http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com This site is still under development and should launch in 2009, feedback and suggestions gratefully received Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:26:44 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ en hourly 1 http://www.gravatar.com/blavatar/ef4b863f0e303b13ada8f4e9c6eae083?s=96&d=http://s.wordpress.com/i/buttonw-com.png http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/any-hope-for-uk-music/ http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/any-hope-for-uk-music/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:26:44 +0000 Gareth Main http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/?p=43 Today's launch of UK Music - a collective group pledging to fight against piracy and represent a "united front to the challenges facing the industry" - represents the industry's inability to tackle the problems of the new media age (now well into its second decade) by huffing and puffing around the issues raised and promising to do something about them rather than actually doing it. Of course, there is something positive to be said about the BPI, Association of Independent Music (AIM), MCPS-PRS, the PPL and other UK music organisations coming together and working for a solution: the possibility of some of the most important musical heads in the world finding a forward-thinking agenda is one to salivate at, where concern does arise though is that the actual aims and agendas of those individual organisations will not meet the needs of the artists and labels at the bottom of the industry food chain. ]]> http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/any-hope-for-uk-music/feed/ 0 gazemous music attitudes http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/open-response-to-keith-jopling/ http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/open-response-to-keith-jopling/#comments Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:49:28 +0000 Gareth Main http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/?p=38 ]]> http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/open-response-to-keith-jopling/feed/ 0 gazemous Tug of War http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/how-to-get-through-the-wall/ http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/how-to-get-through-the-wall/#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:38:01 +0000 Gareth Main http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/?p=23 Last night I had the dubious honour of attending the first in a series of events set up by MusicTank to discuss the possibility of "effective legitimate alternatives" to illegal music downloads - welcome to 1999 people. This first event, entitled 'Here we are now, entertain us' was advertised as looking at what music consumers actually want and comparing that to the new services on offer. Unfortunately, the organisers probably selected a handful of the most misinformed, self-righteous and short-sighted people in the music industry to be a part of the panel. Entirely self-obsessed, the majority of the panel seemed to be the back-slapping stereotypes of major label representatives portrayed in the likes of Spinal Tap. With panel members resumes including work with Orange, SonyBMG, EMI and Live Nation it was no surprise that the loudest voices in the room came from those who either had something to sell or an appalling naivety about the subject that was supposed to be for discussion.]]> http://notesfromabeard.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/how-to-get-through-the-wall/feed/ 0 gazemous Head-wall-band