It is the music that binds us

Identifying with different groups throughout our lives are necessary experiences that allow us to feel as though we belong to something. The different methods of interraction and communication that occurs within these groups are special elements that allow parameters to form and thus, enclose us into whatever groups these walls form around. As I thought about it, I found that one of the groups I attribute myself as being a member to is the hard-rock musician community. My approach to why I feel a part of this particular folk group parallels mostly with Alan Dundes interpretation of what defines folk groups. In Living Folklore, he states that "any group of two or more people who share a common factor are 'folk.'" The factor that hard-rock musicians share together is simply the style of music we play. Using this implication, I feel that it is safe to say that performers within a certain musical genre can consider themselves part of a musical folk group. I take this stance because in my own experience members of different musical folk groups interact within themselves diffently then others. For example, communicating specific musical ideas varies greatly between a group like TLC and one such as Metallica. Because of the special idiosyncracies, interraction and communication within these groups of music, I feel that Dundes view applies well to this argument.
Still, even this folk group that I feel I am affiliated with is an extremely broad group that in itself contains millions of members and many sub-groups. In the rock genre or folk group of music there are other categories such as, Emo, Metal, Black Metal, Christian Metal, Hair Metal, Classic Rock, Grunge, Progressive, and Math Rock just to name a few. As I think about it, being a part of one of these groups is an interesting thing to me. I am very proud to be a musician and to be part of a band and create music, but many times, there is a certain stigma that comes along with being a part of this community that I do not like to be connected with. I like to be a part of the hard rock group because I feel as though with much of it, there is a certain essence of "who cares if you are mainstream? I am going to create with the other members of my band music that is from our hearts, and forget you if you don't like or appreciate it." Now-a-days though, I feel that many of the members of this folk group are putting on fronts and trying to present themselves as a "badass" (as we like to say) by molding themselves into other peoples view of what makes a "rockstar" rather than just being who they are. I feel that many people in the hard rock genre act arrogant, depressed, angry, and indifferent because they think that others think that it looks "cool." To me, this goes against everything that rock and roll stands for. Many are still in the music and right it for the right reasons though, and I feel that it is this factor that binds thoes in the group in which I feel affialated together, even though I may not like the sound of their music or the message they are giving.

This blog was written in conjunction with my F121 World Arts and Cultures class at Indiana University for my chapter 2 reflection question.

Peer Response

Hayley, I really enjoyed this post in particular because I think that the examples you were giving about your family gatherings pretty much permiate everyones get-together experiences. At least thats how it is in my family. To be honest, I have not been to one family gathering of my own or any of my friend's or distant family's "parties" in which there is even a slight shread of formality. Acually, I take that back. During gatherings like Thanksgiving and things of that nature when a substantial amont of family members are in the same place, we usually assign random places for everyone to sit and are formal when it comes to the beginning prayer, but that's about it. I guess when you get to little formalites like that, it becomes more of an issue of tradition than it does a question of being formal.
I especially liked it when you posed the question that made us think about what we are truly celebrating whenever it comes to get togethers on a holiday. As I thought more and more about it, I think to some degree we are celebrating the actual holiday such as 4th of July, Labor Day, or even Christmas, but when we are at a family members house, I feel that we are more celebrating a chance to be together and like you said, stay in close touch with one another. I feel that we really are celebrating the actual holiday like Christmas when we attend a church service, or go watch the fireworks downtown on the fourth of July. But even so, just the fact that we are in each others company (at least to me anyway) whether or not we are all just in the same room watching a Notre Dame game after Thanksgiving, to me is very comforting simply because we are all in the same room together. I really enjoyed this post you made.
P.S. Thanks for commenting on my first reflection question a few weeks ago!

