Start with the interviews with collaborators. Pharrell Williams is particularly articulate. He explains the global appeal of Daft Punk who have suddenly become huge, appealing to audiences around the world. No pun on their breakthrough hit which had a brilliant video directed by Michel Gondry intended. Williams feels that the music appeals to all ages and touches something elemental like all the great songs. 'This is for the globe'. He says it is beyond 3D its 4D, 'its in your mind.' You could say great music touches people and argue the case for music bringing people together. He uses the analogy of the heartbeat and how these robots have tapped into the essenece of humanity. A good way to sell records if you know which buttons to press. Get Lucky is one of those songs that hit you when you hear them for the first time and will be the big summer hit. It is released in time for summer so it will be the soundtrack to our holidays. It is retro and there is something for everyone. Williams says it is mid 70's early 80's and then given a modern electronica twist. He explains the appeal of something retro in 2013 as being made cool for a 'different universe, a different dimension'. The fragmentation of culture means that, 'nothing is in the box anymore' or no orthodoxy can be accepted without irony in a post-modern world. This song is a celebration of humanity and its appeal is that it will bring people together. I can imagine it being huge at festivals and on holidays which goes to the heart of what music is about.
The theme could be taken as being about getting lucky one night but more probably something more heartwarming about love at first sight or sharing with someone. All those elemental aspects of a great pop song, love reminiscence, nostalgia are there. Williams points to the heartbeat being the centre of the song as if the robots are getting to the essence of humanity. Music as the great unifier.
Williams says, 'people lost respect for the groove...everything is so synthetic...its just missing the gut'. You could compare this to X-Factor type artists who are manufactured. The theme of the soul of music being lost to corporate capitalism and branding can be discussed through this text.
Look at other collaborators such as Nile Rodgers, legendary rhythm and blues guitarist and producer. This could lead to an exploration of the history of music as a global force. Check out the history of the blues and track its evolution for an amazing trip.
Look at the other music videos for Daft Punk and see how they collaborate with artists in a range of mediums. Directors have made their names through innovative Daft Punk videos like 'Around the World.' Discover others and see how the director's career has developed.
Look at the distribution of the single and album and how it is defying those who signal the downfall of the music industry. From radio to cassetes and onto illegal downloading the deathknell has sounded many times. The industry develops new ways to retain control and ultimately make money for the artist and the companies involved. Those who innovate and look forward like Apple with I-tunes win. While those like Myspace who don't recognise the signs until too late become intrigiung footnotes in history. Radio airplay is important for a song like this as it is so catchy. The music charts are still relevant in marketing the single and the album also. No longer as integral to success, the chart position still creates a news story and a buzz. The other key marketing tool to look as is the use of social media. Someone may post a link to the video ' I got my groove back' and its gone viral with friends who want to see what the fuss is about. This is the real genius of marketing where audiences are passing it on by their own free will.
How have the band and the record company, Columbia Records, restricted access to the album in the internet age? This has been interesting as the buzz around the album has made it the 'must have' media artefact of the week. Look at sites like Spotify and ITunes to see how the single promotes the album and whets the appetite of the audience.
Finally, back to the robots. You could compare them to the artists you have studied as they have created personas in a different way or one coud say from a different dimension. This time adding an enigmatic code. Who are they and where are they from? Of course its all branding but its fun and post-modern. Maybe even make a comment about this being a clever way of critiquing the celebrity driven madness of pop music. Either that or look at the genre of electronic music and compare them to influential bands such as Kraftwerk, German techno pioneers who are rather faceless teutons behind a row of synthesiser yet sell out the Tate Modern in minutes with their enigmatic shows. Maybe they are reclusive and not too keen to get caught up with industry demands to promote oneself, preferring the music to be the focus. You decide and enjoy the groove and have a celebratory dance as the nice robots have decided to stay!
No comments:
Post a Comment