Music News?

So, I am trying this format to communicate the music stories that speak to me every day (instead of just posting the links). Usually, I want to say more than is allowed in a Tweet.

Oh, I am also going to start a podcast soon, more on that as I get it all setup. As you can guess, it will be called "I Hate Radio" which is my response to "I Heart Radio."

You can check out my Best of 2016 Albums list by clicking HERE.

Oh, and every Tuesday I put out new Spotify Playlists, you can listen to this week's playlist - my "Best of the Rest" 2016 playlist HERE.

I put out new Spotify playlists every week on Tuesdays. And, yes, I am very excited about the return of Twin Peaks.

Image As Virus

Kind of funny that I came across this story right after a pop-up phishing scam tried to convince me to call some random number to remove it from my OS (sigh). Anyway, I have really grown to appreciate the online site Brooklyn Vegan despite my own guilty but loving meat eating ways.

Today they posted a story about a new Art Exhibit of over 10k Punk badges and buttons on display at NYU's 80 WSE Gallery. The badges are all owned by Kevin Pederson who owns "What's Your Rupture" records (home of, for instance, Parquet Courts best albums and Savoy Motel etc.) and is likely the biggest collection of its kind in the world.

Patches and badges like this to many punks were like jewelry or cosmetics might be to other human forms of life (in case you didn't know). This sounds like it is a pretty amazing collection. I hope they produce some kind of video archive at some point.

Kind of sad I don't live in NYC anymore, pretty sure this would fascinate me :(. Also, kind of jealous of the name (Image as Virus)...That is pretty cool too.

A New "Gift Economy" Of Music?

I read this VERY odd article on Paste.com making an argument in favor of musicians and bands releasing music purely as an exercise in goodwill and not in an attempt to make money.

I find it odd because, In a sense, this is already what music recording has become for all but the most successful recording artists in a consolidated music industry universe. The whole reason I call this series "I Hate Radio," for instance, is in protest of music industry consolidation. 

Of course, the current recording and sharing environment is simpatico with is why musicians should give up the dream of making money through recording? Why should we continue to listen to music for free and not reward the hard work and sweat equity of talented musicians?

As you may know, I was somehow able to interview several people (who I had no business or the required skills to be interviewing) about the future of music in a post-streaming economy. In particular, I interviewed: 

* Alan Bargfrede who, through the Berklee College of Music, carried out one of the largest studies ever done on the subject of post-streaming music economics.

* Rain Perry, the director of the Documentary "The Shopkeeper" which is about how hard it is for even established artists, producers, and studios to make money from recorded music in the current environment.

* Benji Rogers, the CEO of Pledge Music and one of the most important voices in using Blockchains to help musicians keep track of the use of their music (and payments for it). 

I am going to read the Paste article a few more times and then (maybe) write a longer response sometime next week. I am very interested in being part of finding an ethical alternative to the status quo. To date, I have found Benji Rogers approach to have the most promise.

Greg Lake RIP

If you want to know how horrible 2016 has been to musicians you need to look no further than what I wrote in my Top Ten Albums of 2016 post. 

What I sadly did not consider at the time was that 2016 wasn't over yet. Yesterday we also lost Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer and King Crimson. This Paste article is a pretty good overview of his work. RIP Greg Lake. 

Wrapping Up

Okay, that does it for another day, hopefully, you are enjoying this new feature so far!

Would you like to see the Punk Button exhibit?

What is your favorite Parquet Courts album? Your favorite Emerson, Lake, and Palmer album?

What do you think the best solution to the streaming problem is?

Let me know what you think, leave a comment!