Intellectual property rights...who even really thinks about 'em? Well, if you have a myspace, facebook or fictionpress account like most of the digital world, you ought to think twice before you post, as I learnt from this feature article...which, by the way, earned me a distinction in advanced print features...woo hoo!
So, bear this in mind and don't steal anyone's stuff...it's just not nice corporate scumbags!!
The Ultimate Face-Off: Intellectual Property Rights on Social Networking Websites –
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but so long as the internet is involved, it may also be worth a thousand problems.
Social networking websites - such as facebook and myspace - under a clause that is clicked on when a user originally signs up, has led to anyone’s published thoughts, happy snaps or desires being considered fair game.
“When you sign onto something on the internet, I like I’d imagine 99.99% of people don’t read those conditions,” says Bill Childs, online legal expert and professor at the University of Technology, Sydney.
“And yet, during that act of button pressing you are probably agreeing to the terms of a contract. It becomes an invisible thing, but it is a some thing.”
And that some thing ultimately means the notion of intellectual property is instantly null and void once you enter cyberspace.
Songwriter and filmmaker, Nikki Malvar, came to this realisation the hard way when she found out that someone had stolen one of her posted stories
“I had an account on fictionpress, I would update it, and one day someone sent me a message that said ‘click on this’” Malvar says. “I looked at it and my work was on this girl’s page without any attribution to me or anything and she passed it off as hers.”
This led Malvar to delete her entire account on fictionpress – if you visit her page on fictionpress, “euphemisms for luke warm tragedies”, you will be greeted with the following vitriolic message:
“ Gone
because plagiarism is a bitch…”
The lack of knowledge about what rights users may retain can be problematic, after that button pressing action automatically agrees to the terms and conditions.
When questioning other work she continues to post on myspace, youtube and facebook and whether it too, may be pilfered, Malvar is vague.
“I don’t really know the ways I can be protected, but I really haven’t done the research or explored my options at the moment, but I guess there would be ways.” she says.
“I actually read somewhere that myspace makes you surrender the copyrights to your music,” Malvar goes on to say. “I don’t know how true that is, but as an artist I want to retain the copyright on my stuff.”
According to Childs, this is very true, and users should not expect any protection once something is posted online.
“I generate a copyright of my own within taking a photo, but these rights cease to exist once I publish it online. The only way I can be pretty sure I’m defending my copyright is to leave that photo right here on my desk.”
Something that Hansika Bhagani found out after her facebook photos became subject to a nationwide scandal, after she and some friends had an encounter with the Indian cricket team.
“We went clubbing with some of the members when they were here in January,” she says. “Some of us had cameras so we took heaps of photos of us all together, drinks in hand.”
The team and Bhagani became friends on facebook, and one of her friends posted the pictures that were taken while out together.
About six months later, the photos were subject to a major controversy.
“Apparently, a South Indian newspaper had published the photos, inaccurately described them as pictures of the Indian cricket team partying in Karachi and furthermore, explained in an article that because the players had been partying in on a French beach in Karachi the night before the Asia Cup, their performance suffered and they lost the game. “
This became a major news item. “If you google, ‘Indian cricketers partying in Karachi’, the photos will come up.” says Bhagani.
And indeed, when googling this very term, a multitude of hits come up, including newspaper, articles, televised news reports and forum discussions all devoted to this very night in question.
Not that it bothers Bhagani too much.
“I don't really feel like my rights were violated since the photos were put up in a public place, and quite frankly, I'm sort of pleased to be part of a scandal!”
So once you put the photo up in public, you no longer have protective rights over it. But this is also applicable when it comes to your own image being taken by someone else.
“I could take your picture right now and publish it all across the world and you would have absolutely no idea…you don’t have any right to your own image.” He says. “I mean you’ve got issues but I really don’t think you have any legal rights, if you want to use them and how are you going to use them anyway?”
And such issues were experienced by regular facebook user, Timothy McIntyre, who vehemently believes in the right to protect his own image.
“I get majorly annoyed by the idea that people can take photos and tag me in them and display them and send them around to everybody without my permission,” he says.