This blog was posted in accordance with my F121 class at Indiana University

September 23, 2007 11:35 PM

Good Lord, That's Some Amazing Flatbread

One of the benefits of living in the United States of America, is the simple fact that our American culture is basically comprised of a mixture of just about every other culture on the planet Earth. One could walk down the streets of most American cities and on the very same road have an authentic Mexican restauraunt in a 25 yard radius of a genuine Thai Cuisine establishment. So, when the opportunity to review an ethnic restauraunt presented itself, I induldged if you will in the opportunity. Newly constructed on the famed Kirkwood Avenue is an authentic Mediterranean-American restauraunt called "Trulli Flatbread." The atmosphere of the restauraunt is very modern, with merlots and earthtones on every location where one rests their eyes. Upon arriving, guests have the option to sit on a beautiful patio overlooking Kirkwood Avenue or in their elegant and open dining room area. Located towards the back of the restaraunt is what I consider the focal piece. A white wood-fired masonry oven sits towards the back of the dining room, and acts as a catalyst that blends the kitchen area with the dining room. In my opinion, this created an atmosphere that reminded me of waiting in the living room while my mother would prepare dinner just across the way in the Kitchen.
While we waited on dinner, we were given a wide selection of beers and wines from all over the world. I had the opportunity to sample an imported beer from Belgium called "Duvel" that was decent, but was a little bitter for my taste. The food was terrific. We sampled two of their specialty flatbreads. One was topped with organinc tomato sauce, chicken, bacon, basil, and mozzerella cheese. The second flatbread presented us with a very complex taste. Ingredients included rosmary, chicken, red onions, dried tomato, and an organic tomato-based sauce created by blending nuts, garlic, various herbs, and chocolate together. A taste that I have never experienced resulted. The overall taste was sweet, and the masonry oven yielded an interesting texture in the crust.
Overall, the experience was very good. The employees were very polite, friendly, and attentive to the customers. The atmosphere was very welcoming and the interior design gave off a very classy vibe without being intimidating. I recommend Trulli Flatbread to anyone looking for food that is not too extravagant and over-the-top different, while at the same time presenting the consumer with new and exotic tastes.

This Blog was created in conjunction with my participation in FOLK 121 "World Arts and Cultures" at I.U., Fall 2007

The Live Musical Performance

It is my opinion that any human being that has ever listened to music and been moved by it in some way has seen, or at least has had the desire to see, the music they love made in front of their own eyes. The live musical performance in its many forms has played an important role in the human condition since we have walked the earth. We see the live musical performance as a form of enteratinment, a worship tool, an outlet of artistic expression, a communication tool, a form of stress relief, etc...
Because of how many situations and aspects of our lives experiencing live musical performances are involved in, I felt that "live music" was an element of our lives that merited its own genre within folklore.
Whenever I mention the live musical performance, I am simply talking about witnessing an event where music is being performed by actual people. There are many places in which this can happen. It occurs at concerts, whenever friends are sitting around on couches playing a few guitars, in coffee shops, on Kirkwook Avenue, whenever a live performance is looked up on Youtube.com, etc... There are countless of ways in which we experience these.
As I mentioned before, I have yet to meet a person who has not witnessed music played live and it is because of this that I feel that live music connects with all people in one way, shape or form. I believe that this happens because there is a certain characteristic of music that easily penetrates our emotions. We allow music to move us. The fact that words are combined artistically with sounds makes music one of the most profound forms of expression. It is because of this that I feel that humans desire to see with their own eyes the production in real-time of the sounds that reach us so deeply. For me, I enjoy going to concerts to make sure that what I am hearing on the CD or on the internet is a real thing or if it is even possible to be created by real people. There is a certain magic or mystery associated with music and we want to see it created first-hand.
However, as I was reading chapter one of "Living Folklore", I questioned whether or not the live musical performance was actually a legitimate "artifact" of folklore because I assumed that live performances were not a part of everyday life, and thus didn't qualify. The more I reflected on it though, I see a live musical performance every day whether it be watching my roomate play the drums, playing my own music live, watching a performance on Youtube.com, or seeing someone perform on the street, I realized just how surrounded we are in this culture by the live musical performace.

This blog was created in response to the Chapeter One reflection question.