Thursday 9 December 2010

Email Interview

1. So as a Coldplay tribute band, you must get a variety of different fans, how's it feel to know that you can perform songs known to everyone across the country?

It's a great feeling, you get to experience great audience contribution - singing along and great appreciation to us.
2. How long has the band been together?

We've been going for about a year now
3. Can you remember your first gig, how did you feel?

We were ready for it - alot of work went into rehearsing - nerves are always there but we felt prepared and excited.

4. Where did you all meet, and how old where you when you decided to form the band?

We all work together in various different musical projects, we came together through a mutual appreciation of Coldplays music and thought it would be great to perform their songs and celebrate the success they have had over the last ten years.

5. As a band, what is your favourite memory?

So far - performing in Holland, we were treated like superstars and got to perform to a huge crowd in a theatre.

6. Do you spend all your time together or do you have separate lives off the stage?

We all have very separate lives from the band - we all hold down jobs and have families.

7. What’s the most outrageous thing you've ever done on stage?

Unfortunately I don't think we have done anything that could be classed as outrageous.
8. Do you have a favourite venue to play at?

Well theatres are always good because of the ambience and the freedom to put on a proper show as close as we can get it to the real thing.
9. Have you ever had any crazy fans?
Not as of yet!!


10. Do you get to decide what you wear for your gigs, or do you have a stylist?

We had costumes made - the same as the ones they wore on their viva la vida tour

11. How would you describe your genre?

They're classed as alternative soft rock

12. What is your opinion on talent competitions like x factor?

They do give opportunities for the ordinary person to get noticed, but they do seem a little pre-arranged.

13. How do you promote yourself as a band, do you tweet?


We use all social networking sites, mainly Twitter, Facebook and Myspace.


14. Does your home environment affect you as a band?

We may not be able to rehears as much as we would like to - but not really no. 15. Have you ever had any bad experiences on stage?
Not yet - Fingers crossed!
16. How long do you hope to be together as a band?

For as long as we get enquiries to perform. 17. Do you receive fan mail? If so have you received anything outrageous?

We don't really - as we're a not the real thing, so if we did then it might be a bit strange.

18. What type of jobs do you all have?

We are all fulltime professional musicians
19. Why didn't you become an original band, instead of being a tribute band?
We do have an original band also - called The People Involved

20. Why did you choose to be a tribute towards Coldplay in relation to any other bands?
I kept being told I look like Chris Martin so I sang a few songs, realised we have a similar vocal range and that was it really!!

21. Where is the band based?

We're based in Staffordshire

22. who’s the most demanding on tour?

No one really - we all have our requirements, but we're pretty much self sufficient - we don’t rely on someone to provide us with anything that we can't provide ourselves.

23. Have any of you seen Coldplay live, how many times?

I have seen them at least half a dozen times - not sure about the rest of the band - I don't think they have seen them perform live apart from on the telly!!

24. Would you not prefer to write original music, if so why haven't you?
Yep - I do write original, but we haven’t been as lucky as Coldplay!! You really do have to be in the right time at the right place!
25. Would you like to do this full time?

Well we're building up our reputation as a professional Coldplay tribute and we're getting more and more gigs - there are other tributes to Coldplay but we feel they are bands that play Coldplay songs as opposed to putting on a proper full show and re creating the whole live experience.

 
26. What other tribute bands do you know of?

Kings Ov Leon - we know them personally as they are from the same area - these guys are superb! Other Coldplay tributes are bands like Coldplace, Viva La Coldplay, Coolplay, Coldplated

27. Are you in it for the money or the passion?

Both - as it is our job we would be silly to do it for just passion, we have bills to pay just like everyone else and it is equally as rewarding!

Tuesday 16 November 2010

Article Research

For my interview I will be interviewing Coldplayer, meaning that I will have to come up with a series of questions to complete the interview. For my article research I am going to take the questions from Q magazine on Elvis Costello. There is a small introduction telling you about the artist and his background. The introduction flatters him by saying that he looks young for this age. The questions which were asked were sent in via email or message. The interview was based on what the fans wanted to hear.
The interview contains a main image, a drop quote. There are 5 separate images as well as the main image.
 

The questions that were asked were:


  • "Long as constable's truncheon". "enjoying the lay of the land", "try to jump you're borderd"; the lyrics of your new album, National Ransom, are littered with double entendres. Have you been indulging in your inner Carry On... film?








  • What do you miss about England, and what's the worst thing about living abroad?








  • As a rock star, it must have been easy getting other rock stars to guest on your TV chat show Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...?








  • There might be a vacancy for a "music and chat" show host at the BBC, now that Jonathon Ross has been let go. Do you fancy giving it a go?








