Welcome Guide 2014 BA (Hons) Music Journalism 2 Contents www.ucreative.ac.uk
A welcome from your Course Team 3
Admin contact 4
Pre-arrival 5
Reading list 5
Films 10
Course costs 17
Student checklist 18
Front cover image of Ben Howard by Braden Fletcher. This page: Muse by Braden Fletcher 3 from your Course Team www.ucreative.ac.uk
Dear Student,
Welcome to BA (Hons) Music Journalism. In this Wishing you all the best for the summer break and pack you will find all the information you need to looking forward to welcoming you in September. help you settle in to your studies at UCA Epsom Best regards this September. Your course team You are joining a course which will provide you with the skills and knowledge to find employment in all areas of the music and lifestyle media.
As a Music Journalism student, you will benefit from numerous facilities, including two dedicated studios with Macs and colour and black and white printing facilities, a photographic studio, and a media store containing video cameras, stills cameras and laptops which you can borrow.
In your first year you will be given an introduction to music journalism, explore media analysis, cover music history, learn about visual and popular culture since 1900, practice online writing and interviewing, and become familiar with broadcast media. 4 Admin contact www.ucreative.ac.uk If you have any queries please contact:
Jackie Forrest Campus Registry Email: [email protected] Tel: 01372 202460
An answer phone service is available on the above line for any out of hour’s enquiries. 5 Pre-arrival www.ucreative.ac.uk
Reading List
The lists below are books and films that will be • Bangs, Lester (2003), Mainlines, Blood Feasts useful to you throughout your degree and will help and Bad Taste: A Lester Bangs Reader, London: you gain essential critical and cultural awareness Serpent’s Tail needed for this course. It will be useful if you have This tome compiles 54 of his pieces, including read and seen a few of the items from the lists several that are previously unpublished. It contains before enrolment, and to continue to engage with excerpts from autobiographical work Bangs wrote these books, films and places throughout your as a teenager, as well as cultural rants and rages. studies at UCA. • Cohn, Nik (2004), Awopbopaloobop Music-specific writing Alopbamboom: Pop from the Beginning, • Bangs, Lester (2001), Psychotic Reactions and London: Pimlico Carburettor Dung (Five Star), London: Serpent’s From Bill Haley to Jimi Hendrix, Cohn’s book is a Tail cogent yet unruly history of the era and the first to Before his death aged 33 in 1982, Lester Bangs really celebrate the language of rock’n’roll. wrote wired, passionate pieces on Barry White, Iggy Pop, The Clash, John Lennon and Lou Reed.
‘What this book demands from a reader is a willingness to accept that the best writer in America could write almost nothing but record reviews’, wrote the book’s editor Greil Marcus. 6 Reading list www.ucreative.ac.uk
• DeRogatis, Jim (2000), Let it Blurt: The Life and • Kent, Nick (2007), The Dark Stuff: Selected Times of Lester..., London: Bloomsbury Writings on Rock Music 1972-1993, London: Faber and Faber Infamous rock critic Lester Bangs, when he sat still long enough, thumped out 16 crackling pages ‘The Dark Stuff is a mighty tome, containing some an hour for the likes of Rolling Stone and Creem. of the best music journalism ever written,’ The His prose was distinctively streetwise, indulgent, Spectator. corrosive and humane, the result of seeing • Kent, Nick (2010), Apathy for the Devil, London: rock’n’roll as an attitude rather than a style. Faber and Faber • Des Barres, Pamela (2005), I’m with the Band: `Not just a biography but a thriller; a high-octane Confessions of a Groupie, London: Helter Skelter chase through a decade’s musical history.’ (NME) The title says it all – memoirs of a hippy groupie • Ogg, Alex (2006), No More Heroes: A Complete who hung out with everyone from Jim Morrison History of UK Punk from 1976 to 1980, London: to Jimmy Page. Faintly trashy but enlightening Cherry Red Records look backstage in the 1960s and 70s. This exhaustive book, based on over 200 • Faithfull, Marianne and David Dalton (1995), interviews with the participants, chronicles not Faithfull, London: Penguin only the good and the great, the icons of the Biography of a 60s icon written with bald honesty punk movement, but also celebrates some of the and a dark sense of humour. fantastic lost bands and music of the era, as well as the cash-ins and artistic failures. 7 Reading list www.ucreative.ac.uk
• Stein, Jean (2000), Edie: American Girl, New York: Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press
The life and death of Warhol’s Factory muse.
