Friday, 25 May 2012
Monday, 16 April 2012
Friday, 13 April 2012
Best Album Packaging No.3
"The Return of the Durutti Column"
The Durutti Column - 1980
The Situationist International movement had long been an influence on The Durutti Column's manager and label boss, Tony Wilson and had even given him the name for Factory Records' legendary niteclub, The Hacienda. The Durutti Column got the idea for the packaging of their first album from the situationist art book Mémoires by Guy Debord. The book is most famous for its cover, a dust jacket made of heavy-grade sandpaper which was designed to leave its mark when taken off a bookshelf or coffee table. The sleeve notes even thanks Debord "for the marketing concept". The Durutti Column liked the idea that the very action of taking the record off the shelf and putting it back on will gradually ruin all the other records next to it. The idea did backfire however as the sand kept flaking off and doing much more damage to the record inside than to any of the others.
2000 of the original sandpaper LP sleeves were released, all of which were assembled by members of Joy Division who, like The Durutti Column, were also signed to Factory Records. The story goes that it was Ian Curtis who did most of the sleeves by himself because while the rest of the band gave up and started watching TV, he continued because he needed the money for fags!
The Durutti Column - 1980
The Situationist International movement had long been an influence on The Durutti Column's manager and label boss, Tony Wilson and had even given him the name for Factory Records' legendary niteclub, The Hacienda. The Durutti Column got the idea for the packaging of their first album from the situationist art book Mémoires by Guy Debord. The book is most famous for its cover, a dust jacket made of heavy-grade sandpaper which was designed to leave its mark when taken off a bookshelf or coffee table. The sleeve notes even thanks Debord "for the marketing concept". The Durutti Column liked the idea that the very action of taking the record off the shelf and putting it back on will gradually ruin all the other records next to it. The idea did backfire however as the sand kept flaking off and doing much more damage to the record inside than to any of the others.
2000 of the original sandpaper LP sleeves were released, all of which were assembled by members of Joy Division who, like The Durutti Column, were also signed to Factory Records. The story goes that it was Ian Curtis who did most of the sleeves by himself because while the rest of the band gave up and started watching TV, he continued because he needed the money for fags!
Thursday, 22 March 2012
Best Album Packaging No.2
"Year Zero"
Nine Inch Nails - 2007
The album features a thermo-chrome heat-sensitive CD face which appears black when first opened, but reveals a black binary code on a white background when heat is generated from the album being played.
The binary sequence translates to "exterminal.net",
the address of a website involved in an alternate reality game also set
up by the band to tie in with the concept of the album. Included with the album is a small insert that is a warning from the fictional United States Bureau of Morality, with a phone number
to report people who have "engaged in subversive acts". When the number
is called, a recording from the USBM is played, claiming "By calling
this number, you and your family are implicitly pleading guilty to the
consumption of anti-American media and have been flagged as potential
militants."
In 2010,
The Black Keys album "Brothers" also featured a thermo-chrome CD which,
along with some very clever cover design, went on to win the 2011
Grammy Award for Best Album Package.
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Best Album Packaging No.1
"Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space"
Spiritualized - 1997
A special edition of the album was packaged in a box designed to resemble prescription medicine, complete with "dosage advice" and a foil blister pack containing the CD. The liner notes take the form of lengthy instructions and technical specs for the medicine-- how the pills were made, who made them, and how they should be taken. "What is Spiritualized used for?" asks the silver metallic ink. "Spiritualized is used to treat the heart and soul."
More recently, the American band Marrow released an album called "Sunshine Enema" with a similar design concept. Their album however is on a USB drive which is in the form of a pill stored in its own pill bottle.
Labels:
Artwork,
Marrow,
Spiritualized
Monday, 6 February 2012
Bob Almighty
Bob Marley isn't just worshipped by 16 year old boys and people who wear hemp clothes. He's considered a demi-god by cultures all around the world.
- Rastafari: As the figurehead of the Rasafarian religion, many Rastafarians believe that Marley was a prophet as he succeeded in bringing the philosophy of Rastafari to worldwide consciousness.
- The Havasupai: The Havasupai are a Native American tribe that is located in Arizona, particularly the base of the Grand Canyon. Bob isn’t considered to be just any ordinary musician by the Havasupai. The Havasupai actually believe that Bob was the reincarnation of the legendary resistance fighter Chief Crazy Horse. It was prophesized that Crazy Horse would be reincarnated as a black man and that Bob was the fulfilment of said prophecy.
- The Hopi: A farming tribe of Native Americans from New Mexico. Reggae is the music that speaks for them and the preciousness of their heritage. To them, Bob Marley fulfilled a centuries-old prophecy.
- Nepal: Legend has it that Bob Marley visited Nepal in the 1970's. Today, just below the temple of the eternal flame in Muktinath is his shrine, The Bob Marley Restaurant, where he is said to have rested. Some Nepalese consider him the incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.
- Australian Aboriginals: The Aboriginal people of Australia burn a sacred flame to honour his memory in Sydney’s Victoria Park.
Labels:
Bob Marley
Thursday, 2 February 2012
One Hit Wonders
Now that we're in the age of Facebook/Twitter/Youtube it's so much easier to discover new music. But does that mean One Hit Wonders are becoming more common?
Have a look at the graph below. It's data from the US Billboard Hot 100 showing the trend of One Hit Wonders per decade. At first glance it would seem that the 60's was clearly the decade to be a flash in the pan. But that's not actually true.
