ID 21110302 Music Cultures & Marketing Principles

Post-rock Music genres never stand still, always shifting and changing, bending and binding. Music genre can be described as a complex set of rules accepted by the community. Stuart Borthwick and Roy Moy (2004) state that a genre analysis must be historically grounded or tightly categorised. According to Franco Fabbri (1980) there are five main rules existing in every genre and these rules are explained in post-rock genre world. Post-rock is an experimental form of rock what first appeared in columns in 1994 when Bark Psychosis released it's album Hex. Eventually, the genre was existing earlier, but was not yet specified as a sub-genre. Post-rock has it's pure sound and texture with melodies, sounds and rhythms what can not be found in mainstream rock. It can also be described as "hypnotic, droningcool and cerebral - overall, the antithesis of rook's visceral power" (Coxe E, 2009). Can argue that post-rock is influenced by other similar sub-genres like progressive, oceanic and cosmic rock. Genre discourse depends, in other words, on a certain sort of shared musical knowledge and experience (Firth S, 1996, p.87). The formal and technical rules create a fixed frame to post-rock music. From the beginning of post-rocks existence, the sound has critically changed. Silver Dragon Records (2003) argued that in 1994 the genre was distinguished by thick textures and moody overtones. In 1997 when Mogwai released its first album Young Team, Martin C. Strong argued that the album was dynamic, beautiful and tranquil. Can argue that the change in sound made post-rock more identifiable and fans started to distinguish the difference between post-rock and main stream rock music. Post-rock musicians have versatile approaches to instruments. They use unusual piano chords, dissonant sounds and arpeggio/bowed guitars. Sigur Ros singer Jnsi Birgisson confessed: "With a bow you can get loads and loads of overtones so its about how you handle them. Its like youre riding a really mad horse and youre trying to tame it (SOS, 2002). Can argue that musicians must have skills to bend the traditional ways to play an instrument so they can create an innovation. Post-rock musicians have developed their sound through traditional amplified rock guitars and fat drum sounds, but often they do not use vocals or use them only as complementary. The instruments are mostly amplified to create beautiful harmonies and a dynamic sound. The musicians use a lot of effects - reverb and echoes to make the instruments sound big thereby post-rock sounds powerful and enchanting. In post-rock the melodies tend to be dreamy and often create an atmosphere where people can get lost in. The songs are usually 7-8 minutes long and with a growing nature what eventually will outline the meaning of the song. Truth and sincerity is indicated to the post-rock music very frequently through nature - sky, water,

ID 21110302 Music Cultures & Marketing Principles landscapes, lights etc. It stands out in the artist and song names like Explosions In The Sky, God Is An Astronaut, Fire Flies and Empty Skies, Tortoise (Last FM, 2006). Can argue that the semiotic rules are quite clearly presented in this manner. Lyrics and logos, artworks and fonts are also combined with nature and the outer space. For example an EITS poster, there are typical post-rock symbols. The idea behind the poster came from an interview in which the band was described as having a Mammoth Sound(DKNG, 2011). The picture is unrealistic, theres a night sky, the sea, an animal what could be a mountain as well.

Iceland band Sigur Ros released all their albums in an artificial language, what their singer Jon Birgisson exclusively created. Coxe (2009) argues that the language is called "Hopelandic" and that the language gives their music more meaning. "Hopelandic" is described as an output to add more value to the instrumentalization. Listeners are given a chance to find an universal meaning of the lyrics and relate to them in their own way. Barry Burns (Rock alarm, 2010) from Mogwai described that their band decides to add vocals only if the song does not feel finished, otherwise it does not matter. He points out that post-rock music has similar roots with classical music and that is the reason why post-rock music is popular as a film soundtrack. How the band looks like is not so important in post-rock genre world and it clearly stands, because of the importance of the music. Post-rock musicians tend to act shy in the pictures and interviews, but on the other hand on stage

ID 21110302 Music Cultures & Marketing Principles

they are very emotional and expressive. Post rock music presents it self as a very emotional music and it can be seen in concerts because the audience and the artist have an intimate relationship during the show. To outline the symbolic and behaviour rules in post-rock, there is an expressive live performance by God Is An Astronaut.1 Behavioural rules - visual denotations of things. Videos and photographs are presented with a lot of symbols and the symbols are in search of the truth, sincerity and difference. Can argue that post-rock musicians are authentical in their own way. In many performances artists use visuals to illustrate their performances, to create the dreamy atmosphere and the right feeling for the audience. "Out here, alone in the night, the quartet are weaving a magic carpet for the mind." (Telegraph, 2008). Metaphorically this picture illustrates her feeling when Sigur Ros played live.

