Muxtape Stumbler & Music TV Goodness (Last.FM/Youtube)
Posted in Fun, free music on 05.09.08 20:24

Two potentially fun/useful sites for enjoying music and music videos respectively….can’t describe them any better than they did themselves so:

Muxtape Stumbler

Welcome to Muxtape Stumbler, our sole intention is to help you discover new music by finding Muxtapes (online mixtapes) that contain bands you already know

Music TV Goodness

What’s This?
This is a mashup of Last.fm and YouTube made by Tim Bormans. It’s best described as an online music television based on your taste.
Nice! Can I try?
Sure! Just enter a last.fm username or music artist you like at the top of this page and hit the ‘Ok’ button. A few seconds and some funky coding later you will be watching your own personalized music channel. Now ain’t that sweet?

Indeed


NIN vs Radiohead: One is Innovator other Opportunistic

Have you heard the latest one about Nine Inch Nails…..
I understand if you might be confused, am I referring to his recent instrumental release Ghosts?
Or is it the singles he has released in the past week?
Well both good points but I am now listening to a brand new - complete album - we’re talking “real” songs here with lyrics that was just released for FREE - in every conceivable format you could want.
And after one listen through - it is solid. [Complete album details at end of post]:

as a thank you to our fans for your continued support, we are giving away the new nine inch nails album one hundred percent free, exclusively via nin.com.

the music is available in a variety of formats including high-quality MP3, FLAC or M4A lossless at CD quality and even higher-than-CD quality 24/96 WAVE. your link will include all options - all free. all downloads include a PDF with artwork and credits.

for those of you interested in physical products, fear not. we plan to make a version of this release available on CD and vinyl in july. details coming soon.

Oh - and beyond that there is the spin on live shows he is trying:

Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails announced on Monday that the band has secured very limited allotments of “the guaranteed best possible seats” to every headlining show on the band’s upcoming tour, and will make them available for sale via NIN.com. Fans must register under their real names for the tickets, which will come personalized with the purchaser’s name that matches a photo ID presented at “designated will calls at separate entrances to be used exclusively by NIN.com pre-sale ticket holders.”

Meanwhile…..
Radiohead, although trying all kinds of online experiments including their own social network and a remix contest fetching over 2200 remixes [one of the highest voted remixes is Holy Fuck - 3/4s of whom hail from the east coast which is nice to see considering the recognition they are getting of late].

However, they are not the innovative leaders they may have appeared to be:

“I think it was a one-off response to a particular situation. It was one of those things where we were in the position of everyone asking us what we were going to do. I don’t think it would have the same significance now anyway, if we chose to give something away again. It was a moment in time.”

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke: Free Album Offer Was a “One-Off” - Digital Media Wire
Thom Yorke: no more free Radiohead albums - Guardian UK

TechDirt’s Mike Masnick has his own take on it in “Don’t Read Too Much Into Radiohead’s Claim That It Won’t Offer Music For Free Again“:

Radiohead is making some noise again today, with lead singer Thom Yorke basically saying that the band won’t do a promotion giving away free music again…..As such, it’s not at all surprising that Yorke would say the band won’t do it again. Since they only viewed it as a stunt, repeating the stunt doesn’t make sense. They’ll come up with some other stunt for the next release. That doesn’t, however, mean that the idea was wrong or a failure. Just that the band wants its publicity stunts to be new and different each time.

Reznor expressed his less than favorable opinions on Radiohead’s release:

“I think the way [Radiohead] parlayed it into a marketing gimmick has certainly been shrewd,” Reznor said. “But if you look at what they did, it was very much a bait and switch, to get you to pay for a MySpace quality stream as a way to promote a very traditional record sale.”

Trent Reznor: Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’ promotion was ‘insincere’ - CNet News

From the same CNet article above:
The truth is that Reznor, who at times is volatile–and is always outspoken–is doing more for music fans and fellow musicians than anybody.

Continue reading for complete details on “The Slip” (more…)


Did It Leak? New Music Right Away
Posted in Blog(s), MP3s, free music on 05.05.08 15:34

Need new music the moment it is available online, then you probably want to bookmark Did It Leak?

Regular - almost daily - updates of the newest albums available WELL before their official release dates.


The Exclusive Jonny Stevens: Intro, New Vid & New Tunes
Posted in Artists/Bands, Halifax, MP3s, MusicNovaScotia, Videos, free music on 04.21.08 16:17

Jonny Stevens, for a young guy, seems like he’s been around forever. His last band the New Breed did their thing from 1997 until 2005. When the New Breed called it a day, Jonny started a solo project and has been performing since with a backing backing band The Racket.

