Reading Log 1: First response to "DangerMouse"

Tara Boren

Feb. 9

Billy Middleton

Phillip A. Gunderson shared his views with music lovers and scholars alike about mash-up artist, Danger Mouse. In Gunderson's article on Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) he criticized the artists mash-up of the Beatles and Jay-Z records. The use of large,educated words indicates that he is not intending to reach out to music lovers to express his opinion, but perhaps to scholars who could read the article and do something about the "illegal plundering of some of the most valuable property in the history of pop". 

Gunderson's article on the illegal use of bedroom composing was meant to inform others about the murderous offspring of the some of the world's greatest music. He did so by using an article sent out to the public composed of large, unnecessary words. Perhaps if he used words that could relate to everyone and weren't so critical, he may not have seemed so biased. 

The format and layout of the article makes it an easy read. He compares Danger Mouse's work with the senseless DIY ethos of punk rock. He addresses this situation as a very serious problem and one that needs to be fixed. However, it has gotten so common that it would be very difficult to be able to end it. He illustrates how copyright laws are supposed to work when it comes to artists by comparing it to Walt Disney and his Disney World copyright laws whenever he passed. 

Gunderson's article states that it is a very serious problem and needs to be addressed although it seems almost impossible. His article to a poor college music-lover, such as myself, will not be affective. Especially with the use of some of his wording. However, for the intended audience he does a nice job "rounding them up" in the beginning but at the end he reassures his audience that attempting to end this is futile.