  • Spectacular Spinning Songbook A good idea that got the audience going, or a disaster.








  • Your appearance on Frasier in 2003, where you talked in a cockney accent and sang Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport. What was with the Dick Van Dyke accent?Do you ever get the urge to dance the way you did in the video for [1980 Top 5 single] I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down? Because I love it...








  • My ex-wife used to call Almost Blue "sad git music". But I loved it. Who was right?








  • Was there anything that you really wanted to ask Bill Clinton when he was a guest on Spectacle, but couldn't, because, well, he's Bill Clinton?








  • You wrote a whole album, 1993's Now Ain't The Time For Your Tears, for Transvision Vamp's Wendy James. When was the last time you saw her?








  • What was more embarresing: your appearance on The Simpsons in 2002 or US sitcom Two And A Half Men in 2004?








  • Do you have fond memories of the demon heckler from your Brodsky Quartet gigat Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in 2009?








  • You've been known to queue outside record shops on the day albums are released. Are you saddened by the way music is all digital now?







  • I understand you're a big Ray Charles fan. So what's your favourite song by the great man?








  • I was upset and disappointed by your decision to cancel your recent shows in Israel [Costello called off two summer concerts in Caesarea in protest over Israeli treatment of Palestinian civilians]. Have you anything more to say to this?








  • What do you think of the film Napoleon Dynamite borrowing your pseudonym [Costello used the Napoleon Dynamite alias during teh mis- '80s]?








  • You've made too many albums. Which is your best one?








  • My parents named me after the song Alison. Does it bother you that your fans do this kind of thing or does it flatter you?








  • What's the worst thing you've ever done that you wouldn't want anyone to know about?







  • I now need to decide what questions I will be asking the band. For my interview I will be asking questions based on how the band formed, how long they've been together, how they feel during performances. The questions that I will be asking the band members are:

    1. So as a Coldplay tribute band, you must get a variety of different fans, how's it feel to know that you can perform songs known to everyone across the country?

    2. How long has the band been together?

    3. Can you remember your first gig, how did you feel?

    4. Where did you all meet, and how old where you when you decided to form the band?

    5. As a band, what is your favourite memory?

    6. Do you spend all your time together or do you have separate lives off the stage?

    7. Whats the most outrageous thing you've ever done on stage?

    8. Do you have a favourite venue to play at?

    9. Have you ever had any crazy fans?

    10. Do you get to decide what you wear for your gigs, or do you have a stylist?

    11. If you could present a television programme which one would it be?

    12. How would you describe your genre?

    13. What is your opinion on talent competitions like x factor?

    14. How do you promote yourself as a band, do you tweet?

    15. What are your opinion on self picked bands by producers?

    16. Does your home environment affect you as a band?

    17. Have you ever had any bad experiences on stage?

    18. How long do you hope to be together as a band?

    19. Do you receive fan mail? If so have you received anything outrageous?


    20. What type of jobs do you all have?


    21. Why didn't you become an original band instead of being a tribute band?


    22.Why did you chose to be a tribute band towards coldplay in relation to any other bands?


    23. Where is the band based?

    24. Whose the most demanding on tour?

    25. Have any of you see coldplay live, how many times?



    26. Would you not prefer to write original music, if so why haven't you?


    27. Would you like to this full time?


    28. What other tribute bands do you know of?


    29. Are you in it for the money or the passion?

    The link below shows an interview with The Killers discussing their music after they won an NME award in 2008.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhdPyxyJWKw

    The link below shows an interview with Air Traffic talking about their type of music and how they made it successful.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CszFocKj14

    Wednesday 10 November 2010

    Images

    These are the images that I took. I intend on using one of these for my front cover. Not all of these images are the right type of angle for the front cover which is why I took a variety of different images using different angles, props and locations.










    Friday 5 November 2010

    Planning Production

    FRONT COVER IMAGE(s):
    For my front cover image it will be a photograph of the band Coldplayer, performing at one of their gigs, the band will be using their instruments, the photograph will be a long shot of the band.

    COVERLINES:
      • Interview with: Coldplayer
      • Newest upcoming act
      • Get merchandise for your favourite artist
      • New music TV programme
      • Bon Jovi's last tour
      • Check out the new arena!
      • The story behind Artic Monkeys 
      • An insight into Radio 1
      • Exclusive Radioactive - Kings of Leon

    IMAGES: An image of band merchandise e.g. t-shirt, hoody, a logo for a new tv programme, 

    ARTICLE: For my double page spread article, I will write an interview with Coldplayer, the interview is taking place online and I plan to get a series of images of the band members, having one page with a separate image for each band member. 


