evenflowdave » Music

One last Struggle for Rebel Music [The Class War Kids]

dave — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:32:59 +0000

If you are anything like me, you need some rebel music to inject some enthusiasm into your freedom-fighting days . Usually that means playing some rage against the machine or looking up some old ‘The Clash’ or ‘Sex Pistols’ anthems on spotify, but isn’t there any new stuff? Some new rebel juice just jumped into my sound-cloud drop box courtesy of The Class War Kids and Rebel Time Records.

Have a listen to one of their tracks ‘One last Struggle’.

TheClassWarKids-OneLastStruggle by rebel time records

This is all that I expect from anarchist punk-rock. Manic, bonkers, politically-charged energy (the likes of which I always expect from bands like green day but never quite feels enough).

This reminded me that I have been trying to put together a public Spotify Play-list of Rebel Anthems, which I will link to from here. I have a few on the list, but I need your help for the rest… Please leave your suggestions in the comments…

Oh, and what do you think about The Class War Kids?

One last Struggle for Rebel Music [The Class War Kids] is a post from: evenflowdave.com

Greek Gods of Psychedelic Rock – Sleepin Pillow (band).

Rocking on the Telephone to NYC.

dave — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:07:21 +0000

Who doesn’t like a bit of classic American Rock?

I have to say, easy-listening rock is not really my thing, but I can see myself chilling to The Telephones with a beer this summer more than once.

The Telephones are a four man indie-rock band from New York. They started out with just Jesse Adelman (guitar + vocals) and Bradley Albert (keyboards), who in 2002 released their first EP entitled “Music for Babies”, following it up in 2005 with the full-length album “Fight Night at Rodeo Dodo” before Anton Kreisl (bass) and Mike Reed (drums) joined the band.

Their latest work, Volume 1 (EP), 2009, includes the tracks: ‘Libertine’, which is the EP’s leading track, and ‘Life is Great’. The Latter of which I just cannot stop listening to

Here they are…

“Life Is Great” -The Telephones Vol. 1 by Vintage Hustle Inc.

“Libertine” – The Telephones Vol. 1 by Vintage Hustle Inc.

Some of their tracks are a bit of a throwback to old American Rock, particularly “Libertine”, which has a very bluesy, almost southern-style sound.

That might not be absolutely every-one’s cup-of-tea, but what no one can deny is the quality of Jesse’s song writing and, for an unsigned band, the quality of the production of their tracks.

If that isn’t enough reason to look them out, take a look at one of their live performances, which are obviously very well practiced. A very accomplished live sound…

Definitely one of those bands that are worth going to see live. Even if easy-listening American Rock isn’t really your thing.

What do you think?

Rocking on the Telephone to NYC. is a post from: evenflowdave.com

The best thing about MySpace, which doesn’t exist.

dave — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:28:43 +0000

How the mighty fall. MySpace was not so long ago the go to place for social networkers. But that was an age past in web trend years. Facebook, with it’s simple and unclutered design and intuitive features is now the place to be.

But MySpace was never really invented with Social Networking for the masses in mind, so should they be disappointed to have lost the Social Networking crown to Facebook?

Sometimes you have to remember where you came from and return to your roots. And for MySpace, that is Music.

Since their new CEO, Owen Van Natta, took over last year, it has been clear that is exactly what MySpace are doing. Their new focus… to be the undisputed online platform for Entertainment.

They have definitely been making some very clever decisions, like bringing Gaming into the Mix and implementing Facebook Connect. The latter is further proof that they have given up on competing with Facebook in the personal profile space and instead opted to focus on music, films and gaming and leverage Facebook traffic to bring consumers into MySpace.

But they are missing a massive trick….

What is the single best feature on display in a MySpace page? The thing that we all go straight for when we click through to a bands profile… The Music Player.

That MySpace Music Player is to music, what the Youtube Player is to video. With one massive difference. You can take the Youtube Player with you into Blogs, Websites, Facebook, MySpace… everywhere, but the MySpace Music Player is not embeddable!