As the next graph illustrates, the 60's may have had more One Hit Wonders but that was only because there was a higher number of songs moving in and out of the charts in that decade. This graph shows that the percentage of One Hit Wonders in the charts has actually increased in the past few decades.
So has this something to do with the internet age? I don't have a clue to be honest. Not really sure what my conclusions are! Just thought the graphs were interesting.
Have a look at the graph below. It's data from the US Billboard Hot 100 showing the trend of One Hit Wonders per decade. At first glance it would seem that the 60's was clearly the decade to be a flash in the pan. But that's not actually true.
As the next graph illustrates, the 60's may have had more One Hit Wonders but that was only because there was a higher number of songs moving in and out of the charts in that decade. This graph shows that the percentage of One Hit Wonders in the charts has actually increased in the past few decades.
So has this something to do with the internet age? I don't have a clue to be honest. Not really sure what my conclusions are! Just thought the graphs were interesting.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Spotify: Better than Nothing?
When Spotify first launched it was hailed as the saviour of
the music industry. Music fans could now listen to whatever music they
liked, as often as they liked and it was all completely legal. The
recording artists would be paid each time their track was played. This
money would come from visual and radio-style advertising along with
subscription fees from premium users. The fans get what they want, the
musicians get what they want, the advertisers get what they want and the
pirates get nothing. Simple.
Well not quite. The thing is, this triangular business model is more isosceles than equilateral. The fans and advertisers do indeed get what they want but the reason they are both connected to Spotify is because of the music, and the makers of this music give a lot more than they get.
Granted, Spotify does introduce fans to new music which they may (or may not) go out and pay for, but with over 3 million members paying $5-10 a month you have to wonder why the people providing the product are getting such a tiny percentage of the profits.
Have a look at the infographic below to see how Spotify compares to other forms of revenue for artists.
This is what an artist’s Spotify statement looks like.
Well not quite. The thing is, this triangular business model is more isosceles than equilateral. The fans and advertisers do indeed get what they want but the reason they are both connected to Spotify is because of the music, and the makers of this music give a lot more than they get.
Granted, Spotify does introduce fans to new music which they may (or may not) go out and pay for, but with over 3 million members paying $5-10 a month you have to wonder why the people providing the product are getting such a tiny percentage of the profits.
Have a look at the infographic below to see how Spotify compares to other forms of revenue for artists.
This is what an artist’s Spotify statement looks like.
Labels:
Music Industry,
Spotify
Monday, 30 January 2012
Happy Mondays Reunion
Happy Mondays lead singer Shaun Ryder has revealed that the band will reform for a string of dates this year. Following much speculation, along with the reunion announcements of fellow Madchester bands, The Stone Roses and The Inspiral Carpets, Ryder spoke on Xfm of how easy it was to get everyone back together, "It was actually really easy. I think all of us are gonna be a bit
nervous - the last time we were all together was 1993. Apart from us all
pushing 50 we're pretty much all the same."
This will mark the first time in 19 years that the original line-up of Shaun Ryder, Paul Ryder, Bez, Gary Whelan, Mark Day, Paul Davies and Rowetta and have all performed together. An 11 date tour of the UK and Ireland has already been planned with the highlight surely being the gig at the Manchester Arena on the 5th May.
The Mondays will be supported by fellow Madchester legends, The Inspiral Carpets.
Tickets go on sale Friday (February 3) at 10am
The May 2012 tour dates:
Thursday 3rd Newcastle O2 Academy
Friday 4th Glasgow O2 Academy
Saturday 5th Manchester Arena
Sunday 6th Sheffield O2 Academy
Wednesday 9th Bournemouth O2 Academy
Thursday 10th London O2 Academy Brixton
Friday 11th London O2 Academy Brixton
Saturday 12th Birmingham O2 Academy
Tuesday 15th Dublin Olympia
Thursday 17th Leeds O2 Academy
Friday 18th Nottingham Rock City
This will mark the first time in 19 years that the original line-up of Shaun Ryder, Paul Ryder, Bez, Gary Whelan, Mark Day, Paul Davies and Rowetta and have all performed together. An 11 date tour of the UK and Ireland has already been planned with the highlight surely being the gig at the Manchester Arena on the 5th May.
The Mondays will be supported by fellow Madchester legends, The Inspiral Carpets.
Tickets go on sale Friday (February 3) at 10am
The May 2012 tour dates:
Thursday 3rd Newcastle O2 Academy
Friday 4th Glasgow O2 Academy
Saturday 5th Manchester Arena
Sunday 6th Sheffield O2 Academy
Wednesday 9th Bournemouth O2 Academy
Thursday 10th London O2 Academy Brixton
Friday 11th London O2 Academy Brixton
Saturday 12th Birmingham O2 Academy
Tuesday 15th Dublin Olympia
Thursday 17th Leeds O2 Academy
Friday 18th Nottingham Rock City
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Field Day 2012 Update
The follwing acts have just been added to the bill for Field Day 2012 which takes place on the 2nd June in London's Victoria Park.
- Django Django
- Liars
- Modeselektor
- Blood Orange
- Korallreven
- Koreless
- Kindness
- Friends
These new additions will join the likes of
- Metronomy
- Franz Ferdinand
- The Vaccines
- Beirut
- Spector
- Zulu Winter
- Baxter Dury
- SBTRKT
- Errors
For the full Line-Up and ticketing information just click here
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