I am trying to clear space for new records, so until May 9th shipping in Canada is free on orders over $45. The usual 4% fee will still be charged for all pay pal transactions. Quantities are limited and availability changes quickly (sometimes before I can change the website). Prices for pick-up and Lost and Found remain the same.
Shipping on LPs is usually around $10 in Canada, so this is a good deal. Check out the facebook group or divorcerecords.ca for information. Thanks.
The amount of online “chatter” about an upcoming album release directly correlates to higher physical album sales, according to two researchers with New York University’s Stern Business School.
The Songwriters Association of Canada proposes a $5 monthly fee on subscribers’ Internet bills that would make it legal to download music and hopefully save the failing music industry.
We’ll focus on the negatives, the issues they would need to overcome to make it happen.
WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES?
Internet Service Providers may resist adding $5 to customers’ monthly bills.
The four major record labels, which have traditionally dominated music distribution, oppose all attempts to establish alternatives or competitors.
The federal government, which will have to be convinced of the merit of the changes in the Copyright Act, is reluctant to intervene in the marketplace unless in the public interest.
Songwriters and authors will have to give up their long-established right to approve or disapprove of the use and means of dissemination of their work. The only right they will have is the right to be paid for peer-to-peer downloads.
Internet users who do not download music – paid or otherwise – will balk at paying an extra $5 a month.
Source: David Fewer, staff counsel with the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law
Not even 12 hours later, Feb 20, 2008 at 11:47 AM, the Star posted a series of responses to the above article. Here are the first 11 - all against it - as are almost all the rest [there has to be an easy 100 posted]:
If every Internet subscriber pays $5 monthly; then all music downloads should be free and legal. The Music Association of Canada cannot suck and blow at the same time.
David Boyle, Toronto
Already they over charge huge amount to buy their CDs, if only they could be practical in pricing their product, they would not be in this situation.
Steve Moore, Toronto
If that comes to pass, how and what would corporate and business subscribers pay ? Now I wonder if Toronto Star would also ask for a $5 fee since I came across this on the online edition ?
Mukesh Vashi, Brampton
Ridiculous. I have never downloaded music, never will, I’m lucky to have finally accomplished a level of computer savy to do basic tasks. I still have a collection of tapes for heaven’s sake…I don’t want to be bothered replacing them all with CD,s. So why should people like me, and there are plenty of us, pay for a service we will never use?
Jan Pinney, Elora
I object to paying for a service I would never use. If I want music I use a CD or listen to the radio. Why should I pay for some strangers’ habit of pirating music from the internet
Aileen Carter, Toronto
Since we already pay a levy on blank media such as CDs and DVDs, and there is also a proposal to add a similar levy to hard drives and MP3 players, I don’t see why we should have to pay yet another fee to supposedly compensate for downloaded music. Downloading music is already legal in Canada because of these levies, so why should we be slapped with another fee for doing something that is actually legal?
Iris Gray, Victoria
The idea is ridiculous. Should all mortgage payers be surcharged to help those who live beyond their means and default on their payments? Should all credit card users have to pay extra to bail out those who abuse credit? Should all car drivers have to pay an extra tax to subsidise those who evade payment? The truth of the matter is that the music business has brought its ills upon itself by its head-in-the-sand attitude.
Clive Warner, Monterrey, Mexico
What happens to this money that is collected? How can the possibly know how much a musician or song writer should receive?
Randy Drefs, Medicine Hat
Nothing wrong with paying $5 a month provided you WANT it. But I just dont get the thought process behind this ludicrous proposition of making everyone pay even if you never download music. Are we heading towards a communist/socialist internet usage, having to pay up for someone elses losses. I, for one, will not fork it.
Vikas Thusoo, Richmond Hill
$5 a month for music is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of, even if you are a music downloader. The only music I’ve actually ever downloaded was Radiohead’s newest album, In Rainbows. Radiohead chose to release the music independently and actaully let you set your own price for the online download - a truly novel idea that the music industry should take note of. I have no doubts they’ve still made plenty of money.
Shawn Vickar, Calgary
How arrogant can these people be? First there was a tax on blank CDs, with the working assumption that anyone who burns a CD is ripping off an artist. How do these funds get disubursed? Why should Anne Murray get paid everytime I back up a database on a CD?
Dave Kingston, Toronto
Little slow on all year-end/best of posts so starting with this hopefully I get those all out today.
A couple of the top ten have songs included as well [tried to get tracks for each album but having issues uploading - sorry].
* indicates Canadian artist.
** indicates local artist.
1) DOG DAY** Night Group (Black Mountain Music) Dog Day - oh dead life - MP3
2) THE GOT TO GET GOT** Canadian Arts Collective Blues/Huge Zig Zag (Noyes)
3) LAURA PEEK AND THE WINNING HEARTS** From The Photographs (Just Friends)
4) THE MEMORIES ATTACK** The Memories Attack (Little Mafia)
5) JENN GRANT** Orchestra For The Moon (Paris 1919)
6) RICH AUCOIN** Personal Publication (Independent)
7) JULIE DOIRON* Woke Myself Up (Endearing) GHETTOSOCKS** Get Some Friends (Droppin’ Science)
9) THE ARCADE FIRE* Neon Bible (Merge)
10) BE BAD** Vision Correction (Divorce) Be Bad - I’ve Got No Positive Vibrations - MP3
Continue reading to see the rest of the top 100 (more…)
This Saturday at Common Ground Studios (Hunter St.) Dog Day and Play Guitar will be taping a Pop In Session. Dog Day will be playing a full Set.
