Loops & Pieces

Mixtape.

noreply@blogger.com (Loops) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Fancy a bit of old-school music sharing ?? Well not quite, but it's the closest that you're gonna get to giving that special mix tape to to the girl who probably hates you anyway..

Sign up to this.. It takes about 10 seconds.

You upload your 12 favourite songs/tunes/tracks/whatever, then pass the link to your friends. They follow the link to hear your mix. Voila !

Oh, and it's free !

Not another chav..

noreply@blogger.com (Loops) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:03:00 +0000

Apparently she's a bit of a cockerney, but that certainly hasn't stopped me from falling for her voice ! Charlene Soraia is one of the finalists for those poxy/chavvy Glasto 'find a fucking star' jobs, but I reckon she's better than that.

I'll pay for it.

I'd right a nicer post, but I haven't had a fag for 5 days now.

Funny riot breaking out in Mexico !??

NIN - Free Music !

noreply@blogger.com (Loops) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:52:00 +0000

This might be old news (only slightly ?)..

They're obviously following in the footsteps of Radiohead, but with a free download of the first 9 tracks off their new album.. Or you could just pay $5 for the whole thing !

I think they've gone a step further by releasing it under a Creative Commons license, In FLAC, Apple Lossless, MP3, CD, Vinyl, DVD, Book, Art Prints.. Everything.

Free Music !

noreply@blogger.com (Loops) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:27:00 +0000

Beatport are giving away 10 free downloads people !!!

OMG.

noreply@blogger.com (Loops) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:51:00 +0000

Ok, so, I am even more excited about Bedrock tomorrow now that Digweed will be doing his own warm-up for his own gig ! I don't think a DJ of his calibre has ever done that before.

I'm trying to imagine what he will play from 10pm - 3.30pm ?

Awesome.

Early night then ? ;)

The end or a new beginning ?

noreply@blogger.com (Loops) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:33:00 +0000

I do miss a good bit of record shopping.. You walk in, the person behind the counter being a friendly face, they know your taste, throw a bunch of records your way and you can listen to them for an hour or two. You flick through a number of records placed neatly in the record crates, and then walk out with a bunch of fresh, clean vinyl.. along with a handful of flyers !

Why have I stopped ?

Is it because I’ve started to download more of my music, giving up on true analogue, 24 bit audio over compressed MP3 sound quality ? Not that it’s had a completely adverse effect to the music industry as a whole (not in my opinion, anyway). It’s certainly put the fear in major labels, but also helps to create a massive fan-base for those artists who would have previously gone unheard.

Is it because I can now access any music I want, without having to go to one place and finding out that they don’t stock it ?

I miss interacting with real knowledgeable people behind a record store counter, having a conversation about what I’m about to buy, or have just bought, with people that actually have an opinion when it comes to music, even if it’s one I don’t agree with. They know the importance of music to me, but does the front-end of an e-commerce record store ? I think I’ve become put off with going into record stores now, namely the likes of Phonica Records, where the guys behind the counter scowl at you for turning up early (even though a time wasn’t set !!), for an order you placed online, that very same morning.

I want something tangible, something that will really grab my attention, not just a 30 second audio clip that I get from Boomkat or wherever I choose to buy my music online.

Things have obviously changed.

The Scent of Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Loops) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:26:00 +0000

It’s not that time of the month anymore as it once used to be.. Getting on that train from Newcastle to travel down to London for the first Thursday of the Month, just to hear John Digweed and whatever acts he’d chosen to perform that night, then leave the club at 4am to get a train back up to Newcastle, on what would seem like the most hideous train journey ever (think foul self-induced comedown here).

I’m not sure what happened, but after a 5 year period of being able to witness these legendary nights at Heaven and the Beach Club in Brighton, I soon started to feel betrayed by the whole Progressive House sound/scene. Digweed decided to go radio ! Shall I just give in and rave it up in my bedroom then ?

So Bedrock is now down to pretty much one gig a year, and the good thing is that it’s usually the night before Good Friday, well maybe not so good. It sure as hell won’t be the same as witnessing a line-up like Danny Howells, Deep Dish, Danny Tenaglia and then John Digweed, whilst you have Circulation and Hybrid playing in the Star Bar, but I guess something is making me want to go back there and absorb it all from another older and much wiser perspective..

Jack n’ Jill’s, anyone ?

Something funny..

Well..

noreply@blogger.com (Loops) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:17:00 +0000

Seeing as I couldn't get my backside in gear quick enough to get tickets to see Portishead, I may as well look forward to their new album !

Why all major record labels deserve to go down the pan..

noreply@blogger.com (Loops) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 20:31:00 +0000

I came across this Cracked article Six Music Industry Tricks That Must Die, recently.

My response:

Just 6 ?? How about this:

7. Pop Idol.. Or anything similar
8. Mastering records using the brick wall technique
9. Radio.. Pay us money and we'll play your record marketing/pay to play
10. The assumption that good looking people can make fabulous records
11. Fixed award ceremonies
12. Rejection and/or suing of free downloading by people who wouldn't have bought the fucking record in the first place ? Ever heard of building up a fan base ??
13. The single as a sub marketing ploy for an album (Pink Floyd didn't need it, Led Zeppelin didn't need it, Radiohead don't need it).
14. Simon Cowell (+ his cronies) and his capitalist music format
15. Major record labels
16. The practice of remixing a perfectly good tune for the dance floor by giving it to some DJ who then basically slaps a 4/4 beat underneath it and charges £5000 for the privilege, which the artist then pays for from his/her royalties. This can be done as much as 6-8 times on an artists record = £40,000 off the top before they even get paid.
17. Charging artist for all the meals/nights out/cocaine/sundry expenses that an A&R man will supposedly accumulate in the interests of your band.
18. Chart fixing
19. Seasonal trend fixing i.e. ruining the once exciting Christmas Charts.
20. External producers.. Bringing a producer into the fold, who once probably had a bit of success in the 80's/90's, to basically charge the artist a fortune whilst sitting at the back of the studio ruining your pride and joy with his pathetic suggestions of how your record could and will be better.
21. Thinking that a suit can fix your label. EMI and Guy Hands have just spectacularly fucked up on this count to the point that I predict EMI will be no more in say, five years time. Any artist who actually signs to EMI in it's present state resides in: No. 101 Stupid Cottage, Stupid Lane, Stupid Town, County Stupid, Stupidland SA1 ROFL.

etc.. etc.. etc..

I'll probably add to this list as time goes on..