The Behrend Beacon I 8
Music meets politics: Is there a connection or
Music has been a successful medium of
conveyance for emotion and opinion for
some time now: made particularly evident
in the 19605. As the time for presidential
decision-making is withering away each
and every day. politics are becoming an
essential part of each person's daily life;
and if they're not. they should be. Many
Bchrend students are experiencing their
first opportunity to give input in this year’s
election, so there's no need to explain why
this is such a hot topic.
Whether you are conscious to it or not.
music can be considered one of the largest
role players in politics each election year.
This could be considered beneficial to citi
zens. or it could also be interpreted as a
destroyer of genuine opinions. Either way.
it is certainly a powerful way to send a
wake up call of reality to the young minds
of America. Dr. Colleen Kelley, a
Communications Professor at Penn State
Behrend. feels that music can play a piv
otal role in the world of politics. “I think
music is a legitimate channel for expres
sion of all kinds of emotions and ideas, and
I think it has as much place in our public
forum arena as any other form of commu
nication." Kelley continued. “And I don't
think it's more influential than any other
mean necessarily, but it certainly is a good
way to connect particularly with younger
people. It always has been since the 605.”
While Kelley's views present a precise
scope on the relationship between music
and politics, some would make the argu
ment that politics should not make any sort
of appearance when going to see a concert
it should be all about the music.
Republican Justin Miller, a marketing
major at Penn State Behrend. strongly feels
this way. “In a concert setting, you’re there
to listen to a band play their music. When
you're paying to go listen to them play,
that's what you want to hear- their music,
not their political views and insights.”
Miller also shared these .thoughts on the
politics’ involvement with music.. “1 don’t
know if it's the best way-to become politi
cally involved because you're going to be
biased to your band's opinion. So. it's
almost like your letting them form an opin
ion for you instead of yourself.”
Many bands across America make their
political concerns well known, via their
My pilgrimage to the Rock
‘N Roll Hall of Fame
By Chris LaFuria
editor-in-chief
esis(K)s(rt psu.edu
Not many people were there when Erie
Clapton played his live, unplugged set.
Only a handful of people saw Boh Dylan at
his typewriter, typing the lyrics to "Like a
Rolling Slone." Only Jim Morrison, his
teacher, and his parents were able to see his
third grade report card.
However. Last summer 1 got an opportu
nity to make a pilgrimage to the place
where not only can you see such artifacts,
but also you can experience them first
hand.
From the 1-90 exit into Cleveland. I saw
the giant, glass, pyramid-like structure that
encases the world of roek and roll.
Walking from my car to the front door, a
thousand things ran through my mind.
“Will 1 get to see everything?" “Can I take
pictures?” "Will I see David Bowie's cos
tume from Labyrinth'?'' Although the
answer to all of these questions was “No,”
the experience was well worth the trip.
On the front steps of the building, I
noticed there was a mysterious, 80s-look
ing black bus. Like any curious music fan,
I walked up to it and was immediately star
struck. On display outside of the Hall was
Johnny Cash’s last tour bus. For only $2
with my admission, I was able to walk on
the same bus that Johnny. June, and John
Jr. rode while on tour. I was immediately
taken to "Walk the Line” and I envisioned
them on the bus at the same time. I heard
Johnny whisper in my ear, in his deep,
gravelly voice, "Don’t take a picture of my
toilet on your cell phone. That’s illegal.”
After the bus I walked with my girlfriend
Emily to embark on a life-changing experi
ence. It’s important to have the right com
pany when at a place such as the Rock Hall.
While she may not know as much about the
annals of music like 1 do, she can recognize
By Ryan P. Gallagher
music editor
rpa.StXMlp' psu.edu
lyrical art, and concert touring. Bruce
Springsteen has recently been a positive
voice for Barack Obama and wrote this on
his website. “Senator Obama, in my view,
is head and shoulders above the rest. He
has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the
resilience to be our next President. He
speaks to the America I've envisioned in
my music for the past 35 years, a generous
nation with a citizenry willing to tackle
nuanced and complex problems, a country
that’s interested in its collective destiny
“Music in the 60s was
actually made by, creat
ed for and consumed
mostly by young peo
ple. It’s changed sub
stantially, but there are
still independent voices
out there that I think are
significant. And I’ve
listened to them, and I
think that’s something
more of us should try to
do.”
- Dr. Colleen Kelley,
Professor of Communications
and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A
place where ‘...nobody crowds you, and
nobody goes it alone, - ” wrote the Boss.
Indeed, music fuels countless American
minds along the lengthy journey to the
national significance of this November.
Music is an ingredient to virtually every
American's life because it is near impossi
ble to escape its presence. It's everywhere
we all know this. Inevitably, we all
become more and more conscious to
what’s being presented through this partic-
names when 1 spot their artifacts. Also, her
amazement made me feel like a rock pro
fessor when I told stories of Simon and
Garfunkel recording the soundtrack for The
Graduate and how Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck
and Jimmy Page were all part of The
Yardbirds before becoming famous gui
tarists.
Everything I could ever imagine and
much more was encased in thin, glass
eases, inches away from my fingertips.
