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06-23-2009, 08:21 AM | #11 (permalink) | |
Music Addict
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Quote:
I'm not sure how strictly eircom is enforcing this policy, but I certainly haven't heard of anybodies internet access being withdrawn, part of this may have to do with the fact that the competing ISPs haven't got such a policy to begin with, and therefore it would give eircome a distinct competitive disadvantage. Now IRMA is suing other ISP's... Having forced one Irish ISP to adopt three strikes rules, labels sue to force others to match policy | ZDNet Government | ZDNet.com
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06-23-2009, 09:58 AM | #12 (permalink) |
"Hermione-Lite"
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How nice. I enjoyed that.
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06-23-2009, 10:13 AM | #13 (permalink) |
Juicious Maximus III
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Scabb Island
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Great read
Also an interesting article! I'm actually for people buying music, but I think the music industry has done such a tremendously poor job at keeping up with technology. People listen to music on digital formats these days and the music indutry needs to sell their music in such a way that it gets easier to pay for it than it is to steal it. It sounds hard, but I think Spotify is a service that has that potential. Installing it basically gives you instant access to tons of music - so much that downloading it all would take a lot of time - and free users occasionally get commercials in between songs while paying customers don't. I'm amazed something like this didn't come sooner because it's that kind of solutions the music industry needs. CDs and other physical mediums will become more and more collectors items for the interested minority so what they have to make money on is a simple to use digital music provider (websites selling mp3s are often just as hard as pirating the songs, so they're not good enough in my opinion). Also, I don't agree that piracy is the same as stealing which is a popular claim. You're not taking something away from someone, you're making a copy of it. The only thing you are stealing is potential - there was a chance you would spend money on the CD that you just downloaded. If that chance was 0 and you don't distribute, then the industry lost nothing. If, based on what you heard, you decide to spend money on the band whose music you downloaded but never would've bought the CD from when they play a gig in your town, it could be a net gain to the industry - or at least the artists. Of course there's a net loss from the industry these days, but I agree there are so many positives with free music that I don't really think the comparison to stealing really fits.
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06-23-2009, 01:14 PM | #14 (permalink) |
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Musicians have to eat too, but isn't the reason for our existence to make beautful music and try to get as many people as possible to listen to and enjoy that music? If I were a popular musician, I would know if that in one night 10,000 downloaded my songs (legally or illegally) I would have accomplished my goal. It's about art, not money. I'm just happy that people like my songs enough to pay for them at all, I'm not going to get greedy.
If all music were free, but you had to use a program like Spotify to download it, the industry could easily get sponsers to advertise on that program, and they would pay big. Some customers could pay on a subscription basis and that would be benefitial as well. Songs and albums shouldn't cost money individually anymore, it just won't work. |
06-25-2009, 02:18 PM | #15 (permalink) |
myspace.com/stonebirdies
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hey when's the next Gazette being posted (the people deserve The Postal Service)
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07-14-2009, 07:56 PM | #16 (permalink) |
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7/14/09
Formats As of July 14, 2009, issues of The MusicBanter Gazzette are available in both PDF and plain text (post) formats. The PDF version contains appropriate formatting and is uncensored, however certain features (such as links to downloads) may only be available in the plain text version. Click Here To View The PDF Version In this Issue *Indicates plain text only
