Music 2.0 Music Chatter Unsigned: indiecator indiependents day mp3hugger
by Matthew
5 comments
Toad 2.0
Fancy Supporting Independent Music?
Well, apart from pouring cash into the coffers of Song, by Toad Records by the millions, here are two excellent ways to do it:
Firstly, Kevin from mp3hugger.com has an enterprise called Indiecater which puts together a compilation album consisting entirely of songs by independent artists. I haven’t heard of any of the bands, which suprises me a little (must try harder!) but then I suppose that’s the point, really. There’s a free sample song from a band called Cymbals Eat Guitars, called Share, what else, that is rather good. Given the mention of percussion and string instruments it’s actually the brass that steals the show on this song, about a quarter of the way through.
The whole compilation is going for 4.50 Euros from here, which is about £3 I think, so it’s really cheap and something of a moral obligation for those of us that claim to want to support the little guys. Given Kevin’s track record with bands, I would imagine it will make a bloody good listen anyway, so off you go and buy one.
Cymbals Eat Guitar – Share
The other thing you can do to make your contribution is take part in this: Independents Day Auction. Various independent music associations are getting together to run an eBay auction, which ends this Sunday 6th July here in the UK, so get going. They are auctioning off all sorts of exclusive memorabilia and collectors items, as well as a top item of a couple of days spent working with a top local producer in either LA or New York, so there should be plenty for you to get stuck into. Should that not be your bag, you can still get stuck in by buying the pictured sampler CD from Amazon.
If none of this appeals to you, well… surely not though, eh? I mean surely one of the reasons any of you read this site is because supporting independent music is something you feel strongly about, in which case, instead of just nattering about music to friends in pubs, now is your chance to actually do something about it. Go on, get on with it.
The Waiting Room: aa bondy tom waits waiting room wedding present
by Matthew
25 comments
Toad 2.0
The Waitsing Room is a Muslim
Why is The Waitsing Room a Muslim? Because it’s all covered up of course! Get it, get it? Fuck me that was poor, apologies to absolutely everyone involved – shambolic rubbish. What prompted that garbaggio? Well this week me old mate DC (who has taken somewhat obscure exception to my post about Eaten by Monsters – I don’t understand it, but then he is Welsh) has done something I don’t think I would have the courage to do: tackle a whole show based on covers of Tom Waits songs.
The Waitsing Room – Cruel Variations
Why wouldn’t I have the courage? Well to paraphrase Bill Hicks, I’m like a kid with a sore tooth with Tom Waits covers – it hurts, but I can’t quit pressing. Any cover of a Tom Waits song, I just have to hear. I’m fascinated, compulsive, I just can’t stop myself, despite the fact that almost without fail the only emotions they inspire in me are a mild frustration and immediate desire to go and listen to the original. I don’t know why, exactly, maybe he’s just too idiosyncratic, maybe my relationship with his music is just too close to pedestal-based worship, maybe I’m being a blinkered idiot, and maybe a little of all three.
What is it with cover versions anyway? So many are so incredibly poor, and yet we’re fascinated by them. Is it a traditional thing, where people used to cement communities by playing songs and trading stories and such-like, or is that just far too Oprah fucking Winfrey for everyone’s taste?
I’m downloading the show as I type this, and will be playing it all afternoon at work, to take my mind off the tedious grind of Proper Job and I am sure that by this time tomorrow the Tom Waits score on my last.fm count-o-meter will have jumped by another hundred or so. So toddle on over to The Waiting Room and download this week’s episode of his show, which airs live on Error FM on Wednesdays at 10pm, mostly, or nine sometimes.
A.A. Bondy – Hang Down Your Head (Live)
The Wedding Present – Red Shoes by the Drug Store