Everything from early Sun Records record
ings of Elvis and Carl Perkins, all the way
to a Vans Warped Tour exhibit, featuring
instruments, clothing and skateboards from
such punk bands as Pennywise, Bad
Religion and MxPx. With all of these arti
facts surrounding me, the trip turned into a
crazy Magic School Bus-like journey into
the core of my most prominent dreams.
Even the exhibits in which I had no prior
interest were life changing. Every year, the
Rock Hall has certain bands or musicians
that are on display. The featured musicians
are portrayed through old albums, photos,
childhood memories, love letters, and
everything that pertains to their lives and
careers. The two bands that were focused
this time were The Doors and The Clash.
In my own opinion, Jim Morrison was too
egotistical to find a place on my rock and
roll guest list. Furthermore The Clash just
didn’t appeal to me. However, it was the
dedication to music that was shown
through the exhibit that actually made them
interesting.
The last thing we watched, after buying
$3 waters and over-priced snack food, was
a video tribute to every Hall of Fame
inductee from the Hall’s inception- every
one from Fats Domino, Elvis Presley and
Hank Williams, to more modem groups
such as U 2, R.E.M. and The Police.
Music has been more than just a hobby to
me. Ever since 1 became a music fan, the
artists, songs and albums that are associat
ed with the industry became my New
at Penn State
Behrend
MUST c
should the two never
meet face to face?
ular form of art. It’s not always about lost
loves and memorable nights- it can also be
about the future of our homeland; the
future of our lives depends upon the deci
sions we collectively make in November.
Democrat Brad Kovalcik, a junior at
Penn State Behrend, feels that a band has
the right to make their views known when
performing a concert, as long as it’s in
moderation. “I don’t think artists preach
ing on stage about their politics ever helps
the show, but I think that if they kind of
limit their selves to maybe just a couple
political jokes it's all right.” Kovalcik then
referred to the controversial comment
Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind made
when they performed at the Junker Center
a couple weeks ago. To inform those that
were not in attendance, he was quoted
telling the audience that the band could not
play their tune “Slow Motion” because
George Bush wouldn't let them. Naturally,
this did not hit on a good level with the
Republicans in attendance.
Whether music provides a positive or
negative political channel, it certainly
gives us, as Americans, a relatable way to
become politically active. Without music,
young Americans most likely would not
actively participate half as much as they do
with the presence of politics in music due
to the fact that music is such an enormous
part of the generation’s culture.
Kelley agrees with this idea and explains
why political music is so significant.
“Music in the 60s was actually made by,
created for and consumed mostly by young
people. It’s changed substantially, but
there are still independent voices out there
that I think are significant. And I've lis
tened to them, and I think that’s something
more of us should try to do.”
What a truly wonderful aspect of free
dom music can present. It creates opportu
nity not only musically, but also on a larg
er scale that represents what each
American strives for in this country.
Whether your views are more liberal or
conservative, you still have to appreciate
the varieties in music that are offered.
Remember to make your voice known
on April 22 for the Pennsylvania Primaries
and remember: music can be more than just
notes on a sheet of paper- it can possess
meaning that could change history forever.
Testament. Before music, I knew I was
missing a spiritual aspect of my life.
The earliest albums I remember owning
are Green Day’s Dookie and Nirvana
Nevermind. The pure motivation and art
behind these albums got me hooked. At
that point I became a fan.
The first artist 1 became thoroughly
involved in was Bob Dylan. My first vinyl
record that I owned was Dylan’s Bringing
It All Back Home. At that point, I became
a disciple.
The first artifact that 1 was drawn to was
the guitar owned by Robbie Robertson of
The Band- the same guitar Robertson used
during “The Last Waltz.” It was similar to
seeing one of Michelangelo’s paintbrush,
Lincoln’s top hat or Columbus’ map. I was
an arm’s length away from the guitar that
brought us such killer guitar riffs as the
ones from “Up On Cripple Creek” and
“The Weight.”
It is important for everyone to have a
hobby. Many people collect model cars.
Others play competitive poker. Still others
go on weekend bike-rides. These activities
cleanse people’s spirits and renew their
lives daily. For me, dropping a needle
down on a Dylan or Cash album is thera
peutic. This is the extent of importance
that is the pilgrimage to the Rock Hall. Not
only can I see for myself the artifacts that
have helped the music industry flourish
and evolve. But I can also pay homage and
respect for the artists, living and deceased
that have changed my life.
Most Islamic people make an annual trip
to Mecca, for their yearly Hajj, the fifth pil
lar. There, they validate their existence to
religion by submitting themselves to God.
Likewise, with my annual trips to the Rock
and Roll Hall of fame, I continue to surren
der my life as just an avid fan of music and
engage in a life of devotion to the men and
women that gave sound to my life.
One man’s view on our
interpretations of the
art known as music
There are infinite perspec
tives on the subject of music.
How do we know who’s
right?
