A song about an evil genius in love.
What's not to love?
If a smart musically inclined bloke made a half-pony half-monkey monster to please me and ruined a pony making a gift for me, I'd be willing to put aside rather strong ideals of animal activism and be happy.
Jonathan Coulton is pure genius.
He makes me happy because his music is nothing like what I've grown up being told 'music' is.
With light tunes and pleasant vocals that let the hilarious songwriter in him take centre stage, JoCo is automatically refreshing and a high dose of good, clean, happy.
It also helps that he's an incredibly smart and sensible artist, because of the way he distributes his music. It's Free to take (often enough), to mess up, remix, enact, sing to your sock doll, to do what you please with it. Including making videos for the song like the one here.
The happiest music has to be the most accessible.
If Skullcrusher Mountain didn't put you in a good mood, try JoCo's full-of-awesome version of the frankly demeaning Baby Got Back. It's the fourth song on that link.
Showing posts with label free culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free culture. Show all posts
Monday, 17 May 2010
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Live Music (Coming soon to a cinema near you)
Last week, I watched This is It. While the MJ plaudits may be taken for granted, this post is not about the genius that Michael Jackson was.
It’s about how much I enjoyed the experience of watching a ‘concert’ on a large screen, eating popcorn and having the music sound better than ever before.
I love my music, and I know my music largely as a result of exposure to both licensed and unlicensed digital music.
For years now, sections of the music industry have been lamenting the loss of revenue caused by illegal music downloads. At the same time, even two years ago, reports estimated that live music revenue would overtake recorded music sales.
People like me, lucky enough to have heard of bands from the other side of the world, bands that MTV or commercial radio wouldn’t even sniff, would happily pay (or consider paying – I’m pretty sure I can’t afford U2 on most days) to see someone worth more than manufactured pop on little plastic disks.
Unfortunately though, with only practically retired rockstars (Mr. Big? Seriously?) coming to my town, I think I’d jump at the opportunity to hear my favourite music ‘live’.
Live music from the other side of the world
On November 25, fans from 16 countries tuned in to watch U2 live on YouTube. The rock group was playing to an audience of 10,000 at Pasadena, California, but 10 million online viewers were part of the show at the same time as well.
A recent Wired report talks about the increasing popularity of such live music webcasts, with players like Billboard, Sony and MySpace organising live online shows.
The report goes on to suggest how these shows, while being remarkable examples of an industry finally adopting new marketing practices, would be that much more memorable as experiences when being watched in a cinema, in a crowd, rather than as a thing between just you and your PC.
I’d fully agree.
I like Michael Jackson because he sounds good, even on my laptop speakers. I don’t need to elucidate on how amazing it was to be able to listen to his songs in surround sound. Add to it the excitement of watching what was technically a lavish stage performance, and I’d say it was Definitely Worth It.
Why can’t we have more of that?
If acts still dream of being rockstars, I’d say this is as close as they’ll get.
Of course, in no way can a show watched in the cinemas take the place of the real concert experience – of watching the bands up close, with maybe more than a little jostling, of being part of a 10,000 plus crowd.
But this could be a way for an industry to adapt, a way for audiences to acknowledge creativity and talent, and large groups to be part of a process of culture building, based around shared experiences.
It’s like when the movies started and going to the cinemas was a real event. Live concerts in cinemas could well be the beginning of a new form of entertainment, and a lucrative one at that. I'm in.
Image courtesy p4nc0np4n aka Victor.
It’s about how much I enjoyed the experience of watching a ‘concert’ on a large screen, eating popcorn and having the music sound better than ever before.
For years now, sections of the music industry have been lamenting the loss of revenue caused by illegal music downloads. At the same time, even two years ago, reports estimated that live music revenue would overtake recorded music sales.
People like me, lucky enough to have heard of bands from the other side of the world, bands that MTV or commercial radio wouldn’t even sniff, would happily pay (or consider paying – I’m pretty sure I can’t afford U2 on most days) to see someone worth more than manufactured pop on little plastic disks.
Unfortunately though, with only practically retired rockstars (Mr. Big? Seriously?) coming to my town, I think I’d jump at the opportunity to hear my favourite music ‘live’.
Live music from the other side of the world
On November 25, fans from 16 countries tuned in to watch U2 live on YouTube. The rock group was playing to an audience of 10,000 at Pasadena, California, but 10 million online viewers were part of the show at the same time as well.
