner at top- repeats masthead- familiarity.

Text: lots of text- special addition- lots of summaries, colloquial language- main stories on the right- regulars/features etc.

Uncut:

Images:black and white, dominates page, on right, page number in top left corner, age, interest for those who enjoy articles about older artists. Group pic, lots going on in frame.

Colour scheme: red, black and white- greyscale photo- age. Red box= eyecatching- draws more attention in the busy sidebar.

Text: Regulars/features/cover stories, contents large across the top. No large repeat of masthead. Text along left side- narrow.

Front cover analysis

Mojo:

Colour scheme:

• Blues, reds, white, black and silver are used in this issue. Provides a calm and relaxing atmosphere but the snaps of red make it quite bold and add an element of masculinity.
  
• They are cool and calm colours and this makes the page not too busy.
  

Font:

• There are 6-7 different fonts, but they are quite similar, meaning the page isn’t too cluttered or busy.
  
• The cases change within some of the fonts, using capitals and block colours with thick letters whilst others are straight and narrow. This provides variety and makes it aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.
  
• Colours used here are white on red (a bold contrast), red boxes with silver/white borders (again contrast) and silver lining the white writing (making the white less harsh against other colours).
  

Layout:

• Uses the left third but balances with the right. Uses left for more popular coverlines and the main coverline in the centre with the name of the band. This coverline is bigger and bolder, making it stand out and become the centre of attention along with the main image.
  
• Top of page- Free CD! Bold and eye-catching, plug. This is positioned on the left (left third- catches eye on shelf). Regular banner at top of page with small, square photo in right corner.
• Text is positioned around the image in the centre. Barcode is bottom right. Some boxes are angled (red) but usually straight text boxes for coverlines.

Photos:

• Main image is central, brings focus to itself. Positioned on a straight angle, face on. It is a mid-long shot of the musician. Face partially covers the masthead (popular status in mag industry). Photo is against plain blue background, keeps it simple. Light to dark fade, top to bottom, draws eyes downwards, across the page.

• The smaller photo of the face is the only other image, similar colour scheme but the box is tilted in the corner, close up of face.
  

Masthead:

• It has a bold font, curved, less serious, ‘hippie’ feel aged feel to it. 1960s? It is partially covered by image- shows confidence of the magazine.
• Hints it is for older readers, classic font.
• Name- Mojo, catchy, popular in the 60s ‘got my Mojo’ etc. Two syllables.

Uncut:

Colour scheme:

• Black white and red- classic colours, sophisticated black and white photo. Pops of red make it less boring- draw attention to specific parts eg a certain band 'Animal Collective' or 'Laura Nyro' and 'Free CD!'
  

Layout:

• Organised. Uses left third but it balances with right.
• Central CD- probably placed facing outwards on shelf.
  
• Text frames the face of the model.
• 'Free CD!' plug at top with masthead- slightly covering- confidence.
  

Photos:

• Classic image, aged, black and white brings out details.
• Close up- personal and intimate- eye contact with viewer.
• Magazine for older readers? Older musician on front...
• Only one photo- central.
  

Fonts:

• Regular, straight font, not too fancy- classic, timeless.
• Uses larger fonts for date '2009' emphasis on this.
  

Tone:

• Colloquial- 'Indie Rock Rising!' - alliteration etc.
• Informative
  

Masthead:

• Sharp, pointed font, curved lines. Classic and old. Timeless.
  
• Black and white/shadow to create depth.
• Partially covered with plug.
• Goes over the head of the main image.
  

Webistes

Last.fm was very helpful in discovering a genre for my magazine. I wanted it to be one I would know and enjoy writing about. As you can create a library of music, I looked through my own to discover some electro, female vocal and indie artists. Many of these artists overlap and create many different styled songs and these were the ones that I felt could create a really interesting, new magazine.

I had originally leant towards the alternative, indie mags such as Q and NME, but Mojo's intersting, new artists and range of music inspired my search to look for some lesss known artists. Today is a time where the internet can decifer your future, and you don't need a record label to get your sounds heard and your popularity to increase.

Myspace is the number one place for new inspired artists. They are able to create their own pages, publicise their name and style and add their own music for users to hear. It was really interesting to read how they advertise themselves and how they communicate online with one another. It seems like a great place to start a musical career and I may include this later in my production. The idea of independent artists is one that I think my magazine will be about as this is a new and interesting idea that I could run with.

Dafont.com is an amazing website for fonts and I have collected many from there for my magazine in both my preliminary task and this one. By collecting samples of the fonts, you can get feedback on which other people could suggest and reccomend.

Research - Genres

I've been looking at different genres of music magazines and found a website that recommends different magazines in the UK, gives a summary and the general price. IT was really useful for finding the different genres and showing some of the top magazines on the UK shelves.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts-music-publications-music-magazines.htm

I have complied a selection of magazines from a few genres to see the options that I have in ceating my own. Genres can be of a style of music, an audience (those who listen to a type of music but would also watch this type of film and want to know about such and such news) or similar to computer magazines, help on playing music, eg guitars or piano, and items that you may want or need.

Genres:
Alternative\indie
Drum\bass
R&B
Jazz
Heavy Metal
Rock
Top Charts
Classical music
Classics
World Music
Mixture of music
Music genre paired with movies

Though within these genres of music, many more can be found. For example, in rock, the following genres can be found:
Brit-pop
Grunge
Post-grunge
Pop rock
Indie rock
Punk rock
Christian rock
Soft/hard rock
Heavy metal
Psychedelic rock
Folk rock
Blues rock
Garage rock
Rock and Roll

It is clear that many magazines don't stick loyally to one genre of music. Though they may be of a similar style, there are a few anomalies. I felt that my magazine should be broader rather than specific, as there are so many overlapping genres and so many bands with new and different styles, I wouldn't want to limit the amount of interesting content the magazine could hold.

Here, I have looked at the different styles and genres of magazines availiable in a rock/indie/alternative style and briefly looked at their covers. Click to full view.

AS Coursework - Foundation Portfolio

Having finished the Prelim task, we are starting on our Foundation Portfolio. I have chosen to create a Music Magazine. I will be researching the different genres, styles, conventions, and content of different magazines and applying the knowledge to the creation of my own mag.

We have around 6 weeks (plus time for evaluating) to complete this task, so lets hope it all goes well!