Urban Tribes: Michel Maffesoli

Michel Maffesoli is a French sociologist. He used the term 'urban tribe' as a way to describe a group of individuals. It gained widespread after the publication of his book le temps des tribus: le declin de l'individualisme dans les societies postmodernes' (The Time of Tribes: the Decline of Individualism in Postmodern Societies). According to Maffesoli, urban tribes are micro groups of people who share common interests in urban areas. The members of these groups tend to have similar world views, dress styles and behavioural patterns. Maffesoli claims that punks are a typical example of an urban tribe.

For our task, we were asked to categorise ourselves into an urban tribe from the Channel 4 website uktribes.com

Unfortunately I can't place myself in an urban tribe, purely because I don't like to label myself and also I'm a mix of most of those urban tribes. However, for this task I'm going to talk about a tribe that I know a lot about but not necessarily in - emos.

How do they consume music video?

Due to the fact that rock and metal isn't often shown on mainstream TV, emos tend to have to consume music videos off their own back. This can include using the internet for their own use. YouTube is obviously one of the most used ways of consuming a specific genre. However recently there had been a development on the production of alternative music to allow urban tribes such as emos to find an easier way to consume music or music videos. This includes things such as the appearance of Kerrang! TV and more recently - Scuzz. Kerrang! Radio is also a way of consuming music. These developments allow urban tribes to access their type of media easily.

When can they consume music video?

Because emos have to go out of their own way to consume music videos, they can choose to consume it whenever they choose to. More recently though mainstream channels have been showing a wider variety of music and have also been dedicating time slots for alternative music. Also, these mainstream channels' websites have been putting up information and charts about alternative music.

What videos do they consume?

The music videos usually consumed by the 'emo' urban tribe are mostly ones that have things in common such as the typical conventions of alternative music videos .e. live music, instruments, dark clothing and bright hair colours. Other elements include songs that have meaning, hence 'emo' being emotional and songs that have violence and blood. Music videos emos watch are two extremes like the examples I just used. Why do emos watch these music videos? They can relate to these types of music videos. Emo's are emotional people so they're hardly going to be able to relate to dance music videos about drugs, sex and money. They can also understand these types of music videos and in a way they represent what their type of urban tribe is all about which is also what applies to other tribes.

Knives and Pens - Black Veil Brides

Knives and Pens by Black Veil Brides is an example of being able to relate to the story. Along with looking like an emo, lead singer Andy Biersack is one of the main artists that is labelled an emo. The storyline is about a boy who is bullied for being an emo. This enables the correct tribe audience to connect and relate to the character.

At the beginning of the video there is a narrative from what is believed to be from the documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. It was taken from the recording of one of the West Memphis Three trials. This attracts the correct target audience to the music video. The speech is as follows:

Prosecutor - "In looking at young people involved in the occult, do you see any particular type of dress?"

Witness - "I have personally observed people wearing black fingernails, having their hair painted black, wearing black t-shirts... Sometimes they will tattoo themselves."

The music video is a scenario similar to Andy's years in school and is about being bullied. This allows any audience to relate to bullying but the way the Knives and Pens music video goes about displaying and explaining it is the way emos would deal with bullying.

The music video usually relates to the lyrics, like Goodwin's Theory proves. In this case the song is talking about bullying and fighting against bullying. The lyrics are as follows;

Alone at last we can sin and fight.
And I've lost all faith in this blurring light,
(Stay right here we can change our plight.
Storming through this despite what's right.)

One final fight for this tonight.
Whoa-oh-oh
With knives and pens we made our plight.

Lay your heart down, the end's in sight.
Conscience begs for you to do what's right.
(Everyday it's still the same dull knife,
Stab right through and justify your pride.)

One final fight for this tonight.
Whoa-oh-oh
With knives and pens we made our plight.
Whoa-oh-oh

Well I can't go on without your love that you lost, you never held on.
(We tried our best. Turn out the light. Turn out the light!)

One final fight for this tonight.
Whoa-oh-oh
With knives and pens we made our plight.
Whoa-oh-oh

Well I can't go on without your love that you lost, you never held on.
(We tried our best. Turn out the light. Turn out the light!)

Lead singer Andy said that the meaning of the song title is about a choice: Knives - destruction (self-harming) and pens - creation (making something of your life). As you can tell, emo music is very meaningful to people of that specific tribe defines them. This music video is just one of the many music videos that allow the tribe emo to relate to.