Particularly, such as in McIntyre’s case, where the photos may have defamatory implications.
“Last year a guy I didn't know very well sent facebook and myspace photos around with captions that he had put on them himself, implying that I had cheated on my girlfriend with a girl that I was drunkenly snapped with my arm around.”
This led to others suggesting that McIntyre was unfaithful towards his beloved girlfriend, which eventually led McIntyre to snap.
“I asked the guy repeatedly to take the pictures down, to which he replied that he could do whatever he wanted. It came to a head at a party one night, when I was thrown out after breaking his nose.”
So it can all get a bit nasty, but clearly such social networking sites provide some degree of opportunity to original content creators who otherwise wouldn’t be able to showcase their work.
“It’s because of youtube that I have a few contacts and offers to use my work for other projects,” says Malvar of the benefits the virtual world has provided for her artistic ventures.
“From my view I wouldn’t have had that same exposure but at the same time, it’s not right to just have people come and take your stuff.”
Childs says that it may not be right, but it is well within other people’s rights.
“I would say to anyone who took issue with it that you have surrendered those rights, they yield them.” Says Childs of maintaining intellectual property rights.
To Malvar, this thought is a scary one.
“It really isn’t a good thing, because for us struggling artists I think the internet gives us this platform for exposure, and if there’s such a difficulty in retaining your copyright, then what’s the best thing,” she says, and after a significant pause. “I don’t know.”
By way of suggestion, she offers up the idea for a mutual agreement to be established between the likes of myspace and the content provider, and also believes that bodies such as the Australasian Performers Rights Association (APRA) should have more of an active role.
“I think that there should be like some sort of commercial agreement, like itunes, where myspace gets a certain percent of the profit and the artist gets the majority,” she says. “But APRA should really get more involved.”
But Childs believes that this sort of outlook is completely unrealistic
“APRA is just about politics.” He says. “I have dealt with them many times, in the High Court and to say that APRA has any concern with anyone other than the major commercial artists and composers is frankly just naïve.”
If the situation for intellectual property online seems bleak, it is probably due to the fact that it cannot be properly regulated, something that Childs has long argued.
“I think that it’s unrealistic to believe in regulating or controlling these areas, because it’s just too wide.”
Copyright and contract law would be unable to keep up with the times as they continue to change, from a legal and a social standpoint.
“I don’t pretend you, even contract lawyers don’t know how contracts work,” says Childs.
But all faith need not necessarily be lost. According to Bhagani, wrongs may sometimes be righted.
“The BCCI (The Board for Control of Cricket in India) cleared the matter up with the players involved and issued a statement, rectifying the situation.” She says, once it was revealed that the story was of an untrue nature.
There are also groups on facebook that aim to point users out to the finer points of their virtual agreement that is clicked on when signing up to an account.
This body of knowledge is slowly becoming more accessible to keep people who use such sites in the know.
But as the internet changes, one thing probably won’t: it’s the lack of regulation which currently governs it, which Childs appreciates.
“I think too much regulation is a bad thing, but then, it all comes down to personal involvement,” he says. “If it was a problem for me then I would certainly be more inclined towards pushing for the internet to be regulated.”
So while on these sites, it may be fun to have a massive social contact list, or if you are one of Kevin Rudd’s two thousand odd friends (and counting) an opportunity to launch a virtual taser attack, just don’t be deluded into believing in the existence of online intellectual property.
The bottom line is that if you want to keep those precious memories sacred, it may be advisable to just get a photo album.
Oct 30, 2008
Oct 26, 2008
Why I had a SHOCK!-er
Cos I interviewed general manager of the Australian branch of the world's largest indie record label, Shock! That's all really...
THE LOVE AFFAIR OF CLIVE HODSON’S LIFE
Clive Hodson, the managing director of Shock Records, has a secret, albeit, inanimate lover. For music is not just a passion or even the catalyst for a successful career to Hodson, but a lifelong romantic pursuit.
Hodson has wooed the music industry like a coy lover. Indeed, when he speaks of what he does, recounting the past thirty odd years, a quiet passion enters his voice.
