Pfeil 1 Zach Pfeil Ms.

Olding ENG 200 4 November 2013

Rhetorical Analysis of Rise Against vs. Nirvana The art of music is an ever changing process that has played an important role in public imagery as audiences of artists and music group tend to be listeners with the same views. Thus the music that they listen to affirms their views and can even take it one step further, leading the listener to follow the bands point of view entirely. The beliefs, credibility, and logical appeals that a band makes to their listeners define who they are and why they are making music. Nirvana; a grunge movement band considered to be influenced by Glam artists, and Rise Against; a new age alternative band, both have aspects of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos embedded into their music, despite coming from different musical backgrounds. The band Rise Against has always been a band about expressing their negative feelings about what our world has become today. They are an alternative rock band that believes that America is making many political and economic mistakes. The lead singer of Rise Against, Tim McIlrath, explains in an interview why his band is unique: There are so many bands that sing about negative things, and we kind of wanted to use this to show people its OK to voice your opinions and stay positive (sing 365). He goes on to state: Its not just a responsibility as human being on the planet, but towards the punk rock scene. I feel like were kind of carrying the torch of punk. So many bands arent doing that (sing 365). McIlrath feels it is his time to not only play his heart out, but also to inform the masses of terrible political, social, and even economic situations that occur in our world that they dont agree with.

Pfeil 2 Nirvana was a grunge rock band formed by lead singer Kurt Cobain. The band started off locally in Seattle with the intention of just playing for sake of playing, the mentality of the band seemed such that they just wanted to play their music for themselves, but amused with having a small amount of fans in order for the monetary support to keep playing. Each band member had many life struggles that eventually took a toll on the group, while at the same time bringing their group more fame. One would describe Nirvana as having: fuse punk energy with hard rock riffs, all within a pop sensibility (encyclopedia.com) as well as having a much scratchier, slurred, and rough vocal aspect than most bands at this time. In the song Prayer of the Refugee Rise Against examines the behind the scenes of commercial products and where they are truly made. They make the point that Americans take what they see in front of them every day for granted and may not realize how much work is really put into what they see at stores: So open your eyes child, Let's be on our way. Broken windows and ashes are guiding the way (azlyrics.com). Rise Against also makes an effort to show American consumers how all of these products found at stores that are supposedly made in the US, are not made in the US. The companies are outsourcing to other companies to use cheap labor. This cheap labor force is under terrible conditions and earns low wages. Rise Against does have credibility in this field as they research and connect with people who have understands and knowledge in the topics that they sing about. They look at an issue dealing with ethical human rights in relation to sweat shops and other manufacturing plants with similar conditions: We've been sweating while you slept so calm, In the safety of your home. We've been pulling out the nails that hold up everything you've known (azlyrics.com). Their lyrics coincide with the ethical values and moral system that companies have violated by maintaining these unfair work conditions. Throughout the video these ethical values being violated are visually portrayed with different workers of

Pfeil 3 different ethnicities all struggling. Through the visual imagery of these people suffering and being forced to make the products in order to make enough money to survive, Rise Against produces an emotional attachment that makes one want to reach out to help these people: We are the angry and the desperate, The hungry, and the cold, We are the ones who kept quiet, And always did what we were told (azlyrics). Rise Against uses its quick paced and loud instruments to attract ones attention. Once they have your attention they can reel one in through their straight to the point lyrics and vivid visuals. In Prayer of the Refugee there is a buildup of guitar chords and slower beat. Until finally the story in the music video with all the workers climaxes, leading the music to jump to a much faster and louder sound. This logical approach to focus peoples attention on the main message of the song occurs at these fast more intense points of the song. Overall Rise Against embraces Ethos, Pathos, and Logos into Prayer of the Refugee through a variety of instrumentation, lyrics, and visual images in its music video causing it to be an effective video for the common viewer. In the song Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana proclaims Kurt Cobains relational frustration with Courtney Love. He does not appreciate that he treats her well and all she does it get frustrated with him. As well as the negative path that he feels she is going down. He wants to make her feel while again, but feels that she is too far forgotten to ever be returned: I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks I've been drawn into your magnet tar-pit trap (azlyrics). Cobain represents himself as the Good Samaritan in Heart Shaped Box as he wants to help but feels its no good at this point. Cobain also uses Ethos in Heart Shaped Box as he is singing a song about himself. He knows the background of the meaning of the lyrics and knows exactly what they are intended to mean. He clearly is credible and knows the entirety of the lyrics in relation to his life. The emotional appeals, or Pathos, appear in the lyrics of the song as well as the music video. Cobain appeals to ones emotions through a series of lyrics that provide imagery such as the line: She

