WEB 2.0 Ed's sheer art attack post-internet?

A mention in one Guardian article does not make for an established neologism* (post-internet), and the term strikes me as clumsily broad, but I expect some term will gain currency to describe the abandonment of social media by some artists. *neologism = a new word

That word SOME is important - we're not yet seeing any mass scale downing of virtual tools, and Indie or unsigned acts largely continue to find it a fairly vital tool, while global acts with tentpole level global distribution also continue to see it as a central marketing and branding strand.

I recommend reading Elberse's Blockbusters for informative studies of how Jay-Z and Gaga pushed social media interaction alongside a range of deals to get their albums sold in networks such as Starbucks.

The story here is that Ed Sheeran has announced he's taking a break from social media, which by most accounts made him a star in the first place, so there's some loyalty to his audience!

Sadly, he's not taking a break from making tedious music, the idea is to focus on his music and the experience of tours.

If Led Zeppelin could go to a Welsh farm to produce a classic album, and Peter Gabriel produce perfect pop in another rural studio, then surely Sheeran ... will produce more stadium filling tedium. And you'll just have to rely on the mainstream media to hear about it. Apart from the fans and their UGC and their tour pics and clips... I'm already getting an 'eadache thinking about it...

Guardian: Post-internet: has the bubble burst on pop's social media strategy?

 

Wu Tang Clan aint nuthin to ruck with

If you haven't heard of this story, it's a unique tale of how a major rap act monetised their latest recording, picking up much valuable publicity along the way.

They auctioned the exclusive rights to the only one copy produced, netting $2m - some of which they then gave to charity after it emerged that the buyer was a much-hated pharma millionaire.

On the upside, they apparently inserted a legal clause that allows Bill Murray to steal it back!!! (Or the band, thus the lyrically intertextualising post title for those who have failed to Enter the 38 Chambers)

SOURCE: Indie.

Album cover art animated

PLEASE NOTE: This video would be rated 18 for gore if it was submitted to the BBFC. NSFW.

If you're okay with the adult content, this is one means to quickly learn about a range of classic album art and maybe pick up some ideas.

It is also an exceptional example of UGC, and must have taken many, many painstaking hours to produce!

https://youtu.be/hQaaVTBSGoU

DIEGETIC FX Smoke without fire

My enforced broadbandless blogging continues from Pepper's Cafe - 10 days of Wi-Fi only is 240 hours too much... - pertinent as it makes me think of spray...

I can't recommend the NoFilmSchool site enough. The site's name denotes its mission to equip anyone who uses it with the insights needed to produce effective cinematography. My mobile's browser has 15 tabs from this site I want to work through in more detail!

This latest post (I got it through its FB page, a typically slickly run operation) highlights an affordable smoke ... can!

As it happens I was discussing smoke effects with a student today, a topic that came up a year ago in some other country...

The spark on both occasions was The Pixies' Bagboy, an absolutely exquisite use of colour, including coloured smoke.

Of course before shooting with smoke you need to comprehensively consider health and safety (asthma could be an issue for one) and whether this will lead to any staining or odour - and how easy or not it will be to clear!!!

If I remember right this is the 40th anniversary (within a few days) of the fire at a Frank Zappa gig that inspired Smoke on the Water. Could this be the year you incorporate a smoke effect in your video?

Read the article below carefully - this is a complex area. The visual pay-off could be considerable though

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http://nofilmschool.com/2015/12/fog-machine-aerosol-spray-can

UGC viral fan-made photos making minions

Just as with film, the notion that a producer churns out a text that is then passively consumed by an audience is clearly no longer the case in the music industry either. Artists feel great pressure to be heavily involved in some variety of social media to sustain interest (though there's certainly an argument that this eventually undermines interest as mystique wanes).

You will most likely have seen your own variations of the following - paste in links as comments and I'll add them...



See below for images

VINYL the Cream rises, new Pixies'n'mix

Why do I keep posting on vinyl's resurrection? Several reasons:

1. You need to be aware of music industry developments
2. These should inform your marketing materials, and the formats you list (ie, not just digipak, but a 3-part list with download)
3. Digipaks are intended to mimic vinyl and so share some of their collectable, specialappeal (compared to standard jewel case releases)

I'll add images and links once sat at a computer, but this expensive boxset popped up on my FB whilst an even more expensive Pixies boxset was pushed in an email I'd signed up to when buying their comeback EP on vinyl (with multiple download options too).

IN THIS POST: Pics/links on Cream vinyl boxset; Pixies vinyl boxset; Tesco launching vinyl sales.