First 100 emails get spots, email popinsessionsrsvp@yahoo.com
Cost is $8 to help offset costs of production.
Saturday Dec 8th
2315 Hunter St.
Doors Open 6:30pm
Taping Starts at 7pm (doors lock)
$8
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Dog Day dawning: Hardworking Halifax pop-punk quartet might be the best new band you’ve never heard of - Toronto Sun
No poster for this one but Friday night @ The Marquee Rebekah Higgs CD (re)Release show takes place with support from Coast cover band I See Rowboats & The Spades
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Also no poster for the two Final fantasy shows taking place this weekend Friday and Saturday nights at St. Matthew’s Church. Tix available last I checked for Saturday still - and if you are going tonight I will see you there.
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The Herald has an article covering both the show above (Shotgun Jimmie) and below (Moth)
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Montgomery Moth also get the Infomonkey treatment
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See some additional Fuzz news and coverage elsewhere
_______________________________________________________ KaZ Music
The first development program, record label, and recording studio who’s sole purpose is to develop/train and promote the Halifax, under-age 19, music community!!!
The Show
Time: 7PM
$6 door, $5 Adv. tickets (via shinymudpuddle@gmail.com)
Where: The Shambhala School (5450 Russell St., on the corner of Gottigen)
Showcasing
KaZ Records Presents:
Stone Fox ( http://www.myspace.com/mokenney)
Snow and Blackbirds ( http://www.myspace.com/snowandblackbirds)
W/ Special Guests:
Anew Airship ( http://www.myspace.com/anewairship)
Thanks to photographer Aaron Fraser, you see i see rowboats (separate article) (from left on the cover, the band is Luke Fisher, Darcy Fraser, Lisa Lipton, Will Robinson and Solomon Vromons).
Keep your eyes and your ears on these 16 local bands and musicians
. Some are new on the scene, others are veterans tackling new projects. They may already have a recording or a CD in the works, but all are poised to be the next big thing. Written by Mark Black, Sean Flinn, Stephanie Johns, Mike Landry and Shannon Webb-Campbell.
Myles Deck and the Fuzz
Gearing up to release their new album, Beware! The Fuzz this Saturday at the Attic, Myles Deck and The Fuzz (Myles Deck on vocals, Dale Boudreau on bass and guitar, Travis Davis on guitar, Al Hoskins on bass and Jordan Oakie on drums) together play quite the mixed bag of blues, country, surf, straight-ahead “blue-collar classic rock” and punk.
“Despite all the differences in our taste for music, we can at least agree on one band, The Dead Kennedys,” says Deck. “There’s also an interest in ’60s surf, country and blues and all of that Americana stuff. Can’t forget about The Stooges, either.”
A familiar-sounding mix of classics and trashiness, a listen to their debut album (on From Here to There Records) highlights Deck’s strong vocals. He can pull this off and really sell it at the same time. Switching effortlessly from speaking to screaming, and using a judicious hand with the distortion, the lyrics also stay in the retro theme.
“I was a big fan of sci-fi/horror movies and comics as a kid. I think these themes find their way into my songs. There’s also a lot of everyday grief I write about,” says Deck. “I’m pretty new to songwriting and I think it’s going to take a while before I can really tap into those good vibrations.” (SJ)
Check out the article online or pick up a copy of the issue to read profiles on:
Sarah Barrett-Ives, Black Moor, Construction and Destruction, Erin Costelo, Criminal Intent, Goodbye Generation, The Medium Mood, The Memories Attack, Money over Bitches, Play Guitar, The Rhythm Method, Rule of Thumb, Take On Me, Vennt and Zumbini Circus.
Kudos to the writers and the Coast for picking such a eclectic mix of acts to focus on and introduce to readers.
Interview:
You can also check out an interview with Myles over on InfoMonkey
Buy the Album
You can now buy Beware! The Fuzz from both iTunes and eMusic.com (as well as CDBaby)
Charts
The album has charted on CAPR Radio so far - we are waiting to begin pushing tracking to correspond with touring but that’s a good sign in light of their upcoming show in Sydney. Regardless, please feel free to request songs from the album at your local campus station (if you are in Canada they have a copy now). And thanks of course to CAPR for the spins!
The Coast New Music Issue
And the guys were noted as one of the 17 next big things in today’s New Music issue of the Coast.
Indie Can Podcast
You can also tune into Indie Can podcast 61 to hear some tracks from the album as well - thanks to Joe again for including the Fuzz!
Bad News
P.S. He needs a new drummer too…….ugh….
Interested - email info (at) fhttrecords.com
Please be available for touring if you do get in touch.
Thanks
SWC, a narcissistic praise junkie herself (hello awesome!), will fill you in with some Natural History via the Coast [from where we also snagged that nice photo above - no credit online and I haven’t see the paper edition yet].
When I get my shit together I plan on doing an interview with Jon/the guys - so at the rate I’m going expect to one day read an interview recapping the tour for this release and well probably get updates on how the recording process is going for their next album In the meantime listen to album opener: War On You - MP3
GHETTOSOCKS** Get Some Friends (Droppin’ Science)
In the meantime listen to album opener: 
