Clockwork Running FEEDS!: Media Meditation #2

I was searching random movie trailers on youtube and Logan's Run came up. I've heard of this movie before but never knew what it was about. Turns out it is very similar to the book Feed by M.T. Anderson.

Video embedded from youtube:

The crystal in the citizens hands are like the Feed; it controls their happiness and their desires. The crystal in Logan's Run is more based on the fact that all your wildest dreams and fantasies come true just by a thought. You will have the lover of your dreams; you just have to think of it. Feed in a sense is the exact same thing. The people in the book and from what we talked about in class are just seeking the ultimate device to meet all their needs.

In Logan's Run no one is allowed to live past 30 because of population control, when you near 30 years of age the crystal in your hand will deliver you the last and final message of your life then you will die. People become afraid of this, of course, and go on the run. I think Feed can also relate to this because it could have an underlying control on population. How can someone live up to the age of 70 when radiation waves are flowing through their brain every second? Also when Violet attempts to break away from the feed she ends up dying. Both the feed and the crystal have an inevitable control over the human it controls.

Another movie that came to mind that isn't exactly similar but deals with the question of control over civilians... Clockwork Orange:

Video embedded from youtube:

I actually had to watch this movie for another class, Communications and Ethics, and it completely blew my mind. The trailer doesn't exactly show what the movie is about, but the flashing pictures and words give a feel for what your about to embark on.

The movie is a 3 hour description of the highs and lows of the main characters life through control and imprisonment. This movie is a true description of the saying,"Every action has an equal and just reaction."

Clockwork Orange photo of Alex, found on google.

He tortures and rapes people then gets arrested for it. Then goes on to be tortured by the government when they do a series of tests to scare the bad out of him. Then once he goes through treatment which results in him getting sick anytime he has the urge to have a sexual or violent encounter. He is then wronged by all the people that he wronged in the past coming full circle in a round of torture and despair.

In the end of the movie nobody really got what they wanted out of the revenge the so badly desired to achieve. The government fails by curing Alex because the last scene in the movie all the media forced on him and fame for being a survivor of this new governmental technique he goes back to being the same person he always was: a killer and rapist. Or thats the feel the give you.

The struggle for control and power by all three: Feed, Logan's Run and Clockwork Orange tie in together on the simple fact that there will always be someone trying to control and someone resisting.

DEATH: Media Meditation #1

October 7th at Higher Ground, DEATH will be making its first debut performance in VERMONT.

They came on Rocket Shop, The Radiator's local music hour that I host, to talk about their travels around the world.

DEATH @ Higher Ground 10/7/10 : 30sec spot from Howlermano on Vimeo.

Before DEATH came into the studio I wasn't completely sure of their background. I knew they were a rock and roll band originally from Detroit, Michigan and had later moved to Burlington, VT but I didn't know that they had so many connections that I ended remembering them once we started talking.

Photo taken by: Juliette Decree of the Big Heavy Crew

I started asking them a couple questions before the interview because one of my coworkers was going to do the actual interview on air. They formed DEATH in 1974 the members were David, Bobby and Dennis Hackney. The three Hackney boys started their hard rock and roll band in Detroit to an unexpected audience. They became really popular on the underground circuit which spread to the production labels. One of the big labels sought them out and offered them to sign, but they would have to change their name from DEATH to something a little less aggressive. David, the leader of DEATH and the oldest of the three brothers immediately declined.

Back of 1974 album by DEATH

The explanation for them turning down the major label was that their name was their soul. If they changed their name then they would've lost what they stood for. At that time society was very afraid of the word 'death', the major labels were afraid to put such a controversial word as one of their representing bands. These three brothers didn't back down and continued their push on through the music industry as a rock and roll soul pushing band in

the mid 70's.

As we went on in the interview; DEATH explained how their brother David passed away in the early 80's which completely put a stop to DEATH's live shows. The spirit and leader that David held in the group was so strong that they found it very hard to play or listen to any of DEATH's music.

The two remaining brothers went on to play with many different types of musicians and genres. Bobby, the new member, resurfaced DEATH for the love of David. He held the spirit and sound of David that they could not deny. The return of DEATH really shook all of its fans from all over the world. They have lived in Vermont now for 20 years and will be playing their first show in Vermont next Thursday October 7th at Higher Ground.

This interview was one of the most powerful for me because of their story of playing music over the last 40 years. Things have changed dramatically, when they were first starting out the name DEATH wasn't accepted nowadays nobody will even flinch at that type of name. Just like television ads nowadays, 90 percent of what is on television today probably wouldn't have been accepted 40 years ago.

Photo taken by: Juliette Decree of Big Heavy Crew

diving into the black whole of BLOGS!

Hello..... all.

My name is Kelsey Hanrahan. I have lived in Burlington, VERMONT for 5 years now and what a ride it has been; continues to be. I originally grew up in Spofford Lake, NEW HAMPSHIRE until I moved here. My mom and pop still live there, so its nice to go down and remember the good 'ol times while creating new memories as equals. Equals meaning, they don't pay for my existence anymore so we can be friends and hang like friends. I love my parents.

I love music and anything that really has to do with it. I love going to music festivals and meeting new people; making new adventures.

One of my favorite media experiences this summer was hosting Vermont Roots Rock Revival. This was a concert series that my friends and I organized this summer. They played in their bands and I hosted while representing a local radio station: 105.9 FM The Radiator, where I DJ every week. We had 4 dates this summer when we would gather down at Battery Park and 4 bands would play in 3 hours in a celebration of Vermont music. It was a free show and it really became quite a hit by the end of the summer. We even got a review in Seven Days by Dan Bolles. (Who will be on Rocket Shop, my radio show on The Radiator, on September 21st to promote The radiators fundraiser at being held at Nectars on September 24th) It was a grateful moment and rewarding experience.

My least favorite media experience this summer was the fact that I watched so much TV!!! AHHHH. I got into tv shows like U.S. of Tara and continued my obsession with Friends and Roseanne. I really wish I could be one of those people that just doesn't watch tv; but its so entertaining its sick!!! Oh well, I still did a lot of things I wanted to do, I just definitely got caught up in the ridiculousness of TELEVISION.