- Link Spam - When a user sees someone whose every post consists of a link to their myspace or website, they will probably not follow you. Most users will post helpful links for their followers, as well as occasional blog post announcements.
- Troll Behavior - This is absolutely not tolerated on Twitter. Most users even tend to stay away from asserting strong political opinions, and generally don't tolerate online flame wars.
- Profile Names - Most users use their full real name, with no numbers. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until I had a few hundred friends, but I'm banking on Twitter getting more popular, and people will begin having to use nicknames and numbers.
- Conversations - Conversations between users are generally looked on favorably, as long as they are not too personal (you can DM or Direct Message another user when appropriate, as long as they are following you.) Many power users spend the entire day conversing with others on Twitter, almost like a public chat room. The idea is that this is usually information that will benefit other users as well.
- Retweeting - When a user sees something interesting posted by someone he/she is following, they will often "retweet" it so their followers will see it as well. This is one of the most fascinating and useful aspects of Twitter, and perhaps why it was so useful during the hurricanes last summer. Information can spread very quickly this way.
- Robots - Recently some accounts have started using 'bots which DM new followers. The community at large, however, seems to find this distasteful, so I would shy away from it.
- Followers - When you follow someone on Twitter, they are not automatically your "friend." They must choose to follow you as well. It is generally considered a courtesy to follow those who follow you, unless you are a celebrity with tens of thousands of followers. It is a good idea to keep your "following" and "followers" numbers as close to each other as possible.
Monday, December 29, 2008
What I Have Learned About Twitter (So Far)
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Twitter Posts for 12-23-24
- 10:38 It's Christmas Eve. How many of you will be watching "24 Hours of A Christmas Story?" Come on, raise your hands! #
- 10:57 @mrdungbeetle That sounds like a good combination. #
- 11:51 @pj33322 Ouch - good luck. Having worked at the Apple Store last season, I know how crazy the malls can be on Christmas eve! #
- 00:49 @jthrash Happy birthday Jen! #
- 01:01 @darthvader "Winter" from "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town" is my favorite Christmas villain. #
- 01:07 @carlalynnehall Thanks for wishing me a great gig! It did go very well! #
- 01:13 @greggrunberg I just spent 5 minutes trying to see if your eyes would truly follow the cursor everywhere. #
- 01:23 @greggrunberg Seriously, though, I love the site. Kudos! #
- 03:44 New blog post: Twitter Posts for 12-22-08 tinyurl.com/9dogmc #
- 12:02 @elgincombs Happy birthday Elgin! #
- 12:10 Watching @theguild. #
- 12:23 @matthewgood congratulations! #
- 12:26 RT @repcor: I. Can't. Stop. Watching. This. tinyurl.com/3h8do4 :) #
- 13:28 @Omega13 Thanks for the retweet. Hilarious and cute, isn't it? #
- 14:12 @garagespin Thanks for the retweet! #
- 17:01 @repcor I just completed my second semester, and I'm really enjoying it. My wife teaches in the Music Business dept. #
- 17:03 Doh! Macbook power adapter cable melted. Now I have to use the Macbook Pro adapter. Hope the Macbook doesn't 'splode! #
- 17:06 @MattSearles I don't know, Matt...Seems to me you've gotten the real-world education. #
- 17:07 @matthewgood You're right! Abort! Abort! Danger Will Robinson! #
- 17:15 @MattSearles That's the key. I have a doctorate in music, but 50% of what I know I learned from the professional work I've done. #
- 17:16 @MattSearles And that includes the people I've worked with as well as the work experience itself. #
- 17:20 @MattSearles Not that I'm trying to talk you out of it. Of course, anyone can benefit from more education:) #
- 17:28 @jonduenas Have a safe trip. #
- 17:34 @matthewgood Good luck, drive safely! #
- 17:51 Hoping I can remember how to use the Roland VS1680, since it's been about 8 years since I last used one. #
- 21:46 New blog post: Social Media and the 40-Something Male - bit.ly/ILNb #
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Social Media and the 40-Something Male
Dr. J's Social Media Experiment Part 1: Introduction
I suppose I first entered the online world in the early 1990's when I joined my first BBS. I think it was called the Gold Coast Macintosh bbs, and I was living in Miami at the time. I was also an early adopter of AOL, but I dropped it in 1996, which was coincidentally about the time it became popular. Next, in the late 1990's, I taught myself HTML, and created my first website, which I called The Jazz Vocal Resource (check it out at the Wayback Machine)
For a number of reasons, I had to drop the website, ca. 2001. For the next five years, my online presence consisted of a single page on the Greenville College website with a photo and bio that I never updated after it was originally posted.
