BA (Hons) Music Journalism - University for the Creative...

Welcome Guide 2014BA (Hons) Music Journalism

ContentsA 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

www.ucreative.ac.uk2

from your Course Team

Dear Student,

Welcome to BA (Hons) Music Journalism. In this pack you will find all the information you need to help you settle in to your studies at UCA Epsom this September.

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.

Wishing you all the best for the summer break and looking forward to welcoming you in September.

Best regardsYour course team


Admin contactIf you have any queries please contact:

Jackie Forrest Campus Registry Email: [email protected]: 01372 202460

An answer phone service is available on the above line for any out of hour’s enquiries.


Pre-arrival

Reading List

The lists below are books and films that will be useful to you throughout your degree and will help you gain essential critical and cultural awareness needed for this course. It will be useful if you have read and seen a few of the items from the lists before enrolment, and to continue to engage with these books, films and places throughout your studies at UCA.

Music-specific writing

• Bangs, Lester (2001), Psychotic Reactions and Carburettor Dung (Five Star), London: Serpent’s Tail

Before his death aged 33 in 1982, Lester Bangs 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.

• Bangs, Lester (2003), Mainlines, Blood Feasts and Bad Taste: A Lester Bangs Reader, London: Serpent’s Tail

This tome compiles 54 of his pieces, including several that are previously unpublished. It contains excerpts from autobiographical work Bangs wrote as a teenager, as well as cultural rants and rages.

• Cohn, Nik (2004), Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: Pop from the Beginning, London: Pimlico

From Bill Haley to Jimi Hendrix, Cohn’s book is a cogent yet unruly history of the era and the first to really celebrate the language of rock’n’roll.


• DeRogatis, Jim (2000), Let it Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester..., London: Bloomsbury

Infamous rock critic Lester Bangs, when he sat still long enough, thumped out 16 crackling pages an hour for the likes of Rolling Stone and Creem. His prose was distinctively streetwise, indulgent, corrosive and humane, the result of seeing rock’n’roll as an attitude rather than a style.

• Des Barres, Pamela (2005), I’m with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie, London: Helter Skelter

The title says it all – memoirs of a hippy groupie who hung out with everyone from Jim Morrison to Jimmy Page. Faintly trashy but enlightening look backstage in the 1960s and 70s.

• Faithfull, Marianne and David Dalton (1995), Faithfull, London: Penguin

Biography of a 60s icon written with bald honesty and a dark sense of humour.

• Kent, Nick (2007), The Dark Stuff: Selected Writings on Rock Music 1972-1993, London: Faber and Faber

‘The Dark Stuff is a mighty tome, containing some of the best music journalism ever written,’ The Spectator.

• Kent, Nick (2010), Apathy for the Devil, London: Faber and Faber

`Not just a biography but a thriller; a high-octane chase through a decade’s musical history.’ (NME)

• Ogg, Alex (2006), No More Heroes: A Complete History of UK Punk from 1976 to 1980, London: Cherry Red Records

This exhaustive book, based on over 200 interviews with the participants, chronicles not only the good and the great, the icons of the punk movement, but also celebrates some of the fantastic lost bands and music of the era, as well as the cash-ins and artistic failures.

www.ucreative.ac.uk6 Reading list

• 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

Seminal books you also should have read

1920s...

• Ulysses by James Joyce (1918-20)

The first ever truly modern novel. A tour de force of literary, philosophical and poetic genius. All set on one day in Dublin.

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

A slice of life among the flappers, bright young things and socialites of the 1920s, The Great Gatsby is a literary classic, and now a flashy Baz Lurhmann film..

1930s...

• Brighton Rock by Graham Greene (1937)

• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1931)

A brilliantly written satire of the future in which society is made to be a machine. A grim and unforgettable read.

1940s...

• Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (1948)

1950s...

• Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)

• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951)

Fleeing his Pennsylvania prep school, Holden Caulfield holes up in New York City and rails against adult phoniness while trying to lose his innocence.

• On The Road by Jack Kerouac (1951)

An iconic car journey of abandonment and hedonism across America, charting the ups and downs of Kerouac and Cassady. The book that launched the Beat Generation and 1960s counterculture.

