My Media Product.

"Pinders and The Fox"

Pinders Park, Me and Jennings

So here i was, after a day spending in Pinders park, i was here to do the job i was originally hoping to do, spend my night with good people, good drink, good music and a weight off my shoulder from the future. Jennings as i call him was swigging the last bit of frosty jacks cider, arr good olde frosty, just cant beat the hobo drink on a warm Saturday, spending numerous hours in a public park and acting like your still in year 9. We arrived in good time aswell, 3 hours before the main gig was supposed to start. The snooty was bare but that's expected at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, the calm before the storm, the earthquake before the tsunami. We both sat down with numerous other locals, and the scene was set for the whole night to kick off.

"you know what this polish stuff is crap, and the hangover is going to be bad and i haven't even mentioned the extraordinary prices that the snooty has" and thus started the principal banter of Luke Jennings

"well that's wakey for ya, we pay our stuff from our mediocre jobs and thus spend it in 10 minutes on a Saturday to just repeat the process like a regime of democracy"

"well society is up my ass, we need a dictatorship, one person, one person to blame, for when it all goes up, heyy i even support Mr Gaddafi" spurted out Jennings, but this is what happens after 6 litres of cider that contain no apples, a full belief that change is wrong and the Yorkshire way is the true way.

             I was here to do my assignment of Gonzoness but i had to find the right vibe of people to interact with, Jennings was always going to be involved in one way or another, its his liberal set mind that i blame for this. Either way this was a very manly occasion, all around, testosterone was filling the air to such a degree that the norm was of long hair, BO and spilt beer that's over 5%, even the females, may look femalish but all in all had the personality that would make Jeremy Clarkson look like a 9 year old boy lost and wanting his mummy. 2 hours had past, and the atmosphere had changed to what was bad in the world, to what needed to change within the world, it was becoming the type of scene that i wasn't really interested in, too much depression, too much talk and not enough action, but this is what the snooty fox regulars are like and anyway i wasn't here to share my views on the world, but to do my way and express the views on tonight's music which wasn't that far away.

Thanks to Joanna bacon for taking this photo of the night

An hour to go until the gig and the mood was chipper

"step into my office" Jennings said to numerous randomers he just met, but that's Jennings for ya, the sorta chap that everyone gets along with but would think in the morning that he was Quite possibly the most intolerant person you've ever had the displeasure to meet and took liberalism to unreasonable and irrational extremes. i would just point out that his office, is not an office but rather the males bathroom which where 90% of stuff that happen in here is illegal. i followed the group and not surprisingly the white party drug better known as Mkat was being taken for a wild ride and the smell of numerous joints being rolled was intense, like an actually Mary Jane farm was being grown here. i got offered to take it, but decided not to, as this would start a mind argument within myself and whether to remember anything from the night just so i could write this report up. I put the effort in doing this so why try and disrupt the harmony i thought but this soon changed after 4 more polish bottles of lager.

"JENNINGS HIGH CLASS PRICK JENNINGS GET IN HERE NOW YA FOOL INTO YOUR OFFICE"

everyone knew what i wanted if it included Jennings and his "office" so there was no point in keeping it secret. He strolled in with his usual jacket attire

"all righty all righty" he grumbled

Me and Jennings outside the Snooty

he placed the goods on the side next to the sink, got out his university card and cut up several lines. The first 2 lines were harsh and solid and made my mind swim with lust for fast paced, blood rushing action but after the 3rd and 4th line, things seemed much more simpler and i was just entrusted with a new wave of energy, i left the "office" with Jennings bent over the sinking, snorting even more of the stuff, stumbling towards the back room of where the band was going to play, Devoured as i remember. It wasn't long now, the people were gathering, the energy was flowing and i was ready to either crash and burn somewhere or get this bloody show on the road and make this work happen.

              Start of the gig (i believe anyway)

i strolled in, without a care in the world, the people were roaring with blood, sweat and beer and they wanted their thrill of heavy metal music. I managed to find a place next the bar, the best place for a person like me, where i wouldn't have to move that far to get a nice cold stiff drink, something which is a necessity for my body in a night like this. Finally the band arrived on stage, the curtain was lifted and one movement of the lead singer showing his appreciation of the crowd started the volcano of movement. Hair was swishing everywhere like a flock of birds had just escaped an abandoned building. too much for me i tell you, I'm glad i got a back row seat, it was too much for my brain and body to take,

"keep the polish bottles flowing over here bar man"

it was going to be the only substance to make me feel sane for if i was unleashed within the pit than the chemicals inside of me would have surely taken over and i would have been lost to the highway to hell. I remember staying for a maximum of 2 songs and than left, the tapes from the Dictaphone agree with this, i headed outside where Jennings was sat on the numerous wrecked benches that has suffered abuse of many many years.