Introduction By Tim W. (Conan) A lot has happened since we published our first issue. We've seen tragegy after tragedy during the last few months, and we've seen the media go after these tragedies in a heartless ratings war. But we're as sick of CNN as you are, so rest assured, there won't be coverage of anything that we feel would simply be a cheap marketing trick to capitalize on a recent tragedy. Michael Jackson: His Comeback By Tim W. (Conan) The month of June came and went with a lot of sad news, the most shocking of which was pop superstar Michael Jackson’s sudden demise. Even if you weren’t a fan of his music, you certainly knew his name. In the 1980’s he revolutionized the pop industry and sold millions of records, including the best selling record of all time: Thriller. After his heyday, Jackson tried to retreat from the public eye. Amidst relentless media attacks and a public trial, the singer found himself with little cash and a damaged public image. He further retreated from the public eye, only to occasionally be mentioned in the media. The pop star's two iconic public images But “The King of Pop” didn’t want it to end that way. In 2008 he started plans on a comeback tour and hinted that these shows would be his last, grand gesture for his legions of fans. But he didn’t get the chance to make that comeback. Or did he? Immediately following his death, sales for Jackson’s merchandise shot through the roof, bringing his record sales to the highest average in years. After he died, 800,000 of his albums sold. For most, that’s an impressive number to sell in a whole year, but Michael Jackson did it in only two weeks. File sharing and torrent websites also jumped in traffic immediately following his death, with one download for his discography getting nearly 3000 seeders over the course of three hours. In death Michael Jackson has made the comeback he so desperately fought for, and perhaps, died for. Tune In - Turn Off - Drop Out An Inside Look At Headphones and Their Effect By Peter Hughes. (LoathsomePete) Tune In Turn Off Drop Out: An Inside Look At Headphones And Their Effect By Peter Hughes (LoathsomePete) Anybody who lives in a city where your primary mode of transportation is your own feet will undoubtedly see at least three people per block with the unmistakable iPod white headphones in their ears. If not the white ear buds they will have some kind of headphones connected to them and some kind of a portable music player, be it an iPod, some other brand of .mp3 player, or if they're incredibly old school a CD player. They will walk by you, and while you may acknowledge them with a friendly nod or flirty gaze, they will brisk right by you, alone in their own little world. I know this because I know this because I have spent a good half my life continually plugged into some kind of music player, completely cutting off one of my five senses. I often find myself contemplating all the chance encounters I may have missed because I had headphones in my ears. First I'm going to take a quick trip down memory lane to the very first time I had ever gone out into the world without my hearing sensory. I was 11 and decided to ride my Razr scooter (possibly the greatest mode of transportation) with headphones in my ear and my mothers CD player in my pocket. The album I chose to accompany me for the ride was The Offspring's 1998 release Americana. I remember I rode all around one of Vancouver's most beautiful parks and it was an incredibly liberating experience. I was there and the people around me were there, but a fraction of me wasn't there. It seemed like the people didn't matter, all that mattered was I had to keep my speed up and Dexter Holland's nasal voice. The thing I remember most was the feeling of liberation, the feeling that the people around me didn't matter because while I could see them that was all that was there. Their voices and opinions didn't seem to matter to me because I could not hear them and I was free, free from having to engage myself, having to listen to them, comprehend what they were saying, digest it, and inevitably forget it. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and since then I've always made sure to have a pair of headphones and music player with me when I go out into the world alone. I know it must be a little perplexing how something as simple as headphones and music can give off such a liberating feeling, but that's the way I felt and I'm positive other people felt it when they did it for the first time. I also know it must be a little queer when you read about listening to other people in the street as you walk by and digest what they're saying and comprehend it, but it's something we do on a daily basis. Our brains work so fast that we're doing it without even realizing it. We hear it, interpret it, and then subconsciously our brains decide whether or not it's information worth keeping. Most of the time it's nothing but useless crap so we don't even bother to remember it, but our brains still go through that process. Even right now as I write this, I'm picking up three different conversations and the sound of coffee being grinded for a customer. I'm not actually doing any work to remember it, but if I had a pair of headphones in, all that I would hear would be the sounds coming out of them. My brain is working at lightning speed to interpret the sounds, which are all getting blended together into some kind of vocal smoothie in which my brain is quickly deciding to toss away. While I may not remember any of this, my brain still has to work, something it wouldn't have to be doing if I had a pair of headphones in and the only thing it had to do would be to interpret the sounds coming out. Like everything, there are the negative effects of having headphones for extended periods of time. One of them is the effect on your eardrums; however that is really more determined by how loud you decide to listen to your music. If you're like me and you like to