“People like the touch and feel of records.” He says with the slightest quiver in his voice, as though being spiritually caressed by the latest Long Player off the press.
Born and raised in Perth, Hodson started off in music by trekking around in the Tarago touring with his band, which he still professes to miss. However, his choice of instrument sealed his fate as a potential rock star.
“Being a horn player, I was the first guy in the band to get turfed,” says Hodson. “If you play guitar or drums you have a chance, but unless no one really does that horn playing type of thing.”
“You’ve got to know where your strengths are. And I was a good musician, but I wasn’t a great musician, I did it for around ten years, so it took a while for that reality to dawn on me.”
With this insight in tow, Hodson couldn’t still his inherent passion for all things musical. In 1979 he started managing the record label, Phonogram (eventually to be renamed as PolyGram).
It was a momentous day when Hodson had finally confirmed a recording deal with his first band.
“It was the Eurogliders and that was for an album, Pink Superblue Day, which was their first album,” Hodson recalls. “They were a Perth band and I sort of met them and started courting them when I was in Perth. But I was going back and forth from Sydney to Melbourne the entire time I was director with PolyGram so it was a bit hectic for me to pin them down.”
Tenacity was required in order to win them over, nothing would deter the eager suitor in his attempt to cement this musical partnership.
“I met up with Brian Peacock, the manager of the band in Melbourne, and I chased him into a toilet and made my intentions clear until eventually, he let me have my way.”
Ultimately, the marriage was a happy one. “A fantastic debut album, and of course, they had quite a lot of success,” he says, unable to contain the note of pride over his firstborn.
Ten years followed and Hodson wanted to further his advances toward musical courtship. In 1989, he ended his relations with PolyGram to set up his own business in artist management and business consulting.
“But it appeared that PolyGram still had me in their sights, I was back there within two years, I took on a sales and marketing role in both Mercury Records Classics and Jazz division, before a new division formed called PolyMedia.”
Hodson remained faithful to PolyMedia until 1999, when a merger with Universal records spelled out Hodson’s redundancy.
The path to true love never did run smoothly.
“A low time,” he recounts, eyes downcast in memory of this former relationship. “But for me timing is everything. I’ve had a very lucky life. Whether it’s been orchestrated or it’s been orchestrated by me, the timing has always been right.”
And straightaway it happened, with Hodson again, exercising his tenacity and continuing in his attempt to settle down in the music industry. After starting a new company, Consultainment, he initiated a live venue space at the Rocks in Sydney and received major backing from Sony Entertainment to establish a music industry coaching plan.
Not that Hodson has much of an interest in the mainstream. As head of ABC music overseeing commercial exploitation from 2002, he – somewhat regretfully - left in 2006 to take over Shock - the country’s largest independent record label.
“It was forced upon me to a certain degree,” he says. “I’d spent five years at the ABC and they were going through quite a big transition – in that they were really looking at whether they wanted to be commercial.”
Pausing reflectively, he says enthusiastically: “The fortunate part about Shock is that it, like myself, is fiercely independent and therefore it can shape it own destiny. I think this might be it for me. I’m in it for the long haul now.”
Challenges to Hodson’s livelihood are presented daily by the influx of peer to peer music file sharing, leaving the record industry to plummet over the last decade or so.
Hodson shrugs this off, instead rising to the challenge. “I think that YouTube and MySpace have been fantastic for independent bands and Shock are very much giving an opportunity for these bands to have a physical presence in the marketplace.”
He also has a handy resource. “I have a great teacher in my youngest son. He keeps me up to date with what’s happening on myspace, he almost acts as a researcher for me,” he says.
There are times, however, that Hodson turns off the CD player and indulges in an occasional dalliance with another artistic body.
“Me and my son love to talk about books together,” he says with a smile. “He reads them online though, whereas I still remain old-fashioned in that respect.”
THE LOVE AFFAIR OF CLIVE HODSON’S LIFE
Clive Hodson, the managing director of Shock Records, has a secret, albeit, inanimate lover. For music is not just a passion or even the catalyst for a successful career to Hodson, but a lifelong romantic pursuit.