A recent Wired report talks about the increasing popularity of such live music webcasts, with players like Billboard, Sony and MySpace organising live online shows.
The report goes on to suggest how these shows, while being remarkable examples of an industry finally adopting new marketing practices, would be that much more memorable as experiences when being watched in a cinema, in a crowd, rather than as a thing between just you and your PC.
I’d fully agree.
I like Michael Jackson because he sounds good, even on my laptop speakers. I don’t need to elucidate on how amazing it was to be able to listen to his songs in surround sound. Add to it the excitement of watching what was technically a lavish stage performance, and I’d say it was Definitely Worth It.
Why can’t we have more of that?
If acts still dream of being rockstars, I’d say this is as close as they’ll get.
Of course, in no way can a show watched in the cinemas take the place of the real concert experience – of watching the bands up close, with maybe more than a little jostling, of being part of a 10,000 plus crowd.
But this could be a way for an industry to adapt, a way for audiences to acknowledge creativity and talent, and large groups to be part of a process of culture building, based around shared experiences.
It’s like when the movies started and going to the cinemas was a real event. Live concerts in cinemas could well be the beginning of a new form of entertainment, and a lucrative one at that. I'm in.
Image courtesy p4nc0np4n aka Victor.
Monday, 7 September 2009
Do-it-together media
I've been harping on on my website* about the cultural worth of DIY media, and about innovative independent music business models. But as we move beyond basic 2.0, I correct myself: do-it-yourself media eventually should give way to do-it-together media.
That was no brain-wave. I stole that thought from a website of Unconvention, an initiative that claims to do exactly that for the "grassroot music scene."
I had nothing to do with Unconvention, besides an interest in the music and ideas of some of the independent artists involved.
I still have nothing to do with Unconvention. But it just happens that I found my way to the website, heard clips of some new acts, heard them recommended by artists I already like and hence trust, witnessed an online initiation for an interesting new band, ("four musical savants generating controlled chaos") and found more music and ideas that I intend to be interested in and freely recommend.
But what just happened here? In just a few days, a community working together, energised by the digital tools available, effectively decided that some young people with a couple of guitars, a drum and a tune were worthy of being Music, and for a wider audience.
Collaboration was always an important aspect of the free culture movement. The ability to build upon another's work was a desirable consequence of free creation. But now, it seems to be becoming a part of effective creation itself. And I'm not talking the collaboration on Wikis, but on creating mainstream multimedia.
So now who's scorning "the Cult of the Amateur"?
* One ought to be allowed to use one's blog for shameless self promotion.
That was no brain-wave. I stole that thought from a website of Unconvention, an initiative that claims to do exactly that for the "grassroot music scene."
I had nothing to do with Unconvention, besides an interest in the music and ideas of some of the independent artists involved.
I still have nothing to do with Unconvention. But it just happens that I found my way to the website, heard clips of some new acts, heard them recommended by artists I already like and hence trust, witnessed an online initiation for an interesting new band, ("four musical savants generating controlled chaos") and found more music and ideas that I intend to be interested in and freely recommend.
But what just happened here? In just a few days, a community working together, energised by the digital tools available, effectively decided that some young people with a couple of guitars, a drum and a tune were worthy of being Music, and for a wider audience.
Collaboration was always an important aspect of the free culture movement. The ability to build upon another's work was a desirable consequence of free creation. But now, it seems to be becoming a part of effective creation itself. And I'm not talking the collaboration on Wikis, but on creating mainstream multimedia.
So now who's scorning "the Cult of the Amateur"?
* One ought to be allowed to use one's blog for shameless self promotion.
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Excuses for limited blogging in August
1. Free culture - Creative Mind project - the website I built as my final masters project and the purpose of my existence since April.
Still trying to fix IE formatting issues. (Any web developers reading this know where I'm going wrong?)
I've had some great feedback, I've met more smart people and my Twitter feed is getting hard to keep up with.
2. Various distractions.
Sleep....
Erm....
....
Well...
Oh! And Brighton - Travelled far to see the Kissing Cops by celebrated street artist Banksy. For no particular reason. Except that it was there. You think he painted it because the wall Was There?
There it was, preserved from potentially overzealous councils and profiteers. While some might dismiss Banksy very distatefully, it was Art, standing by trash cans and restaurant leftovers. The graffiti around was as, if not more striking; but those remain blotches on the city walls, relegated to being examples of public nuisance and anti social behaviour.