Then, one fateful day in June of 2006, I opened my first MySpace account. Sure, it was a little late, but at the time, hardly anybody my age was on MySpace. I initially did it to promote my music and the music of my band, but I soon created a second "personal" page, and began to search for anyone and everyone I have ever known! Before I knew it, I was fully immersed in the world of social media.
In no particular order, here are all the services I have signed up for. I continue to use some of them, but some I have either cancelled or neglected:
MySpace
Friendster
Tagworld
PureVolume
Bandspace
IACMusic
MacJams
Bolt
Photobucket
Xomba
Xanga
Last.fm
Pandora
Jaiku
Digg
StumbleUpon
Delicious
Slashdot
Macslash
YouTube
Vimeo
12seconds
Musebin
Blip.fm
Friendfeed
Geni
iCrew
Hulu
Joost
Popego
BlogTV
Plaxo
Several random Ning networks, including NetNewMusic
I'm sure there are a few I have forgotten about. Of course, last but not least, I started this blog. My intent with this was especially to help independent artists, and I hope I have helped at least a few of my dozen readers!
If I have come away from this experiment with one overarching theme that applies to musicians, it would be that the old methods no longer work. Social media is not about promoting your music in the traditional sense. It is about creating a connection or relationship with your listeners. In fact, I believe it has more in common with the traditional idea of signings and "meet and greets" than it does with promoting a specific product. I also believe this will translate into career longevity and a more entrenched fanbase. However, even the "experts" don't yet know how musicians will be able to pay their bills in this new world.
Well, folks, that's all for now. Thanks for listening. In my next installment, I will talk about Twitter, which has taken up quite a bit of my free time for the past six months.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Twitter Posts for 12-22-08
- 00:36 @Ihnatko I never even knew they did a director's cut. The original was perfect the way it was! #
- 00:37 @markdejaynes Are you doing a lesson with Jorge? #
- 00:49 New blog post: Recent Twitter Posts tinyurl.com/7uar2k #
- 00:58 @matthewgood I told you I was worried about a potential feedback loop:) #
- 01:04 @markdejaynes You know I would have been glad to teach you! Jorge will be awesome, though, and I'm glad you're doing it! #
- 11:45 Have to venture out into the cold for another human pincushion meetup. #
- 14:55 @matthewgood Hey, that's in my bag of tricks as well:) #
- 14:56 RT @Mick_Shrimpton: What's the hardest three years of a drummer's life? ....Second grade. #
- 14:56 RT @Mick_Shrimpton: What did the guitarist do when told to turn his amplifier on? ....He caressed it softly and told it that he loved it. #
- 14:57 @matthewgood Oh, man, if they have dates in Mexico, we could even drive down! #
- 15:23 @matthewgood Understood! #
- 15:32 I just joined the musicians Twitter Group tgr.me/g/musicians and you can too. Please Retweet. #
- 15:34 @JaronDavis Actually, I've heard a version of Terry Riley's "In C" played by a very large ensemble. #
- 15:51 New blog post: Good News in These Bad Times tinyurl.com/92zm3a #
- 18:02 Starting my gig tonight as "house band" for "Live on Tape" on Malden's MATV. #
- 22:52 "Scientists discover new forest with undiscovered species on Google Earth - Telegraph" bit.ly/13QGv #
Good News in These Bad Times
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Recent Twitter Posts
- 00:46 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/8bkwl4 #
- 13:40 When driving in Boston, never underestimate the willingness of drivers & pedestrians to risk their lives as well as yours. #
- 14:31 @matthewgood True. I remember Chicago being that way, now that I think of it. #
- 17:13 The guy on the "Shamwow" commercial cracks me up! #
- 19:42 Still blizzarding here in Malden. #
- 19:45 @matthewgood What did you think of I Spy? I used to love that show as a kid. #
