VISUAL MUSIC | Rock video phenomenon grows By STEVE BAREHAM THEY’RE INESCAPABLE if you own a television or patronize drinking establish- ments. Every day millions of people between the ages of 14-39, tune in fanatically. They are everywhere, and what we're seeing may be on- ly the beginning. The ‘‘they’’ are rock videos, a powerful com- munication medium that has brought rapid and significant changes to the social ac- tivities of young adults. The virulence with which they have struck has many social scientists intrigued and some parents a lithe worried. The sudden focus on videos has also prompted communication experts to seek answers to questions about their possible social et- fects) Why have they at- tracted a following of such magnitude? How does this new visual component affect our preceptuions of music? One of the people in- terested in the video phenomenon is Dr. Martin Laba, a communication pro- fessor at Simon Fraser University and a specialist in pop culture. He views the current video mania as a clever marriage of technology and marketing keved to a consumer sector which was tripe for a new dimension in music “It is important to em- phasize the word current, because rock videos are nas an altogether new phenomenon. Film treatments of pop tunes began as early as 1965 when Motown Records in Detroit produced promotional film shorts Of some hit singles In a sense many of today's pro ductions have their roots ina marketing promotional Strategy thal began almost 30 Vears ago "" taba doesn't tind the popularity of videos par Ooularly surprising oo There ts an ontire generation of peo ple who were taised on tele visqom at’ S a familar medium that voung people Know how hoo aunterpret and the sideas addon oentireby ore wat drambatiy hitictis ate ta TELUS Lata fOrmeriy a prtes Sperm hfe She tants pues trots Whe tase oot phauasne sider at thee Sreartivity devedb oot ttre ras ranis theaisely es Pooas beer suaepe sted tiat tre on tadhe rt fereuis cnm visuals recat othr Ste tats thas ef bes rely abode ated oc crmtreotb oot Nout ataste al tessa) Cotte ts Ne cribended mies yape of ttre aspeser rte The ee tte srs font re re | \ veda af Biever . de bovr h F oh dE Eee re pore dibyenty Ned i acre tte a by we | spearte 1 ears (OE Tan | \ Yas at bates thet cote vdeus aie belly or, er ren cee ' r, ook ‘oye sehr bye Fartayre We stad erp peateyee sate tbr eds creoh » 4 the rede pete ritual ool tre binte tebertyp chats Hieere ec a vad ath coboscr vers co POuPtntp teow ter pretty rok where thie aye rs cee! ors Oe ee 2 CONS ae thats re al f CLASSIFIED 986-6222 proficiency.’’ . The changes videos have brought to music go even fur- ther though — to the way we interpret music. *‘It used to be that people constructed their own fan- tasies tO music from the lyrics and the sound or both. Often these fantasies were rich tin personal meaning. Any music lover knows the experience of connecting certain songs to a person, time, place or mood. Videos have virtually chang- ed how people recall songs because the interpretive agen- AUDITORS SAY: AA IE E SPONGE FOAM MATTRESS : PLUS .. MUCH MUCH MORE .. ALL ON SAte TEAK BEDROOM SUITE A special Container load SEC ONL NAMM WS ce tee cy 18 overndden by the televised image. The images of the video become the ma- yor impression because sub- consciously the video establishes the proper inter- pretation of the song.”’ While Laba feels the jury is sull out regarding the social implications of rock videos he has no doubt about their visual impact. The effect on viewers iS extremely potent, almost hypnotic, a fact due largely to something known in the production business as the IPM quotient, or ideas = S PIS. ‘ “99 OT eriy VAR Cw he Dative per minutes. As one. suc- cessful producer states, ‘“*keep up your IPM _= and youl! do alrnight.”’ This power was demon- strated graphically in a research project undertaken by David Marshall which in- volved observing the reac- tions of Lower Mainland pub patrons to live bands perfor- ming in establishments where videos were also. offered. Noted Marshall: ‘‘Over the course of several mights it was discovered that greater altention was paid to purchase of these deluoce suites. tre lading ~ Queen) ted with maghit tattle. bore low: tripabes free er And tit) fives dhearwer crescent eniatoless as ta other you thane, Wic Pestle: avinigy at otity $ ae ” 7? Sell tt off "pice °O99. 7 TEAK FRAMED MIRROR 19 YOU WILL NOT Beiitve Scandic 1470 PEMBERTON AVE. _ NORTH VANCOUVER “one of B.C ‘'s largest Scandinavian furntture stores C9 - Wednesday, April 18, 1984 - North Shore News the screen than 10 the live musicians. Even when the videos were played without sound while the bands were performing, the audiences still paid greater attention to the videos. Vividly and Tepeatedly the dominance of the visual image was demon- strated.”’ Laba says only time will tell whether the video rage will intensify or Jessen, but he is convinced video is now a permanent part of music. And contrary to some social commentators who feel that videos will irrevocably diminish interpretive capacities that are already suffering from disuse, Laba iS Optimistic. ‘Song and dance have been a critical part of social tradition since the beginning of recorded history. Technology can alter that tradiuon but not destroy it. Audiences have always responded creatively to new musical directions and there is reason to believe videos wil soon be seen as a real enhancement to music.”’ THESE ARE JUST A FEW -_ EXAMPLES OF THE HUGE SAVINGS NOW! i ss a . | ROUND DINING TABLES. with centre 4 extension to seat six This is value! “Sell it off "price 249. DANISH DINING CHAIRS. Comfortable curved teak back, beige padded seat “Sell it off’, ice $79 r a ——_ MN cena Be ft