DPS Analysis - Summary of findings

I've gathered a list of conventions from analysing these 4 double page spreads, so I will know how be conventional as well as streching them to make my magazine's unique style.

Image

• On one side of spread - I've just noticed that all the DPS I've looked at are all of bands. I do have some in my collection of solo artists, but as I am hoping to feature a girl band, this is a usual feature in my analysis. Normally, the image of all the band members is on one side of the spread, the article on the other, however I think by subtly challenging this convention like the Kaiser Cheifs article I could have that unique sense without ruining my style. This is more a question of the layout, which something I'll consider more when drafting, but maybe the opposite of the Kaiser Cheifs article would be effective in making my magazine edgy.
• More detailed background than cover - On 3 out of the 4 Dps I looked at, the images were outside, and looking at my collection of others, most of them have some kind of set behind them and only a few are plain. I think by having my cover having a non-plain background, I coud revert the usual convention link between the cover and DPS by having my background as plain.
• Simple stylish clothes - Their clothes aren't anything extravagant just because it a photshoot, they keep their normal style to promote a true identity to the readers, so I think this is a convention I'll definitely stick to as it is quite an important feature to the purpose of a DPS image.

Language

• Q&A or article style - Both styles are often used, but I think for different purposes. In the non-stop article style, it connotes that the reader should have a genuine interest in the article and a very deep interest in music, which would explain why it's used in Rock Sound as it's a magazine for the alternative music who's fans are often very involved. The Q&A style allows the interview to be lighter reading as it provides break up points, and therefore I believe this style would be better for a mainstream music magazine, as the reader is more likely to have a varied taste and may just be reading the articles out of a slight interest and as a source of general diversion rather than surveillance. Also it doesn't look to overwhelming which I think my target readers would appreciate.
• Sets the scene - At the beginning of each article, some kind of interview situation is created which mentions the magazine and it sets the tone for the rest of the article I believe. This is definitely something I'll do, but I think I'll just stick to the plain convention unlike Rock Sound's Fall Out Boy interview, which continously kept scene-setting, as I think this is quite risky although it gets the reader involved.
• Music information crossed with social chatter - Although the balance between these 2 vary greatly in each interview, it's something I need to get my head around for when I write my own. I would like to mimic the balance of the Kaiser Chiefs article, but I don't know if really I should be focusing heavily on the music info to give it credibility. At the same time, I don't think this would appeal to much to my target readers, as I think they will be interested in the social side of the artists. This is something I'll really have to understand when I come to write my own.

Font

• Readable, clear article font - For the mass writing of an interview, it's almost necessary and obivous that the font just has to be plain, so this is just agiven that I'll use this convention.
• More detailed fonts for titles - The band's own font I'm assuming is used for the title font, but I'm sure this is also the same for cover, however this isn't always the case, but just lookig to my collection of covers and DPS now, I think it would be acceptable to use the band's font for the DPS, and the magazine's font for the cover to be in-keeping on the cover.

Colours

• Black on white writing - This or the inverted version (WOB) is used on most of the articles I've looked at, except from the Fall Out Boy one which is generally unconventional, as this I think it trys connotes that a music magazine is just as important as a newspaper (even thought it's not) in order to influence the readers to read the article. I think this is a good way of gaining the credibility I'll need so I'll probably stick to this.
• Neutral colours - Although most of the spreads I looked at used very mute colours, I feel this covention really depends on the artist being used. All of the DPS I analysed were generally male artists, so a DPS on a female artist could use different colours, like for instance I have a Dolly Parton spread which uses accents of bright pink and a Goldielocks spread using a lot of yellow, so I think this is the kind of style I'll follow if I'm to use a female band or artist.