Thursday, 16 October 2008

DPS Analysis - Fall Out Boy in Rock Sound


This is a Fall Out Boy interview from the same issue of Rock Sound as the Rolo Tomassi interview, but Fall Out Boy were the cover stars so this is probably the main DPS. Although Rock Sound isn't the kind of magazine I'm aiming to make I still think the DPS is quite relevant, as I haven't really saw one with such and obvious theme as this one and Fall Out Boy are quite mainstream when it comes to pop/rock crossovers. I've learned from research around this, that the tag line or slogan for this article is "Fall Out Boy come back fighting!" so they've obviously styled the article around a comeback like the Oasis one, but this is much more animated in my opinion with the whole boxing theme. It's something I'd be interested in considering for my DPS so I think it's suitable to analyse.

The image is rather unconventional, as rather than enforcing their band image, they're presented as boxers, which I think in a a way draws the reader to the page, thinking "why are FOB dressed as boxers?". I don't know if I could pull off a theme with my genre as it may just come across as cheesy, whereas this shows a bit of fun in the world of rock. The main image can draw the preferred reading of a boxer regaining strength after a hard fight, but I think it can also be interpreted as the aftermath of a really good gig, where the artist is tired out, connoting a really good impression to the target reader who will probably be interested in live music. By wearing typical rocky clothing and looking how he normally does, combined with the fluffy towel and drinking bottle really gives the idea of a music fight, battle of the bands style, which I think will also probably appeal to the target reader.

The smaller images which is also unconventional for the layout of a music DPS, from what I can draw from others I have saw. But I think this works, because it allows the theme to be built on and the band members to be viewed individually. The typical boxing poses encodes that they're not a band to be messed with, and that they will prevail over others, as suggested by Pete's "champion" pose. The boxing gloves are also an indexical sign, very suggestive of fights and toughness, yet the bright colours make it seem quite playful which I think is the right reading for a band like FOB, who aren't afraid to take the mick in videos etc.

Their facial expressions are also interesting because as well as fitting in with the theme, they also fit in with the rock genre, the sultry, hard look of Patrick and the screaming rowdy look of Pete. I think this helps connect to the real image of the band, but I think the fact they've agreed to such a theme in the first place tells the readers a lot about them. It shows they're not serious emo rockers, but more playful and friendly, which is the interpretation I can draw from it. It just seems a lot more positive than the Oasis or Rolo Tomassi spread which seemed quite serious because of the non-smiling images. This is something I should pick up on for my own, as I'll want to present the artists I use as friendly for it to appeal to my target readers, however would having them smiling or being playful ruin my credibility and should I be trying to prove pop is just as meaningful as other genres? That's something I'll have to consider, but at the minute I feel as if it would be untrue to pop to make it so serious and maybe present it as something it's not. It's like the opposite to the struggle some rock bands may experience to show they're nice, friendly people.

The article strikes me as very different to the others I've read, because it is focused largely on the magazine crew's experience as well as Fall Out Boy. On the others, the magazine itself is normally only mentioned as they set the scene at the start, but as well as this the magazine's 2 day journey surrounding Fall Out Boy is also documented. I don't think this is something I'll attempt as it's very unconventional and could be risky veering from the subject of the interview which is probably why the readers are reading, however it does seem to get the reader more involved with the whole experience, again matching the vibe of the images that Fall Out Boy are actual people and not just a band, something which I think the Kaiser Chiefs article also achieves.

Although this is only the beginning of the article, it doesn't appear to be that music focused, as it doesn't name specific songs or albums, but just talks generally about band life and a lot about each members social life. This seems like something I'll want to have an element of, but I think with my genre I've got to talk about the music somewhere to show it's not just a gossip magazine. But maybe it's something I have to understand that a music magazine isn't just about naming titles and explaining the style of music, but it is about band life and the media coverage of music as this still counts as music info. I think this is something I'll find hard, to write in sophisticated way because I'm so used to reading interviews with questions like "So do you all get on OK?" so I will need to learn to veer to slightly more obscure topics like the GQ awards in the Kaiser Chiefs article, and the wedding gossip in this article.

The font, again very readable and the logo of Fall Out Boy, is probably their font, but otherwise it's all just the fonts of the magazine as I'm gathering from the Rolo Tomassi article because it's from the same magazine. Larger, bolder fonts are used for the quotes which is something I'll need to incorporate as it breaks up the article style interview, yet even if I decide to do Q&A I think quotes will still look good.

The colours again fit in with the boxing theme of the photoshoot/interview, but also acts as a signifier to Fall Out Boy's roots as their from America. This may just be a coincidence, though I do think it's fairly obvious. This is actually the only DPS I've collected which doesn't use black on white or white on black, making it unconventional and actually less credible in my eyes but I'm just accepting that it to fits in with theme, possibly indicating I shouldn't use a theme as I was thinking before.

I think this article is the most unconventional I've saw, with it's images, playful theme and different writing style, and although it's something I'd love to do I just think it would ruin any credibility for my pop magazine, so I'll have to see if there's any way to incorporate a theme without ruining classiness. I'm thinking using alternative coloured images, like gray scale or sepia? But I'll have to see how that pans out. I think because this is pretty unconventional it gives me an idea of what I can consider as a convention for when I'm writing my summary and deciding how my magazine will be unique or conforming.

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