“An art of sound in time that
expresses ideas and emotions in sig
nificant forms through the elements
of rhythm, melody, harmony, and
color.” So I ripped my lead off of a
dictionary; call it uncreative but I’m
going to call it essential. Anyway,
that’s the definition of music accord
ing to the knowledgeable
dictionary.com. Is it good? Well
define good, because when we’re
dealing with music good can be bad
and bad can be magnificent. I’m
labeling that as the essence of the
article and we’re only at the begin
ning folks so let my words lead the
way through a musical journey of
realness.
Often I hear conversations among
friends, colleagues or people I have
never seen in my life. That’s right -1
listen to your conversations, and it's
not because I’m creepy (or am I?), I
just possess a yearning to understand
communication in its entirety, but
most importantly I want to know
everything about music.
When I say that I want to know
everything about music, I am not. in
any way, referring to aquiring the
impossible
It is
good music.
knowledge of every band in the
world, every genre, or defining what
good music is, and that’s because it’s
impossible. I myself have listened to
hundreds of bands throughout almost
every genre of music, while the per
son sitting behind me in this lab may
have listened to another thousand
bands that I do not care for; that’s
because music is subjective and not
one person shares the exact same
feelings about each and every musi
cal group.
In addition to the hundreds of
bands that have graced my ears, with
one of the truest forms of art
throughout history, I have personally
known plenty of groups that never
made it big enough to release an
album through a major or even a suc
cessful independent label. The point
I’m slowly driving towards is that the
amount of music that has been creat
ed in our world exceeds any possibil
ity of grasping music in its entirety.
One day you may think you’re an
elitist of music and the next day an
underground band that has been in
existence for 10 years may play out
of a jukebox in a bar in a complete
state of randomness and your elitist
thoughts and dreams are drowned in
your lager.
There is no way of listening to all
the music in the world. We attend
college or educate students (for the
profs) at one small Penn State cam
pus in one state. That’s just one col
lege in one small city in one state in
one country on one continent in one
world in one universe (I think). That
means that every local band that
helps define your life means nothing
on a larger scale. Sure, to you it
means everything on an intraperson
al level, but to an African culture that
is too far away for my communica
tion based brain to measure, it means
nothing.
Again I’m rambling, but I swear
there’s a cause -1 just haven’t figured
it out yet. I said earlier that it’s
impossible to define good music. To
me, in my own crazy state of mind, I
can define good music. Again it’s
intrapersonal. To me good music is
Elliott Smith, Frank Sinatra,
Friday, May 2, 2008
Is anyone right? The
answer is no.
By Ryan P. Gallagher
music editor
rpgsoo4@psu.edu
Thelonious Monk, Conor Oberst, etc.
- I could literally go on forever, but
that would just bore those of you
who cannot relate to the afore men
tioned artists. That’s why it’s impos
sible to define good music. To you,
the reader, you may classify Van
Halen as good music and you are 100
percent correct. I personally cannot
attest to that statement because in my
mind, I believe that Van Halen is
garbage, just as you may think the
same towards my Sinatra-driven
It’s where one human differs from
the other. It may be due to the cul
ture you were raised in or you could
be considered a music expert by
many and could validate the astound
ing work of Halen to me for an hour,
but you’re still wrong. And it’s
because I’m telling you that you're
wrong. Not because I'm smarter
than you or because I’m a better
musician than you, but because I
simply do not possess the same taste
as you, and that goes both ways. You
can tell me I’m wrong too, there’s
nothing wrong with that and that’s
the beauty of music.
In no way do 1 condone modern
pop radio, but if you like it, then lis
ten to it. It's your own damn loss
and it’s not my problem so I don’t
care. I don't know why I just wrote
that but it’s staying.
An art of sound in time that
expresses ideas and emotions in sig
nificant forms through the elements
of rhythm, melody, harmony, and
color. There, I made you read it
again and you had no way of resist
ing because it came out of nowhere-
I’m a huge jerk. I’m sorry, but I
needed for you to read it again.
Music can reflect society, but society
cannot reflect music. Music is
music; it’s not what the big name
record companies blow it up to be. I
don’t care about the realities of mod-
ern music companies because they’re
garbage and it’s not an accurate
depiction of what music was created
to be. Music in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s
(not to mention music from earlier
centuries) - society didn’t have to
deal with the bullshit because the
music was much more real back then.
It was real artists conveying real
meaning to real people. Pop music
now is just an excuse for money
that’s pretty much it (with a few
minor exceptions that I won’t get into
at the moment because the article is
already way too long).
So please don’t tell me that Conor
Oberst is a whining drunken fool and
provide a follow-up response that
consists of stating the brilliance of
Metallica because it’s a hopeless
cause. It ultimately means nothing to
me because I don’t relate. If rap is
your coffee at an AA meeting, so be
it. If heavy metal is what you eat for
every meal of the day then good for
you. If jazz is the only respectable
form of music in your mind then
that’s just fine. But don’t tell me
what good music is and live the rest
of your life thinking that you’re right,
because to me, you’re wrong. Each
individual is granted their own opin
ion if subjectivity lies in the field. So
take advantage of it because it’s one
of the finest individual virtues that
exist. Thanks and keep reading.
to define