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Why you should scoop up florence and the machine tickets

September 20, 2012 by Mike 8 Comments

It’s been a long time since I’ve written, and I thought I’d share some random, late night thoughts about a band.

Someone told me that if I was a Lord of the Rings fan, I’d like Florence and the Machine.  That seemed like an odd statement, so I put it to the test (I love LotR), and voila, I’m now a fan of the band.  They’re touring America this month to support their new album “Ceremonials,” and Florence and the Machine tickets are currently available.  As with many breakout bands, appearance in various media launched their success, making it yet another good case study for the “screen to mp3” success story.  Let’s walk through it.

Florence and the Machine’s unique sound is the key to their success. Florence Welch’s haunting voice overlaid on ethereal backing tracks creates a cloud of mystery around the listener. The complex harmonies combine with enough thump in the bass to remind the listener that this is a rock band. The band’s sound has been categorized at various times as English art rock or even soul. Perhaps the best description is pagan rock. The melodies and soaring vocals are reminiscent of New Age music from the 1980s.

The group appeals to a segment of rock fans who in earlier days might have listened to more pop-based bands. Although this segment is small, the band is fortunate to have been noticed by the mainstream media. Early in their career they were featured on the program “BBC Introducing.” Since then, their songs have been picked up for play on numerous television programs and movies, including “Wild Child,” “Eat Pray Love,” “Saving Grace” and many others. The recent “Snow White” gig was the latest in the string of soundtrack appearances which have given the group widespread exposure.

Since “Ceremonials’” debut, the band has also released two singles, “Breath of Life” and a remixed version of “Spectrum (Say My Name).” “Breath” was featured as the theme for “Snow White & the Huntsman.” “Ceremonials” reached the top spot on the UK charts in its first week. It peaked in sixth place in the U.S. The band also received two Brit Award nominations for the record.

When the tour concludes, the band will begin work on their third album. it could be a minute or two before the group is back on tour, so now is the time to scoop up those Florence and the Machine tickets.

Filed Under: articles, New Music

Occupy Wall Street Protest Jams

October 12, 2011 by Mike 2 Comments

There’s nothing like a good ol’ fashioned protest to out the Muse in everyone.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is pretty impressive, growing from a mere 1,000 protesters in New York City to 15,000, plus thousands more in cities in over 25 different countries.  Cardboard boxes, pepper spray, celebrity visits, union participation, arrests, Reddit support, and lobbyist nightmares are all part of the story, and good stories inspire songs, some good, some bad.

Here are a couple Occupy Wall Street protest ditties circulating YouTube currently, answering the question WWBDD (What Would Bob Dylan Do).  Sort of.  What do you think?  Inspired and provocative or bandwagon-jumping and opportunistic?

“Occupy Wall Street” by Jeremy Gilchrist

This guy’s got a nice voice, and seems a little more serious about the issues…




[Read more…]

Filed Under: New Music Tagged With: occupy wall street, songs, videos, youtube

Best Facebook Song EVER?

February 25, 2011 by Mike Leave a Comment

I finally finished the track and accompanying music video for the Mark Zuckerberg Facebook rap, Zuck, On Facebook. Check it out.  (If you like it, please pass it on — it’s just in time for Oscars and the Social Network.)

The TRACK:

The MUSIC VIDEO:

Even More Ways to Zuck-Out:

  • Check out the lyrics and background story here
  • Check out the YouTube video here (and please “Like” it)
  • Get the free download here (or, if you feel charitable, name your own price)

Filed Under: garagespin, Girl Crusade, New Music

Need Your Feedback: "Zuck, On Facebook"

February 18, 2011 by Mike 1 Comment

As I recently mentioned, I’ve got a DRAFT of Zuck, On Facebook, my Mark Zuckerberg nerdcore rap ditty.  It was a fun project, and I don’t really know what to make of it. In a couple days, I’ll release a final version, plus a YOUTUBE VIDEO a few days after that.

So, here it is:

Boo-yah…

Filed Under: garagespin, Girl Crusade, New Music

New Facebook Rap Almost Finished…

February 15, 2011 by Mike 2 Comments

After The Social Network won a Golden Globe for best picture, I was inspired to write a rap (a first for me) from the point of view of Mark Zuckerberg, in response to the movie, the bad press, the law suits, etc etc.

The poor 20-something billionaire deserves a voice, after all….so I thought I’d help with the next best thing — a phat beat.  Other song projects “Avalanche”, “In 9 Months”, and “Thank You” have since been placed on the back burner in favor of attempting to complete both a track and video for my new rap, “Zuck, On Facebook“. Amazingly, despite my long-standing history of taking inordinate amounts of time to complete tracks, I’m virtually done.  All that’s left is mixing in a guest appearance by Girl Crusade in the bridge, a last-minute collaboration we recorded just last night.

The mix should be completed tomorrow, and I’m hoping beyond hope to shoot and edit a basic music video as well, all by next Monday, in time for the Oscars a week later.  Is it possible?  Barely.  Wish me luck as a slave away in my attic…

Filed Under: garagespin, Girl Crusade, New Music

12 Bands to Check Out in 2011

January 5, 2011 by Mike 2 Comments

[It’s Guest Post time.  There is so much incredible new music hitting Pandora/Last.fm/Jango/Spotify stations, I’m dizzy.  Here to offer some steadying guidance is music super-enthusiast C. Loren Bishop with a guest post calling out just a few bands worth checking out this year.  Know of more bands we should check out?  Add it to the comments section.  Take it away, CLB.]

