I am currently listening to "Time as Commodity" By Buried Inside its not the best song on the album but then again the album is made up of one song segmented into 11 different tracks, (Introduction, Time as Ideology, Time as Methodology, Time as Surrogate Religion, Time as Imperialism, Reintroduction, Time as Abjection, Time as Automation, Time as Commodity and Time as Resistance). Needless to say the album is about "Time" and whether it exists or not and how it does and doesn't exist in different walks of life. But the point I am trying to make is that Buried Inside have created this album (Chronoclast) with the view of making a point, teaching the world something, expressing themselves; but most of all not being sucked into the trap of being a mainstream bag of dog turd that produces reconstituted, low level, crap that quite frankly, could have created by a monkey with learning disabilities.

The song has now changed and it's a short one so I must therefore make this paragraph snappy! The song that has come on is one by a band called "Unearth" and it's called FALSE IDOLS. The name was not in capitals on the album sleeve and nor was it on my tunes, I just decided to put them in capitals as that is was a lot of the musical "idols" of today are; false. Look at Robbie Williams for example, how many songs do you reckon he as actually written himself? (Reflexive Pronoun according to Spell Check) How many songs has he grafted over, sweated over, cried over? My estimate would be around a nice big 0.

Next song: "System of a Down", Chop Suey', a strange band but a very popular song that made it quite successfully into the mainstream. Now don't get me wrong the mainstream isn't all bad; some of my favourite bands are pretty mass market; the likes of Slipknot, Killswitch Engage and The Arctic Monkeys can hardly say they are underground anymore, but the difference is they have musical credibility. This song currently has a strings part going on which is a nice contrast to that of the rock background; this texture clash is something that I feel that the likes of "Girls Aloud" or "Avenged Sevenfold" would struggle to understand: can't be seen as different now can we?

"Metallica"! Sell outs? Yes! Do I care? NO. They have done enough in the many years of being a band so to be quite honest I don't care about the fact that they have now become a product, a business, a company, a multinational, a "whatever else you want to call them". They created half the bands I listen to, half the bands you listen to and half the bands that everyone listens to so I couldn't care if they came round my house and ate all the food, they gave me enjoyment, I should give them some.

Ahhh, "Blur" part of the Britpop era; a period that produced some brilliant songs, some average ones and some songs that are best of being buried when Phil Collins decides to die. Without doubt Blur, are one of Britain's most iconic bands and personally I can say I prefer them to Oasis. I believe that Noel Gallagher is one of the greatest song writers ever, but being a fan of the world of "interesting" music I prefer "Blur as they are by far and away more… "interesting'.

Killswitch Engage: Brilliant. One of the few bands that continuously grab me by the balls. Their albums are solid, they have epicity (to be epic) of the highest degree and their live show is fantastically funny. I haven't to this day heard a KsE song that makes me want to leave the room. KsE are a band that all should be able to "Inhale" from the moment that Darkness falls to the moment Daylight days, they are for you, for me for everyone. They are mainstream, but they haven't sold out before their time, they haven't started playing Metallica rips offs and they most certainly haven't written songs that have the lyrics "Wooaooahaoo". (Trivium)

Codeseven are a band that I know very little about. After hearing the two songs "Lights" and "How many miles to Babylon" I was very impressed, then I heard "The Rescue" which was less brutal, frantic or loud but was still technically quite good and was very catchy. But then I heard the song I have on now which I like very much (the song in question is "Alt. Wave"), a quiet, Indyesque, quite ambient song that is miles away from the thrash style of the earlier songs. However, although I liked the song, I was not impressed that "Codeseven" had ditched their Hardcore roots and had made a drastic transition to the more mainstream Indy style. Why? I don't know but I have a feeling that it may have something to with either money or record deal. But still if they are producing good music then who cares. Trivium produced some good stuff on "Ascendancy", "Lostprophets" produced some amazing music on "The fake sounds of progress" but then they turned into, well, bollocks really. Give me the option of Listen to the "Wooaooahaoo" song by Trivium (namely the anthem) or pull each of my teeth out with a kipper and I know what I would prefer to do.

Mastodon are a strange band, on strange label; Relapse Records, are famous for signing bands that are weird, wacky and wonderful. Some of my favourite bands come from Relapse; "The Dillinger Escape Plan" is just on of them, an extremely violent mix of hardcore, thrash, ambience and jazz. Without doubt the two aforementioned bands are the most mainstream on Relapse. (Bands such as "RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER" and "Agoraphobic Nosebleed")Mastodon is definitely part of the musical genre "interesting" but they most certainly are not alone. The song has now changed to another Relapse records band called "Dysrhythmia" who (if you didn't know) are a "progressive, instrumental, jazz, funk metal band". Again they are without doubt one of my favourite bands. Another great sign that the underground produces some amazing, if strange music that doesn't get the attention it deserves.