• Absolute Beginners by Colin MacInnes (1958)

• The Naked Lunch by William Burroughs (1959)


1960s...

• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961) This black comedy about World War II Army Air Corps aviators attempting to survive the absurdities of military bureaucracy has become a part of the American collective consciousness.

• Fear of Flying by Erica Jong (1973) The seminal 1960s female emancipation book.

1970s...

• Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson (1971)

• The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer (1970)

• The White Album by Joan Didion (1979) Collected essays on the 60s.

1980s...

• The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe (1987)

1980s excess goes into overdrive.

• American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991)

1980s excess goes serial killer.

1990s/2000s...

• No More Mr Nice Guy by Keith Altham (1999)

Epsom boy and music PR veteran and journalist going back to the early 60s exposes what the rock stars of yesteryear and today are really like to work with. Genius.


Films to watch…

• 24 Hour Party People (2002)

British film about Manchester’s popular music community from 1976 to 1992, and specifically about Factory Records.

• 8 Mile (2002)

American hip-hop drama film, directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, and Mekhi Phifer. The film is an account of a young rapper, thought to portray Eminem, growing up in poverty-stricken Detroit. Although the movie stars Eminem he says the movie is not a full portrayal of his early life and start of his rap career. As such, the film is set in the underground Detroit hip-hop scene in 1995.

• Access All Areas: A Rock & Roll Odyssey (1990)

A documentary following rock band Bon Jovi on their successful New Jersey Syndicate Tour between 1988 and 1990. It contains live, backstage, and candid footage of the band, soundtracked with their music.

• Almost Famous (2000)

American comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe and telling the fictional story of a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine while covering the rock band Stillwater, and his efforts to get his first cover story published. The film is semi autobiographical, as Crowe himself was a teenage writer for Rolling Stone.

• Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)

Canadian heavy metal band trying to make a comeback – not much luck – but loads of heart!

• The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Dan Akroyd / John Belushi classic that needs no introduction.

• Blow Up (1966)

Definitive look at swinging sixties as fashion photographer gets caught up in murder mystery.

www.ucreative.ac.uk10 Films

• Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980)

American biographical film which tells the story of country music performer Loretta Lynn.

• The Commitments (1987)

Tells of unemployed Dubliners who form a soul band.

• Control (2007)

Black-and-white biographical film about Joy Division singer Ian Curtis.

• Crazy Heart (2009)

Jeff Bridges plays Bad Blake, a down-and-out country music singer-songwriter who tries to turn his life around after beginning a relationship with a young journalist named Jean.

• Crossroads (1986)

Cult film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson.

• The Doors (1991)

Biopic about the 1960s-1970s rock band of the same name which emphasizes the life of its lead singer, Jim Morrison. It was directed by Oliver Stone, and stars Val Kilmer as Morrison.

• Dreamgirls (2006)

The story follows the history and evolution of American R&B music during the 1960s and 1970s through the eyes of a Detroit, Michigan girl group known as “The Dreams” and their manipulative record executive (thought to be loosely based on the story of The Supremes).

• Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)

American film directed by Martin Davidson with the screenplay written by the director and Arlene Davidson, based on the novel by P. F. Kluge. The film is about a television reporter named Maggie Foley (Ellen Barkin) investigating the mysterious death of musician Eddie Wilson (Michael Paré) and the search for his band’s second album, which disappeared from the vaults of Satin Records the day after Eddie’s alleged death.


• Great Balls of Fire! (1989)

American biographical film, directed by Jim McBride and features Dennis Quaid as Jerry Lee Lewis.

• High Fidelity (2000)

A charming and funny film based on the book by Nick Hornby about a music obsessed record store owner played by John Cusack.

• The Howlin’ Wolf Story – The Secret History of Rock & Roll (2003)

Documentary about the life of blues legend Howlin’ Wolf. It features much new and rare material, including Howlin’ Wolf performing How Many More Years? on the TV musical show Shindig!, introduced by the Rolling Stones, drummer Sam Lay’s home movies of stars of the Chicago Blues from the early 1960s, interviews with Howlin’ Wolf’s family, Hubert Sumlin, Billy Boy Arnold, Marshall Chess and many others, photographs of Howlin’ Wolf and his band through their careers, and much else.