Each year, several hot music groups go from relative obscurity to musical stardom. So far, quite a few have been noticed as break-out bands to watch in 2011. If you’ve missed any of the groups on this list, look for their videos online – YouTube or the VLC media player can help you watch videos no matter which format was used to create the file. Whichever way you do it, make sure you check out these artists.

1. Wild Beasts
This art-rock band features glam renditions of songs similar to Grizzly Bear and Fleet Foxes with attention-grabbing tempo changes and glistening guitar leads. However, the most noticeable part of this English band’s sound is the shrill, falsetto voice of Hayden Thorpe that’s perfectly accompanied by the deeper tenor of bassist Tom Fleming. Check out: “All the King’s Men.”

2. Empire Of The Sun
This glam duo has been attracting dedicated fans with their over-the-top shows and outer-space themes. Who wouldn’t love their superhero names? With Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore taking center stage, the audience is guaranteed a thrill. Don’t miss the title track “Walking on a Dream.”

3. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
Once a cult figure, Ariel Pink is now recording with a real band, a real producer, and in a real studio. As the world has discovered Ariel, expect this band’s popularity to grow. Check out the song (and album cover) “Round and Round.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: New Music

Lovin' Shuffler.fm

August 25, 2010 by Mike 1 Comment

Shuffler.fmI’m loving Shuffler.fm.

If you haven’t tried it, try it…it’s pretty cool.  The site lets you choose a music genre, then teleports you from music blog to music blog, playing songs within that genre, and acting as a pretty cool music discovery engine.  But at the same time, it’s also benefiting new bands, as well as the music blogs themselves, by giving page view exposure to new potential fans.  Awesome stuff, and a bit addicting…

Filed Under: Indie Radio, New Music Tagged With: Music Promotion, shuffler

Making of Video for Snow Patrol "Just Say Yes" Cover

October 28, 2009 by Mike 3 Comments

The “behind-the-scenes” video of my recording “Just Say Yes” is now live.

As many of you know, I spent a few weeks recording an acoustic cover of Snow Patrol’s, “Just Say Yes”, the single from their new album Up to Now.  I also recorded video of myself doing it for a YouTube experiment.  See what you think…and if you’re up for it, maybe even favorite it?  😉



Filed Under: garagespin, New Music Tagged With: garagespin, just say yes, snow patrol

New Song: “Just Say Yes" (Snow Patrol cover) & Music Video Experiment

October 18, 2009 by Mike 21 Comments

snow patrol just say yes lyricsMy acoustic cover of the new single by Snow Patrol, “Just Say Yes“, went on sale yesterday (two weeks before Snow Patrol’s version will be in stores on Oct 30th). How’s that for an unsigned band moving faster than a record label?  Digg It!

Snow Patrol’s “Just Say Yes”, the single from their new album Up to Now, caught my attention with its techno qualities, atypical of the band. I thought it might be interesting to record a stripped-down, acoustic version of the track, using an acoustic guitar, cello, a capella beatboxing, and piano.  So I did – check it out below.

I also thought it’d be interesting to capture video of myself recording the song for a YouTube video as an experiment. I’ll be posting that video here in a few days — stay tuned!

Listen & Download

Check out the track, and let me know what you think in the comments below. (You can even compare it to the original Snow Patrol version.) Though I can’t give the track away for free (I’ll need to pay royalties on any sales to Snow Patrol), it’s available at the new GarageSpin Store, for anyone interested.

Watch Video

Once the video is launched on YouTube, I could really use your help promoting it — giving it ratings, “favorite” votes, etc. It’ll be fun to see how it does.

Other Stuff To Do

In case you’re interested, you can also:

  • Sign up to the mailing list so you know when new songs are available
  • Check out more GarageSpin songs
  • Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace
  • Read the Snow Patrol “Just Say Yes” lyrics
  • SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Thanks for listening!

Filed Under: garagespin, Music Videos, New Music Tagged With: garagespin, just say yes, just say yes lyrics, just say yes mp3, snow patrol, song

"Spinning Daydream" Remixed and Remastered

June 5, 2009 by Mike Leave a Comment

GarageSpin: "Spinning Daydream"I recently remixed and remastered my song, Spinning Daydream, and am making the enhanced mp3 available for free download.  If you downloaded the track in the past, PLEASE get the updated version — it sounds MUCH, MUCH better.

Over the last couple years, I’ve learned quite a lot about mixing and mastering audio. Not enough to claim any kind of expertise in either field (I still plan to have my first EP mastered professionally), but enough that enables me to vastly improve my home-brewed recordings.

In addition, Cakewalk added a few new plugins like Boost 11 and Vintage Channel 64 that specifically aid in adding finishing touches to tracks.  (I’m still a novice using them, but they definitely help.)

So, I took the old song project, and made these changes:

  • Fine tuned the EQ for each track of audio to further remove unnecessary low and high audio frequencies
  • Added a bass guitar part back to the bridge (on some stereos, that section of the song was annoyingly lacking in bass)
  • Re-applied electric guitar effects to the final chorus electric guitar (the latest version of Sonar “lost” an older plugin I had used for the electric effects…fortunately, the newer plugin actually improved over the old one)
  • Applied Vintage Channel 64 plugin to “warm up” the track
  • Applied Boost 11 to increase the overall volume of the track
  • Shrunk the track’s timing by a few seconds

So, if you already have a copy of the song, PLEASE get the Spinning Daydream mp3.  If you don’t, pick one up, and let me know what you think of the song.  Ok, back to working on new songs…

Filed Under: New Music

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