Magazine Genre Background Research

The direction of my music magazine will be heading towards an alternative rock scene. The magazines I have researched have been in relation to my desired genre, although Kerrang could be seen to be a heavier rock, these magazines can influence my work.

What is Alternative Rock?: "Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt rock or simply alternative) is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent musicunderground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s. Although the term was most commonly associated in its commercial heyday with a loud, distorted guitar sound, its original meaning was broader, referring to a generation of musicians unified by their collective debt to either the musical style, or simply the independent, D.I.Y. ethos, of punk rock, which in the late 1970s laid the groundwork for alternative music" - di Perna, Alan. "Brave Noise—The History of Alternative Rock Guitar". Guitar World. December 1995.

 Oasis, a prime example of the genre in the concert form -

The movement started as many groups signed to independent record labels in the 1980s. The grunge phase emmerged taking inspiration from 60s rock. The UK and US were recognised as commercially motivated in terms of the musical culture with the focus on pop dominantly. In America, the underground circuit generated an interest in a combination of punk and folk music shown by bands such as 'The Feelies" and "Violent Femmes". Although record sales were not immense, these movements lay the foundations for their successors . As time progressed washes in sound did as well. Distortion and synthesised vocals as well as riffs. The 90s birthed an era of popularisation and heavy comercial influences from bands such as Nirvana and Brit Pop (Oasis etc). The decline of alternative popularity was evident in the 21st century, my estimations being that the download sites were introduced (most alternative musicians thrived on live environments). Current alternative bands in existance such as Coldplay, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Franz Ferdinand. Festivals such as Reading and Glastonbury show the alternative influences and fans attending expect this in comparison to the mainstream V Festival.

I personally am a music lover. Anything from Oasis to The Arctic Monkeys is right up my street. I in fact attempted to learn the guitar, rather poorly I must add, but an attempt none the less. When growing up my dad almost force educated me his musical tastes and Sunday mornings in the car on the way to football were normally surrounded with Blondie or The Verve - if not R.E.M. My cousin also heavily influenced my mentality, the best gift he ever gave me was the Killers 'Hot Fuss' which coincidently started a stage of continuity in my musical mind. I began to move away from the likes of mainstream 'Capital' and 'Kiss100' music which seemed to inspire my friends which was beyond me. I will take a good old fashioned bass, drums, guitar playing frontman band anyday. It is my intention to show the likes of my independent personality within my magazine, something which I am very passionate about.