Blog Archives
Green Day – Dos – Album Released!
Revisions:
11-10-12: Initial release.
Guys,
Guess what? If you are a Green Day fan, you will know that the album officially hits stores on Tuesday, November 13th.
I was browsing some of my sources today, and it turns out the album has been leaked/ripped, and put online in its entirety. I am not going to link where to get it, and I have not listened to it. I can wait until Tuesday for that, but below is picture proof of it existing:
So are you a Green Day fan? Maybe rock alternative fan? Let us know what you like to listen to in the comments!
Linkin Park – A Thousand Suns Album Leaked 7 Days Early!
Revisions:
9-8-10: Initial release.
Hi all,
I wasn’t planning on typing up this article, but I could not resist. Linkin Park is releasing an album on September 14th, and as I was checking my sources today I realized one copy has been leaked online?!
How? No idea. It has been released on the net by a group called pLAN9. Also, if you want to check out the NFO file and see it for yourself, you can download it at the mediafire link below:
Now I could tell you where to download it, but I am not going to because I respect the artist. No, I am not going to download it because I suspect if you get it through the popular “conventional” way, it will be heavily watched by the RIAA.
I mean, why would it not? 🙂
Unfortunately, based on the reviews I have seen on the new LP album, it is not looking good. LP said they are going for a more conceptual “album”, but does it work for them? Only time will tell.
Huge discussion about the leak at the LP forums. Read here.
How to Find Inspiration
Many times, whether it’s writer’s block or just blank thoughts, we can’t find any descent forms of inspiration. Simply, nothing comes to mind and you find yourself unable to put pen to paper, or digits to keyboard, or to click a simple button on a camera. Whatever your artistic interests may be, there are a few key places that a person can look. These places, when searched systematically, have endless pools of fresh ideas; an eternal stream of data, just waiting for someone to transform it into magic.
Family and Friends
When we are depressed, we often go to one (if not both) of the two sources and ask for help and advice. Well, inspiration can work the same way. They don’t have to be noted of it; just behave like you would generally, but examine yourself and the world around you more thoroughly and remember what or how you feel. Normally, you would think nothing of it, because family is SUPPOSED to make you feel safe and secure, and friends are SUPPOSED to make you feel excited and cheerful. In these harsh times though, where the cost of inspiration is skyrocketing through the roof, you can use everyday experiences and people, such as your family and friends, to give you the boost you desire.
Nature
Sun: the natural light bulb. Wind: the natural air conditioner. Earth: the natural home. Without knowing it, we have isolated ourselves from most of the outside world. It might not feel that way because we have the freedom to decide to stay in or go out, but needless to say, we choose the less intelligent one. Writers read much off of the internet and photographers look for photos on the internet for one MAIN reason: to hijack ideas and transform them into their own. A little thesaurus or Photoshop, and half an hour later you have a perfectly “creative and exclusive” piece of work. It’s not a crime to get thoughts from similar thoughts, but it might be better to start somewhere else first. Nature leads us to find amazing landscapes, marvelous creatures, and an infinite amount of inspiration. The trees, the sun, the moon, wildlife, etc. There are unfathomable amounts of dreams just waiting to become reality.
Music
From good to bad, music is in a category all on its own. Without a doubt, music can bring us from the most unearthly hellish slums, to pure enjoyment and ecstasy. The moment you press play, you can feel enlightenment travel through those headphones, through the air. It tweaks your brain, making you take notice to things that seemed unreal or impossible before. It isn’t a scattered form of art, but more a language. It is a form of energy, and you are the converter. It builds up inside you, until you are full, then it seeps through, exiting your body in form of words or images. You are borrowing its power to make power of your own. It has the capability to make a person with a metal leg run a marathon; it can influence a town, city, state, country, or even the world! Its capabilities are limitless, all you have to do is put them together.
Site for photographers: http://www.alphacoders.com/
Positively inspirational artists: AC/DC, Aerosmith, Beatles, Bob Marley, Guns N’ Roses, Heartless Bastards, Joy Division, Interpol, Killers, Led Zeppelin, MGMT, Rolling Stones, Utada Hikaru, White Stripes, etc.