- 19:50 @karma_musings Actually, this may be sleet. It's hard to tell, and I'm not about to go outside and find out. It's very windy as well! #
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Tweets for 12-20-08
- 00:45 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/8mqar3 #
- 12:06 I think I may do absolutely nothing today. I need a day to decompress. #
- 12:19 RT @stevegarfield: Earring wearer's head is placed between "open" and "close" tags. snurl.com/8xe1z #
- 14:23 Round 2 of the storm is supposed to hit tomorrow, and I have morning church gig, afternoon recording session, evening band rehearsal. #
- 14:24 I'm guessing some of that might not happen:( #
- 14:25 @chasemacri Ooh...Langley figures prominently in several XFiles eps! #
- 14:35 @karma_musings It hasn't really stopped here either. #
- 14:51 @matthewgood Oops, did I have the wrong Langley? #
- 15:03 Holed up in the apt. during a snowstorm: bit.ly/3w1y #
- 15:38 Bet I'm the only person you know who can burn eggs! (Can't wait 'til @recdmavn gets back) #
- 19:43 @matthewgood Eggs are usually one of the few things I can do. However, this time I even set off the smoke alarm. #
- 19:45 Watching my DVD of the *original* The Day The Earth Stood Still. Ah, the genius of composer Bernard Hermann! #
- 19:48 Theremin FTW! #
- 20:02 @Ulrn2Twtr I suppose if I had never seen the original, I would think it is a decent movie. #
- 21:06 Klaatu. Barada. Nikto. #
Friday, December 19, 2008
Tweets for 12-19-08
- 03:48 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/4pljk6 #
- 07:49 Last day of school. Hope I can get in and out of the back bay before the storm hits. #
- 13:39 Some Berklee offices have closed, but I don't see any snow yet. I'm still going home, though, just to be safe. #snow1219 #
- 13:53 OK, It's definitely snowing now near Berklee. Glad I'm going home. #snow1219 #
- 15:15 Safely at home in Malden, stocked up on groceries, internet and heat both work. I'm good:) #
- 15:17 Listening to @maronvseder #
- 18:20 @CMajor The two of you are hilarious together! #
- 18:43 @Mick_Shrimpton I'm glad to know your spontaneous combustion was faked. You were the best drummer Tap ever had! #
- 23:04 Can't believe it's still snowing. I think it's been at least 9 hours now. #snow1219 #
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tweets for 12-18-08
- 00:45 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/3k7ojm #
- 05:24 RT @reevesman: the official autotune Backlash video. tinyurl.com/4tgguw #
- 05:52 @springclock That was Al, right? I used to be in a band with his son. How's he doing? #
- 05:54 @docj1664 got a Twitter Grade of 95/100 from @grader. See: twitter.grader.com/docj1664 #
- 06:29 RT @reevesman: For anyone who hasn't gotten my first record, here it is. tinyurl.com/6reqtd. Pass it around. I love pirates. #
- 06:38 It's 6:38 and I've already been awake for 2 hours. Something wrong with that;) #
- 08:43 True story: On the train reading the paper. Liked an article I was reading. Looked for a "Digg" button. Where's my cyber-wifi & brain2text? #
- 08:44 @Sooz All I can say is "nonono!" #
- 08:48 @springclock I forgot that he was back in the band by that point. He had quit the band for a while, then he came back. #
- 09:18 @JaronDavis A month ago in class, I erased something on the board, realized I shouldn't have, and looked for an "undo" button! #
- 10:16 I love Berklee. I just got an email from someone, and it was written in the Finale Jazz Font! #
- 10:45 @joemcgill Actually, I just meant I love the fact that even most of the administration and staff here are musicians. #
- 11:27 @JaronDavis @matthewgood Maybe "Tronitis" or "Matrixity?" #
- 11:30 @matthewgood Hey, that's me, nerdy references always at the ready! #
- 11:40 @chasemacri What is the derivation of your use of the word? Does it have something to do with the movie? #
- 13:40 RT @reevesman: reposted album link for anyone interested. tinyurl.com/54mwwx #
- 13:49 RT @matthewgood: some more free-music love: is.gd/cmzU - my album. #
- 16:15 @chasemacri One of my Christmas break projects is to get all of that music available. #