listen to your music ****ING LOUD, then there will surely be some long-term hearing loss. However the most troubling aspect of long-term headphone use is the effect on your social life. For example, say you're walking down the street and somebody sees you and instantly takes an interest to you, unless they initiate physical contact or is speaking directly in front of you, chances are you'll be totally oblivious to what they're saying and continue pressing forward. I know for a fact that this has happened to me more than once and thus cost me a potential friend or lover. Like it or not, we are a social creature and thus, by alienating one of our senses, we are putting certain things ingrained into our behavior at risk. It really is hard to elaborate much as it's more just speculation from my own observations as there has not been much in the way of professional research done on the matter. Last edited by someonecompletelyrandom; 07-15-2009 at 11:05 PM. |
07-14-2009, 08:11 PM | #17 (permalink) |
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7/14/09 (continued)
I’ve decided to take to the streets in search of people with headphones on and
moving about in public. In a city like Reno it’s not exactly easy, the only area where people are actually walking is the downtown area and even then people with headphones are few and far between because of the dangers of downtown Reno. However I was able to find two people out wearing headphones, and even luckier as they had polar opposite opinions on the use of headphones out in public. Here’s the first interview:
Last edited by someonecompletelyrandom; 07-15-2009 at 01:15 PM. |
07-14-2009, 08:20 PM | #18 (permalink) |
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7/14/09 (continued)
Upon interviewing the first person (who chose to remain anonymous but for the
sake of simplicity I will call him Joe) it became evident to me that while people do like to listen to their music while they’re out, it can be something one grows out of. My mother, for example, use to listen to her Walkman (portable tape playing device) when she was in her early 20’s. She described very similar reasons as the man I interviewed. It became her escape from the world around her, as well as an excuse to not social with people out in public. She also almost stated word for word her that her music almost becomes a soundtrack. She had specific mix tapes that she would listen to on certain occasions. She stated that my birth was the sole reason she stopped listening to music through headphones. When I asked her why, she stated that she became in tune to those around her, instead of wishing to silence the outside world, she wished to join it, to be a part of a larger whole, even if it is merely a passing glance or quick eavesdropping on some redundant conversation. Her other main reason was the use of her cell phone, which at the time did not come with a vibration feature and thus left her unable to tell if it was ringing. The quick interview with my mom (which I didn’t feel needed to be recorded or transcribed) left me with a new thought that with aging, the desire to seclude yourself from the general public begins to wane. Not only that, the introduction of children can be extremely limiting because they are your first priority and by shutting off what is arguably your most important sense can be dangerous. My interview with “Joe” also brought to light the obvious safety hazards of wearing them while out in public, namely the risk of being hit by traffic. Most people do use their eyes to see traffic, but there is still an inherent danger of going out and crossing the streets with headphones on, especially at night. With this new information my opinion on headphone usage out in public had become a little fractured. While I could still see the obvious pros towards it, the thought of it becoming something you eventually outgrown began to weigh down on my mind, so I set out to find someone who could offer some insight onto the positive effects of it. I was fortunate enough to meet an older gentleman (again who wished to remain anonymous but who I will dub Jeff) at the age of 47 who almost never leaves the house without them. Peter: “How often do you wear headphones?” Jeff: “About 75% of the time when I’m on my bicycle and out walking and 0% of the time when I’m on the motorcycle” Peter: “Do you wear headphones when you’re at home, when there’s other people around?” Jeff: “No, never” Peter: “Are you ever concerned about the physical effects of extended headphone use, like ear damage or even the dangers of walking around with them while out in public?” Jeff: “No, because I’ve probably lost 20% of my hearing playing music over the years so I play my music at a moderate volume and I’ve never had any issues with traffic or ambulances because I don’t play my music too loud” Peter: “What do you think the social effects of wearing headphones in public are? For example I know I’ve had this happen to me, when I’m walking around with my headphones on and I’ve missed friends driving by or even someone who may find you attractive do you think it may kind of limit you socially?” Jeff: “I have so many social encounters being a musician where I don’t have the headphones, as well as hanging