I subscribe to Pet Marmoset, which is all about DIY artist strategies and using new media. They recommend new music as well, but what I really like is their approach and ideas when it comes to trying to cut through the white noise as a DIY artist trying to get heard.
I wish it were easy enough to just make good music and let the rest take care of itself...but the democratization of making music has widened the bell curve, giving us a sea of average to good to borderline incredible music - so you either have to be so @#$%ing good that you spread like wildfire, or you have to work at getting awesome while figuring out how to get the good songs out in front of the roar of the crowd. Hundreds of thousands of artists can record an album with Garage Band and some microphones (this doesn't mean they all should) so aiming for the top just got that much harder.
I have to admit, I took it a little personally when I first read this blog post about the strategy "The Art of Frequency" (hey, I've been working on a plan to release an EP for more than a year now) but it really makes so much sense. Whether you're releasing lo-fi demos or cover songs or singles, exposing people with what they really want - music - is the best way to get heard and start that long climb to quitting your day job.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Raincoats: Liner Notes
I know, I know, I seem like a one-track-minded Raincoats zealot...but I have to blog this because I googled forever and couldn't find these liner notes online anywhere.
When the Raincoats' debut album was reissued on a CD, Kurt Cobain wrote the liner notes. I discovered the band years later - probably around 1999 - from a flippant comment in the movie "10 Things I Hate About You" (one of Heath Ledger's early roles) and fell in love immediately. I lost the CD at some point, and though I downloaded the album later on Limewire or whatever, I needed to read these liner notes again...they summed everything up so perfectly....so I re-purchased the CD from ebay and now that it's arrived, here they are, for all to enjoy.
FROM A STOWAWAY IN AN ATTIC
I know a lot of coolies who suck and feed off the fact that they know about and (supposedly) enjoy unknown, obscure band of present and past. These coolies thrive on their own little discoveries like those tiny fish who attach themselves to bigger fish and parasitically feed off the hosts' droppings and burnt coffee.
The Raincoats were not very well known in the States - I don't know about the U.K. and Europe. In fact, I don't really know anything about The Raincoats except that they recorded some music that has affected me so much that, whenever I hear it I'm reminded of a particular time in my life when I was (shall we say) extremely unhappy, lonely, and bored. If it weren't for the luxury of putting that scratchy copy of The Raincoats' first record, I would have had very few moments of peace. I suppose I could have researched a bit of history about the band but I feel it's more important to delineated the way I feel and how they sound.
When I listen to The Raincoats I feel as if I'm a stowaway in an attic, violating and in the dark. Rather than listening to them I feel like I'm listening in on them. We're together in the same old house and I have to be completely still or they will hear me spying from above and, if I get caught - everything will be ruined because it's their thing.
They're playing their music for themselves. It's not as sacred as wire-tapping a Buddhist monk's telephone or something because if The Raincoats really did catch me, they would probably just ask me if I wanted some tea. I would comply, then they would finish playing their songs and I would say thank you very much for making me feel good.
- Kurt Cobain, June 1993
When the Raincoats' debut album was reissued on a CD, Kurt Cobain wrote the liner notes. I discovered the band years later - probably around 1999 - from a flippant comment in the movie "10 Things I Hate About You" (one of Heath Ledger's early roles) and fell in love immediately. I lost the CD at some point, and though I downloaded the album later on Limewire or whatever, I needed to read these liner notes again...they summed everything up so perfectly....so I re-purchased the CD from ebay and now that it's arrived, here they are, for all to enjoy.
FROM A STOWAWAY IN AN ATTIC
I know a lot of coolies who suck and feed off the fact that they know about and (supposedly) enjoy unknown, obscure band of present and past. These coolies thrive on their own little discoveries like those tiny fish who attach themselves to bigger fish and parasitically feed off the hosts' droppings and burnt coffee.
The Raincoats were not very well known in the States - I don't know about the U.K. and Europe. In fact, I don't really know anything about The Raincoats except that they recorded some music that has affected me so much that, whenever I hear it I'm reminded of a particular time in my life when I was (shall we say) extremely unhappy, lonely, and bored. If it weren't for the luxury of putting that scratchy copy of The Raincoats' first record, I would have had very few moments of peace. I suppose I could have researched a bit of history about the band but I feel it's more important to delineated the way I feel and how they sound.
When I listen to The Raincoats I feel as if I'm a stowaway in an attic, violating and in the dark. Rather than listening to them I feel like I'm listening in on them. We're together in the same old house and I have to be completely still or they will hear me spying from above and, if I get caught - everything will be ruined because it's their thing.
They're playing their music for themselves. It's not as sacred as wire-tapping a Buddhist monk's telephone or something because if The Raincoats really did catch me, they would probably just ask me if I wanted some tea. I would comply, then they would finish playing their songs and I would say thank you very much for making me feel good.
- Kurt Cobain, June 1993
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Singles
Ok, these are the tracks on heavy rotation right now:
"Iamundernodisguise" - School of Seven Bells
"So Fine" - Telepathe
"Walking on Thin Ice" - Yoko Ono & Jason Pierce
"Endless, Nameless" - Nirvana
"Pretend We're Dead" - L7
"Fairytale in the Supermarket" - The Raincoats
"Heroin" - The Velvet Underground
"Iamundernodisguise" - School of Seven Bells
"So Fine" - Telepathe
"Walking on Thin Ice" - Yoko Ono & Jason Pierce
"Endless, Nameless" - Nirvana
"Pretend We're Dead" - L7
"Fairytale in the Supermarket" - The Raincoats
"Heroin" - The Velvet Underground
Friday, March 6, 2009
martinis & sweet guitars
Last Thursday I shared a bill with The Delay at Martini Red (which, I understand, is the coolest place in all of Staten Island). And can I just mention how insane it is that they CHARGE you to enter Staten Island? Ten bucks, no less! I could maybe understand if cost you to get out...
