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Many young people around the world share the same
dream, to become an internationally known rock
star!
So today 180View will take you on a virtual trip
around the globe to uncover how students from
Russia, Ukraine and Arizona start to make
their dreams come true, by taking that first big step
and joining the local music band.
America's recording industry is the largest in
the world and some of the more popular musical
styles like blues, jazz, swing, rock, R&B, soul,
funk, heavy metal, punk, disco, house, techno,
grunge and hip hop were born here and have spread
across the globe.
Many of the musicians and bands that are responsible
for making these styles internationally famous
call America their home and quite a few of their
lives are connected to the great state of Arizona.
Country music star Marty Robbins sang sweet ballads
about Arizona cowboys in the 1960s and shock rocker
Alice Cooper entertained audiences with his own
band of heavy metal in the 70s.
Arizona is also home to Stevie Nicks, the lead
singer of 70s rock legends Fleetwood Mac, the Gin
Blossoms who brought the early 90s grunge sound to
Phoenix and now Dave Mustiane, the lead singer
songwriter of the heavy metal band Megadeth.
Inspired by these local rock stars, lots of
children and young adults living in Arizona dream
about repeating their success.
And it's not only dreamers who believe in rock music
as a profession, but educators at local
community colleges have faith in rock music as a
career path as well.
For example, at Scottsdale Community College students
can take classical music courses, or they can take
a special music class where they get a chance to
experience what it's like to be in a real
rock'n'roll band.
Rock band is a great class.
It's pretty cool to come in and form bands and play
shows, that kind of thing, which is great if, you
know, you're a fledgling rock and roll musician
like myself.
Honestly, my life today is completely different from
where it was when I came in to this class.
In rock band class, students aren't learning
how to play musical instruments, but how to
create what Americans love most - the show!
People hear with their eyes, not necessarily with
their ears.
If a band is going crazy on stage and it sounds OK,
if they look good on stage, people will be
blown away by that band.
American performers know that along with playing
good music, one of the most important ingredients
for being a rock star is your image.
Sometimes exciting outfits, creative
hairstyles and accessories, unexpected
behavior and a lot of energy can transform a
regular student into a living rock idol.
This transformation helps the audience remember the
performance for a long time.
And the most critical factor is the ability of
the performer to relax, don't hold back, and let
your unique musical personality shine!
For rock and roll, you have to be yourself and
really let go and let your own emotions out.
My music personality is a little bit rough, and
gritty and bluesy, and in your face.
Take no prisoners!
I would say I am bluesy, I am soulful, I am powerful
and I am rocking!
Students don't have to be enrolled in a music
program to take the rock band class.
Any student can take it as one of their electives, as
long as they have some music skills.
Chasing your dream in America often leads people
of different professions to the stage and high
energy of rock'n'roll.
It is very common for popular local bands to
include working professionals like
doctors, lawyers, video editors, computer
engineers or chefs.
And sometimes even MCTV reporters walk out on
stage to feel the adrenaline rush that comes
from performing in front of a crowd.
From first-hand experience I can say that if you want
to be a member of a music band in America, you need
to be ready to have a DIY or do it yourself
attitude.
In Arizona it often means practicing in a sweaty,
non-air conditioned garage or storage space during
hot summer nights, carrying your own
equipment, finding venues, booking shows and
promoting them on social networks like Facebook and
Myspace.
You must also accept the fact that sometimes,
despite all your hard work, the audience might
only be some supportive friends and family, with a
couple of locals hanging out at the bar.
But at the same time it is absolutely worth it!
Arizona's audiences are very welcoming and
friendly, and there is nothing like jamming on
stage at an old southwest bar to make you feel like
you are truly alive!
And now let's travel around the world and learn
what it means to be part of a local music band in
Moscow, Russia!
The Door Into Summer is an annual student festival of
rock-music.
It takes place in late May on the square in front of
the hostel of MIET.
This is a real, although small, open-air concert,
which attracts a lot of students and passers-by.
Here viewers can listen to their already favorite
bands and evaluate the performances of beginners.
I used to play music, too.
And I am interested what does it look like today,
what do the young bands play, those who are
students.
Honestly, I have never heard this before and I
see these people for the first time, but I like it!
Well, not bad.
The guys are showing creativity, I liked it.
You can go out, to unwind a bit, summer is coming,
positively!
At the festival groups and solo performers gather
together, performing in various genres.
Someone is clearly dedicated to their musical
style, while others prefer to play for everybody.
Metaaaaal!
Because metal is life!
At the moment I can't say that there is a difference
in the audience who listens to light or heavy
music.
I think today, you can say with confidence our
audience is very different, different
groups of people like different things,
including heavy music.
We define ourselves as a youth group that plays
contemporary indie-pop music.
In spite of all their differences, the guys have
a lot in common, the passion for music, places
for performances and even fans.
