Front Cover Step By Step

Firstly I cut out the image I wanted to use on my front cover, using the quick selection tool. I then put that image onto an A4 size document on Photoshop with a plain white background as white is the colour I want the background of my magazine to be. The cut around these images looks rough but I made it that way to represent the genre of rock as stereotypically rough and raw looking images, people represent the genre of rock music.

I then added a mast head to my front cover in bright red bold writing so it stands out and is right in front of your face which again is stereotyped with rock as it can be very bold and in your face. I titled my magazine ‘ROCKIN’’ as this is a clear indicator that the magazine is of a rock genre straight away as rockin’ is an abbreviation for rocking which is associated with the rock genre. 

I then added a main cover line for the Two Faced Serenade on the front cover in the same big bold red writing to represent a bold rock band but also so it stands out so my target audience can instantly recognise the band and make a decision if they should read it or not. I also added a short description underneath ‘Two Faced Serenade’ of ‘local love and dream venues’ this gives the audience an insight to what the interview/article might be about and interest the audience to an even further level. 

I then added a further cover line, of ’20 biggest rock songs of all time’, which would also interest my target audience as rock music is their main music genre to listen to.

I then added a barcode and a brown strip at the bottom of the magazine for a puff to go onto. The puff is ‘free mp3 download of new Catfish and the Bottlemen’s Soundcheck’. Catfish and The Bottlemen is a big rock band with quite a big fan base so putting a free mp3 of their new song would appeal to a larger audience if they don’t like any other bands in the magazine, it also adds more appeal and desire to the magazine.

I then added Catfish and The Bottlemen’s logo next to the puff so the audience can identify the band with ease as a logo is memorable.

Finally I added a website underneath the barcode for the magazine, as it would appeal to my target audience as they are a younger audience and the younger generation are familiarised with the internet. Then I put in the issue number and date so the audience can keep track of the magazine issues, the issue number and date is also a common convention on magazines in general.   

Write Up Interview Second Draft

Two Faced Serenade are a cheeky band from Southend-On-Sea, Essex. Members forming this up and coming band consist of local boys Ryan on drums, Ellis, guitar and vocals, Dylan, guitar and vocals (sometimes) and Jack, guitar (and also vocals sometimes, when his voice is at full capacity). All of them meeting through secondary school, college and through each other all having a passion for music, to which led to them starting a band. Ellis learnt to play the guitar and instantly wanted to play with other people to create awesome melodies. “Yeah sitting in your room playing the guitar is great but, obviously when you’ve got a drummer and in my case guitarists to play with obviously that’s something else isn’t it!” They both also share a passion with each other for not particularly liking other people, making this band a bunch of gossipers.

This leads us on to the name Two Faced Serenade, before Two Faced Serenade they were S.O.S (which they hated), Fear of Flying and Seeing Other Signs, until eventually landing on Two Faced Serenade. This being the band name as a collection of people are two faced and they were singing so they were serenading them with the beautiful sounds of their music, to which I would expect to hypnotise the two faced into appreciative creatures. I entered the small and dingy practice room they were in and sweet tunes hit me instantly making the small space seem exciting and full of energy, all concentrating and messing around to make a melody with hints of jazz as each band member likes to bring in elements of their music tastes into their songs, as each individual is an entirely different musician, so they come together with their differences, to create wonderful songs. Writing songs neither comes easily or hard, each member having selective roles in the process. First the song is written and then the jamming out process begins to which they pick a riff they like and then work on it to put together a whole new song. Not aspiring to be like anyone else, big inspirations and musicians of favour come from The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Jimi Hendrix. Jazz is an influential point for Jack as this is his favourite genre, but he only brings small elements of this into their songs “I wouldn’t want really to be the music taste I like, like I wouldn’t want Jazz or something like that to aspire to be”.