The Delay was awesome and the guys have some sweet guitars (a Jaguar and a Mosrite) not to mention cool riffs and really catchy songs.
This week:
Check out Artspace Underground's site for all the details!
The Delay was awesome and the guys have some sweet guitars (a Jaguar and a Mosrite) not to mention cool riffs and really catchy songs.
This week:
Check out Artspace Underground's site for all the details!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Heavy Rotation: Day Job Woes
My commute has been mostly centered around the Yeah Yeah Yeah's EP, Is Is (you can listen & watch videos for the songs on their site) which is awesome. The sound and feel of the songs is pure garage rock - I'm particularly jealous of the guitar tones - and the tracks are totally cohesive... They probably could have been integrated into an album with more tracks that weren't in this vein, but it's really cool to have this set of tight, related, hook-ladden songs that are a work individually and as a whole.
Maybe I'll do ONLY EPs....
While interweb goofing at work I came across this sweet blog post: Do great songs really ever go unheard? - and someone posted a mention of a truly great songwriter, who, of course, is almost completely unheard of. I wish I had time now to go through everyone's posts, but alas, I have another blog to update....
Check him out: http://www.myspace.com/sjdmusic
Maybe I'll do ONLY EPs....
While interweb goofing at work I came across this sweet blog post: Do great songs really ever go unheard? - and someone posted a mention of a truly great songwriter, who, of course, is almost completely unheard of. I wish I had time now to go through everyone's posts, but alas, I have another blog to update....
Check him out: http://www.myspace.com/sjdmusic
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
No Looking
It's sort of strange that most of the time when you go to the doctor they try to make you better, but when you go to the opthamologist they really f$%&* up your eyes. After getting my pupils dilated I spent half the day in a fuzzy haze avoiding bright light (ok, not the first time that's happened...) but on the plus side I kept thinking of one of my favorite songs, "No Looking" by The Raincoats. I used to play their self-titled album on repeat and dance around in my dorm room with my first (very crappy) electric guitar that came free if you bought a practice amp...I would sing/scream/speak along and feel perfect rock bliss for 35 minutes...highly recommended.
"No Looking" on Last.fm
Though I totally dig them, I was never as much of a Slits fan, but man Palmolive (who was in both The Raincoats and the Slits) is one of the coolest drummers EVER. She had her own crazy tom-centered melodic style, which hugely influence me in terms of the beats I program (and my lingering preference for toms over snare drums).
Now that I can see again I'm going to try to find some old Raincoats youtube video.
"No Looking" on Last.fm
Though I totally dig them, I was never as much of a Slits fan, but man Palmolive (who was in both The Raincoats and the Slits) is one of the coolest drummers EVER. She had her own crazy tom-centered melodic style, which hugely influence me in terms of the beats I program (and my lingering preference for toms over snare drums).
Now that I can see again I'm going to try to find some old Raincoats youtube video.
Monday, March 2, 2009
lost / found
Saturday night we got lost on Staten Island driving around on our way to a spa opening on the hunt for free wine & cheese. One wrong turn and we're on the top of this crazy steep hill with sweet houses hanging off the side and a great view of the Verazzano. Next time we go with sleds and a map.
Originally the plan was to get back into the city and catch Hunter Valentine and The And Wutz at Arlene's Grocery; I shared a bill with them at the GoGirls Fest show a few months ago. It was a disastrous show for me - my guitar was freaking out, one of the backline amps was on the fritz, I couldn't hear the loop pedal, and the mic feedback was pretty nasty. Kiyomi of Hunter Valentine lent me her guitar halfway through the set to try to help mitigate the shittiness of the show, which was pretty awesome of her to do considering (a) we had never met and (b) who knew whether the source of the technological trouble was actually some contagious voodoo hex that I was carrying? Her sweet sounding hollow body Gibson could have been the next victim....
We got into the city early enough to try to catch one of my favorite local bands, Cruel Black Dove, whose sound is a perfect cross between PJ Harvey & Nine Inch Nails. I was stuck with parking duty and only heard the last song...but in a happy twist of fate, my girlfriend got to meet a radio DJ from 91.5 New York Radio, who may feature Cruel Black Dove live + interview on her show The B-Sides (*local artists, you should check out this show and send in your CD).
Hunter Valentine rocked it, but we had to move the car before The And Wutz took the stage.
Damn city parking.
We went home and ate a million girl scout cookies.
Originally the plan was to get back into the city and catch Hunter Valentine and The And Wutz at Arlene's Grocery; I shared a bill with them at the GoGirls Fest show a few months ago. It was a disastrous show for me - my guitar was freaking out, one of the backline amps was on the fritz, I couldn't hear the loop pedal, and the mic feedback was pretty nasty. Kiyomi of Hunter Valentine lent me her guitar halfway through the set to try to help mitigate the shittiness of the show, which was pretty awesome of her to do considering (a) we had never met and (b) who knew whether the source of the technological trouble was actually some contagious voodoo hex that I was carrying? Her sweet sounding hollow body Gibson could have been the next victim....
We got into the city early enough to try to catch one of my favorite local bands, Cruel Black Dove, whose sound is a perfect cross between PJ Harvey & Nine Inch Nails. I was stuck with parking duty and only heard the last song...but in a happy twist of fate, my girlfriend got to meet a radio DJ from 91.5 New York Radio, who may feature Cruel Black Dove live + interview on her show The B-Sides (*local artists, you should check out this show and send in your CD).
Hunter Valentine rocked it, but we had to move the car before The And Wutz took the stage.
Damn city parking.
We went home and ate a million girl scout cookies.
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