Still trying to fix IE formatting issues. (Any web developers reading this know where I'm going wrong?)
I've had some great feedback, I've met more smart people and my Twitter feed is getting hard to keep up with.2. Various distractions.
Sleep....
Erm....
....
Well...
Oh! And Brighton - Travelled far to see the Kissing Cops by celebrated street artist Banksy. For no particular reason. Except that it was there. You think he painted it because the wall Was There?
There it was, preserved from potentially overzealous councils and profiteers. While some might dismiss Banksy very distatefully, it was Art, standing by trash cans and restaurant leftovers. The graffiti around was as, if not more striking; but those remain blotches on the city walls, relegated to being examples of public nuisance and anti social behaviour.
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Buffy kicks some Cullen arse
Like there was any doubt as to what would happen if Buffy the Vampire Slayer met Edward Cullen (cue contemptuous sneer) of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight.
Remix artist and self confessed pop-culture hacker Jonathan McIntosh brings together the icons of vampire fiction in this great political remix.
(To be fair, maybe we shouldn't call Twilight 'vampire fiction' and even bother comparing the two; as a racy romance, Twilight would be perfectly acceptable time pass entertainment.)
In six minutes, Jonathan McIntosh reminds us that
Remix artist and self confessed pop-culture hacker Jonathan McIntosh brings together the icons of vampire fiction in this great political remix.
(To be fair, maybe we shouldn't call Twilight 'vampire fiction' and even bother comparing the two; as a racy romance, Twilight would be perfectly acceptable time pass entertainment.)
In six minutes, Jonathan McIntosh reminds us that
- Buffy's cool.
- Spike's cooler and infinitely more admirable topless, than Edward and it is preposterous to even take those two names in the same sentence.
- Vampire pop culture of 1997 - 2003 is way (waaaay) better than the post 2005 upstarts.
- Buffy was all about girl power. On the other hand, Twilight with all its sensuality (and sexuality) can fall quite easily into the "Oh-Bella!"-"Oh-Edward" Mills and Boon style of story telling that seems to portray Edward's possessiveness and creepy behaviour as Love. Jonathan says it best in this post.
- Vidding and remixes can be extremely useful in political and social commentary. Copyright is thus severely curtailing the fundamental right to expression through transformative works.
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Why I do what I do
Despite an apparent increase in readership (thank you folks for reading!), I'm afraid this blog is going to fail to contribute greatly to fruitful discussion or bringing about world peace (glad someone at least has that all figured out).
Until I finish my final project at least (all about free culture and creativity and art and y'know, stuff) I might find this an especially convenient place to rant. (Let's call it 'documenting the thought process.')
With every meeting with my tutor, and visions of failure and doom related and unrelated to this, an important question comes up.
Until I finish my final project at least (all about free culture and creativity and art and y'know, stuff) I might find this an especially convenient place to rant. (Let's call it 'documenting the thought process.')
With every meeting with my tutor, and visions of failure and doom related and unrelated to this, an important question comes up.
Why am I doing this?Please don't tell the Prof.
Because.
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
It's a pirate's life for me
I finished re- reading Free Culture by (well,) free culture cheerleader Lawrence Lessig.*
Just in time to hear old arguments from the entertainment industry all over again. This time, it's Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton dissing the internet for ruining the industry.
This post is not arguing what he says. That's what TechDirt did brilliantly.
I'm just here to take exception to this:
The ones signed on by the big names are not always the most talented, just that they sell better.
Talent's very much on display elsewhere online and it doesn't need to have a million dollar marketing price tag on it.
*Yes, I did download a free online copy to sample before I picked up the printed version. See, I just proved his point.
Just in time to hear old arguments from the entertainment industry all over again. This time, it's Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton dissing the internet for ruining the industry.
This post is not arguing what he says. That's what TechDirt did brilliantly.
I'm just here to take exception to this:
And my point is this: the major content businesses of the world and the most talented creators of that content -- music, newspapers, movies and books -- have all been seriously harmed by the Internet.'Most' talented creators? Who, the ones at Sony? The ones who last made Angels & Demons which was, if I'm being complimentary, average at best?
The ones signed on by the big names are not always the most talented, just that they sell better.
Talent's very much on display elsewhere online and it doesn't need to have a million dollar marketing price tag on it.
*Yes, I did download a free online copy to sample before I picked up the printed version. See, I just proved his point.
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