Growing up in Southend-On-Sea, Essex it can be hard for bands to be heard and noticed. Chinnerys played a huge role for Two Faced Serenade, it’s one of the most popular music venues in Southend where people can go for cheap musical entertainment and to discover new bands, this being a massive help to the boys, in making them confident in performing live and getting a glimpse of the soon to be mega fame. All the hard work pays off though as the boys have played at venues such as The O2 Academy Islington and The Garage London. The dream is to play at the O2 Brighton and The O2 Academy Brixton which in my predictions will become reality very quickly. The feedback and the energy from the crowd being one of their favourite attributes of playing live, along with the look they give each other as they see the crowd they are playing to and everything clicks into place. The favourite venue for the boys to play was the Islington main stage, but deep down Chinnerys holds a massive place in their hearts being home turf (not the gunge layered carpet though!) As well as playing popular venues in London, Two Faced Serenade were also on BBC Introducing, Dylan playing GTA at the time along with Jack. Ellis described hearing them on the radio as “a bit weird” and “pretty cool” which sound like good emotions is you ask me. Dylan stating “It was weird to hear the guy say Two Faced Serenade” this is a feeling they should start getting used to, the guys stating they forced them to play their song by spamming them the hell out, but hey sometimes you have to be persistent to get where you want to go and work hard and not just sit there day dreaming of all of the possibilities.

However not all have been supportive of Two Faced Serenade; some family middle grounded and some fully supportive as they have musical backgrounds. Ryan’s grandparents where very much against the idea and questioned what would be made from being in a band, and gave him money for a ticket but never went to the gigs. To be honest it’s probably not the scene for an elder, jumping around with beer spilling everywhere and heavy guitars with loud music blasting through multiple huge speakers! Being persistent they went and made a band anyway and now they have played a main stage show all the grandparents wish they were there.

Having just released The Secrets Out (28^th December 2015), they are in the process of writing a whole new EP right now, so keep your eyes and ears open and alert! A favourite song they have written is Run Away included on The Secrets Out EP, the ending in particular seems to be a huge highlight in this tune. However a regret song is Outcast, this was one of their first songs and as a starting point for a flourishing band I don’t think any regret can be made, we all have to start somewhere and sometimes a ‘naff’ song as Ryan states is where it all begins.

All-time favourite albums can be hard to pick but the boys seem to have some solid favourites; Ryan, anything from Fallout Boy, Ellis, Blood Sugar Sex Magik by Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Dylan, anything by Pink Floyd and Jacks, The Black Album by Metallica. Red Hot Chilli Peppers seems to be a recurring band, as a goal to supporting, you guessed it, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers!

Me being a gig junkie I just had to know some of the boys favourite gigs they have been to; Ellis’s was Lincoln Park and Of Mice and Men, Jack’s, My Chemical Romance (before they split obviously), Ryan’s, Iron Maiden, and Dylan’s, Jeff Beck. Quite a few different bands thrown into the mix there but this just shows their diversity and how as a band, Two Faced Serenade like to sound unique and spice things up a little! 

Edited Images

First I adjusted the brightness/contrast of the image. This was done so the lighting in the image looks even and professional. I made the brightness 46 and the contrast 23, as if the contrast was too high the image would look unrealistic which is not the look I want in my images.

The next step I took was to alter the colour balance of the image. I did this also to ensure the image looked even, as the band was wearing a lot of navy I made the blue tint higher than the red a green so the image looked even and so everything matched.

Then I altered the curves of the image. This adjusts the brightness and contrast of the image at a more controlling rate. I only changed the curves slightly as I wanted the image to look even and not to over the top and unrealistic which it became when I moved the curves any further.

Band Photos

 

Above are all of the images I shot.  The images I want to use in my magazine from my shoot are;

 I have chosen to use these images because they fit in with the typical band magazine images and fit in with my research,this is because the lead singer is in the front middle as shown in my research, and all of the band members are close together to show they are a band and not individual artists. I have also done a line-up shot of the band, with them all facing the camera to give direct mode of address to the audience. 

I also captured candid shots to give the audience an idea of what the band are like and to give an idea of the genre of the band, for example in my images they are in a small, messy band practice room with laid back clothes playing instruments showing they are in a rock band as mess is usually associated with rock and showing their dedication to music as they are playing instruments.