"well this is crap" i exclaimed with a downturn fed up tone

"I indeed, and I'm running out of giro"

"shall we head up a posse and head back to pinders, head to the Jet garage, get more Frosties and just hang the night away
"this is an idea with not many downfalls"

and that was that, we shouted numerous claims to ransomers to come and enjoy the calmness of the park with cheap intoxication, much better than the rush and buzz of the snooty. Eventually we gatherd about 5 people and headed to pinders, where other peoples nights may be getting to their hype, ours were just beginning and could last many more hours.

Pinders Park, about 3 oclock

Pinders was quiet, and well its what i expected for a midnight drink in a park. My night had ended in failure of gathering a review, but still i came out to live the gonzo dream of being incoherent, messy and not being easy to follow, for which i can compliment that this night was all of them, but this is Wakefield, the Merry City known for its drunkenness blur that circles its citizens and i wouldn't want to change it any other way, yes its a shit hole but its my shit hole for me to extort, build and destroy in my own free time.

Photographer: unknown. Nuremberg Rally, 1934

Photography can be used in many many different ways, and during the war, properganda. On which this shot of the Nuremberg Rallies does increase the idealogy of how germany wanted to be precieved within europe. Power and unity were strongly associated within these rallies and the numbers and order that can be seen within the crowd and certain individuals does certainly agree with those themes. This photo also witnesses the ever growing threat and power of germany towards other countries within europe which indeed lead to world war.

Kevin Carter – Vulture Stalking a Child

A photograph that expresses the situation in africa, but for the photographer, Kevin Carter it was his downfall. The way that the child is hurled over in a deathly hallow postuer does increase the feeling that this child does not have long to live in this world, and with the strong, proud looking vulture looking from a disatance does increase that sense of looming death. Kevin carter was awarded with this photography but soon got complaints for setting the content up for 20 minutes without helping the child, which in turn ended him commiting suicide!

Iconic within american politics, of when Harry Truman beat Thomas Dewey in the presidential campaign but the Chicago Tribune posting the wrong headline of Dewey Defeats Truman. The photo captures the endless facial expression of Truman holding the paper, while exclaiming "this is one for the books". Iconic also with how important mass media newspapers are within politics.

The last Jew Vinnitsa

While looking back on the night at the Snooty fox, i thought that the night was rather iconic for it being rather rememberable thus got me thinking of other famous iconic photographs, for which their are many. The last Jew in Vinnitsa is a very iconic photograph of the tradegy that happened in world war 2. The photo captures the content of the last jew, knowing his fate and by staring into the camera makes the audience realise that there is no escape from this disgusting act of crime. The way the german soldier is also not showing much expression or remorse for the act that he is portaying does witness to me that this is not the first time that he has driven out the act of murder in such a cold blooded manner.

At the gig, when everything was over, i wanted to gather a picture of everyone who was still going strong, i do recall from the dictaphone that this was taken at about 3 in the morning in front of the snooty fox stage.

Devoured, Wakefield, Death Metal.

The gig that i wanted to write my media product about happend at the weekend, and thus i have started writing my Gonzo journalistic piece. The picture above is one of the bands that i recall listening to. The band was called Devoured and from Wakefield and within my media product i will talk about my experiance and views on what this band was like but being gonzo journalism i will go more for style and proberly start ramberling about something totally different than the objective of reporting a review of this band.

Research, Digiral Dictaphone.

Hunter S Thompson was known to dictate stuff on a dictaphone, this is something which i can do on my own, as i myself has purchased my own dictaphone, this will encapusate what actually happend on the night at the snooty fox (venue). including the soound of the music of the band, the conversations which had taken place on the night, all this will give my peice of work some realism to it. Uploading the information recorded on the dictaphone is something i would do, if i could work out a system of getting the digital information on the laptop without using a USB cable, something which the Dictaphone doesnt have.

Research for media product, Hunter S thompson

Hunter S Thompson is well known to coin the term "gonzo" especially in the world of journalism, it is mostly notable for the reporter being the main character within the story via a first person narrative, this is something that i think i can achieve easily for when i wrtie my own article. Sarcasm and the use of humour through comparisons, metaphors and having funny scenarious throughout the narrative of the story. Alcohol and recreational use of drugs are used rather a lot within his work but for my piece of writing, the usuage of these substances might or might not be used on the night of the gig, this all depends on my thoughts and feelings on the night.

Research for Media Product

A photograph of my local music venue, The Snooty Fox in Wakefield. This is where my media product will be based, I have decided to write about a night out within this establishment and a small music review on one of the bands that will be playing here. Hunter S thompsons work has influenced me greatly thus has made me want to persue this course for my media product.

Neil Leifer, Ali knocking down Liston

Neil was and still is considered one of the greatest sports photographers that has ever been graced within the sports industry. The positioning of ali standing over liston, does show ali's dominance within the boxing world at this time. Ali was also known to be a trash talker and made him a press favourite for it, and this picture does express alis fighting talk, as it does seem he is shouting at liston, many say it was "get up fucker and fight" showing his fighting spirit and his aim for a challange. Sports photography is something that interests me greatly but seeing that i wont be able to go to any sporting events to get decent photographs so the option of creating a piece of Gonzo Journalism is still being the favourite option.