Hodson has wooed the music industry like a coy lover. Indeed, when he speaks of what he does, recounting the past thirty odd years, a quiet passion enters his voice.
“People like the touch and feel of records.” He says with the slightest quiver in his voice, as though being spiritually caressed by the latest Long Player off the press.
Born and raised in Perth, Hodson started off in music by trekking around in the Tarago touring with his band, which he still professes to miss. However, his choice of instrument sealed his fate as a potential rock star.
“Being a horn player, I was the first guy in the band to get turfed,” says Hodson. “If you play guitar or drums you have a chance, but unless no one really does that horn playing type of thing.”
“You’ve got to know where your strengths are. And I was a good musician, but I wasn’t a great musician, I did it for around ten years, so it took a while for that reality to dawn on me.”
With this insight in tow, Hodson couldn’t still his inherent passion for all things musical. In 1979 he started managing the record label, Phonogram (eventually to be renamed as PolyGram).
It was a momentous day when Hodson had finally confirmed a recording deal with his first band.
“It was the Eurogliders and that was for an album, Pink Superblue Day, which was their first album,” Hodson recalls. “They were a Perth band and I sort of met them and started courting them when I was in Perth. But I was going back and forth from Sydney to Melbourne the entire time I was director with PolyGram so it was a bit hectic for me to pin them down.”
Tenacity was required in order to win them over, nothing would deter the eager suitor in his attempt to cement this musical partnership.
“I met up with Brian Peacock, the manager of the band in Melbourne, and I chased him into a toilet and made my intentions clear until eventually, he let me have my way.”
Ultimately, the marriage was a happy one. “A fantastic debut album, and of course, they had quite a lot of success,” he says, unable to contain the note of pride over his firstborn.
Ten years followed and Hodson wanted to further his advances toward musical courtship. In 1989, he ended his relations with PolyGram to set up his own business in artist management and business consulting.
“But it appeared that PolyGram still had me in their sights, I was back there within two years, I took on a sales and marketing role in both Mercury Records Classics and Jazz division, before a new division formed called PolyMedia.”
Hodson remained faithful to PolyMedia until 1999, when a merger with Universal records spelled out Hodson’s redundancy.
The path to true love never did run smoothly.
“A low time,” he recounts, eyes downcast in memory of this former relationship. “But for me timing is everything. I’ve had a very lucky life. Whether it’s been orchestrated or it’s been orchestrated by me, the timing has always been right.”
And straightaway it happened, with Hodson again, exercising his tenacity and continuing in his attempt to settle down in the music industry. After starting a new company, Consultainment, he initiated a live venue space at the Rocks in Sydney and received major backing from Sony Entertainment to establish a music industry coaching plan.
Not that Hodson has much of an interest in the mainstream. As head of ABC music overseeing commercial exploitation from 2002, he – somewhat regretfully - left in 2006 to take over Shock - the country’s largest independent record label.
“It was forced upon me to a certain degree,” he says. “I’d spent five years at the ABC and they were going through quite a big transition – in that they were really looking at whether they wanted to be commercial.”
Pausing reflectively, he says enthusiastically: “The fortunate part about Shock is that it, like myself, is fiercely independent and therefore it can shape it own destiny. I think this might be it for me. I’m in it for the long haul now.”
Challenges to Hodson’s livelihood are presented daily by the influx of peer to peer music file sharing, leaving the record industry to plummet over the last decade or so.
Hodson shrugs this off, instead rising to the challenge. “I think that YouTube and MySpace have been fantastic for independent bands and Shock are very much giving an opportunity for these bands to have a physical presence in the marketplace.”
He also has a handy resource. “I have a great teacher in my youngest son. He keeps me up to date with what’s happening on myspace, he almost acts as a researcher for me,” he says.
There are times, however, that Hodson turns off the CD player and indulges in an occasional dalliance with another artistic body.
“Me and my son love to talk about books together,” he says with a smile. “He reads them online though, whereas I still remain old-fashioned in that respect.”
Sep 6, 2008
Why Islamic Propaganda is Disturbing Spam...