In the decade plus he has been pursing music he has experienced all the highs and lows of being in a band, losing a band, starting fresh and - well losing a band. All that experience made him ideal for his new/current position as education coordinator at Music Nova Scotia.

Not only is he a wealth of knowledge, he truly enjoys sharing what he knows (and thinks) - thus leading him to be a perfect addition to this blog.

For his latest video, Jonny took the idea of free music on his site into the real world, and cameras rolling, went looking for a few good homes for some of his albums.

In addition to the new video, scroll down some and you will find two new tracks as well , I don’t think Jonny will be upset if you share them and pass them around either.

Video: You Can’t Take Me

Back in September 07 I had an idea for a music video. I had been giving away free downloads of my record on my website and decided that I would try giving away free copies of my actual CD and video tape it. I was lucky enough to hook up with a great group of young film makers in Halifax and a wicked director named Jason Levangie.

We took to the streets with a couple cameras, 200 cds and an idea and shot this in one day.

I lost track of the footage and due to busy schedules (my new job etc) the video is now available for the first time and I hope you all enjoy it.

Jonny Stevens - Two
Two new tracks from Jonny Stevens you won’t find elsewhere - Enjoy!
Jonny Stevens - Footsteps in Sand
Jonny Stevens - Jenny’s Song


NEW NIN: It’s released under Creative Commons! In FLAC, Apple Lossless, MP3, CD, Vinyl, DVD, Book, Art Prints… everything. This is AMAZING.

Title is a comment taken from Digg.com regarding the newest Nine Inch Nails`record

Nine Inch Nails presents Ghosts I - IV, a brand new 36 track instrumental collection available right now. Almost two hours of new music composed and recorded over an intense ten week period last fall, Ghosts I - IV sprawls Nine Inch Nails across a variety of new terrain.

Trent Reznor explains, “I’ve been considering and wanting to make this kind of record for years, but by its very nature it wouldn’t have made sense until this point. This collection of music is the result of working from a very visual perspective - dressing imagined locations and scenarios with sound and texture; a soundtrack for daydreams. I’m very pleased with the result and the ability to present it directly to you without interference. I hope you enjoy the first four volumes of Ghosts.”

And if you don`t want to buy it or even download it from the official site, but prefer to get it via your usual torrent site, well it is already on private torrent sites. The best part being how clear it is who put them there.

The site is currently UP, but from another comment, pricing details:

FREE DOWNLOAD
Ghosts I - The first 9 tracks from the Ghosts I-IV collection available as
high-quality DRM-free MP3s (320kbps LAME encoded, fully tagged) including complete 40 page PDF. Also includes the digital extras pack - various wallpapers, icons, and graphics tools for your computer, website, profile, etc.

$5 DOWNLOAD
Ghosts I-IV - All 36 tracks in a variety of DRM-free digital formats (320
kbps LAME encoded, fully tagged; FLAC Lossless; Apple Lossless) including a 40
page PDF. Also includes the digital extras pack - various wallpapers, icons,
and graphics tools for your computer, website, profile, etc.

This version is also available from the Amazon MP3 store.

$10 2XCD SET
Ghosts I-IV - 2 audio CDs in a gatefold digipak package with a 16-page
booklet. To be shipped TBD. Includes immediate DRM-free download of the
entire collection in same choice of formats as $5 Download option. Download
will include the 40 page PDF and the digital extras pack - various wallpapers,
cons, and graphics tools for your computer, website, profile, etc.
This configuration will be released to retail in North America (April 8), Australia (April 5), the UK (April 8), Japan (April 5) and most European territories (April 8).

$75 LIMITED EDITION DELUXE PACKAGE
Ghosts I-IV - Hardcover book holding 2 audio CDs, 1 data DVD of all 36
tracks in multi-track format (in .wav files readable by Mac and Windows), and
Blu-ray disc featuring stereo recordings in high-definition 24 bit 96Khz with
exclusive slide show. Includes immediate DRM-free download of the entire
collection in all formats and with all extras mentioned above. Also includes
48-page hardcover of photographs by Phillip Graybill and Rob Sheridan.
Discs and art book both housed in fabric slipcover.