Pfeil 4 eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak. I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks (azlyrics).Cobain is provides an analogy for listeners to relate to as well as an emotional statement that some may be able to relate to. This emotional statement is complemented in the music video with a scene at the site of an apparent dying patient in a hospital bed which next to the bed a person is holding an empty heart shaped gift box. This imagery directly impacts the viewer and allows one to connect with such a sad feeling even if one does not believe in the same values. In the chorus of Heart Shaped Box, Cobain sings out: Hey! Wait! I've got a new complaint a full nine times throughout the entire song (azlyrics). Nirvana is attempting to provide the listener with logic appeal, or Logos, that is so important that it is repeated many times. Heart Shaped Box is built around this chorus and thus this appeal. Cobain is using a single type of evidence dealing with a response he commonly used in connection to the arguments that would take place with Courtney Love. These arguments were based around Love believing many problems that were taking place in their lives were Cobains fault as she would attempt to tell him how he should do things. Essentially Cobain is being sarcastic with his recognition of her remarks and refuting that he does not need this unhelpful advice. When one looks into the background and lyrical meanings of two different songs, similarities and differences between the two arise. Nirvana is similar to Rise Against in relation to the aspect that Glam Rock tended to go against the norms and speak out. Both of these artists share the idea of going against public ideas very directly. Rise Against seems to vocalize their frustration with political and social situations, where Nirvana focuses more personal situations that the band feels should not take place. Both artists also incorporate similar usage of particular instruments such as a heavy guitar riffs and more pronounced snare and bass drum. In Prayer of a Refugee there is a part where all that is playing is the guitar and drums. At this point in the music video is the climax of the visual story with outsourcing of

Pfeil 5 goods which cues the listener to really pay attention to the message of the song without paying attention to singing or lyrics. Heart Shaped Box has a unique guitar riffs that are slower and more pronounced through the non- chorus, while during the chorus the louder and faster guitar chords attract attention to the passionate feeling of the song in relation to the lyrics. Both of these instrumental aspects influence how both artists also tend to have the meanings of their songs more centered toward the pessimistic nature of humans through the violent tone of the vocals at certain phrases. Every artist in the entirety of music is not going to be the same. Thus there are some differences that will set them apart from the other guys especially if they are in the same genre of music. The biggest difference between the two is that Rise Against wants to gain popularity to spread their messages, where Nirvana did not want any part in the fame. The purpose of the Rise Against songs is to inform people of the negativities that are taking place in the world and that people need to know about them. Nirvana simply sings about dilemmas that humans may face in their lifetimes that tend to be unfortunate. Another distinct difference is how Rise Againsts music can also be defined as a call to action, whereas Nirvana simply stumbles around saying how terrible everything is and will always be. Through the condescending images in the Prayer of a Refugee that Rise Against portrays and the destruction due to frustration of the band with the issue at hand is aimed to entice the listener to step up and stop these demoralizing businesses. Nirvana sings about terrible things and tends to explain how things are. They do not want to arouse people to make a change; they simply want to express themselves through their music. Ultimately Rise Against and Nirvana both have meaningful messages for different purposes. Both have also gone through struggles in the music industry as well as within the group dealing with its members. Each group has its differences as well as its similarities. Yet they both show that even though

Pfeil 6 theyre not singing about happy things, they can be knowledge on topics, embrace emotional appeals, and provide ethical support to show what is happening and the meaning of lyrics in their songs.

Pfeil 7 Works Cited:

Loss, Archie. "Nirvana." Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Popular Musicians Since 1990. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 3 November 2013 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. Nirvana Lyrics. Azlyrics.com. Web. 3 November 2013. Rise Against Biography. Sing365.com. Web. 3 November 2013. Rise Against Lyrics. Azlyrics.com. Web. 3 November 2013.