New Music On The Scene: The Arka Teks
Recently, I was trawling through YouTube, looking for new music to listen to. For weeks now, I have been listening to music by this 2-person band, The Arka Teks. Created by Producer/Songwriter Nick Fowler and Singer/Songwriter Tyler Lombard, this band is one you will want to check out; they will stun you!
Man. They are good. I will not lie, I haven’t touched much else outside of the songs they’ve put out there. The Arka Teks focus on precise club and dance music (dance, club, pop, and electro music), with some heavy bass, great vocals and lyrics, and some insane beats. With their own recording studio, they have created some great songs.
From the first song posted on YouTube, “Showstoppa”, to the recent postings of “I Know You Know” and “Night Life,” these guys keep putting up new material to listen to. The playlist includes “Can’t Stop The Rock” (incomplete), “Hypnotize”, “Ayo”, and “Under The City Lights.” They are also working on a cover of “Days Go By,” a 2001 song by Dirty Vegas. You might know it from its Grammy in 2002 (when it was a radio hit) or from the commercial for the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The remix that I’ve heard so far is undoubtedly one of the best versions (if not the best) out there.
And what about the 2 men behind it all? Fowler and Lombard hail from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. As Nick tells me, he and Tyler came from opposite ends of the music world. Nick worked with electro-house music, glitchy intelligent dance music, and electronic dance music while Tyler used acoustic guitars and sang. This combination really shows; excellent lyrics are combined with unique beats which really move the music.
Currently, the Arka Teks are 5th most viewed on YouTube under Musicians; they are really moving up in the ranks and with all the songs they are pushing out, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a record label soon.
Check them out!
Tastekid – Great Way To Find Recommendations for Books, Movies, and Music
Ever had it where you were in the video store, but had no idea what to rent? Or maybe you were at the library, and had no idea what type of books to read next?
Sure, there are categories or genres that define these categories, but what if you want a recommendation? You friends don’t know what you want, or maybe they do make a recommendation but it sucks? I’ve been in that boat before.
You may offer a suggestion to a friend about something that you liked, but they hate it. One example of mine is Napoleon Dynamite. Some people just don’t get it and call it stupid. However, I find it pretty funny. Get my drift?
Anyway, if you go to Tastekid.com, it is a search engine where you basically tell it what you like, and it will give you results similar to your interests. Of course, the more you feed it, the better the results. In the above picture, I typed in a favorite movie of mine, “Pulp Fiction”.
The results were astonishing! I have seen ALMOST every single move there except “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “Mulholland Drive”. Now the next time I am in a mood for a movie, I know exactly what to check out!
Even more surprisingly, the movies that Tastekid recommended to me, I actually enjoyed them!
Similarly, if you type in a musical artist, say Linkin Park, it will give you similar artists. There is a 90% chance that the results coming back you will like for sure. If not, then I’d say you have a very distinctive taste that no website can satisfy except yourself.
So what are you waiting for, give it a try and let me know if it is right on or bogus.
Music: The Most Influential Thing Ever
Introduction
Music might not seem like the most influential thing ever, but I assure you, it is. Being a teen myself, I have been greatly influenced by music, and I have also noticed how others are changed just because of a few string plucks and drum beats. Speaks about what music can do to people, make them good or bad.
Music in History:
I am a teen sixteen years of age, and I currently attending high school. Being in the situation I am in, I observe everything with curiosity and closeness because I am very intrigued why things are the way they are. Let’s have a little history lesson. Very few people know this, but in just about every war ever fought, there has been music to encourage combatants. Most war is just about what people think it is, and that would be violence. Just when a soldier felt the need to give up, here comes the music, and all of a sudden, he feels the need to get up and fight like never before. As long as the music goes, the soldier feels more like a god, indestructible, impenetrable, and impregnable.
