There's been a pall hanging over Music Banter this week, and we all know why. As a result of the tension/depression/bewilderment/insert emotion here over Urban's departure, not too much has been happening in the Journals Section this week. Even I haven't managed a single entry, though in fairness that's more down to the amount of preparatory writing I'm doing, as well as getting ready for Metal Month III (only five months left to go!) as well as my running of the “Love or Hate?” thread. But let's see who has struggled into the office to try to keep the place running this week.
As the most recent entry in
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...78-2015-a.html is his, I'm going to give this to
Anteater, as he looks into
Mindfields. In fairness of course, his partner in journalism is there with him, but as he also has entries in his own journal this week and Ant doesn't, and as it was he who posted the entries, we'll look on this as one of his.
Unknown Soldier fans, don't worry: he's coming up later.
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-oblivion.html and talks at length about Spawn, also Image Comics
while
Black Francis links themes with him, if unintentionally, as there's “X-men: Children of the storm” as well as "Killer Instinct" in
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ms-nes-ps.html
and there are two more
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...stronauts.html, courtesy of
Freebase Dali and his bandmate.
Six more years left to go in
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...63-2015-a.html as this week he's at 2009, where we have Mouse on the Keys, Doom and MiRthkon among his favourites.
Innerspaceboy has certainly been busy, with entries on Manuel Gottsching, an article about the Cloud and Steve Albini's keynote address all to be found in
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nnerspace.html
while
Isbjorn is getting all political down in
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...seur-cave.html and talking about Bernie Sanders. Who? He a relative of the Colonel?
Ki just missed the deadline last week, but he wants to advise everyone that “Star Trek Video Game Month” is only around the corner. Tomorrow, in fact. Where? Where else but in
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...is-arcade.html
Machine is promoting his new album in
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-its-dumb.html
Unknown Soldier (see, I told you ladies: just have patience!) has the self-titled from Batlord's faves, Bathory in
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html
and
Violet is working on two new-ish journals. Having retired “The Devil's Dancefloor” he's going back to his original one,
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-endeavor.html where he's building a list of 2015 albums to begin reviewing from June 1. He's also emulating Batty with
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-endeavor.html wherein he's beginning his journey through the wonderful world of comic books with “Ultimate Spiderman”, no doubt with some assistance from the Battish one. We wish him well in his endeavours (sorry).
While I don't wish to be facetious, there wasn't a whole lot to choose from this week but I did manage to pick out one for my
and it's from the guy who really put a lot into his journal this week, innerspaceboy. To be honest, thre were three posts of his I could have chosen, but this one struck a chord.
Quote:
Originally Posted by innerspaceboy
Steve Albini may not be an expert at public speaking. But he IS a 40-year veteran of the music industry - working as a singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, audio engineer and music journalist for most of his life. He lived and worked through the age of commercial rock radio and payola, through the birth of MTV, and through the most formative years of filesharing and torrenting right up to the present day.
Albini has worked on an estimated 1500 albums, which certainly qualifies him to speak on the state of the changing music industry.
Below is his Keynote Address at Face The Music in 2014. The first 30 minutes comprise his essential arguments - exposing the self-perpetuating system of major labels, commercial radio, and the convoluted laundry list of associated professionals who were all guaranteed to profit from a band's record, usually leaving the band with nothing.
He demonstrates that the old system was in place to serve everyone EXCEPT the band and its fans - the two inconsequential and often ignored parties of the music industry.
Albini then outlines how the internet and improved recording technologies rendered the old system obsolete and empowered artists. The web and filesharing gave bands, for the first time, a direct and personal relationship with their listeners and exponentially increased the reach of their music.
In closing, Albini describes the resulting listening culture as discerning and passionate, with the ability to pursue their own niche musical fetishism, and that these listeners find a way to reward the artists they love in return.
The old industry giants loudly proclaim that the new system is "broken" and a "crisis" that must be remedied. But in reality, the bands and their listeners are better off now than ever before.
This address shattered my shame about filesharing, and restored my faith in music.
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So that's it for the last update for May, and the first of the post-Urban era, as it were. Wherever you are man, know you're missed and we hope to cross paths with you again some day. Most importantly, hope you're comfortable and happy in your decision, and are enjoying a well-earned break, however long it may last.
Till next week,
Toodles!