Deftones Term Paper

[buddyboy101]

I just finished my term paper over the Deftones.  Feel free to check it out:
http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=56279F142070E8D3


Crossing Borders and Burning Flags: The Deftones' Dance with Anti-essentialism


Frank
December 8, 2006
Pop Music and Identity


INTRODUCTION
   In an industry dominated by white men, the Deftones stand as a bit of an anomaly, and it is not just because of their diverse racial backgrounds.  Rather, for a variety of reasons the Deftones are worthy of scholarly attention and should not be overlooked.  First, the band has remained true to itself and has consequently survived many fads of pop music, especially the nu-metal movement of the late 1990s.  Second, the Deftones have achieved mainstream success yet remain perpetually underground to a significant degree.  The band name is recognizable yet "the average person would not be able to hum a Deftones tune" (Reesman, 2006, p. 6).  Third, there is no adequate label or genre that can sufficiently describe the Deftones' music.  The quintet has been described as "punk, hardcore, emo, metal, and hip-hop" to no avail (Sanford, 2006).  And fourth, the band's diversity in terms of musical direction, race, religion and socio-economic status stands out from that of its contemporaries.  Within this context, the Deftones are, to a certain extent, untouchable.  This term is not used to refer the band as heroes of rock and roll capable of doing no harm.  Instead, the Deftones are untouchable in the sense that it appears near impossible to pin down exactly what kind of music they make, what identity they hold for themselves, and what it is exactly that makes them so unique.  
   This paper argues that these characteristics and the Deftones' untouchability are tied together and are found deep in the group's multidimensional identity.   In examining the Deftones' music, imagery, merchandise, interviews, and overall direction, I will assess how the Deftones address issues pertaining to music, race, religion, and class.  Following this analysis, the paper will focus on elements external to the Deftones.  More specifically, anti-essentialsm and Josh Kun's "rock en español" theory will be explored in an attempt to make sense of the Deftones' identity.  The paper will conclude by identifying the implications of this research.  To proceed, I ask:
   RQ1: What role, if any, does identity play in the Deftones' music?
    RQ2: Can any framework make sense of the Deftones?

[Rada]

I agree with your thesis. The multicultural aspect of tones is probably the first thing that is noticed.

I think mostly, it is a Central Valley phenomenon - it is the most culturally diverse area in the world.

(Your paper reads pretty cool, good work!)

[buddyboy101]

thanks for checking it out, man! 

[one weak]

cool idea. skimmed most of it becuase i didn'y have much time, but overall cool.

[buddyboy101]

yeah the requirement was at least 20 pages - rather long.  but thanks for looking at it!

[bloody_liver]

And when he is questioned about the meaning of his lyrics on Deftones, Moreno succinctly replies, "The Earth" (DeRogatis, 2003).


nice

[Børed]

take away "the" from "the deftones" =)

[Deftones-argentina]

wow! it was high time someone wrote something like this. Congrats, a real written tribute to Deftones.

[Jerry_Curls]

What's Josh Kun's "rock en espanol" theory?

[guitarfella14]

Hey man, cool paper. I would like to have a chance to write something about the 'tones sometime.

However, I noticed one little problem in the paper. When you were telling Chi's musical influences, one of them you said was "Charles Bukowski." Bukowski was an author, not a music artist. A good author by the way, you should read some of his stuff

Just thought I'd let you know.

[pinkmaggit69]

Abe is white......don't tell him that though........he thinks he's black!  hahaha

Good research.........great read...........thanks for sharing.

[Jerry_Curls]

Nice paper.

[buddyboy101]

wow, i can't believe people are actually reading through all of it - thanks a lot!!!


- Good call on the Bukowski influence.  I guess I should have looked into that one.

- Regarding Kun's "rock en espanol" theory, I explain it on p.17.  He basically describes the unique rock music being created on the US-Mexico borderland as "rock en espanol."  It's rock in Spanish with Latin sensibility yet undeniably American influenced. 

[vadimo]

great stuff mate

[DefGuy]

just one word to describe this reading:








wow

[Martin]

Fucking awesome.
That is just too cool.

[ApiX]

Fucking awesome.
That is just too cool.

[NiChe]

A+ , very well written.

[law]

Cool thing. Writing about deftones for a thesis is a strange thing in my eyes, but if that's your course then cool.

[buddyboy101]

Cool thing. Writing about deftones for a thesis is a strange thing in my eyes, but if that's your course then cool.

yeah kinda strange, right?!  i couldn't believe i had the opp to write 20 pages about the biggest band in the world!  the assignment was for a course called "Pop Music and Identity" and we were allowed to write about anything!  too good to be true!