- 16:22 @chasemacri Yeah, @recdmavn has been on my case lately about the fact that I've never properly released it, so it will happen soon! #
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tweets for 12-17-08
- 00:54 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/6oeq8h #
- 12:26 @joelgoodman @chasemacri @matthewgood You know what that reminds me of? "Big Blue Bastard!" #
- 12:49 RT @carlalynnehall: RIAA Bans Telling Friends About Songs www.theonion.com/content/node/43029 #
- 13:19 @carlalynnehall Oh, you know, finals week. Always a lot of fun! #
- 13:59 @davidhechler What happened to Jude? #
- 14:03 @davidhechler Oh, that's good. I was afraid something had happened to him. #
- 16:32 @chasemacri Yeah, Brian's band was amazing, and they were all great singers as well. The songs were OK. #
- 16:34 Two more days left until vacation! #
- 20:33 Nigel Tufnel was just named to the Berklee Board of Trustees. Awesome:-D #
- 20:35 Just in case you doubt me: bit.ly/yvjN #
- 20:39 Have to go to bed early so I can take @recdmavn to the airport at 4:30 am. Goodnight Twitterites! #
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tweets for 12-16-08
- 00:07 @joelgoodman I knew it!! #
- 00:10 Just finished writing an arrangement of Carol of the Bells for my choir. Going to bed now. #
- 00:52 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/5t87nn #
- 10:52 @joelgoodman @JaronDavis The guy who plays Hiro is a huge trekkie, so I'm sure he's been in heaven. #
- 13:30 One of my students wants me to help him start a Radiohead ensemble. Awesome! #
- 13:45 @MattSearles Thanks for stating it that way. I've been feeling a bit guilty about how much time I've been spending on Twitter:) #
- 14:55 @joelgoodman I'm surprised you can even connect. We're having a server problem at the edu today. Even our intranet is painfully slow. #
- 17:48 Listened to class projects all day, and so far they all rocked! #
Monday, December 15, 2008
Tweets for 12-15-08
- 00:48 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/5fkvf9 #
- 09:43 Good morning Twitterites! Only 10 shopping days until Christmas! Wait, do you include the current day or not? I'm so confused:) #
- 10:43 @smokingmole Glad to be of service:) #
- 10:45 @springclock I scoff at shopping, only b/c I can't afford to do any, which I suspect is the case for many people this year! #
- 13:15 @chasemacri I usually have to wait months to d/l an update. Since I don't have PT on my school macbook, I'm doing it!! Take that, digi!! #
- 13:17 Wow, it's 62 degrees in Boston right now! Gotta love the bipolar weather here! I'm going outside right now! #
- 13:22 @chasemacri I'm hardly even using PT anymore. Right now, it's mostly Logic, and I have made a commitment to myself to learn DP over break. #
- 13:28 @chasemacri I'm doing very little in the way of live recording right now. Mostly softsynths. #
- 13:30 RT @mvolpe: Twitter In Real Life: The Follow-Back [cartoon] tinyurl.com/6lulvz. Funny! #
- 13:33 @chasemacri an ipod is def easier than triggering samples, etc. #
- 22:01 OMG, I think that was Worf playing the president on Heroes. #
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Tweets for 12-14-08
- 00:47 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/55u58q #
- 06:32 Now I can watch the 3 stooges with breakfast. Thanks Hulu! #
- 15:28 Just checked my Twitter grade (on @grader) and it was much higher than I expected. Wonder what I'm doing right? #
- 15:45 @repcor I'm glad someone is trying to spread some happiness! We need it these days:) #
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Tweets for 12-13-08
- 00:49 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/5djm9b #
- 11:43 @joelgoodman I'll second that! #
- 11:47 @film_girl It must be administered by their management:P #
- 11:53 Sitting on the couch with @recdmavn, listening to jazzy Christmas music! Happy Saturday Twitterverse! #
- 22:09 Spent all day grading papers. Taking a break now. #
- 22:49 @jonduenas Speaking of that, at this very moment I am enjoying your library! #