• Smith, Patti (2011), Just Kids, London: Bloomsbury
An evocative and atmospheric look back at the singer/poet’s early life and times and her pursuit of art and freedom.
• Sugerman, Danny (1991), Wonderland Avenue: Tales of Glamour and Excess, London: Abacus
At the age of 13, Danny Sugerman went to his first Doors concert. He never looked back. Still in his teens he became manager of the Doors and then Iggy Pop. He also plunged gleefully into the underworld of the rock’n’roll scene, diving headfirst into booze, sex and drugs – in every possible permutation.
• Woronov, Mary (2008), Swimming Underground: My Years in the Warhol Factory, London: Serpent’s Tail
Sam Price 8 Reading list www.ucreative.ac.uk
Seminal books you also should have read
1920s... 1940s...
• Ulysses by James Joyce (1918-20) • Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (1948)
The first ever truly modern novel. A tour de force 1950s... of literary, philosophical and poetic genius. All set • Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955) on one day in Dublin. • The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951) • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) Fleeing his Pennsylvania prep school, Holden A slice of life among the flappers, bright young Caulfield holes up in New York City and rails things and socialites of the 1920s, The Great against adult phoniness while trying to lose his Gatsby is a literary classic, and now a flashy Baz innocence. Lurhmann film.. • On The Road by Jack Kerouac (1951) 1930s... An iconic car journey of abandonment and • Brighton Rock by Graham Greene (1937) hedonism across America, charting the ups • Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1931) and downs of Kerouac and Cassady. The book that launched the Beat Generation and 1960s A brilliantly written satire of the future in which counterculture. society is made to be a machine. A grim and unforgettable read. • Absolute Beginners by Colin MacInnes (1958)
• The Naked Lunch by William Burroughs (1959) 9 Reading list www.ucreative.ac.uk
1960s... 1980s...
• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961) This black • The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe comedy about World War II Army Air Corps (1987) aviators attempting to survive the absurdities 1980s excess goes into overdrive. of military bureaucracy has become a part of the American collective consciousness. • American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991)
• Fear of Flying by Erica Jong (1973) The seminal 1980s excess goes serial killer. 1960s female emancipation book. 1990s/2000s... 1970s... • No More Mr Nice Guy by Keith Altham (1999) • Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas by Hunter S Epsom boy and music PR veteran and journalist Thompson (1971) going back to the early 60s exposes what the • The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer (1970) rock stars of yesteryear and today are really like to work with. Genius. • The White Album by Joan Didion (1979) Collected essays on the 60s. 10 Films www.ucreative.ac.uk
Films to watch…
• 24 Hour Party People (2002) • Almost Famous (2000)
British film about Manchester’s popular music American comedy-drama film written and directed community from 1976 to 1992, and specifically by Cameron Crowe and telling the fictional story about Factory Records. of a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine while covering the rock band Stillwater, • 8 Mile (2002) and his efforts to get his first cover story American hip-hop drama film, directed by Curtis published. The film is semi autobiographical, as Hanson and starring Eminem, Kim Basinger, Crowe himself was a teenage writer for Rolling Brittany Murphy, and Mekhi Phifer. The film is Stone. an account of a young rapper, thought to portray • Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008) Eminem, growing up in poverty-stricken Detroit. Although the movie stars Eminem he says the Canadian heavy metal band trying to make a movie is not a full portrayal of his early life and comeback – not much luck – but loads of heart! start of his rap career. As such, the film is set in • The Blues Brothers (1980) the underground Detroit hip-hop scene in 1995. The Dan Akroyd / John Belushi classic that needs • Access All Areas: A Rock & Roll Odyssey (1990) no introduction. A documentary following rock band Bon Jovi • Blow Up (1966) on their successful New Jersey Syndicate Tour between 1988 and 1990. It contains live, Definitive look at swinging sixties as fashion backstage, and candid footage of the band, photographer gets caught up in murder mystery. soundtracked with their music. 11 Films www.ucreative.ac.uk
• Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980) • The Doors (1991)
American biographical film which tells the story of Biopic about the 1960s-1970s rock band of the country music performer Loretta Lynn. same name which emphasizes the life of its lead singer, Jim Morrison. It was directed by Oliver • The Commitments (1987) Stone, and stars Val Kilmer as Morrison. Tells of unemployed Dubliners who form a soul • Dreamgirls (2006) band. The story follows the history and evolution of • Control (2007) American R&B music during the 1960s and 1970s Black-and-white biographical film about Joy through the eyes of a Detroit, Michigan girl group Division singer Ian Curtis. known as “The Dreams” and their manipulative record executive (thought to be loosely based on • Crazy Heart (2009) the story of The Supremes). Jeff Bridges plays Bad Blake, a down-and-out • Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) country music singer-songwriter who tries to turn his life around after beginning a relationship with American film directed by Martin Davidson with a young journalist named Jean. the screenplay written by the director and Arlene Davidson, based on the novel by P. F. Kluge. The • Crossroads (1986) film is about a television reporter named Maggie Cult film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca Foley (Ellen Barkin) investigating the mysterious and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues death of musician Eddie Wilson (Michael Paré) musician Robert Johnson. and the search for his band’s second album, which disappeared from the vaults of Satin Records the day after Eddie’s alleged death. 12 Films www.ucreative.ac.uk
• Great Balls of Fire! (1989) • Hysteria – The Def Leppard Story (2001)
American biographical film, directed by Jim The film revolves around the humble beginnings McBride and features Dennis Quaid as Jerry Lee of the band, their rise to stardom, drummer Lewis. Rick Allen’s car accident, Steve Clark’s battle with alcoholism and the making of their most • High Fidelity (2000) successful album to date. A charming and funny film based on the book by • The Jazz Singer (1927) Nick Hornby about a music obsessed record store owner played by John Cusack. The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue sequences, its release • The Howlin’ Wolf Story – The Secret History of heralded the commercial ascendance of the Rock & Roll (2003) “talkies” and the decline of the silent film era. Documentary about the life of blues legend Howlin’ Produced by Warner Bros. with its Vitaphone Wolf. It features much new and rare material, sound-on-disc system, the movie stars Al Jolson, including Howlin’ Wolf performing How Many who performs six songs. More Years? on the TV musical show Shindig!, • The Jazz Singer (1980) introduced by the Rolling Stones, drummer Sam Lay’s home movies of stars of the Chicago Blues Remake of above film starring Neil Diamond. While from the early 1960s, interviews with Howlin’ the film was a commercial success but critical Wolf’s family, Hubert Sumlin, Billy Boy Arnold, flop, the soundtrack was enormously successful, Marshall Chess and many others, photographs of eventually reaching multi-platinum status and Howlin’ Wolf and his band through their careers, becoming Diamond’s most successful album to and much else. date. It resulted in three hit songs, “America”, “Love on the Rocks” and “Hello Again.” 13 Films www.ucreative.ac.uk
• Lady Sings the Blues (1972) • Leadbelly (1976)
Film about jazz singer Billie Holiday loosely based Chronicling the life of folk singer Huddie William on her 1956 autobiography, starring Diana Ross. Ledbetter (better known as “Leadbelly.”)