The combination of seeing all the various instruments together, and hearing the organic swells of their songs, on top of dancing lights, and video projections was goose bump-inducing (Lopolis, 2006) In post-rock music there can not be any powerful substitutes for a real musical event. In interviews and concerts, post-rock musicians keep their right to decide what to wear, how to speak and act. Telegraph (2008) describes Sigur Ros members behaviour during the interview: "Birgisson, Hlm and Dyrason begin to talk to me although resolutely not about music. Instead, they express childlike wonder at their surroundings, the local scenery and wildlife." Can argue that many post-rock artists are often lost in their imaginary world. Behavioral rules apply to audiences as well (Frith S, 1996, p.92). Can argue that the audience do not show any particular physical

http://vimeo.com/27089352

ID 21110302 Music Cultures & Marketing Principles behaviour during the show. Jnsi Birgisson confesses: Our problem has always been that people are too respectful of our work (Guardian, 2011). Can argue that the audience have a feeling that they do not want to do anything else than enjoy and listen to the music. God is an Astronaut managed to fully bring their spacey atmosphere down in the crowd, mesmerizing everyone with their huge sound ranging from melancholic and almost psychedelic guitar tones to fast paced, insanely loud riffing, all in the space of very tight but at the same time vastly expressive songs. (Radio metal, 2010) Can argue that post-rock musicians have a different perception of the world and therefore it is hard to draw a line between their insanity and geniosity. Post-rock musicians intend to riot against the social and ideological rules, what are represented in chart music. Can argue that the artists intend to search for the beliefs what are more raw and organic. In Iceland, where Sigur Ros is from, they believe in nature spirits, elves and hidden people (hulduflk). Arguably, the faith in nature has influenced post-rock music over 15 years. The most well known legend suggests that the hulduflk were the children of Adam and Eve, and one day God paid a surprise visit to Eve as she was giving her children a bath. Since Eve was not finished cleaning the children, and they were still dirty, thus she felt ashamed. Due to the shame Eve felt, God punished her by hiding the unwashed children away from everyday view for eternity, hence the term hidden people (Dru, 2010). Can argue that post-rock music does not stand as a social force, rather as a substitute to escape the real world. To describe the set of rules in social world, can argue that the fans behaviour in the social scene is reserved and conservative. Maledomination in concerts and in artists is common, but that does not mean a symbol of women is forgotten, it lives well in music and lyrics. The social image of post-rock musicians is rather intangible than clearly outlined and can argue that artists concentrate more on music than on the reputation. One of the things I like about post rock fans is that they are a lot more loyal and less concerned about image. (Banquo, 2008) Post-rock has never been a commercial success, its rather an album-based form that argued experimentation and creative integrity. Finding the ideal customer for post-rock music is to understand the critical self-concept of a post-rock fan. Post-rock has taken over some commercial and juridical genre rules from the rock genre. Rock, for example, is defined in terms of what it sounds like (beat, form, and instrumentation) rather by reference to who might listen to it (Frith S, 1996, p. 81) Can argue that post-rock is defined exact same way. Most of the post-rock artists who have made an successful album have released it in vinyl because it is more authentic and cool. Post-rock is not typical genre what major labels would like to sell, because it does not have the large-scale sales, therefore majority of post-rock artists are signed to independent record labels or

ID 21110302 Music Cultures & Marketing Principles record and produce themselves and then grant the publishing rights. Sigur Ros is signed to majorlabel and that puts their authenticity into question. Can argue that bands signed to major labels lose their authenticity and become just a product which people used to relate to and therefore to continue their relation the artists have to lie about the "world" they live in. Also can argue that Sigur Ros is an exception because they are very open-minded about their changing and becoming something else they originally were. Ownership depends on the contract the artist made with the label or the publisher. Majority of the post-rock artists do not have a label or a publisher, but that does not mean they do not get their music out there for people to listen to it, because the fans promote new post-rock artists between themselves - the circle starts and ends in social networking sites. Can argue that post-rock musicians even do not want their music to be a commercial success, the artist does it rather with a twist than concentrates on being a pop act. As an instrumental genre, post-rock is used a lot in synchronizations. It is a powerful source to make money, but this can easily transform artists image. That is one of the reasons why Sigur Ros refused to give their songs to advertisers who use their music to sell something, but that does not prevent plagiarism.2 Can argue that it is impossible to put a knot down on a history map and say this is when the genre was born. Genre origins remain a matter of elaborate and unresolvable debate (Frith S, 1996, p. 88) Genre can not be judged by only one thing and therefor its important to value the composition of rules - the general baggage. Post-rock genre rules outline the best in performance where technical, semiotic, behavioural, social and commercial rules come alive. Listeners build up their expectations on what they hear, see and feel. Post-rock is influenced by many other genres, but can argue that the genre is still very identifiable in the music world. The artist and the audience have a very specific language in communicating within the genre - to keep certain people out and in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfDc68k2z98