Friday, December 12, 2008
Tweets for 12-12-08
- 00:53 New blog post: Tweets for Today tinyurl.com/5vwnb9 #
- 09:55 New blog post: 2008 Pitchfork Readers Poll Is Out! tinyurl.com/6a87c4 #
- 12:43 Heading to lunch, then back here for more grading of papers! #
- 15:57 Heading home...Glad the rain stopped! #
2008 Pitchfork Readers Poll Is Out!
Instead, I would like to direct your attention to Pitchfork's annual reader's poll. If you listen to indie music, you should bookmark Pitchfork and visit it daily. And don't be scared of the name; It has nothing to do with Satan or farming!
2008 Pitchfork Readers Poll | Pitchfork
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Tweets for 12-11-08
- 06:27 My morning ritual: eat, run around the house, scratch the rug, play with a paper bag...Wait, that's my cat's morning ritual! #
- 07:26 @Sooz Thanks. I realized that many of the people there had probably already met at the SMB event, which I couldn't attend. #
- 07:28 @smokingmole A meetup of Twitter users. You should check around, they are probably doing some in LA from time to time. #
- 08:06 60 degrees yesterday, 35 degrees today. WTF Boston? #
- 09:57 New blog post: Cut Your Own Record? tinyurl.com/63zmo6 #
- 13:03 @chasemacri Thanks for adding me. You have some awesome stuff in your library! #
Cut Your Own Record?
dubplatecutter - Vinylium
(via Analog Apartment)
Monday, December 08, 2008
Mellotron Demo
The best thing about this video is that they briefly show the inner workings of the instrument several times.
(via www.boingboing.net)
Friday, December 05, 2008
RIP Forrest J Ackerman
A Must-Read for Indie Musicians!
Should the New Law of Music Absorption alter your music business decisions? - Music Think Tank - Music Think Tank
(via Yvynyl)
Monday, December 01, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Read George Orwell's Diaries in "Real Time!"
It's not all completely riveting, however. At the moment, the entries consist of a daily count of the number of eggs his hens have laid!
Link:
THE ORWELL PRIZE
(via BoingBoing)
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Future of Music?
M1: So, here we are again.
M2: Yeah, here we are. How long has it been since your last gig?
M1: Quite a while.
M2: Me too!
M1: You know, it's funny. The other day the plumber came by and fixed my toilet. He handed me his bill, and I mentioned that I thought he should do it for free, since I'm expected to give out my music for free. He just laughed. He said something about having gone to trade school, and I pointed out that I went to college to learn music. He didn't like that answer.
M2: Yeah, I'm sure he didn't.
M1: Yeah, I ended up dipping into my savings again so I could pay the bill.
M2: Oh, man. Speaking of giving out music, can you believe it's almost been 2 years since congress abolished the copyright act?
M1: No, it seems like yesterday. One day I was making a living, the next day I was looking in the want ads for day jobs.
M2: You know, my kid asked me the weirdest question the other day. He said "dad, what's an album?" I had to explain to him that people used to get songs in groups, rather than downloading random songs one at a time. He also couldn't understand that people used to pay for it.
M1: Speaking of downloads, how many people have downloaded your newest song?
M2: I think it's more than 500,000 now.
M1: Oh, man! In the old days that would have been a gold record. You wouldn't have been standing in this line!
M2: That's for sure! Here I've got over 500,000 fans on Mybandspacebook, and I had to sell a bunch of my gear to pay this month's rent. What's wrong with this picture?
Announcer: Next please.
M1: Oh, that's me. Well, good seeing you. Take it easy.
M2: Yeah, good luck.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
I guess it was too good to be true!
hypebot: A2IM Study: Payola Still Keeps Indies Music Off Air
Friday, September 26, 2008
Take NIN's Survey
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Friday, September 05, 2008
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Are The Slackers No Longer Slacking?