MySpace, are you mad?

I’ve been getting asked to write quite a few band reviews recently, and the place I generally go to to get a feel for their music is MySpace. Yet when it comes to giving my readers a sample within the post, it is services like Sound Cloud that provide me with the ability to embed tracks onto my page.

Why would you not want to make your best feature available outside of your site, MySpace? Don’t you want traffic from blogs?

The best thing about MySpace, which doesn’t exist. is a post from: evenflowdave.com

A great music social networking site – TheSixtyOne

Can music artists make a living from online downloads and streaming royalties? #DEACT

dave — Mon, 31 May 2010 19:13:20 +0000

The question of whether it is possible for recording artists to make decent money from the web is one that is not answered as easily as crunching the numbers on potential sales and fan reach.

I think just about everyone accepts that, with virtually unlimited supply, there was never going to be as much money in it. That is, not enough for Rock Stars to live the “Rock Star” lifestyle that so many dream about.

But could it be enough for those who have genuine passion for music to make a living from it?

This info-graphic by the guys at informationisbeautiful.net is quite interesting, but while it shows how difficult it is for bands to make money online (from the perspective of a traditional business model), it does not represent the opportunities and hopes of the many artists who, in my opinion, will make a living from music online.

The graphic represents how much artists are making from soft sales compared to physical media

This is the image that the big record labels and traditional media corporation are trying to sell to the content creators and consumers, through initiatives like their campaign to have the Digital Economy Act (#DEACT) passed through parliament.

But it is not as simple as this. The business model that the big record labels had always operated under is one where there was very little competition, replication could only be done by professionals (without losing too much sound quality) and that because of that they could make massive amounts of money from the few artists they decided to back.

Fast-forward to 2010 and competition is (or should be) endless, as bands can very easily record decent material from their bedrooms. Replication is quality-perfect and songs and playlists can be shared with all your friends through social media – in seconds.

So what the old-guard are trying to do is say: ‘Hold-on, technology and innovation are not good for our business, therefore development and the openness of the web must be reigned back’.

But shouldn’t the message be that the music industry, as we know it, is dead, and we need to invent a new music industry… one that is aided and not hindered by technology and the spitit of a free and open web?

Can music artists make a living from online downloads and streaming royalties? #DEACT is a post from: evenflowdave.com

Greek Gods of Psychedelic Rock – Sleepin Pillow (band).

dave — Thu, 27 May 2010 20:39:09 +0000

When I think about Greek Gods, I imagine them observing their meager human followers from fluffy white clouds, throwing down the occasional thunder storm..

Handling angelic rebellions and wars…

Throwing wild parties and orgies…

All to a soundtrack of Psychedelic Rock!

That’s the way I would have done it if I was Zeus

‘Sleepin Pillow’ are a Greek alternative Rock band whose atmospheric sound would fit the part. And I am sure that Apollo, the God of Music, would approve.

They are certainly worth a listen, especially if you like instrumental music.

Their songs do include English lyrics – softly sung by Nomik in a Greek accent – but these merely add another kaleidoscopic layer to the sound. Think Tool meets Enigma.

The band has been quite successful in Greece, where their album “Apples on an Orange Tree” (Published by Shift Records) was included in the Top Five Greek Albums release in 2008, while the video for ‘Amplifier in my heart’ received significant airtime in local tv stations.

And their live shows sound pretty special…

“Supported by a light show and visual projection crew, Sleepin Pillow’s live performance is a unique experience as the 6 members appear on stage under a disguise that gives a flavour of drama to each concert.”

I would certainly go to see them if they came to the UK. I have asked their PR company to let me know of any planned shows in the UK or elsewhere in Europe and will update this post with their response.

In the meantime you can listen to some of their tracks here…

10 – Sleepin Pillow – Masterpiece by Sleepin Pillow

04 – Sleepin Pillow – An Idiot’s Point Of View by Sleepin Pillow

02 – Sleepin Pillow – Silicone by Sleepin Pillow

What do you think? Will you be adding a bit of Greek Goth to your parties?

