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Rock’n’roll
Rock'n'roll began in the dance halls and small theaters, and quickly the explosion grew to concert halls and stadiums, where it lived for decades. With the start of punk and other forms of underground music, not just bar bands and tribute acts were the bands playing in smaller venues, all of a sudden. Bands with substance and careers, albeit small ones, where playing and touring bars. As this scene and genre has grown, larger concerts have become fewer and fewer, while clubs and smaller venues have become the norm. Independent and progressive music has grown outward instead of upward. Less giant bands, but much much more in the way of the number of acts playing 300-1000 cap rooms. Bands you see on the cover of Spin or on the late night talk shows, are playing just a few feet in front of you the next night at your favorite nightclubs.
-Graham Williams
Mon Mar 24 2008 · Posted in Uncategorized
Mainstream Music
For years mainstream music has pulled from, and often exploited, the underground. From punk to indie rock to hip hop and beyond, the most influential artists have alway been the bridesmaids. Some are happy with their place in music history, while others have felt passed over, as watered down versions of themselves have become hugely successful in the hands of mainstream marketing. However, recently it seems the minority rules, as smaller more progressive acts in music are becoming recognized by mainstream media. Major labels are swimming with sharks, not knowing what the next move it as downloads become the norm to music lovers, while independent record companies and magazines, still continue and independent artists seem to have an advantage. Whether it's because independent bands don't have to adapt to smaller shows and lower records sales, while the cookie cutter bands and giant record moguls are at a loss, or whether it's just these bands' time finally, we're seeing a change in music and appreciation for the underdog... and it's about time.
-Graham Williams
Sat Mar 22 2008 · Posted in Uncategorized
Has the web ruined music?
When people ask me if I think the web has ruined music, I'm always hesitant to answer with confidence. On the one hand, the instant community granted the music loving geek has made an entire world of bands, both major label and self-distributed, available with the click of a mouse. This is undoubtedly a good thing. It's also enabled musicians to get a firmer grasp on their career, since they don't need a major label to propel them anymore.
On the other hand, the quick-serve music community online has challenged independent musicians. They don't need a major label or a tour of large stadiums, but they do need a hook, something to grab the attention of a music community that has become so inundated with rapidly unfolding trends. As thousands of blogs work tirelessly to stay ahead of the curve, the amount of time bands have to make their impression shrinks. Once again, this can be a huge positive for artists, since it's their responsibility to make the most of it. The web might be diminishing the music community's appreciation of the album by emphasizing mp3 downloads and short bursts of content, but the bands have a unique opportunity to capitalize on the web journalist's need for timely, relevant content: they can play shows.
Record sales go down, labels have a harder time supporting their artists, and the window of relevance gets smaller and smaller, but in the end, true music lovers benefit. In the '60s and '70s, people bought 45s and LPs and hoped a band came to their town or was played on the radio. These days, there is never a shortage of touring acts: each and every band must tour to support their records, and this is how they've learned to beat the system the web has the power to cripple them with. Successful independent artists are touring up to six months out of the year, and live shows have superseded album release date hype and major label support. By demonstrating the music in a live setting, the entire experience of a band's art is exposed, their message is felt with manifold intensity, and the money the lose on record sales can be made up for in part by a successful tour with merchandise.
All of this (and more, if I could write a book I would) has created a unique situation for artists recording and touring in this day and age. Many (most notably Radiohead) have even used the web to promote their music while empowering their listeners to reject traditional music production and sales models. They certainly won't lose ticket sales, and neither will smaller acts who choose to go the same route. As this mode of making and sharing music takes its shape in the 21st century, we see an increase in participation in our music community: more people attending live shows, more people buying records and merchandise after seeing a live act, more bloggers and traditional journalists writing about live performances and a smaller divide between the listeners and the artists. Independent music has, with the help of the web, finally made a significant push towards being entirely DIY, and the relevance of the live show has never been more apparent.
-Paige Maguire
Fri Mar 21 2008 · Posted in Uncategorized
Apostle Of Hustle Interview at SXSW (4/16/07)
Andrew Whiteman from Apostle of Hustle, also a core member of Broken Social Scene, talks about what makes Austin special.
Mon Mar 10 2008 · Posted in Interviews on littleradio.com
Cut Copy Interview with Tim Hoey
Tim Hoey from Cut Copy answers a few questions prior to their soon to be epic show at the Echo on March 10th. I already have friends asking me if I have extra tickets as the buzz continues to grow louder. I told my friends they better start lining up at the Echo now because it will be a packed house.Their new album "In Ghost Colours" drops on April 8th and I already have them down as a must see for their Coachella slot.
Fri Mar 7 2008 · Posted in Interviews on littleradio.com
Save Internet Radio
2006: $0.0008 to stream one song to one listener
2007: $.0011
2008: $.0014
2009: $.0018
2010: $.0019
So what can we do about this? Write your local congressperson and go to http://www.savenetradio.org to find out how to help.