out at coffee houses I don’t even think about it. If somebody sees me and I don’t hear them or if it’s somebody I know they’re come up to me, or if they’re a stranger and they start talking to me I’ll take my headphones off” Peter: “There are people living with headphones in their ears almost all day, especially if you’ve been in a big city before. It’s not uncommon to see upwards to ten people walking down the street with headphones in their ear per block. I mean there are people out there that leave them in almost all the time, like if they go into a corner store to buy something they’ll leave their headphones in, what’s your opinion on those types of people?” Jeff: Well coming from my own perspective I have so much music and basically I use music to change my state of mind like if I'm at the DMV I’ll put meditative music on instead of getting aggravated if I’m riding the bicycle I’ll put something that’s more upbeat so I can get more cardio vascular. The sounds in our city, unfortunately, are toxic I never wear headphones when I’m out in nature (background noise makes next few seconds inaudible) I think the only thing we’re missing out on is cars screeching, jackhammers, bad behavior, ambulances etc. Basically I use it to control my state of mind it’s a very positive thing for me. People who text and walk around, well I do that too, definitely negative but not as bad in moderation. The irony I found by doing these two interviews is that while “Joe” doesn’t like listening to music while he’s out in public, he does listen to music through headphones while he’s at home. “Jeff” however refuses to wear them at home in favor of wearing them while he’s out in the city or even at places such as the DMV. I'm sure that if I had both the time and energy to interview more people, I could get some more decisive answers, but from the way I’m looking at it, it’s turning more into a personal preference than anything. One could argue that people who are predestined to antisocial tendencies are more likely to wear headphones as both a way of escaping a world they don’t feel they belong to, but also as a statement itself to those around you. A statement that says, “f-ck you, I don’t need your company or your conversation, what I’m listening to is far more important to me than you’ll ever be”. I know this, because I am that person and I wouldn’t have it any other way. |
07-14-2009, 08:56 PM | #19 (permalink) |
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7/14/09 (continued)
Chalkface
An Insiders Look At An Innovativeand Esoteric Genre By Tim W. (Conan) Wikipedia defines ‘chalkface’ as “an experimental genre of music in which lyrics and music are improvised and never played twice”. Its sister website Wiktionary elaborates, saying it “most often [mixes] elements of hip-hop, metal, punk and avant-garde jazz.” Now I realize it’s never a good thing to start an article by quoting Wikipedia, but all the research in the world couldn’t pull up more than a handful of mainstream mention. I myself learned of this genre after visiting the Myspace page of a band I had seen. Indeed this music is the underground’s underground, it’s also the weird’s weird when it comes to concepts. If you think you could get into improvised hip-hop, metal, punk and jazz, think again. What most websites can’t do for you is play the actual music. I’ve heard some challenging stuff, but non-so like this. The show I saw was Greduction Stimulus, playing with a few other local bands. It really was an intense show, the group would start off thrashing and then swing into hip-hop when you least expected it (making for quite an interesting audience). When I emailed who I thought were the band I saw (as it turns out this group divides themselves into ‘chapters’, almost like a gang) the lead rapper known as “Javon” informed me that the music they play is called ‘chalkface’, and that they themselves had a lot to do with the invention of the genre. He told me about a few other groups, most of them not even worth mentioning. A hillariously bad logo Greduction Stimulus has invented I paid $5.00 for the album, titled “I Have 3 Sets of DNA”, which I would have loved to get around if the Greduction Stimulus torrents weren’t all dead. I was shocked to find out that the studio work was pretty bad even by their standards. Still, there was a lot to appreciate about the album I received. It contained some pretty cool noise tracks, (“Can’t you tell me a story”, “Enhance my Abilities”) and in moments the band really made me laugh with the tongue-in-cheek songs (“G-Yang”, “Karaoke on a Pirate Ship”, “Ah Sebana”). Overall, I think if this genre (more of a loose musical ‘idea’ really) continues to develop and push out some of the, dare I say un-listenable elements; it could easily make something of itself. Don’t expect it to break into the mainstream, but don’t be surprised to read some articles about it. Additional Ref. Urban Ditionary Chalkface Music to Check Out Stone Birds' Free Stuff The Postal Service "Such Great Heights"The Gazzette Reviews [INDENT]A review by Peter Hughes (LoathsomePete)Devin Townsend's "Ki" Upon my first listening to Ki I was a little disappointed because it wasn’tAll songs written by Devin Townsend except where noted. anywhere