Greek Gods of Psychedelic Rock – Sleepin Pillow (band). is a post from: evenflowdave.com

Have a piece of your favourite band

dave — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:15:16 +0000

This site is quite interesting (if a bit strange).

So, basically at MyBandStock.com you register for a virtual share of your favourite band, participate in site activity by submitting music, videos and photos and the most active users are rewarded with virtual band equity and a bigger chance of getting to win prices and interact with the bands through online chat sessions, back-stage meets, etc.

At least that’s what I make of it – a lot of it is still quite vague.

(Come on MyBandStock… give us a more comprehensive view.)

Not sure how successful this will be. If you need 1000 fans to register for a single band, then the site has alot of work to do before contacting their first artist (the one with the most has 50 shareholders).

Of course, 1000 is not a lot, but unless mybandstock has the funds to advertise this through mainstream media, then they are going to rely on fans crowd-sourcing their promotional efforts.

For me, interacting online with Pearl Jam (or a number of other of my favourite bands) would be awesome, winning back-stage passes would be out of this world. So here’s my contribution.

I’m only the third PJ share holder so far

As much as I like the idea, I do believe that this kind of effort to bring the fans closer to the artist has to be adopted more by the artists themselves…

It’s a tough market, anyone can make music very easily now and competition will be what makes the music business a lot more personal again.

This has reminded me of last years Josh Freese’s (formerly of Nine Inch Nails) album promotion, for which he offered the following packages…

$7

* Digital download of Since 1972, including 3 videos

$15

* CD/DVD double-disc set
* Digital download

$50

* CD/DVD double-disc set
* T-shirt
* “Thank you” phone call from Josh for buying Since 1972. You can tell him what you like about the record that you purchased, or what you thought sucked. Ask whatever you want, like “Is Maynard really THAT weird?” or “Which one of Sting’s mansions has the comfiest beds?” or “Are Devo really suburban robots that monitor reality or just a bunch of dads from Ohio?” or “Why don’t the Vandals play more stuff off the first record?” It’s your 5 minutes to yack it up. Talk about whatever you want.

$250 (limited edition of 25)

* Signed CD/DVD and digital download
* T-shirt
* Signed drum head and drumsticks
* Go on a lunch date with Josh to PF Changs or The Cheesecake Factory (whatever you’re into)

$500 (limited edition of 15)

* Signed CD/DVD and digital download
* T-shirt
* Signed cymbal and sticks
* Meet Josh in Venice, Calif., and go floating together in a sensory-deprivation tank (to be filmed and posted on YouTube)
* Dinner at Sizzler (get your $8.99 steak and “all you can eat” shrimp on)

$1,000 (limited edition of 10)

* Signed CD/DVD and digital download
* T-shirt
* Signed cymbal, drum head and drumsticks
* Josh washes your car OR does your laundry … or you can wash his car
* Have dinner with Josh aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, Calif.
* Get drunk and cut each other’s hair in the parking lot of the Long Beach courthouse (filmed and posted on YouTube, of course)

$2,500 (limited edition of 5)

* Signed CD/DVD and digital download
* Get a private drum lesson with Josh, or for all you non-drummers, have him give you a back and foot massage (couples welcome)
* Pick any 1 member of the Vandals or Devo (subject to availability) to accompany you and Josh to either the Hollywood Wax Museum or the lunch buffet at the Spearmint Rhino
* Signed DW snare drum
* Take 3 items of your choice out of his closet (first come, first serve)
* Change diapers and make bottles with him for an afternoon (after hitting the strip club)

$5,000 (limited edition of 3)

* Signed CD/DVD and digital download
* T-shirt
* Josh writes a song about you and makes it available on iTunes
* Co-direct a video with him for the song about you and throw it up on the YouTubes
* Josh gives you and a friend a private tour of Disneyland
* Get drunk together. If you don’t drink, we can go to my dad’s place and hang out under the “Tuba tree”
* Stone Gossard from Pearl Jam will send you a letter telling you about his favorite song on Since 1972

