Research: Interviewing Technique.

As I have yet to buy a copy of Q Magazine, I promise I will get round to it, I have gone onto the Q Magazine website. Here I will look up three different articles, be it on news, gig guides, album reviews, interview etc. In order to gain insight on how the journalist phrase their words and how certain things are laid out.

Article One: Personal Playlist.

It's almost October, yet rather than be hit with an increasingly chilling autumn the UK is enjoying blazing sunshine. To celebrate such a nice day singer-songwriter Jodie Marie - who completed her residency at St Pancras Old Church last night (29 September), which included a guest appearence by Ed Harcourt - has given us a playlist featuring "Songs For The Great Outdoors" to soundtrack a day in the sunshine. Enjoy it while it lasts...

Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughan - Blues at Sunrise (In Session Live)
"This tune just reminds me of when I was growing up... My parents were always playing this type of blues music; I can't get enough of it."

BB King - I Need You So
"I had to include B.B. King as he had a massive influence on my music taste. I saw him live in 2009 in Birmingham for my birthday, and he played this song to open the gig... I was reduced to tears. Incredible."

Bonnie Raitt - I Ain't Right
"Bonnie Raitt is my idol, I think she's an incredible musician. I love all the early Bonnie Raitt stuff. The album this song is from is my comfort CD."

Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
"I really wanted to put Hallelujah here, but everyone's heard that song... So I chose another classic from the amazing album, Grace. What more can I say... it's Jeff Buckley!"

Janis Joplin - Misery'N
"I love Janis Joplin. The rawness and tenderness in her voice and music are overwhelming."

Queens Of The Stone Age - Go With The Flow
"A change in direction with the music style... I used to listen to loads of Queens Of The Stone Age and still do. Lots of memories with this. You can't go wrong."

Besh o Drom - Manias Depresszio
"Besh o Drom are an incredible band! I have danced at many a house party to their music. Never fails to get everyone on their feet."

Rodrigo y Gabriela - Diablo Roja
"These guys have to go on my playlist because a friend told me about them years and years ago at my first festival - they weren't playing, I was told to check them out when I got home... Every time I listen to them it reminds me of summer, friends and festival antics."

Eddie Vedder - Society
"This song is beautiful. My favourite film is Into The Wild and this song is on the soundtrack of the film. It gets me every time."

The Tallest Man On Earth - Troubles Be Gone
"And, finally... Another friend of mine told me about The Tallest Man on Earth a while back. Then I saw him on Jools Holland and I was blown away. Faultless!"

Article One: Analysis.
Here the journalist has used quotes from the artist and placed in the relevent text, the most easiest way the journalist did this was recording the interview and then playing back the response, typicing it in. This way the audience gets the artists all important opion on music and also introduces the music fans to other musicians that, if they were aspirers or mainstreamers, would go and listen to in order to bond with friend or aim to be like the artist.


Article Two: Q&A.

It's been an eventful but so far top year for Metronomy, having released their third album English Riviera in April, they've bagged a performance on the big stage at Glastonbury and a Mercury Prize nomination along the way. Favourites to appear in a lot of end of year lists, Joe Mount and co are currently in the middle of a UK tour, including a date at the Royal Albert Hall on 3 October as part of the venue's Albert Sessions. Q caught up with the band for a quick chat and a Q25 video interview you can watch below.

How was it to be nominated for the Mercury Prize this year?
Gbenga Adelekann, bass: :This year there's a lot of records released by independent labels that's good. It's an indie success story."
Joe Mount, frontman: "If you look at the records that have been nominated in previous years, it depends on taste, but it was nice to be along side Adele and PJ Harvey."

Did it change your lives?
JM: "As far as we're concerned we're just touring. But for the label it's a massive help. It means an awful lot because of the type of label it is [indie outfit Because Music]. And it certainly meant we were a bit more chipper."

So you're enjoying your year so far?
"Not to sound like a winger or anything, this year has been so much enjoyably easy compared to the last album [2008's Nights Out]. People like the record and trust the band a bit more. Glastonbury was one of the first things we found out about this year, a real Fuck me! and then there are countless other high points that kept happening."

Playing the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury did seem to suit you...
Anna Prior, drums: "I was quite shocked because I thought there would a gaggle of people at the front who were there to watch us but when we went out on stage it was more like Oh fuck there's a loads of people! They weren't all there for us, but it was lovely."
JM: "It felt like someone had taken a decision to take more of a chance this year. Us on the main stage on a Friday, it's a bit of a chance."

The only downside was the little chest lights you all wear at gigs didn't really show up, can you get bigger ones?
JM: "We'll just have to play when it's darker - go up the bill! [laughs] We used to use these pound shop lights and people could just buy them. We would always be trying to find them in pound shops before gigs. Now we have these bespoke ones - Hollywood style! You'd have to go some effort to source the material."

So who do you think is more associated with English Riviera tat the moment? You or Agatha Christie?
JM: "Agatha Christie? That's a treat no one has mentioned us alongside her yet. I was talking to this girl at Lovebox and she didn't like the idea of our video [below] that it's a cool place - because it isn't . I was trying to say to her, Of course that's correct, it's an idea. I think there's a danger of people not understanding that idea, and maybe people will turn up there thinking it's like the video and be disappointed. so I think Agatha will reign on. "

So no civic honours from Torquay's council yet?
JM: "Nothing yet."
GA: "I think Joe can get the keys to the town by the end of this!"
JM: "It's funny I didn't grow up in those towns, I was eight miles away, but I hope so. Maybe this Christmas we can turn on the illuminations. We'd probably get egged, because that's what I would done when I was young. Egged us."

Article Two: Analysis.

The questions have been highlighted in bold with the answers displayed below in a column layout. In order to distinguish between the bandmembers, the initials of their names have been used. This allows the audience to see the artists as individuals and, although they work together, they become one when producing music. The questions used by the journalist are positive and occassionally relate to the previous answer, showing that this interview was live and loosly planned. The main focus of this interview is what the artists are most famous for currently, winning an award, I must keep this in mind when concerning my questions for my artists.

Article Three: Album Guide.

Kasabian's new album Velociraptor! is released today (19 September).

To get the inside scoop on the band's four star album, already hailed by some as a potential album of 2011, Q sat down with songwriter Sergio Pizzorno and frontman Tom Meighan who took us through the record track by track filmed interview.
Watch the two part film, shot on location at Q recent photo shoot with the band, below for the ultimate guide to Velociraptor!.

(Below this paragraph are two videos, presented by one of the band members, informing the audience of the new album and the different ways they can consume it - as I will be unable to present videos in my magazine, I will analyse the above paragraph.)

Article Three: Analysis.

Certain phrases are used in order to grab the audiences attention "inside scoop" "four star album" thus showing the audience the imprtance of the album and the band. The opening paragraph is straight and to the point, something that I must bare in mind when writing my own. In the layout, words have been set in bold in order to draw the audiences attention to them and showing the importance of them, for example "Velociraptor!" the album name has been highlighted - the more attention brought to the album the more money the band, the magazine and the industry will likely make.

Overall, my favourite technique in journalistic writing, is the Q&A. I like how the questions are structured around ther response of the interviewee and that you get the context of what the artist is saying in the question. I also feel that this style of the Q&A will create more of a realistic personality with my artist and will fit the down to earth style that belongs with the singer/song writers.