NEA research tasks
Tasks 1-20
Task 1-2
Beggars Group
Who are Beggars Group
They are an independent music publishing company and are one of the largest independent groups of labels in the world. They consist of these big labels, 4AD, Matador, rough trade records, XL recordings and Young.
Origins
With origins stemming from the Beggars Banquet record shops in London, whose first branch opened in 1973 in Earls Court, the label was born in 1977 with the 7” release of the ‘Free Admission Single’ by The Lurkers. Success was quick to follow via one of the first signings, Gary Numan
It was chaired by founder Martin Mills, Beggars Group now comprises many of the world’s most respected independent labels. In addition to a growing publishing wing (Beggars Music) and a successful catalog imprint (Beggars Arkive). Based in London with US headquarters in New York City, The Beggars Group also have dedicated offices in all major markets in addition to an office in Los Angeles, CA and a Matador office in Austin, TX.
Beggars has also been a pioneer in the digital world and had its catalogue available digitally before the end of the last century. It self-distributes digitally and to US indie stores, and have been active proponents in promoting the collective interests of the independent sector, instrumental in the setting up of the sector’s various representative bodies. They are proud to be founding members of the Association of Independent Music (UK), IMPALA (Europe), A2IM (USA), and the worldwide independent Network.
Grammy awards/nominations
2023 - NOMINEE - Best Alternative Music Performance - Big Thief - “certainty” (4AD)
2023 - NOMINEE - Best Alternative Music Album - Big Thief - dragon new warm mountain I believe in you (4AD)
2023 - WINNER _ Songwriter of the year, Non-classical - Tobias Jesso JR
2022 - NOMINEE - Best boxed or special limited edition package - Gang Of Four - 77-81 (Matador)
2021 - NOMINEE - Best Rock performance - Big Thief - “not”(4AD)
2021 - NOMINEE - Best Rock Song - Big Thief - “Not” (4AD)
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Chosen Track, Artist/Band
Muse: The Dark Side
Why I have selected this track
I selected this track as the lyrics work very well with the kind of music video I want to create. The lyrics are very simplistic and give a lot of opportunity for different narratives to be created.
Two other Music videos from Muse
What I like about Muse’s algorithm music video is that it has stunning visuals and great shot types throughout the video. Like when it shows Terry Crews training, there is only the use of ambient lighting which is really effective to fit the sort of training environment he is in.
What I like about Muse’s Knights of Cydonia music video is that it has a really cool narrative of a western style cowboy who knows martial arts and has a lover he is trying to save from the bad guy. The music video also has a lot fade transitions which are really cool
About Muse
Muse are an English rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of Matt Bellamy (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Chris Wolstenholme (bass guitar, backing vocals), Dominic Howard (drums).
Task 5: Copyright permissions
Letter to Warner Bros Music
Dear Warner Bros Music
I am writing a letter to see if I can use The muse song: The dark side to use in my own music video for a project for A level media. I am completely aware that I will not make a profit from this and it is purely just for a project. I really hope that we can come to an agreement on this and you understand my purposes for this song.
Yours sincerely
Lewis Furlong
Task 8: initial plans
Chosen track: Muse - The Dark Side
I have chosen this track because the lyrics of the song fit perfectly with the kind of music video I want to make and I also found the music video for this song really interesting so it was really good for inspiration
Ideas for artist/band name
This is a part that I am still not sure about and am still thinking
Potential narrative ideas
The main idea I had for the narrative was that it was an isolate building which has someone inside about to close after work that starts with all the lights on but the lights start to turn of on their own and there is this thing( which will be someone in a black morph suit) that chases them in the darkness down all of these hallways and it is about the worker there trying to escape them
Themes/key elements
Not exactly sure on what the themes/key elements will be but I am thinking a key thing will be darkness as the song is called ‘The Dark Side’ and the lyrics are mainly about darkness
Analysis of the Lyrics
‘I have lived in darkness’ - they have lived in the darkness, could that be literally or metaphorically
‘For all my life I have been pursued’ - Who or what is chasing him?
‘You’d be afraid, if you could feel my pain’ - Are they addressing the audience with the use of you, What is causing them pain?
‘And if you could see the things I am able to see’ - What is it they can see. The song keeps us wanting to know more with unanswered questions
‘Break me out, break me out let me flee’ - This part is the chorus and what are they trying to escape from?
‘Break me out, break me out set me free’ - use of repetition trying to make the fact they are escaping from something is the important part of the song.
Muse: The dark side lyrics
The Dark Side
I have lived in darkness
For all my life, I've been pursued
You'd be afraid if you could feel my pain
And if you could see the things I am able to see
Break me out, break me out
Let me flee
Break me out, break me out
Set me free
I hail from the dark side
For all my life, I've been besieged
You'd be scared living with my despair
And if you could feel the things, I am able to feel
Break me out, break me out
Let me flee
Break me out, break me out
Set me free
Break me out, break me out
Let me flee
Break me out, break me out
Set me free
Save me from the dark side
Break me out, break me out
Set me free
Task 11: Narrative ideas
Ideas for the setting
- My friends house as it is big and has a lot of space
- Possibly an open field
- A garden shed
- a road at night with street lights
Narrative Ideas
A teenage boy is in his bedroom on his phone just chilling in his bedroom, he looks outside to see a shadowy figure standing in his garden, he then gets a message on his phone from one of his friends that he needs to run and that there's no time to explain. He then looks back out the window and the figure begins sprinting towards the house and the boy goes downstairs and runs out the front door with the figure following from behind then there is lots of chasing between them until the boy eventually trips and hurts his leg and the figure feels his leg and he realises they share the same pain which is him finding a weakness. The boy then punches himself in the face and it hurts him but knocks out the figure. He then runs away some more and then finds the figure in front of him holding out a hand to stop. It takes of what seems to be a fully black mask and it is him all along and he finds out he is running from himself all along
Performers for the video
George Burley
Luke Welsby
Why I have Chosen them
George Burley: It is his house that I want to use for the narrative and he fits the role of a teenage boy that I need for my narrative idea for my music video
Luke Welsby: I need someone to be the figure in the music video who just needs to chase after the boy and Luke is quite energetic and willing to do anything to help out so I figured that this role would be perfect for him
Task 12: Casting
Here are the performers for my music video