$10,000 (limited edition of 1)

* Signed CD/DVD and digital download
* T-shirt
* Signed DW snare drum from A Perfect Circle’s 2003 tour
* Josh gives you a private drum lesson OR his and hers foot/back massage (couples welcome, discreet parking)
* Twiggy from Marilyn Manson’s band and Josh take you and a guest to Roscoe’s Chicken ‘n’ Waffles in Long Beach for dinner
* Josh takes you and a guest to Club 33 (the super-duper exclusive and private restaurant at Disneyland located above Pirates of the Caribbean) and then hit a couple rides afterward (preferably the Tiki Room, the Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror)
* At the end of the day at Disneyland, drive away in Josh’s Volvo station wagon. It’s all yours … take it. Just drop him off on your way home, though, please.

$20,000 (limited edition of 1)

* Signed CD/DVD and digital download
* T-shirt
* A signed drum from the 2008 Nine Inch Nails tour
* Maynard James Keenan, Mark Mothersbaugh from Devo and Josh take you miniature golfing and then drop you off on the side of the freeway (all filmed and posted on YouTube)
* Josh gives you a tour of Long Beach. See his first apartment, the coffee shop on 2nd Street where his buddy paid Dave Grohl $40 to rip up tile just weeks before joining Nirvana. See the old Vandals rehearsal spot, the liquor store he got busted at using a Fake ID when he was 17 (it was Dave from the Vandals’ old ID). Go check out Snoop Dogg’s high school. For an extra 50 bucks see where Tom and Adrian from No Doubt live. For another $25 he’ll show ya where Eric from NOFX and Brooks from Bad Religion get their hair cut.
* Spend the night aboard the Queen Mary and take the “Ghosts and Legends” tour. (Separate rooms … no spooning.)
* Josh writes 2 songs about you and both are made available on iTunes and appear on his next record (you can sing back up on ‘em, clap, play the drums, triangle, whatever)
* Drum lesson OR foot and back massage (once again … couples welcome and discreet parking available)
* Pick any 3 items out of Josh’s closet

$75,000 (limited edition of 1)

* Signed CD/DVD and digital download
* T-shirt
* Go on tour with Josh for a few days
* Have Josh write, record and release a 5-song EP about you and your life story
* Take home any of his drum sets (only one, but you can choose which one)
* Take shrooms and cruise Hollywood in Danny from Tool’s Lamborghini OR play quarters and then hop on the Ouija board for a while
* Josh will join your band for a month … play shows, record, party with groupies, etc.
* If you don’t have a band he’ll be your personal assistant for a month (4-day work weeks, 10 am to 4 pm)
* Take a limo down to Tijuana and he’ll show you how it’s done (what that means exactly we can’t legally get into here)
* If you don’t live in Southern California (but are a U.S. resident) he’ll come to you and be your personal assistant/cabana boy for 2 weeks
* Take a flying trapeze lesson with Josh and Robin from NIN, go back to Robins place afterwards and his wife will make you raw lasagna

(via mashable.com)

Now that’s what I call revolutionary

Have a piece of your favourite band is a post from: evenflowdave.com

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Acoustic Session by Gez ‘n’ Jay at the Tolbooth 12/02/10

dave — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:23:04 +0000

Here are some videos I took of the Acoustic Session by Gez ‘n’ Jay at the Tolbooth in Stirling on Friday night.

It was a great set. I love that soft, moody grunge sound, and these two guys are so good at it. Nothing against the Screaming Metal stuff that I know you’re also quite good at Johnny, but this IMHO is the style for you two.

Very impressed with the ambiance and sound at Tolbooth too. If you have a chance to go to one of their live Acoustic Sessions, don’t pass it.

Acoustic Session at the Tolbooth, Stirling. Gez ‘n’ Jay: Cold Morning.