Jim marshall, 1969, johnny cash comment to the wardens.

The man in blacks reaction when photographer, Jim Marshall if he had anything he wanted to say to the wardens at Folsom prison of which johnny was playing a gig at. The picture encapulates the style of rock n roll in the late 60s, of rebellion, breaking the rules, and not playing with the conformist of the norm. His outlaw image can be clearly seen within this picture of his swearing towards the camera, like its towards the audience themselves this can be served as a influence for the punk rock era of not "giving a fuck" attitude to authority.

Noting that i blogged a picture of timothy learys famous phrase of "turn on, tune in, drop out" i thought that it would not be right without blogging my comments on Aldous Huxleys book "the doors of perception" a book that influenced the band "the doors" to take their name from. A book documentaring on the usuage of more powerful drugs like mescaline. The diary like style that its written in is something that i may do for my media product, which is ever more going in the direction of a music review of a local band. 

Bernie Boston, March on the Pentegon. Flower Power

Known as the Flower Power picture. This pictures captures the whole Hippy movement and the motives in a single capture, the army/police standing in form against the unarmed protesters who are wanting peace within the vietnam war. Placing flowers upon the barrels of the guns, does show us how the stereotypes of hippies and their use of "flower power" does derive from and how their anti-war beliefs can be a powerful symbol of the times. Even though iam not wanting to a photography project for my media product, i do want to do a piece of Gonzo journalism based around a major event like these marches, unfortunatly it will be proved rather difficult to gain access to a rally in such a small time period of when this work has to be done thus is making me believe that writing about a music gig, a night out, would be much more simpler and easier to achieve

Timothy Learys Famous phrase of "Turn on, Tune in, Drop out!"

Timothy Leary is well known for his experimental useage of the drug LSD, for which he created the phrase "Turn on, Tune in, Drop out". Like Marilyn Monroe he was a symbol of the 60s, but more within the counterculture world, especially in the drug taking of Psychedelics. He believed that taking these mind bending chemicals people will make people embrace the changing times. The image that is witnessed within the phrase (above) does go hand in hand with the message, including the waving, disstorted "trippy" feel of the whole picture. This type of pattern is a symbolic connection with powerful hallucinogen drugs, which is still noted in the modern day.

Boris Johnson, Royal Opera House, 23.11.09, Cotactmusic.com

Being that i don't have much idea of what iam doing for my media product, i thought i would explore every possibility, this one being a political chapter or expression views on the situation in Britain today. This idea was influenced from reading one of Boris Johnsons books on which he expresses his views in a clear and understandable manner. Being a very opinionated personality that he is, this is something that iam myself, thus makes it clear that a piece of writing that expresses my thoughts and feelings is a very doable task.

Jack Kerouac, On The Road, 1957

Decidinng that a piece of Gonzo journalism was going to be my media product, i thought it would be best to research this genre into its origins, and this i believe was the defining template. A book thats an autobiographical work of Jack Kerouacs journies across america. An iconic book on the Beat generation, a generation that had many similiarities to the hippie movement, which is primarily what iam interested in.

A still scene from the film "fear and loathing in Las Vegas" featuring Johnny depp playing Hunter S thompson from his Famous novel with the same title. 1998, Dir: Terry Gilliam.

Staying with the 60s era, the wave speech that the Video above shows, is a great piece of writing in my view, and a great inspiration for me to create my own poetic view on the generation that i live through now. Its content and themes of the generation that i have much love for, makes me the reader jealous of not being able to witness the era in my own life. This piece has influenced me so much that i have decided that for my media product, producing my own piece of Gonzo journalism is quite infact an option. If i do decide on going down the path of creating my own Gonzo peice, numerous things need to addressed, what would the content be focused on? what kind of themes will it address? and how long should it be? 

Andy Warhol, Campbell's Soup Can, 1962.

As i'am a fan of the 60s generation, the work that was created, the films that was produced, i decided that i should stick with analysising products from this era, and since i have already posted some of Andy Warhols famous work, im sure posting more couldnt harm the blog. Andy Warhol was great in my view of placing an ordinary object and changing certain aspects, like the colour, tone and make it become a piece of art, and a symbol of the culture that he was surrounded in when creating this. In its simple terms Warhol can be seen viewing the world from its commercialization. Since i dont think that i have the skill to create something so symbolic like Andy Warhols work for my media product, i will have to think of something else thats a symbol of the 60s era.

Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe, 1967

Andy Warhols, famous iconic picture of his work, and a symbol of the 60s era. The 60s vibe can easily be witnessed through its contextuliasation of vibrant colours, its signifier use of the sex symbol of Marilyn Monroe and it being seen through a tiles formation. Andy Warhol was well noted for his artwork within the Pop Art world. In the Modern day, this art is seen as a symbol of what the 60s were all about, the people, the expression, the culture and the freedom.