Rage Against the Machine in Minnesota and the state of political pop | Soundboard | Los Angeles Times
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Dr. Horrible Soundtrack Is Available!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Two "Rock Docs" You've Gotta See!
"Joy Division (The Miriam Collection)" directed by Grant Gee. If you choose to watch the Ian Curtis biopic "Control" released by the same company, make sure you watch the documentary first! This great and short-lived post-punk band finally gets the historical treatment they deserve.
"The Future Is Unwritten - Joe Strummer" directed by Julien Temple, who previously directed the Sex Pistols documentary "The Filth And The Fury." I've always loved the Clash, but I never realized what an incredible person Joe Strummer really was. This documentary never pulls any punches, showing Strummer at his best and worst, but I admired him even more after watching it. Highly recommended!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Artist 2.0
- Joss Whedon, during the writers strike, decided to produce an internet musical webseries (his brother actually coined the term "mushortio" to describe it) outside the traditional studio system. "Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog" turned out to be such a huge success that it crashed their server during the first day of it's release. It was streamed free for one week, but offered for sale on iTunes as well, and it continues to be in the top ten TV seasons now, 3 weeks later. It is currently streaming ad-supported on Hulu.com, and will be released on DVD in a few months. The soundtrack will also be released soon, presumably on iTunes. Whedon and company spent no money on promotion for the series. Instead, they used MySpace and Facebook, obviously to great effect!
- Trent Reznor is in talks with HBO for a television adaptation of "The Year Zero" (see my earlier post.) This will reportedly be accompanied by another album, as well as an Alternate Reality Game (they also did an ARG for the original record.)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Trent Reznor Announces More "Year Zero" Plans
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Another Multitrack Audio Format - iKlax
iKlaxmusic.com - HOME - Download multitrack and interactive music
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Great Album Covers of the '70's
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Musicians Survey
hypebot: A Short Survey For Musicians
Monday, July 14, 2008
Happy Birthday Woody Guthrie!
To learn more about Woody Guthrie, read about him at Britannica: Woody Guthrie
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Krofft Supershow!
MySpace.com - Sid and Marty - 39 - Male - - www.myspace.com/krofft
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Voicemail Is Dead!
Think Before You Voicemail
Who is with me? Can I get an "amen?"
Friday, July 04, 2008
The Internet Police
Indiana Gregg to The Pirate Bay: The Internet Police Are Coming | TorrentFreak
sElf - HELLGLASS
An exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Matt Mahaffey working on the next sElf masterpiece. A must-see!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Hammer Time
http://myspace.com/darkhorsepresents?issuenum=12&storynum=2f
I'm telling you, even if musicals scare you, this one is going to be good!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Dr. Horrible Trailer
Teaser on Vimeo
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Oldest Recording of Music Played by a Computer
BBC NEWS | Technology | 'Oldest' computer music unveiled
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Throw Away Your DI Box!
FET Preamp Cable
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
A New Audio File Format
Here are also three articles I found on the subject:
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/08/05/25/music-20-engineers-unveil-mt9-format
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/05/133_24597.html
http://english.etnews.co.kr/news/detail.html?id=200805230009Tuesday, June 03, 2008
We Lost Another Giant
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Apple Mac Music Video
This video seems to have been made almost entirely from the OSX desktop! Quite ingenious, and it looks like it took a bit of work!
Monday, May 05, 2008
The New Age of Marvel!
Thursday, May 01, 2008
May 1 is "RSS Awareness Day"
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Happy Birthday Ma Rainey!
Learn more about Ma Rainey at Britannica online: Ma Rainey
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Hooray For Earth-Warm Out
I saw this Boston-based band on Record Store Day at the Newbury Comics near Berklee. I liked it so much I bought their "Cellphone" EP and I've been listening to it ever since. A fascinating combination of drop-tuned guitars, unconventional chord progressions, shimmering keyboards, and catchy melodies. The video is funny, too!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
New NIN Single
You can also download the multitrack files at: http://remix.nin.com.
If freedom from record contracts means that artists like Trent Reznor will be releasing music more frequently, I say "bring it on!"
Friday, April 18, 2008
Support Your Local Record Store
RECORD STORE DAY - Home
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Stay In Your Box!