For the first time in this music influenced article I have selected the song. This song (Elegy) and this band is one of my favourite pieces of art and one of my favourite groups of artists, ever. It really does "grab me by the balls", it sounds like Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Vishnu and Leonardo Da Vinci have got together, had sex and nine months later out popped "Becoming the Archetype". Managing to merge, classical, guitar, black metal, thrash metal, piano, church organs and a ridiculous amount of blast beats, they have created something that sounds like…god.

The song is still going, but has now gone from the ferocious blast beats and roaring of "War is the path that leads to destruction" to the quite celestial piano. I struggle to type this as I am so overwhelmed by what I am hearing. Becoming the Archetype is a band that very little people have heard of. They are underground; a Christian Metalcore band that shouldn't be underground. This is one band that I don't want to be left downstairs, I don't want them to be heard only be the weirdoes like myself who traipse around the internet and shops to find good music that no one has ever heard of before. It is for the good of the world that Becoming the Archetype are heard by all so that everyone can have the opportunity to experience the godliness of this great band.

"Elegy" has just finished, it was eleven minutes and 14 seconds of pure brilliance…in a bag. The album "Terminate Damnation" is also of this fantastical calibre. Varying from classical guitar to pure thrash, this album has something for everyone who has half a brain. Becoming the Archetype are without doubt, the Archetypical band that really could shape the music of the future just like Led Zeppelin, Muddy Waters, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Radiohead, Nirvana, Slipknot, and One True Voice did before them. (Ha! One true voice, showing that manufactured bands DO work).

I feel now that I can no longer put another song on that will match the brilliance of "Elegy". There are very few songs in my opinion that can match the ferocity, the subtleness, the kind evilness, the quiet loudness and the progressive simplicity of "Elegy" so for this "creative session" I will cease. Unless a new song comes on that is everything that "Elegy" is and more. Let's see (He clicks on iTunes, he presses next (current song is "4th Grade Dropout" by "The Dillinger Escape Plan") the next song is Enya, 'The Celts'). It's not an incredible song, but I like it and will listen to it. You see? I may like my death metal and all that, but I can still listen to some great cheese when I'm in the mood, just don't show me Phil Collins, or I may commit murder and that's just not good.

Rap and hip-hop provide a world that very few members of the youth population are able to attain, yet identify with nonetheless. The idea of being accepted into a group where all the needs and wants of its members are met (the very doctrine of the hip hop lifestyle being money and the ability to have whatever you desire) is very enticing to the average member of the materialist youth society. Belonging is also a huge desire in today's youth. The need to belong and be accepted is as strong as ever, and the hip-hop music industry feeds on this as well, and in that aspect is not such a negative thing. Giving youth the ability to interact with each other and to aid in the development of friendship groups is certainly a positive aspect of the mainstream music scene. The development of “cool” has always created groups in the past; and it is certainly arguable to claim that popular music will continue to create groups in its own image. However, the relevant issue is to whether or not the groups created from these musical influences are more inclined to generate positive or negative behaviour.

Many popular musicians use their pop culture status to promote charity work, environmentalist causes, and other positive movements. For example, U2's front man Bono has urged his fan group to support the Aids awareness cause in Africa. Similarly, hip-hop artists have in the past stood for more positive points then are typically granted by the stereotype of the hip hop life. For example, on the local front, Canadian hip-hop artists have recently joined the fight for a more ethnically diverse bone marrow registry in Canada. These movements are certainly positive, and add constructive role modelling to the typical popular artist's image.

Besides providing positive role models (outside the context of their rap personas), mainstream music also provides exposure to different cultures and types of music, further opening the mind to other cultures and stimulating creative discrimination and opinion between good and bad music (Fleiner, 2006, p. 225). The ability to discriminate between music one likes and music one does not is another way of expressing oneself, and facilitates the building of relationships between similar individuals. Musical preference can also foster a sense of community in an individual: fan clubs, music mixing communities, and mainstream forums (such as Billboard magazine) all create a place to share ideas and opinions with other like minded individuals. McLuhan's Global Village prospers partly due to the public sphere created by the mainstream music media: the sharing of ideas is facilitated by technology, but fuelled by affection for similar musical styles.

Music as a medium is described as aiding the creative process (Iwamoto, 2007, p. 340). It can be used in all sorts of situations to motivate individuals to do things they would normally find difficult. For example, the Mozart effect, as developed by Alfred Tomatis, is a system that uses music to increase creativity and learning proficiency. While there is no evidence that mainstream music has any impact on learning aptitude it is certainly extremely important in motivating creativity (Houchin, 1999, p. 136). Individuals copy those they find successful, and in music they even give those people a specific term: influences. Therefore, it is certainly arguable to say that mainstream music motivates creativity and an urge to produce some form of art in the fans: be it music (remixes, for example) art pieces (drawings or stories about artists that inspire the author) or simply a dance inspired by a certain piece of music. The important point to note is that mainstream music still inspires the masses to be creative.