• Hysteria – The Def Leppard Story (2001)

The film revolves around the humble beginnings of the band, their rise to stardom, drummer Rick Allen’s car accident, Steve Clark’s battle with alcoholism and the making of their most successful album to date.

• The Jazz Singer (1927)

The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue sequences, its release heralded the commercial ascendance of the “talkies” and the decline of the silent film era. Produced by Warner Bros. with its Vitaphone sound-on-disc system, the movie stars Al Jolson, who performs six songs.

• The Jazz Singer (1980)

Remake of above film starring Neil Diamond. While the film was a commercial success but critical flop, the soundtrack was enormously successful, eventually reaching multi-platinum status and becoming Diamond’s most successful album to date. It resulted in three hit songs, “America”, “Love on the Rocks” and “Hello Again.”


• Lady Sings the Blues (1972)

Film about jazz singer Billie Holiday loosely based on her 1956 autobiography, starring Diana Ross.

• Last Days (2005)

American drama film directed, produced, and written by Gus Van Sant, and is a fictionalized account of the last days of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.

• The Last Waltz (1978)

A concert by the Canadian rock group, The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The Last Waltz was advertised as the end of The Band’s illustrious touring career, and the concert saw The Band joined by more than a dozen special guests, including Paul Butterfield, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Ronnie Hawkins, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Wood and Neil Young.

• Leadbelly (1976)

Chronicling the life of folk singer Huddie William Ledbetter (better known as “Leadbelly.”)

• Let’s Get Lost (1988)

American documentary film about the turbulent life and career of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker written and directed by Bruce Weber.

• Quadrophenia (1979)

If you really want to know what really went on in the 60s and what it was like to be a mod in that era, this film, produced by The Who, has it all – the pills, the police, the riots and the music.

• Ray (2004)

Biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role. Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.


• Sid and Nancy (also known as Sid and Nancy: Love Kills) (1986)

British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film portrays the life of Sid Vicious, bassist of the seminal punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It stars Gary Oldman as Vicious and Chloe Webb as his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.

• Still Crazy (1998)

Comedy film about a fictional 1970s rock band named “Strange Fruit”, who, after being split up for several decades, are convinced to get back together to perform at a reunion of the same concert venue where they played their last gig. The film focuses on the personal lives on all of the different members, and their individual experiences with approaching middle-age and the success that eluded them.

• Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988)

A documentary about the life of Thelonious Monk. Produced by Clint Eastwood, and directed by Charlotte Zwerin, it features live performances by Monk and his group, and posthumous interviews with friends and family. The film was created when a large amount of archived footage of Monk was found in the 1980s.

• This is Spinal Tap (1984)

Rock musical mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap. The film satirizes the wild personal behavior and musical pretensions of hard-rock and heavy-metal musical bands, as well as the hagiographic tendencies of rock documentaries of the time.

• Walk the Line (2005)

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.


• Warning: Parental Advisory (2002)

A made for TV movie created by VH1 and directed by Mark Waters. The movie follows the story of Dee Snider and Frank Zappa, testifying before Congress against lyrics labeling laws. The movie focuses on the formation of the Parents Music Resource Center and its impact on music during 1985.

• 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.

• You Think You Really Know Me: The Gary Wilson Story (2005)

Bio-pic of experimental musician/performance artist best known for his 1977 album You Think You Really Know Me, after which he promptly retired from recording and performing concerts. He slowly gained a strong cult following during the 1980s and 1990s, and in the early 2000s became active again.


Some non-music classics

• Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

James Dean launching a whole attitude.

• A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Marlon Brando and Vivienne Leigh.

• Lolita (1962)

Seminal film directed by Stanley Kubrick (in fact, 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.

• Clockwork Orange (1971)

Kubrick’s seminal, and controversial, look into the future.

• Mean Streets (1973)

A slice of life of Little Italy in the early 70s with Robert DeNiro’s first main role – and a soundtrack to die for…


Course costs

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

Student checklist

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


BA (Hons) Music Journalism - University for the Creative...

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