I saw this growing up, as the son of a music educator who often got in trouble for thinking too far outside of the box. However, I had always assumed that my generation would be the one to change things. Maybe some things never change.....
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Geek Credentials
Alright, so the third Star Wars film came out after I graduated from high school, but here's my point: Now that it's "cool" to be a geek, it's a bit annoying when I see someone I know was a jock in high school pretending they were a geek all along. I'm just saying....
Monday, April 14, 2008
Recommended Reading for Music Types!
Al Kooper is a colorful character, and his book is interesting just for the stories. Throughout his career, he has worn many hats, including that of songwriter, arranger, recording artist, sideman, producer, A&R scout, and probably a few more I have forgotten. He first came to fame as the organist on Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone," and it's fascinating reading how he actually got the gig!
He originally came to my attention as the producer of the Tubes debut album, but he is much more famous for producing Lynyrd Skynyrd's early albums, as well as being the guy who originally signed them. He is multi-talented, and a true "renaissance man." Unfortunately, that also means that has never fit into the "box" that the music industry and it's associated media likes to fit people into, which is why he never became a big star. I hope someday he will get the recognition he deserves, and I hope he lives to see it.
On a more personal note, I discovered that, until recently, he was teaching at Berklee, and he lives in the next town over from me. If I ever get to meet him, you'll definitely hear about it here!
Phil Ramone's book doesn't have as colorful stories as Kooper's does, but it is interesting just the same! Ramone (not a member of the Ramones, btw) was a classically trained violinist who started his career in the late 1950's as an engineer, and didn't really begin making his name as a producer until the 1970's.
I was most familiar with his production work with Billy Joel, but I was surprised to see some of the records he engineered in the 1960's. He worked on some of the Burt Bacharach records, and even recorded some landmark jazz albums, such as the Getz/Gilberto record. I was surprised to learn that I grew up listening to some of the records he engineered, such as Dionne Warwick's late-1960's work, produced by Bacharach (my mother had it on 8-track!)
Ramone's book describes his working relationship with Billy Joel and Paul Simon, as well as other artists. He also talks a bit about recording techniques, so it's essential for engineers. It's not necessarily an autobiography, in that it's more about his work than his life.
Get a signed copy of Al Kooper's "Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards" from his website.
Phil Ramone's autobiography "Making Records: The Scenes Behind the Music" at Amazon.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
A social network exclusively for Mac users
net4mac - Social networking for Mac users
I'm giving it a shot, because it looks interesting. If you decide to join, my username is "doc" (my nickname when I worked at the Apple Store last fall.)
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Remix a new Radiohead track
Radiohead/ Remix/ Nude
If you do a remix and enter the contest, let us know so we can vote for you!
Dealing with "bully" bosses
Important information for everybody, no matter what field you are in. Don't be a victim!
How to Deal With Bully Bosses - CIO.com - Business Technology Leadership
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
We're Not Out Of The Woods Yet!
The Royalty Scam - New York Times
You must read this article. Billy Bragg brings up some interesting issues, and I think he's right on the money. This quote especially made me think:
"The claim that sites such as MySpace and Bebo are doing us a favor by promoting our work is disingenuous. Radio stations also promote our work, but they pay us a royalty that recognizes our contribution to their business. Why should that not apply to the Internet, too?"
The moral of this story: For years, the record labels have been making loads of money off of artists, yet sharing very little of the profits with the artists themselves. Along comes the internet, promising new avenues of distribution for artists, yet the artists still don't seem to be getting fairly compensated for their work! Mr. Bragg feels, and I agree with him, that we need to find new methods for artists to protect and be compensated for their intellectual property.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Great Singer, Not A Robot!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Replaced By Robots
Then, of course, the final step will be to eliminate the songwriters. I'm sure some programmers are at this very moment working on applications that will examine current hits and "compose" similar music. It's too bad there are so many sheeple out there who will probably listen to it!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Spring Break Trip, Final Day
Paris was fun, but I must say, I loved Switzerland. The mountains reminded me of home, and the people were very friendly. Once I get back to Boston, I will post some pictures, but let me give you some highlights.