Is this some sort of bizarre karma or an attempted virus (of mass destruction) a file was attached after all but this was a bit too pomo not to include... ****(actually it went on for about 2 pages, but i haven't actually published this for the sake of being reading material...for a really great story, however, you can always scroll down to learn about the awesome underworld of opera, or why that guy that no one can stand is always a bass player...)***
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plase dont angry me......
i inform you about Islam acording to Islam.
BISMILLAH AR RAHMAN AR RAHIM (In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful)
Peace to all who follow hidayath (guidance, the correct path)!
Islam…for whom? For every person upon whom Allah has bestowed life and intellect. For those who can see the blessings of Allah. For those who can hear the Words of Allah. For those who can comprehend the evidences of Allah. For those whose hearts are full of love and gratitude to Allah. For you, for me, and for those whose blessed hearts are open to faith in Islam.
I invite you to Islam for your eternal happiness. Eternal felicity, salvation and peace are in Islam.
Allah jalla jalaluh revealled Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Say: "What has come to me by inspiration is that your Allah is One Allah: will yet herefore bow to His Will (in Islam)?" (21: 108)
THE REASONS OF KNOWING ISLAM WRONGLY: 1- Unfortunately, Most of human exactly does not know Islam according to Islam. Most of mankind has lost its own sense faculties because those people are in comfort, amusement, has the passion of earn much money. Most of human is in being drunk of amusament, football, music, secularism, ideologies. Sustanance and blessings are not favour of Allah.
Why Opera is the New Hip Hop
Well, it's not really, but one should always remain speculative and controversial, now read my feature!!!
HIP TO B SHARP – OPERA’S GRAND CRESCENDO –
An oversized hairy man stands astride the stage, his legs spread apart, arms stretched out towards the heavens. He opens his mouth to bellow out that first resonant note in an unfamiliar tongue. Not exactly a My Chemical Romance gig.
While it may be assumed that the word “soap” would be a necessary prefix in order for it to appeal to Gen Y, opera has started to ascertain a distinctive presence on the radar of cool.
“The data shows that a lot of people start attending the opera when they’re quite young,” says Opera Australia’s Emma Williams.
You wouldn’t be blamed for believing that the opera was only for the blue bloods: conjuring up images of fur stoles and tuxedos milling around outside the Opera House en masse, an air of superiority and overpowering perfume surrounding them.
Making opera more palatable is certainly an issue when it comes to making it popular. Recognising this, the Pacific Opera Company was founded in 2002 to break down existing barriers between young opera performers and audiences.
“We do student concession tickets for $45, that’s the most affordable opera around!” boasts the Company’s director, Julie Taylor. “”and we go out to the Western suburbs and people come who have never been before.”
Pacific Opera also took on one of opera’s fundamental challenges when it comes to remaining in the cultural loop: the language.
“We sing in English – always,” Taylor explains, which is beneficial not only for the audience, who: “absolutely love the immediacy of the laughs and they get the story.”; but also for the performers “to allow them to concentrate on the development of their singing.”
Recent controversy has surrounded the Sydney opera community of late, involving celebrated mezzosoprano, Fiona Janes and Opera Australia director, Richard Hickox. One of the issues raised by Janes in her seven page letter was that the performers being selected for roles were too young.
A somewhat grandiose statement, in Taylor’s opinion. “Young people either don’t get a role at all or they get put in the chorus...there are not enough performances in Australia for novice opera singers and young people have to go overseas.”
Taylor, is proud to boast of one of their fundamental principles, “to provide opportunities for professional development for emerging young artists here in Australia.” Here she executes the dramatic pause effortlessly: “to ensure the future of opera”
Pacific Opera makes a point of casting young people in principal roles, but offer them the assistance of a mentor, consisting of their Council of Patrons, which boasts names such as Yvonne Kenny.
Furthermore, in a continuing effort to “make the opera accessible to everyone”, Taylor along with celebrated music teacher, Susan Deas started a regular Sunday Adult Education Course entitled, Opera Unzipped.
“She and I came up with this course that was just a Sunday afternoon of opera appreciation with champagne on arrival,” says Taylor.