But, unfortunately, there are also many reasons for
all the young bands to have problems.
The difficulty is that there is a great amount of
young bands and it is very difficult to break off
somewhere, and everybody is poor, and there is no
money to buy good instruments, aaaand, it is
difficult to find a drummer.
The difficulties are mainly in the acquisition
of an instrument and finding the person who
will be able to promote the music that you want to
play.
There is such a thing, DIY, do it yourself.
This concept means that you promote yourself, you
invest money into your music, do not ask labels
to give you money for promotion.
Such a phenomenon had been a kind of an exception for
the entire music industry, but today all the musical
groups are engaged in DIY.
The problem of finding venues for performances is
perhaps the most important and serious.
Because you need to find a place where you could play
in comfortable conditions.
And even better, if there will be grateful
spectators listening to you.
Guys find various solutions.
Someone is playing at home, for their friends
and someone gets the opportunity to play in
youth clubs.
Unfortunately, we mostly perform in our university.
And also sometimes.... where else do we play
sometimes?
Well, in the garage.
At the moment we mostly play in the clubs of
Moscow and Moscow region, sometimes in Tver region,
but mostly Moscow and Zelenograd.
We went to Kazan this year, to the annual music
festival, it was already the second time our
friends invited us to come.
Also we have been to Saratov.
We have gone to perform to Tver not so long ago.
The festival The Door into Summer is a great place
for young bands.
Here they can express themselves and show what
they are able to do.
The concert gathers a sufficient number of
listeners of the same age with the performers, and
they all love and want to listen to music.
Such performances can be an excellent starting
point for any group.
These concerts provide to the youth groups an
opportunity to promote, and groups who already
have some experience have a place to show what they
can.
This festival will help many groups to find their
listeners.
These concerts are useful, because it is an incentive
for young bands to prepare, to rehearse, to
learn by heart, as the preparation for an exam,
only in a more free form.
Those who really believe in their dream go after it
without the fear of complications.
And despite all the obstacles, sooner or later
the true talents will succeed.
As it is said, Through the thorns to the stars.
And now 180View will take you to our next
destination where we will find out what it means to
be a local musician in the city of Nikolaev, Ukraine.
Ukraine is considered to be a singing nation since
ancient times.
Ukrainian language is so melodic, that lyrics
appear themselves.
And now it is very difficult to imagine our
life without music, songs, especially in Ukrainian.
Our soul starts dancing to the music.
Let's get acquainted with up-to-date musical
preferences of the Ukrainian youth.
Ukrainian folk music is fairly considered to be
one of the richest treasures of the cultural
heritage of European nation.
At all times the pandora was believed to be proper
Ukrainian musical instrument, and today we
did not forget our traditions and musical
bands are being created again and again, they
develop and support Ukrainian folk music.
"Ukrainochka" pandora chapel is among such
groups, it is famous for execution of Ukrainian
folk songs, accompanied by the pandora.
Pandora is a universal instrument, it is used not
only for folk compositions but for classical ones.
It is possible to perform everything, using pandora.
Pandora consists of 55 cords, there are pandoras
with so-called switchers, i.e. it is possible to
choose any keynote, to play any compositions in
the keynote, it is a universal instrument.
It differs from piano, from guitar.
And many musicians, who do not play pandora, envy us.
For many centuries pandora was the only way to
perform folk wisdom, ideology and ideals.
It is the very soul of Ukrainians.
When I touch its cords, I feel a patriotic spirit.
This is the Ukrainian art, and it requires
development, because there are so many difficulties
in our life, and when children come here, come
in touch with the instrument, they get into
other kind of world, inner world.
I do not know how to explain it, this is what
you get used to, it becomes something very
important for you.
We have been introducing some modern aspects
recently so that it would be interesting for the
girls to continue their training.
We choose some cutting-edge works and set
them to pandora ourselves.
Along with the folklore in Ukraine there are many
other different music directions.
There are popular music hits, favorite singers of
different styles and streams, so that everyone
can choose whatever they like depending on their
tastes.
Let's get familiar with the modern music
preferences of the Ukrainian youth.
Basically I think of myself as a melomaniac.
I like listening to different music directions
since I suppose that each and every type of music
has something unique to offer.
I really adore Ukrainian rock, for example these
are such musical groups like Okean Elzi, Otorvald,
Tanok na Maydani Kongo, Bumboks.
Among Ukrainian singers and groups I like Skai and
Druga Rika.
Okean Elzi, Potap and Nastya.
My wife likes Druga Rika, Okean Elzi and Bumboks.
And, as for me, I simple adore them!
Music preferences of young people in Ukraine are
quite varied.
Nevertheless the youth hold up the long-standing
Ukrainian musical traditions.
We were really happy to introduce the music tastes
of the Ukrainian youth to you.
In the next episodes we will continue letting you
into the cultural and national features of our
country.
TV studio NUK-TV exclusive for the program 180View.