Live Acoustic Session at the Tolbooth, Stirling. Gez ‘n’ Jay: A Million Miles.

I Have more Videos to upload when I get a chance… You can see them on >> my Youtube Channel

Acoustic Session by Gez ‘n’ Jay at the Tolbooth 12/02/10 is a post from: evenflowdave.com

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Music Sales Trends: CDs versus Music Downloads | MintLife Blog

dave — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:53:33 +0000

via mint.com

Posted via web from short posts by EvenFlowDave

Music Sales Trends: CDs versus Music Downloads | MintLife Blog is a post from: evenflowdave.com

The people have spoken: Anarchy for Christmas 2009 :) RATM4XMAS

dave — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:17:03 +0000

: The people 1 The X Factor 0

This Christmas, music fans (the real music fans) have an early gift. The people united have stood up to and defeated the capitalist, manufactured pop establishment.

It’s a victory for Music.

And against all the odds.

The people, armed only with the internet, 0 marketing budget and one rebel anthem on download only, against the x-factor with their several month long TV programme, unlimited marketing budget and the distribution clout of Sony BMG.

Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Killing in the Name’ Is the Christmas number 1 for 2009 ahead of the X Factor monopoly.

History has been made.

Over 500’000 sales in one week, just from downloads. The most the UK has ever seen.

Congratulations to everyone that got involved promoting the campaign and a massive thank you to John Morter for starting the Facebook group. You have made this a memorable year!

So we won the Battle. What now?

>>An Open Letter to Simon Cowell, The Music Industry and The Media<<

Please share it with everyone you know.

See you at the free gig comrades!

The people have spoken: Anarchy for Christmas 2009 :) RATM4XMAS is a post from: evenflowdave.com

F*UK you Simon Cowell, I won’t buy what you sell me! RATM for Christmas No1!

dave — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:52:39 +0000

RATM v XFactor

I’ve been out of the country for a few days. I had to get away from the X Factor final hype nonsense.

But I was pumped to learn of the campaign to get ‘Killing In The Name’ to Christmas number 1 ahead of the X-Factor winner’s song.

The ideal band to topple capitalist music execs and their manufactured pop ballad bull crap.

Congratulations to John who started the facebook campaign for the buzz he has managed to build around it. I wish I would have thought of it.

I already owned all of Rage’s stuff, but I have just downloaded the single again, a couple of times. I urge everyone to do the same.

Nothing against Joe McElderry, I heard him on the radio today and he comes across as a nice enough lad. Good singer too… Congratulations on becoming British Karaoke champion.

I’m sure your granny will love all your stuff.

I’m sure a lot of the British public will think the song is really good too…

In the same way that most twelve year-old’s think they know about life…

If you’re into that kind of mass produced garbage, maybe you need to wake up to the fact that x factor hits are never remembered past the holiday period. And rarely are the “artists” that produce them.

The music of artists like ‘Rage Against the Machine’, whose intentions and legacy go way beyond just fame and fortune, is written in history.

If you read this blog at all, you will know how much i hate the Xfactor. For the BS so called “music” the program puts out; for how it successfully manipulates the nation into tuning in, dialling in, paying out; and for how people are deliberately humiliated on the early stages, in the name of entertainment.

As innocent as the contestants might be in all of that, do you think that the corporation responsible for all that deserves to top the charts at Christmas?

We are a long way yet from toppling Simon Cowell and the X Factor. The franchise does after all have the head start of a several months long prime time TV marketing campaign…

Please download Killing in the name from Amazon, or from Itunes …. even if it is just to F*UK Simon Cowell off.

Oh – and if you haven’t already seen it, then you really want to watch Rage on The 5 Live breakfast… http://www.bbc.co.uk/5live/

The revolution will not be silenced or censored… not even by the BBC!

F*UK you Simon Cowell, I won’t buy what you sell me! RATM for Christmas No1! is a post from: evenflowdave.com