    FRONT COVER SKETCH

    The title - swell will be in Britannic Bold font.
    'Said by you, heard by you' - positioning statement - Britannic Bold
    The main image will be of the band performing and will take up the whole of the front cover


    CONTENTS PAGE SKETCH




    DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD SKETCH




    Contents Page Analysis

    Wednesday 3 November 2010

    Publication Plan

    TITLE: WIRE
    POSITIONING STATEMENT: 'said by you, heard by you'
    FREQUENCY OF PUBLICATION: Monthly
    PRICE: £3.00
    DISTRIBUTION: Newsagents, corner shops, supermarkets, music stores


    RATIONALE: The purpose of the magazine is to give people a better insight into the world of music, it offers a variety of different things such as posters, articles. the magazine is built on what the viewers want to see, it offers different opinions and contains information on music an concerts, information based of different subjects is not relevant therefore it will not be featured in the magazine.


    STYLE: The magazine will use humerus language and has a quirky era to it. The magazine is mainly for people interested in this genre of music and will use both simple and complex vocabulary. The magazine and articles will use proper English and spellings. The paragraphs will vary in size depending on the contents.


    Images that will be featured in the magazine will be relevant to the content and articles.


    REGULAR CONTENT
    • Best songs of the month
    • Concert reviews
    • Subscribe
    • Requests
    • Latest tours
    • Have your say
    • Top 10 most downloaded


    FEATURE CONTENT
    • Interview with: Florence Welch
    • Newest upcoming act
    • Get merchandise for your favourite artist
    • New TV programme
    • Bon Jovi's last tour
    • Check out the new arena!
    • The story behind Artic Monkeys 
    • An insight into Radio 1
    • Exclusive Radioactive - Kings of Leon
    HOUSE STYLES
      COVERLINES: Arial Black and Arial

      HEADLINES: Eras Demi ITC (bold)

      STANDFIRST: Eras Demi ITC 14pt. Byline to be included in standfirst.

      CAPTIONS: Eras Demi ITC 8pt.

      FEATURES IN FIRST PARAGRAPH: Drop capital Eras Demi ITC,

      NEWS FIRST TWO PARAGRAPHS: first word in capitals

      BODY TEXT: Times New Roman 11pt

      COLOUR SCHEME:  Grey, Yellow, Green, Blue

      Saturday 30 October 2010

      Friday 29 October 2010

      Questionnaire Results

      Below there are a series of graphs showing the data which i collected for the different questions which were asked throughout my questionnaire.

      This graph shows the results for the first question of my questionnaire, the results show that there was an equal number of males to females who carried out the questionnaire.

      The second question which I asked was which colour scheme would they most like to see on the magazine, the most popular answer was red so I chose to have a red colour scheme throughout my magazine.


      For this question I asked what magazines they frequently purchase, the most popular magazine which was bought on a regular basis was Look magazine.

      In this question I asked how much they would be willing to spend on a magazine, the most popular answer was £5.00, but as I thought that not everyone would buy it for that price, I chose to sell my magazine for £3.00 as it was a more reasonable price.


      This question asks


      Questionnaire

      Questionnaire

      1.
             
      Are you:

      Male                 Female          Rather not say

      2.
             Age:
               ________

      3.
             Who is your favourite band/artist?
      _________________________________________________________________________

      4.
             What is your favourite colour?
      _________________________________________________________________________

      5.
             What magazines do you frequently buy?
      _________________________________________________________________________

      6.
             If you were to buy a magazine, how much would you spend on it?
      _________________________________________________________________________
        7.       How often to you buy magazines?
      Daily                      Weekly                                 Monthly               Hardly Ever 

      8.
             What three words would you associate with an indie magazine?
      _______________
      _______________
      _______________


      9.       What are your likes and dislikes about music magazines?
      Likes
      Dislikes
















           10.
         If you were to make an indie magazine what would you call it?
      _________________________________________________________________________

      11.
         Which type of image would you put on the cover?
      Long Shot of Artist
      Close Up of Artist 
      Mid-Shot of Artist

      12.
         If you could chose a feature article on a band, who would you chose?
      _________________________________________________________________________




      Sunday 17 October 2010

      Codes and Conventions of a double Page Spread

      All magazine double page spreads must have:

      • heading
      • font size
      • drop cap
      • drop quote
      • strap line
      • byline
      • main image
      • stand first
      • column
      A heading is - the title of the text usually spread across the top of the page

      The size of the font is normally between 9-12

      A drop cap is when the first letter of the text is bigger than the rest of the article text

      A drop quote is when a quote from the article is placed in a larger font on the page

      A strap line is a short bit of text at the top of the page

      The byline is where the name of the interviewer and the photographer is written in small text

      The main image links directly to the content of the text

      The stand first sums up the article with a darker background and a larger font

      Most articles are usually structured in columns