Arguably, the most prominently held viewpoint of the mainstream music industry of hip hop is that is has a negative affect on today's youth (because of the themes of alcoholism and over the top sexuality inherent in the music) and their collective conscious with society. The Hypodermic Needle model would have us believe that music with such a message (materialism at any expense) would motivate the masses to put consumerism at the centre of their worlds, with little or no regard to the rest of society. Without critical analysis to divide the hip hop fantasy life with reality, there would be no control over our actions with regards to consumerism. Music regulations are arguably the answer to this issue: that is, the desire to imitate successful mainstream artists, regardless of the after effects.

Music, when broadcast to the public, is regulated by organizations under the government of the country in question. In North America, where hip-hop is one of the most popular of all music genres (Straw, 2003, p. 216) these regulations generally revolve around the types of language (curse or coarse words, generally) or overly suggestive content. This regulation of music is arguably one of the reasons the public has continued in downloading the music they hear on the radio, or other media sources. The ability to obtain uncensored and complete pieces of music without charge (although illegally) has become the norm: the dominant ideology of our day appears to be that theft of intellectual property is acceptable, according to the big record companies of the music industry (Laba, 2006, 166). While this belief system is not directly linked to the mainstream music media, it is certainly an after product of its regulation.

In accordance with the Hypodermic Needle Model, or at least in some recognition that mainstream music does indeed affect us, it becomes necessary to examine what kind of message exactly we are receiving from hip hop culture. If indeed the mainstream holds hegemony on our ideals, what actions are associated with it? As Lorimer and Gasher propose, since communication (especially in the form of a mainstream media such as hip hop music) is a commercial enterprise, entertainment value is emphasized instead of the expediency of the message. The entire mainstream music system is set up to send plenty of entertainment to the masses: a lot of money has been invested in these messages, and those investors expect a return on those dollars (Lorimer and Gasher, 2007, 216). Consequently, it seems logical to say that the mainstream music industry is just that: an industry. A business set up not to improve the lives of those interested in the system and its programming, but instead to simulate growth and to move as much product as possible. As such, the music industry's impact on popular culture appears to be one of huge proportions. The ability to motivate consumers in a society as strongly capitalist as North America is indeed a form of power in the purest sense.

However, even with the music industry's incredible sway on the way we act as consumers or what we choose to do with our free time, it is still a relevant argument to say that its positive aspects are an integral part of our culture that helps maintain a positive public sphere for youth and other mainstream music targets.

In summary it is important to mention that popular culture is a driving force in the lives of the majority of individuals in North America. The mainstream music industry's affect on popular culture has both positive and negative connotations, both of which have a powerful sway in the morphing of what is in style. Both aspects are necessary to maintain the power of this medium, and both are necessary to support its continued success. Hence, while the mainstream music industry does indeed contain negative aspects, these aspects are necessary in assuring that positive aspects are also present.

The music itself was of course more fun than I could have imagined it would be, but what I was more taken with in the twelve hours I spent in Camden was the amazing culture surrounding heavy metal music. The amazingly caring and friendly culture apparent in heavy music was in stark contrast to what I believed would be true before I went on that 100+ degree day in August.

Before heading out to Camden I had no idea what I was getting myself into going to Ozzfest. All I knew about the festival was that scary metal people who wanted to kill everything went there, and I certainly wasn't one of those people. The stereotype surrounding this genre of music was really all I had to go by. Thus, I was tremendously nervous that I would end up leaving the shows with a broken limb, a bleeding cranium, and bloody nose. I had no clue how wrong I was.

When I got to Camden I started to realize that beneath all of the black, metal chains, and spiked bracelets there was something so forgiving about this culture. In a subculture where the word “unforgiving” is as common as national debt in modern politics it seemed like everyone was there together. Not once did I feel out of place, threatened, or unsafe. I'm sure my parents would have … but I certainly didn't. It was almost a communal experience where everyone was at the festival with each other; there were no social divisions, everyone loved metal. Not once did someone tell me I wasn't “metal enough” nor did they even mutter anything negative about my admittedly “un-metal” appearance. The reason for this, I've come to find, is because it really didn't matter how I looked that day or what other music I listened to because I was there. The only proof these people needed to realize I was like them was that I was at Ozzfest. If all communities were like the metal community there would not be the massive social divisions present in modern society.

It's interesting to me how many of these people who are devoted to heavy music are subject to grossly unjust stereotypes. They are often looked down on by popular culture and other music cultures. But what I can't understand is how elitism is so prevalent in other music societies and pop-culture overall while metal enjoys a decidedly communal atmosphere. Why then do people criticize metal for being barbaric and purely noise while it's bringing people together more than many other styles of music? Metal people may look different than mainstream society, but they are certainly more understanding people than they are given credit for.

Modern society needs to wake up and realize that the metal subculture, while a little darker, initially scarier, and heavier than mainstream society is more than a positive model for the mainstream. If society were even a little less elitist and a little more communal we would be better off as a culture. Metal is not detrimental to society, it's a misunderstood model for the perfect communal atmosphere.