Like Taylor, Deas aims through her continuing education course in opera appreciation to acquaint people with opera "in language non-musicians can understand, demystifying the basics”
So what type of people show up? “All sorts of people come to the classes,” says Deas, a lecturer of Continuing Education programs that include “A Beginner’s Guide to Opera”, as well as organist, music teacher and general opera enthusiast. (“I don’t know what keeps the passion alive for it, but it’s still there…”)
Without the offer of champagne on arrival, getting young people into opera appreciation, according to Taylor, it’s about “dumbing it down”, introducing it gently.
“We do some high school education programs in collaboration with the Blacktown Arts Centre,” she says. “We had this guy in the corner with these big dreadlocks and he was saying ‘right – she likes him, but he doesn’t like her’ and we had this group of 600 kids becoming more and more engaged.”
Surprising at all? “Well some had never even heard a tenor voice before and they just go, ‘oooohhh…’ Certainly young people are when they experience these things for the first time, more likely to be opera goers when they’re older.”
According to Williams, lifestyle has a major impact on the attendance rates.
“It’s quite interesting…They get into the opera via student tickets and remain there through their twenties,” she says of the Opera Australia demographic. “When career, mortgage, family, etc take priority, they stop attending in their 30’s, early 40’s and then start coming back to the opera…once these financial and time constraints are removed.”
In her letter of complaint, Janes also outlined a decline in Opera Australia’s repertoire.
Williams believes that the influence in audience attendance is “primarily repertoire.” Fundamentally, the program is designed to feature the “More popular operas – operas performed by Puccini and Mozart normally have a larger number of attendees”
She labels operas by the likes of Handel, or any opera from the Baroque era as strictly for what she dubs, “the opera purists”.
The Pacific Opera Company don’t subscribe to notions of purity. “We started out doing the standard repertoire, but this year we are doing lesser known works by good quality people.” Says Taylor.
However, while the approaches of Opera Australia and the Pacific Opera Company may differ somewhat, the most beloved of all the operas seems universal.
“Madame Butterfly,” says Williams. “It’s one of our most beautiful and successful operas, and in fact it’s going to be on again in our 2009 season…it’s one of the operas that come back again and again because they are so loved by their audience.”
Agrees Taylor: “the more emotionally tragic like Madame Butterfly really gets to people: it’s got everything – betrayal, lust, murder.”
So in spite of the public furore surrounding Opera Australia, in what media have dubbed a “bunfight”, how much of a presence does opera have in the Sydney arts community?
“In the words of a great blind singer ‘opera is the paradise of music’,” intones Taylor. “We’re offering people cultural variety, so I think that we contribute quite fundamentally.”
Williams agrees, citing last year’s Opera Australia attendance figures: “In total, including all the performances in Sydney and Melbourne plus that from our Oz Opera touring company, it was 447 000.”
So, will the youth carry on the opera-going tradition well into the future? This time, it seems that it’s only over when (or if) the fat lady stops singing.
HIP TO B SHARP – OPERA’S GRAND CRESCENDO –
An oversized hairy man stands astride the stage, his legs spread apart, arms stretched out towards the heavens. He opens his mouth to bellow out that first resonant note in an unfamiliar tongue. Not exactly a My Chemical Romance gig.
While it may be assumed that the word “soap” would be a necessary prefix in order for it to appeal to Gen Y, opera has started to ascertain a distinctive presence on the radar of cool.
“The data shows that a lot of people start attending the opera when they’re quite young,” says Opera Australia’s Emma Williams.
You wouldn’t be blamed for believing that the opera was only for the blue bloods: conjuring up images of fur stoles and tuxedos milling around outside the Opera House en masse, an air of superiority and overpowering perfume surrounding them.
Making opera more palatable is certainly an issue when it comes to making it popular. Recognising this, the Pacific Opera Company was founded in 2002 to break down existing barriers between young opera performers and audiences.
“We do student concession tickets for $45, that’s the most affordable opera around!” boasts the Company’s director, Julie Taylor. “”and we go out to the Western suburbs and people come who have never been before.”
