Hall 1

Lauren Hall
Coco
ENGL 1001
Revised Final Draft of PLP Essay
30 April 2016
Audience:Loversofartandmusic,anyonewhofindsinspirationinartormusic,future
1001students,musiciansandartists,andanyonewhocanrelatetothespecificgenresof
musicIwriteabout.
Revisions made to final draft for final portfolio as of 4/30/2016:
-Moved quote from the beginning of the paper to the end, and added a transition to the
beginning of the quote.
-Some basic grammar issues
-Going more in depth about my background with music
-Describing Mac Demarcos taste and style and how it affected me
-Why I chose Mac of all the artists I listen to
Process Preface:
-After seeing the edits made on my peer review draft, I was ready to take on my teacher
comment draft. There were some basic grammar and vocabulary mistakes I needed to
fix, and the student that edited my paper suggested that I make my transitions more clear.
To be quite honest, I was a little nervous about completing a final draft, but I know its
important to be confident in my writing. After submitting the final draft of my paper for
the midterm portfolio, I knew I needed to do some revising. So, now that its been about
two months, Im looking at this paper with a fresh perspective and ready to do some
steady revisions.
Ode to Demarco
It is both a blessing and a curse to have grown up in a world influenced by
technology and its vices. Luckily though, because I was born in the late 90s, technology
was something of a privilege, where now, it is something of a need, rather than a want.
Technology was an influencer of media, and especially pop culture as most millennias

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were growing up but it wasnt the only influencer of pop culture. Media and print are
also popular methods of establishing what is cool in the current culture. For example,
growing up, I did not have platforms like Instagram to access pictures of my favorite
celebrities. Instead, I had magazines such as Tiger Beat where I had access to pictures
of my favorite celebrities at the time. But, because the internet became such a popular
mode to accessing pop culture during my formative years, I was able to then find my own
style of music that I liked. This was just a gateway into how contemporary and
alternative music shaped my style, life, and personality.
Growing up, my music taste was completely influenced by my parents. My mom
preferred more alternative 90s garage rock like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana,
Pearl Jam, and The Pixies. Whereas, my dad preferred more 80s class and hair rock, like
Rush, Journey, and The Steve Miller Band. I had always preferred my moms taste in
music over my dads. I attribute that to being a young girl and looking up to my mom so
much. I never really questioned my parents music though, until I was able to choose my
own music. I was in the 4th grade when I received my first generation Apple iPod. At
this point, YouTube had just started to become popular and I was beginning to explore my
taste in music. My older brother was a huge influence in my music taste as well, so he
helped me download my first few songs. In 2007, bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic At
The Disco were popular, so I downloaded their music. Little did I know how much of an
impact this small iPod would have on me.
My music taste did not change much through middle school, and it wasnt until
high school that I really began to see how my music was influencing me. When I was 16,
I began listening to more underground music that can be described as surfer or slacker

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rock. The main muse of that genre is a Canadian musician named Mac Demarco. Mac
is seen as a main influencer in the world of surfer and slacker rock. He began making
music in his small New York apartment, creating his own synths and beats. His music is
recognized because of the frequent use of synthesizers and the acoustic guitar.
Specifically though, Mac has become an influencer of style and lifestyle in not only my
life, but countless other lives as well.
Mac Demarco describes himself as a pretty simple guy. His go-to outfit is red
Vans, light washed cuffed jeans, white crew socks, a random graphic t shirt, and an old
slightly flat billed hat. Some look at his style as thrift store couture, but that is one of
the main reasons I admire Mac. Hes become one of the most popular indie alternative
artists, headlining festivals like Bonnaroo, and having tours all over the world, but he
continues to stay true to his style, self, and roots. Which is why I see Mac as such a
positive influence. Although he isnt an A-List Celebrity, he is just as important in my
eyes. He doesnt sing or write about drugs and alcohol, but instead he writes about his
own personally experiences, being his true self, and expressing himself in positive ways.
In one of his songs, Goodbye Weekend on the album Salad Days, he sings, So
dont go telling me how this boy should be leading his own life, Sometimes rough but
generally speaking Im fine, If you dont agree with the things that go on within my life,
Well honey thats fine just know that youre wasting your time (Demarco). In the
politest way possible, and in typical Mac fashion, he is saying that if youre happy with
your own life, you shouldnt be influenced by the way other people perceive your life or
your lifestyle choices. He believes in believing in yourself and your choices.

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At this point, youre probably wondering why I chose Mac Demarco, out of all of
the artists I listen to, to be my muse. I find that a persons energy or aura says a lot about
them. If they give off positive energy, I usually gravitate towards them. In this specific
case, whenever I first heard Mac Demarco, I felt drawn in. His music pulls you in with
not only the lyrics, but his soft voice and the synthesizers in the background. His music
makes you feel like youre home. Honestly, I get tired of music too. If I listen to a song
too much or I associate a musician or song with a negative experience or memory, I
always stray away from it. But, I find myself going back to Mac, even though Ive
listened to his songs hundreds of times, and associate bad memories with them. Theres
something about Mac Demarco that continues to draw me back in though.
Outside influences can bring negativity into your life, causing for anxious
feelings of being judged. For example, in his most popular song, Salad Days, he sings,
Oh mama, actin like your lifes already over, Oh dear, act your age and try another
year (Demarco). To be quite honest, I didnt really understand the term Salad Days
when I first heard the song. Now, I would say that Salad Days mean the simpler days.
You should live your life in Salad Days, taking it day by day and if youre happy then
youre happy.
But, not all things are as simple as Salad Days. Although Mac Demarco has been
a huge role model in my life, hes also been somewhat of a negative influence as well.
Mac sings about some of his own vices, like his addiction to cigarettes. His song Ode
to Viceroy, a song about his favorite cigarette brand, became so popular that cigarettes
became a part of Macs brand and style. So, of course, those listening to Mac began
smoking, even me. But, that was pretty easy to quit, and I only smoked every now and

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then. Even though Mac was an influencer in a bad habit, smoking, he also influenced my
life in so many positive ways. Mac Demarco taught me to live my life in the slow lane,
taking it day by day. He taught me that its important to stay yourself, even with money
and fame coming into the picture. He taught me that its important to look around at the
world. I look at art and nature in a different way now and I have him to thank.
It is not necessarily healthy to turn to a celebrity for all the answers, but it is
comforting to see how others, especially those in the spotlight, handle difficult situations.
I tend to be a very anxious person, so music was something I could turn to and be able to
relax, or even hype myself up. Finding a musician like Mac Demarco was imperative to
forming who I would become in my young adult life. I value his music and words, but I
know that ultimately, my word is most important in my life. I hope to one day be just as
influential in someones life, as Mac Demarco has been in mine. The muse of my paper,
Mac Demarco, was quoted saying, Patience is important, and also, if you dont want to
do it, dont do it. But if you do, do. Thats a general rule in how I live my life
(Demarco).

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Works Cited
"TOP 25 QUOTES BY MAC DEMARCO | A-Z Quotes." A-Z Quotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 23
Feb. 2016.
"Mac Demarco." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
"Salad Days" Lyrics." MAC DEMARCO LYRICS. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.