Music Today:
Today, music has been split up into many different genres than ever before. As people become more picky, they feel the need to have everything as they desire it. In high school, I see many spheres of influence due to the type of music that one listens to, and sometimes even gangs are formed. One of the biggest branches that affect people would be rap. There are not too many people that have not heard of rap, and it is most certainly the biggest branch. This genre mostly talks about and inspires the forming of gangs, violence, drug use, sex, money, crimes, ghetto environments, etc. Another is rock/metal/rock and roll. These are all closely related and most people who listen to one usually listen to the others as well. This mostly affects influence of dark clothing, religious beliefs closely related to Atheism and Satanism, hair styles that are scary to many, and just overall personalities that one would consider “crazy.”
What People Really Do: The Gangster Side
It is one thing to be influenced by something, but it is another when that something pushes a person to the point of no return. Starting with rap, the biggest genre. In many different cases, I have seen fights closely related to the “wanna be gangsta lifestyle” as many call it. It also closely relates to racism against the white man, thus stirring the tensions between African Americans and whites. Not trying to sound like a racist, but this is what it is really about. I do not feel like lying just because I sound like a racist, because I am not. The truth is what people want to hear, and here it is: There is a constant never ending racial war between “The Gangsters” and the “Goths” or “Crazy People” as many call them. Looking from a neutral point of view, I see both sides of the story. The Gangsters think that there is no need to be respectful, thus leading to violence towards other students, mostly Goths, teachers, and even other gangsters themselves! One time, I was sitting down in the middle of class doing my work as was everyone else, when all of the sudden a gangster started screaming and yelling at the top of his lungs, and was over-obsessed with calling the teacher as many people refer to as “the N word.” He then spit in between the teacher’s eyes, and then hit her! All because of some rap song that said there is no need of school, and the teachers need to be shot; something along those lines.
What people really do: The Goth/”Crazy People” Side:
Maybe gangster situations happen a lot more than Goth situations, but the Goth ones are far worse. Usually, their music drives people to the extremes and makes them do insane things. For example, when I was passing by the office, a Goth student tried to literally stab a teacher and the principal with a pair of scissors! This is madness, and I later went to ask the student why he did what he did. He then said: “They pissed me off!” I have seen this as very unreasonable, because if everyone was like him, there would be no one left in this world. He once invited me to listen to music with him during lunch hour, and I was quite fascinated about what this music talked about. It said some very awful things about killing, and about how violence is the only way out.
Physical and Psychological Effects of Music:
Music has many effects on a person, mostly bad effects. Sure there are inspiring songs, but that doesn’t mean that a person will listen to them. Statistics show that teens from ages 14-17 that listen to heavy metal/rock and/or rap are 20% more violent than those who do not. This might not seem like much, but it can be a big number when it comes to the whole country or even the whole world. Music can cause strong beliefs and disbeliefs, emotions, violence, and in some rare cases even insanity! I am sure that if a person just realized that the artists or bands that are making these songs have lifestyles that are not even closely related to the lyrics of the song. A good example of this is rap; it talks about violence and crime and murder, but the rappers themselves do not even have a criminal record. Rock stars sing songs about hating the world, but they love every bit of it, mostly because they are rich and famous.
If people would just take into consideration that most (not all) music is built upon a lie, then the world would be a lot better of a place. Some music may inspire us, but most just offer false inspiration. It really drives us to do what we would have never considered doing without music. It makes us do good, evil, strong, weak, and emotional. It inspires us, demonizes us, and becomes one with us. Music; the most influential thing in the world…
Free Music – What It Is and Where To Get It
Hey everyone.
I decided to write this article in response to a question from a fellow user, “PunditStyle”.
“What is an easy way to find free music online?”
Alright then. This all depends on your version of “free.”
If by free, you mean free to download and use LEGALLY, then you have many different options. First, websites such as last.fm, pandora, idobi radio, and others will stream internet radio. You can pick stations based on types of music, bands, songs, and mix and match your favorites. Recently, I used last.fm to find new bands to listen to based on some of the ones I’m currently into. Last.fm is free and doesn’t require a download or an account to use. Pandora requires you to make a free account and there are limitations to how many songs you can skip over. Idobi allows you to download playlists which stream music online. There’s a new playlist every day, so there’s always something to listen to.