ID 21110302 Music Cultures & Marketing Principles

Reference list

CXSW (2011) God Is An Astornaut "Echoes". 6 June. Available from: http://vimeo.com/27089352 [Accessed 5 January 2012] Frith, S. (1996) Performing rites: on the value of popular music. Harvard University Press. p81-88 Borthwick, S. & Moy, M. (2004) Popular Music Genres: An Introduction. Edinburgh University Press. p3 A theory of musical genres: two applications Fabbri, F. (1980) A theory of musical genres: two applications [online]. Available from: http://www.tagg.org/others/ffabbri81a.html [Accessed 5 January 2012] The Telegraph (2008) The gods play games with Sigur Rs. The Telegraph [online]. 28 June. Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3555264/The-gods-play-games-withSigur-Ros.html [Accessed 5 January 2012] Rock alarm (2010) Mogwai ((Interview!)) Hamburg Nov. 2008. 8 March. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhiJxZsyvEY [Accessed 5 January 2012] Coxe, E. (2009) Meaning and Globalization in Post-rock: The Curious Case of "Hopelandic". 18 April. Available from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/15978437/On-by-Sigur-Ros-Meaning-andGlobalization-in-PostRock [Accessed 5 January 2012] SOS (2002) Sigur Ros: Ken Thomas & Jonsi Birgisson: Recording Sigur Ros. Sound On Sound [online]. Available from: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul02/articles/sigurros.asp [Accessed 5 January 2012] Silver Dragon Records (2003) Post Rock - Durutti Column, Talk Talk, Slint. Available from: http://www.silver-dragon-records.com/post_rock.htm [Accessed 5 January 2012] Starlit Sky Music (2010) Explosions in the Sky [Camden Roundhouse, 19/05/11]. September.

ID 21110302 Music Cultures & Marketing Principles Available from: http://starlitskymusic.com/explosions-in-the-sky-camden-roundhouse-190511/ [Accessed 5 January 2012] Banquo (2008) Re: When did post-rock fans jump the shark?. Post-rock forum [online]. 10 April. Available from: http://afterthepostrock.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12360&sid=449f31d42c947 3d9a668be8e16986378&start=75 [Accessed 5 January 2012] Last FM (2006) After The Post-Rock: Your top 10 post-rock bands. Available from: http://www .last.fm/group/AFTER+THE+POST+ROCK/forum/164/_/120094 [Accessed 5 January 2012] Lopolis (2006) Sigur Ros in Concert [online]. Available from: http://collections.lopolis.com/archives/2006/05/07/sigur-ros-in-concert/ [Accessed 7 January 2012] Radio Metal (2010) GOD IS AN ATRONAUT : LIVE IN LONDON. 17 February. Available from: http://www.radiometal.com/en/article/god-is-an-astronaut-live-in-london,1557 [Accessed 7 January 2012] Dru (2010) The Hidden People of Iceland. Eluding Atrophy [online]. 7 February. Available from: http://drusdungeon.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/the-hidden-people-of-iceland/ [Accessed 7 January 2012] The Guardian (2011) Sigur Rs: 'We're just four dudes in a band'. The Guardian [online]. 10 November. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/nov/10/inni-sigur-ros [Accessed 7 January 2012] DKNG Studios (2011) Explosions In The Sky Poster and Art Print. 11 October. Available from: http://www.dkngstudios.com/2011/10/11/explosions-in-the-sky-poster-and-art-print/ [Accessed 7 January 2012] Thai Airways (2010) - (). 2 September. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfDc68k2z98 [Accessed 7 January 2012]

ID 21110302 Music Cultures & Marketing Principles

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