near as heavy as I was anticipating. Only four songs actually feature any distortion and his trademark snarling vocals and the inclusion of an acoustic song aboutthe hair metal band Quiet Riot made me feel a little uneasy. Many people I’ve talked to about the album consider it to be an esoteric album, but I respectfully disagree. I think one has to go into it and not expect to hear a continuation of his previous solo work. I think that was part of the name change on the album, it’s not a Devin Townsend solo album, but a Devin Townsend Project album. The album follows a very simplistic formula; especially on it’s heavier riffs, which are more a monotonous riff that progressively get heavier. The third track “Disruptr” follows an almost metalcore meets jazz basic riff that just gets heavier and heavier. It then transcends into a melodic bridge that showcases his distinct humor with the lyrics “So here’s what it means to be a man about it/ you don’t forget the family, be a man/ so what if it kills you be a man about it/ BE A GOD DAMN MAN BOY” before falling back into a clean version of the same riff. As the song ends and fades out, the fourth track “Gato” starts to play which follows an extremely simple riff. In “Gato” there is heavier use of bass in the foreground, with 8th note jazz chords playing in the off in the distant. The bass slowly begins to get heavier, rising in a crescendo. One of the best parts of the song is the inclusion of a female guest vocalist, Che Dorval. This isn’t the first time Devin has worked with a female vocalist, as fellow Vancouverite rocker Bif Naked did guest vocals on the song “F**er” off Strapping Young Lad’s final album The New Black in 2006. “Gato” is my favorite song off the album, as it really seems like it’s a return to old “crazy” Devin Townsend, heavy and melodic with humorous undertones. As I stated earlier, this album is a rapid departure from just about everything I had ever heard from Devin Townsend. The slow clean songs were something of a rarity for Devin, something he would throw on occasionally, but never more than two or three. On Ki a good 70% of the album is the quieter beautiful songs. The second track “Coast” follows an incredibly well written and catchy riff. Incredibly fast paced and from the sounds of it, finger picked electric riff. A simplistic, almost trip hop like drum beat pounds softly in the background, with the soothing sounds of waves crashing in the background create an incredibly captivating sound. Towards the end of the song, it transcends into almost like an industrial style sound, bringing back memories to Strapping Young Lad’s first album Heavy as a Real Heavy Thing. My second favorite of his slow songs is the 8th track “Winter”. The song follows an incredibly simple guitar riff and Devin just repeating “How in the world can the Winter fall”, which one would think would get old, but the way Devin sings it, with a slight reverberation done on his voice makes it incredibly enticing. The album is not without it’s faults though, like everything in the world it fails to be infallible. Despite the obvious disappointment of the softness of the album upon the first listen (something I quickly changed my mind on after a few more) I felt a few of the songs seemed to be out of place. Some of the songs did seem to be more filler than anything, especially the 7th and 12th tracks (“Aint Never Gonna Win…” and “Quiet Riot”). Whether or not they were filler or just Devin being his usual weird self, they didn’t seem to fit in with any of the other songs. Devin seemed to think this too, which could possibly explain the relatively short length of the songs compared to the rest of the songs, which almost all clock in at over the four-minute mark. My only other criticism is the relatively bland drum and bass beats, but that can be expected and Devin is a guitarist and he’s more known for his intricate guitar and vocal styles, not his bass and drum ability. Last edited by someonecompletelyrandom; 07-15-2009 at 11:06 PM. |
07-14-2009, 09:03 PM | #20 (permalink) |
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7/14/09 (continued)
Overall Ki is an extremely pleasant experience. You have to let it sink in with a few listens, with headphones for at least one. The headphones really help you hear all the small things going on in the background. I can understand the disappointment some fans would have with the lack of heaviness in favor of the clean guitar riffs, but the album does have songs for them. “Heaven Send”, “Gato” and “Disruptr” all have the distinct Devin heaviness and growl to them and can satisfy your primal cravings. It’s eccentric, melodic, heavy, and beautiful, all in one album. Some people say it’s an esoteric album,
but I respectfully disagree, I think with enough listening and the right mindset this album can be very enjoyable for old and new fans alike. In Conclusion Thanks for reading. If you have feedback, please leave it. Due to difficulties getting each issue out on time, the Zine will now run on a monthly basis until further notice. The next issue is planned for August 1, 2009. - Conan Credit Last edited by someonecompletelyrandom; 07-15-2009 at 01:16 PM. |
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