Rockin’ Friday! – ’10 Inconvenient Truths’
Marty Friedman -Ex Member of Megadeth
Hello everyone! This week I will reply to this site I found about music piracy, simply titled ‘Music Piracy – Ten Inconvenient Truths.’ I found this on the ‘IFPI’ site, which represents the worldwide recording industry. Here are the 10 inconvenient truths it listed:
1. Pirate Bay, one of the flagships of the anti-copyright movement, makes thousands of euros from advertising on its site, while maintaining its anti-establishment “free music” rhetoric.
2. Allofmp3.com, the well-known Russian website, has not been licensed by a single IFPI member, has been disowned by right holder groups worldwide and is facing criminal proceedings in Russia.
3. Organised criminal gangs and even terrorist groups use the sale of counterfeit CDs to raise revenue and launder money.
4. Illegal file-sharers don’t care whether the copyright infringing work they distribute is from a major or independent label.
5. Reduced revenues for record companies mean less money available to take a risk on “underground” artists and more inclination to invest in “bankers” like American Idol stars.
6. ISPs often advertise music as a benefit of signing up to their service, but facilitate the illegal swapping on copyright infringing music on a grand scale.
7. The anti-copyright movement does not create jobs, exports, tax revenues and economic growth – it largely consists of people pontificating on a commercial world about which they know little.
8. Piracy is not caused by poverty. Professor Zhang of Nanjing University found the Chinese citizens who bought pirate products were mainly middle or higher income earners.
9. Most people know it is wrong to file-share copyright infringing material but won’t stop till the law makes them, according to a recent study by the Australian anti-piracy group MIPI.
10. P2P networks are not hotbeds for discovering new music. It is popular music that is illegally file-shared most frequently.
Now, I wish to to dispute a few of these comments, and add my own. Of course, I have no numbers to back me up, unlike the IFPI, and this is merely my opinion. If I’ve said anything that’s blatantly wrong, let me know in the comments and I’ll take it back. So here are my 10 inconvenient truths:
- (Point 1) The Pirate Bay making money through advertising has little to do with the “free music” it provides/advocates. Advertising companies pay the Pirate Bay for advertising space, and therefore Pirate Bay can afford to provide free stuff. Webcomics such as Ctrl-Alt-Del sell advertising space so they can afford to continue writing their comics and hosting them. The Pirate Bay making money in such a way means that they aren’t making money at anyone’s expense.
- (Point 3) Sure, counterfeit CDs can be sold to make money for criminals. But what money can they possibly make from free file-sharing?
- (Point 5) Reduced revenues for record companies and therefore reduced interest in underground bands just forces these underground bands to find other ways to get in touch with the people which these record companies are further alienating through their brutish attempts to control them. An example is the Arctic Monkeys, who, although now a huge UK band, started off gaining mainstream popularity through MySpace. Underground bands don’t need record companies to get popular if they’re good. ‘Bankers’ do.
- (Point 7) Anti-copyright movements mostly consist of the consumers who are getting more and more fed-up with the methods of organisations such as the RIAA. They may not know much about the economical aspect of the music industry, but they know a lot when it comes down to how their rights are being treated, hence the backlash.
- (Point 10) Anti-piracy campaigners often claim that it is the underground and small bands that suffer, yet how is this true if it is mostly the popular music that is downloaded?
- And if it is the popular bands that receive the most attention from pirates, surely they are also the ones most able to handle it financially?
- The most money a musician or band makes is rarely from album or single sales. Merchandise and Live performances are the true money-makers for most.
- Due to the way the consumer is being alienated by these organisations and record companies, musicians are finding other ways to get in touch, and those that don’t are losing popularity. Look at what happened to Metallica when they took on Napster. And now look at bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead, who are finding new ways to bring their music to the masses.
- Record companies and copyright organisations are, on the whole, still not realising the potential that the Internet provides financially, and therefore, rather than embracing it, they are trying to fight against something which is impossible to control. Again leading to the alienation of the consumer.