We spent a day in Montreaux, where we spent some time touring the Castle of Chillon. This is my first time in a real medieval castle, and my inner goth embraced the experience! There was also a statue of Freddy Mercury, who apparently owned a studio there, and spent quite a bit of time there in his final years. Of course, the song "Smoke on the Water" talks about a studio in Montreaux that burned down, but I didn't have time to find it.
We also went to Geneva yesterday, which was a beautiful city. Most of our time in Lausanne was spent performing, and both performances went very well.
All in all, this was an enjoyable trip, but I am glad to be returning home.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Spring Break Trip, Day 4
The classical groups are performing tomorrow afternoon at a church, and the jazz groups will be performing on Monday evening at the local Conservatory. We will still be riding high from our sold-out show on Friday, so I'm sure Monday will be great. It also looks like we'll have a bit more free time on this leg of the trip (although not quite enough to go skiing.)
The weather was great today, but it has started raining, and it may snow tomorrow. So far, though, it doesn't seem too different from France. The drivers seem a bit more insane, though. No sooner did we pull into town when someone hit our bus trying to get past it.
On the trip, I've been reading "Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards," the autobiography of journeyman producer/musician/songwriter Al Kooper (not to be confused with Alice Cooper.)
I've always been a fan of Al Kooper's work, from his days playing organ for Dylan, as a founding member of both The Blues Project and Blood, Sweat & Tears, to his productions for Lynyrd Skynyrd, as well as (my favorite) The Tubes debut album. He's quite a character, and it's a great read.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Spring Break Trip, Day 3
After the concert, some of the faculty went to a cafe for dessert. They were doing Karaoke there. French Karaoke is a little strange, but they really get into it.
Tomorrow morning, we pack up and drive to Switzerland for a few days, with a classical concert on Sunday and a jazz one on Monday. We'll see how the internet access is there. Au revoir for now!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Spring Break Trip, Day 2
Rushed through the Louvre this morning, then to Notre Dame. Our students did a house concert this evening in Paris, then we had dinner in the Bastille area. Also, somewhere in there we did a driving tour around the city.
Apparently, Paris is now much cleaner than it used to be. Traffic is nuts, though. Of course, the food is great!
Now I'm dead tired after chasing high school students all over the place.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Spring Break Trip, Day 1
Saw the Eiffel Tower and Versailles. Except for dealing with spazzy high school kids, it was fun.
Dead tired after being awake for 36 hours.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Saturday, March 08, 2008
More Major Label Hijinks
Enough of my yakkin' -- just check out the link:
hypebot: Old School Accounting Plagues Music 2.0
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Larry Norman
Growing up in the evangelical church in the 1970's, Larry Norman certainly had an impact on me. In particular, I memorized every groove of "Only Visiting This Planet," listening with headphones late into the night and dissecting each lyric, riff, and production technique.
In the 1970's, Christian music paled in comparison to what was happening in mainstream music, and there were no "Christian Rock" stations, because there was very little Christian Rock. Norman proved that Christians could create music with artistic merit. He was also not afraid to write about taboo subjects, and he ruffled quite a few feathers, especially in the mainstream church.
Of course, he was too "Christian" for rock radio and too "Rock" for Christian radio, and even though his debut album was on a major label, he labored in relative obscurity for his entire career. He should be celebrated as a bona fide legend by now, but CCM listeners do not venerate their elders. It doesn't help that very little of his back catalog is in print.
Let's hope that someday his genius will be recognized, and his back catalog released so that future generations can hear his voice!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Monday, March 03, 2008
Trent Reznor's first independent release
The paid downloads are offered in a choice of (DRM-free) formats: 320kpbs LAME mp3, FLAC lossless, or Apple lossless.
My advice, however: Wait a day or so until they iron out their server issues. I don't think they expected such an overwhelming response. I have been unsuccessful so far in downloading my order.
It has only been a few months since Mr. Reznor announced his departure from his label. I am impressed that he has released new material this quickly, and I think/hope the response to it is a very positive sign!
Link: http://ghosts.nin.com/main/home
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Obsolete Skills
Obsolete Skils: Skills/Skills
Readers (mourners) are invited to contribute to the list.