$300 ULTRA-DELUXE LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE
Ghosts I-IV - Contains all elements from deluxe package, along with
exclusive 4XLP 180-gram vinyl set, and two limited edition Giclee prints
available exclusively in this package. Disc book, art book, and prints are
all housed in a fabric slipcover. 4XLP vinyl set comes in its own fabric
slipcover. INCLUDES immediate DRM-free download of the entire collection in
all formats and with all extras mentioned above. LIMITED TO 2500 PIECES,
NUMBERED AND PERSONALLY SIGNED BY TRENT REZNOR.


“Music2.0″ reading material
Posted in Advice, Artists/Bands, Blog(s), Business, Resources, free music on 02.23.08 17:32

music20_front_book_gerd_leonhard.jpg

“Music2.0″ is now available, finally, both as a ‘real’ printed product, as well as a ‘pay what you want’ - pdf. Music2.0 is kind of like a ‘Best of Gerd Leonhard’ compilation (if I may say so myself), 227 pages filled with the best blog posts and juiciest essays from the past 4 years, slightly remixed and tweaked, riffing on that good old subject of the next generation of the music industry. And this may well be my final riff on music, for a while, too - stay tuned*.

Anyway, the book continues and expands on some of the ideas and models we cooked up in my first book “The Future of Music” (co-written with my colleague Dave Kusek). It describes what the next generation of music companies will look and feel like, and gets even deeper into some of my favorite buzz-phrases such as Music Like Water and the Flat Rate for Music, Feels Like Free (FLF), the Usator, Friction is Fiction, and the People Formerly Known As Consumers. Oooops, yes, sorry for the geek-speak!

* Interesting….

You have two options to read the book:

  1. Order a print version
  2. Download a free PDF version

He even has a video preview for the book!


The Principle that makes free music a good idea
Posted in Advice, Blog(s), Marketing, free music on 02.23.08 17:29

What breaks records is repetition.
- Bob Lefsetz

How else can you get that from potential fans if you can’t get on the radio, on Much/MTV, be in Guitar Hero etc?


More free music: Miasmah a free MP3 record label
Posted in Advice, Blog(s), Labels, MP3s, Sounds Local, free music on 02.23.08 17:23

From Pampelmoose:

Today I came across Aphilas a DJ duo out of Finland who mix electronic and organic downbeat into trip hop mish mash. The interesting part to this music discovery is that the EP is released as MP3s for free from Miasmah a free MP3 record label

Pamplemoose is one of my regular reads, what is it, in his own words:

Dave Allen, bass player for Gang of Four, posts daily on this music blog about well, music. Beyond that the scope embraces popular culture, online distribution, blogs, podcasts, the decline of the music industry and a large dose of what’s going on in the vibrant Portland, Oregon music scene. Pampelmoose also offers free and legal music downloads for your enjoyment.

I have mentioned a blog post about the importance of local in every 8th post I have made and it will be finished soon, but I do appreciate that he feels it is worth covering his own scene where he is residing and that doing so is an important part of his blogging as I feel it is regardless of what else you cover.

Check it out regardless of whether you want local perspectives or not!


Musical Data
Posted in Artists/Bands, Fun, MP3s, free music on 02.07.08 19:36

Posted without comment: You can now download Brent Spiner’s “Ol’ Yellow Eyes Is Back” from 1991 and hear about his latest project.


Herohill’s Canadian Mixtape Project:: The Big Doe-nair Rehab (Nova Scotia)
2

The fine folks at Herohill have taken on an interesting project, I will be curious to see the future mixes roll out and what places like Manitoba, which you don’t normally hear a lot about, offer up.

From the project’s introductory post:

Anyway. Back to the post. Shane and I are trying to do a little Canadian based project. The goal obviously is to keep showcasing the splendor that is Canadian music. So the goal is to make a mix for each province, and have you the readers decide who you think deserves to represent each province.

We are going to start with Nova Scotia, as we were born there and really spend a lot of our time trying to highlight the Halifax scene. So next Saturday we will be posting the first installment of this series (tentatively called The Big Doe-nair Rehab). If you have any bands that you think deserve to be added to the NS (or any other province), let us know.

And here is the Nova Scotian* edition: The Big Doe-nair Rehab

* Mainly focused on bands based out of Halifax, while I am sure there are dozen of worthy bands from all parts of the province omitted, Company House Records in Cape Breton deserves a nod at least for being home to Carmen Townsend and the Shaky Deals, Slowcoaster and the Tom Fun Orchestra.

Also Dreamsploitation makes the mix too - sweet - Thanks guys.

Download the entire zip - here