- The customer is always right 😉
Yeah, that’s all. Again, if I’ve made an incorrect claim, let me know. I have no agenda, just playing devil’s advocate 🙂
Rock on! \m/
[Misc. Monday] Music Is Missing?
Hello everyone. Did you miss me? Unfortunately that is probably a “no” if your name is “Offbeat” or “God” but I can take that. So here is my Misc. post for today…
Why you haven’t seen me (Music/Musicmasteria) post that often:
Well I guess I’ve just been busy… School mainly but that will change soon. In about 1 month I and Millions of other students get to go on Summer Vacation! So that will be fun for everyone, adding time to spend to every ones schedule. Hopefully this allocated time will give all the writers here on The Underground that have wandered off time to come back and post a little. Yes, we all know Versatile1 just loves to write stuff every day and watching him struggle to find contributors with Sucker Free Sundays is fun to watch and laugh at. Seeing our beloved Main Writer Versatile1 wither away in confidence in his fellow writers is what we live for but with all jokes aside, we need new (and old) writers for the blog to help him out, myself included.
So to get to a point, but not the point (because we are supposed to be random/miscellaneous today), I’ve been spending most of my time on a little project which actually gives a reason to my name, Music-Masteria.
That’s right, I’ve been trying to write my own song(s) using a nice program called FL Studio (aka Fruity Loops). All my work is a work-in-progress so it really isn’t anywhere near being finished but it’s a start I could say.
Both my songs are techno-like but I have very little experience in making this kind of music compared to others so please bear with me as you listen to them.
All my Music can be found on my Myspace Music Profile found here: http://myspace.com/musicmasteria
Please check out my music! I love constructive criticism and all comments are very appreciated.
My main song right now is called “Journey”. I currently have 4 versions of it uploaded on Myspacefor all to hear and hopefully give me tips on. It is about 2 min. long at the moment and I’m still in the middle of making it. Check my myspace page every once and a while for a new version of it.
Journey 4 (Just rest you mouse over this and listen to it in the “SnapShot” player that comes up OR go to my Myspace Page.
I also have another song called “Rise” but it is very underdeveloped at the moment. It can be compared to “Journey Unfinished 1” in the list of my Myspace songs because I had 2 starting idea sounds (which i called ‘Journey’ and ‘Rise’) and then I started developing Journey first.
So ANYWAY… for this day of randomness I have 2 requests:
1. PLEASE listen to my songs on Myspace.com/Musicmasteria and then if you can, give me some tips/ideas for how either songs might continue or what might change in what I already have to make it sound better.
2. PLEASE HELP VERSATILE1, AND THE UNDERGROUND, OUT BY BECOMING A CONTRIBUTOR so you readers don’t have to listen to my randomness instead of some Quality Underground Guides, News, etc.
Thanks for reading this weeks issue of Misc. Monday!
I’ll see you when I see you!
~Musicmasteria
First Sale Doctrine == $null? && RIAA == /diffused?
Hey faithful Underground readers. Normally I would post a life post, unfortunately it’s going to have to be delayed one week.
Currently, I am undergoing a project which collects the landmark events of digital history relating to piracy, laws on the electronic frontier, and the serious lack of competence and open minds in authority and political figures in today’s world.
I stumbled across this post yesterday, and felt it was my duty to link it and spread the news as much as possible. It’s yet again, a prime example of the ludicrous behaviors we see from the very people we entrust our sustenance and security to.
Essentially, Universal Media Group is [quoted] “saying that merely by putting some fine print on a CD, it can effectively ‘own’ that CD forever.”
I’ll let you read the article and decide for yourself.
Another few day old piece of news, is posted here by the magnificent crew over at Ars Technica, about some interesting RIAA developments. This adds a great outlook on the recent Andersen vs. RIAA case from a few weeks ago:
[ Sources: Article stumbled upon @ Silicon Valley.com ; LARGE PDF file of court case – EFF.org RIAA working diffusal – ArsTechnica.com ]
God speed, and Best wishes.
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