News of the World
A Demo a Day: Day 6.
An evening newscast delivers a barrage of disturbing images and sound bites designed to fill our brains with the latest marketing messages and government propaganda. In today’s top story, a decorated military veteran, Marshall Law, announces his intent to run for president on a law-and-order platform. The newscast cuts to a live political rally in which Law makes his case to voters, then cuts back to the newsroom for the wrap-up.
The staging and music are divided into distinct parts: the newscast takes place on a cable broadcast set backed by a newsroom orchestral theme; the political rally happens outdoors to guitar rock, with chords reminiscent of Jethro Tull’s Living in the Past, though with totally a berserk arrangement. Both parts are in 5/4, mostly because I always wanted to write a song in 5/4. But it’s also a meter that never settles down, so it should put the audience on edge-- much like a typical cable news segment today.