• Last Days (2005) • Let’s Get Lost (1988)
American drama film directed, produced, and American documentary film about the turbulent written by Gus Van Sant, and is a fictionalized life and career of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker account of the last days of Nirvana frontman Kurt written and directed by Bruce Weber. Cobain. • Quadrophenia (1979) • The Last Waltz (1978) If you really want to know what really went on in A concert by the Canadian rock group, The Band, the 60s and what it was like to be a mod in that held on American Thanksgiving Day, November era, this film, produced by The Who, has it all – 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San the pills, the police, the riots and the music. Francisco. The Last Waltz was advertised as the • Ray (2004) end of The Band’s illustrious touring career, and the concert saw The Band joined by more than a Biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life dozen special guests, including Paul Butterfield, of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Emmylou independently produced film was directed by Harris, Ronnie Hawkins, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Ronnie role. Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Wood and Neil Young. Actor for his performance. 14 Films www.ucreative.ac.uk
• Sid and Nancy (also known as Sid and Nancy: • Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988) Love Kills) (1986) A documentary about the life of Thelonious Monk. British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film Produced by Clint Eastwood, and directed by portrays the life of Sid Vicious, bassist of the Charlotte Zwerin, it features live performances by seminal punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It stars Monk and his group, and posthumous interviews Gary Oldman as Vicious and Chloe Webb as his with friends and family. The film was created girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. when a large amount of archived footage of Monk was found in the 1980s. • Still Crazy (1998) • This is Spinal Tap (1984) Comedy film about a fictional 1970s rock band named “Strange Fruit”, who, after being split up Rock musical mockumentary directed by Rob for several decades, are convinced to get back Reiner about the fictional heavy metal band Spinal together to perform at a reunion of the same Tap. The film satirizes the wild personal behavior concert venue where they played their last gig. and musical pretensions of hard-rock and heavy- The film focuses on the personal lives on all metal musical bands, as well as the hagiographic of the different members, and their individual tendencies of rock documentaries of the time. experiences with approaching middle-age and the • Walk the Line (2005) success that eluded them. American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and based on the life of country music artist Johnny Cash. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Robert Patrick. 15 Films www.ucreative.ac.uk
• Warning: Parental Advisory (2002) • You Think You Really Know Me: The Gary Wilson Story (2005) A made for TV movie created by VH1 and directed by Mark Waters. The movie follows the story of Bio-pic of experimental musician/performance Dee Snider and Frank Zappa, testifying before artist best known for his 1977 album You Think Congress against lyrics labeling laws. The movie You Really Know Me, after which he promptly focuses on the formation of the Parents Music retired from recording and performing concerts. Resource Center and its impact on music during He slowly gained a strong cult following during 1985. the 1980s and 1990s, and in the early 2000s became active again. • What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993)
Biopic which tells the life story of Tina Turner. This film is directed by Brian Gibson, and stars Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne.
• The World According to John Coltrane (1990)
Produced with the cooperation of his widow Alice Coltrane, the documentary focuses on the later period of Coltrane’s work where he explored themes of Eastern spirituality. This is a retrospective documentary on the life and music of saxophonist John Coltrane, featuring reminiscences and interviews with his contemporaries and fellow musicians. 16 Films www.ucreative.ac.uk
Some non-music classics
• Rebel Without a Cause (1955) • Clockwork Orange (1971)
James Dean launching a whole attitude. Kubrick’s seminal, and controversial, look into the future. • A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) • Mean Streets (1973) Marlon Brando and Vivienne Leigh. A slice of life of Little Italy in the early 70s • Lolita (1962) with Robert DeNiro’s first main role – and a Seminal film directed by Stanley Kubrick (in fact, soundtrack to die for… anything by Stanley Kubrick.)
• Casablanca (1942)
If you haven’t seen it, shame on you! A classic.
• Annie Hall (1977)
The film that launched a thousand waistcoats.
• Nashville (1975)
A look at the 70s through the eyes of Robert Altman. 17 Course costs www.ucreative.ac.uk
Equipment
You are not required to bring with you any specific equipment at this point of the course, however a notepad and pen would be advisable. Should you be required to provide any of your own equipment throughout the duration of the course, we will let you know in advance.
Course costs for 2013/14 (excluding tuition fees)
At this point, there are no additional course costs. Should you be required to pay any further expenses throughout the duration of the course, we will let you know both the amount and the payment date with advance warning.
Rob Bramhill 18 Student checklist www.ucreative.ac.uk
Please use the below as a guideline:
If your offer is still conditional, email a copy of your qualifications/results to [email protected] Apply for accommodation Read this Welcome Guide Complete your online enrolment Attend your physical enrolment session (remembering to bring your original exam qualifications/ results and photo ID) Attend your induction sessions Upload a photograph for your Student ID Card/Library Card Pay your tuition fees and additional charges using the Online Payment facility
Once you have fully enrolled you may also want to:
Collect your Student ID Card/Library Card from the Library Obtain a letter to open a student bank account from myRecords in myUCA Obtain a letter for Council Tax Exemption from myRecords in myUCA Register with a local doctor