News Mash-up: Music

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. relevant / ˈrɛl ə vənt / (adj.) – important and useful to a person or a situation
    Example:

    We have to make students understand that the country’s history is still relevant to their lives.


  2. maelstrom / ˈmeɪl strəm / (n.) – a situation that involves a lot of confusion, violence, or strong emotions
    Example:

    The controversial deal is turning into a maelstrom, as different groups keep arguing about the terms and conditions.


  3. whip (someone) into a frenzy / wɪp ˈɪn tʊ ə ˈfrɛn zi / (idiom) – to encourage someone to show uncontrollable or violent behavior
    Example:

    The man whipped the crowd into a frenzy when he said that they could no longer buy any tickets, even after waiting for hours.


  4. incitement / ɪnˈsaɪt mənt / (n.) – the act of causing someone to do something bad or illegal
    Example:

    The man who gave orders to the bank robbers was charged with incitement to robbery.


  5. negligence / ˈnɛg lɪ dʒəns / (n.) – the failure to give enough care or attention to someone or something
    Example:

    Some accidents happen because of some drivers’ negligence.


Article

Read the text below.

Abbey Road Studios marks 90 years by holding festival for future music makers


London’s famous Abbey Road studios marked its 90th anniversary with a festival of events.


“Abbey Road Amplify” was held on Nov. 11 and 12. The festival featured free masterclasses with leading producers and sound engineers.


The Amplify sessions and talks were aimed at people starting out in the industry.


“We do stand on the shoulders of giants, we’ve had so many amazing names through this place so we need to celebrate that,” said Isabel Garvey, Abbey Road Studios’ managing director.


The studio has made legendary recordings for greats such as the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Amy Winehouse and Adele.


“How are we going to be as famous in 90 years’ time? We need to capture the hearts and minds of the next generation,” said Garvey. “We need to be really relevant.” (Reuters)


Rapper Travis Scott’s rowdy past raises red flags in Astroworld lawsuits


Lawsuits piled up less than a week after the deadly crowd crush at the Astroworld concert, and legal experts said the risk is mounting that juries could decide against rapper Travis Scott and the companies behind the tragic Nov. 5 event in Houston.


At the center of the legal maelstrom is Travis Scott, famous for whipping fans into a frenzy.


Several legal experts told The Associated Press that Scott’s past incitement of concertgoers offers a history that could make it easier to pursue negligence claims against companies that planned and managed the show, which killed some people and left hundreds injured. And although the investigations have just begun, experts expect dozens more lawsuits seeking damages that could climb into hundreds of millions of dollars. (AP)


These articles were provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The Amplify sessions and talks were aimed at people starting out in the industry. Why is it important to provide opportunities like these to people who are just starting out in an industry? Discuss.
  • Why do musicians need to be relevant and capture the hearts and minds of the next generation? How do you think they can do this? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Several legal experts said that Scott’s past incitement of concertgoers offers a history that could make it easier to pursue negligence claims against companies that planned and managed the show. Given this history, do you think that Scott has responsibility over what happened? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think Scott should still be allowed to hold concerts in the future? Why or why not? Discuss.