Pacific Opera also took on one of opera’s fundamental challenges when it comes to remaining in the cultural loop: the language.
“We sing in English – always,” Taylor explains, which is beneficial not only for the audience, who: “absolutely love the immediacy of the laughs and they get the story.”; but also for the performers “to allow them to concentrate on the development of their singing.”
Recent controversy has surrounded the Sydney opera community of late, involving celebrated mezzosoprano, Fiona Janes and Opera Australia director, Richard Hickox. One of the issues raised by Janes in her seven page letter was that the performers being selected for roles were too young.
A somewhat grandiose statement, in Taylor’s opinion. “Young people either don’t get a role at all or they get put in the chorus...there are not enough performances in Australia for novice opera singers and young people have to go overseas.”
Taylor, is proud to boast of one of their fundamental principles, “to provide opportunities for professional development for emerging young artists here in Australia.” Here she executes the dramatic pause effortlessly: “to ensure the future of opera”
Pacific Opera makes a point of casting young people in principal roles, but offer them the assistance of a mentor, consisting of their Council of Patrons, which boasts names such as Yvonne Kenny.
Furthermore, in a continuing effort to “make the opera accessible to everyone”, Taylor along with celebrated music teacher, Susan Deas started a regular Sunday Adult Education Course entitled, Opera Unzipped.
“She and I came up with this course that was just a Sunday afternoon of opera appreciation with champagne on arrival,” says Taylor.
Like Taylor, Deas aims through her continuing education course in opera appreciation to acquaint people with opera "in language non-musicians can understand, demystifying the basics”
So what type of people show up? “All sorts of people come to the classes,” says Deas, a lecturer of Continuing Education programs that include “A Beginner’s Guide to Opera”, as well as organist, music teacher and general opera enthusiast. (“I don’t know what keeps the passion alive for it, but it’s still there…”)
Without the offer of champagne on arrival, getting young people into opera appreciation, according to Taylor, it’s about “dumbing it down”, introducing it gently.
“We do some high school education programs in collaboration with the Blacktown Arts Centre,” she says. “We had this guy in the corner with these big dreadlocks and he was saying ‘right – she likes him, but he doesn’t like her’ and we had this group of 600 kids becoming more and more engaged.”
Surprising at all? “Well some had never even heard a tenor voice before and they just go, ‘oooohhh…’ Certainly young people are when they experience these things for the first time, more likely to be opera goers when they’re older.”
According to Williams, lifestyle has a major impact on the attendance rates.
“It’s quite interesting…They get into the opera via student tickets and remain there through their twenties,” she says of the Opera Australia demographic. “When career, mortgage, family, etc take priority, they stop attending in their 30’s, early 40’s and then start coming back to the opera…once these financial and time constraints are removed.”
In her letter of complaint, Janes also outlined a decline in Opera Australia’s repertoire.
Williams believes that the influence in audience attendance is “primarily repertoire.” Fundamentally, the program is designed to feature the “More popular operas – operas performed by Puccini and Mozart normally have a larger number of attendees”
She labels operas by the likes of Handel, or any opera from the Baroque era as strictly for what she dubs, “the opera purists”.
The Pacific Opera Company don’t subscribe to notions of purity. “We started out doing the standard repertoire, but this year we are doing lesser known works by good quality people.” Says Taylor.
However, while the approaches of Opera Australia and the Pacific Opera Company may differ somewhat, the most beloved of all the operas seems universal.
“Madame Butterfly,” says Williams. “It’s one of our most beautiful and successful operas, and in fact it’s going to be on again in our 2009 season…it’s one of the operas that come back again and again because they are so loved by their audience.”
Agrees Taylor: “the more emotionally tragic like Madame Butterfly really gets to people: it’s got everything – betrayal, lust, murder.”
So in spite of the public furore surrounding Opera Australia, in what media have dubbed a “bunfight”, how much of a presence does opera have in the Sydney arts community?
“In the words of a great blind singer ‘opera is the paradise of music’,” intones Taylor. “We’re offering people cultural variety, so I think that we contribute quite fundamentally.”
Williams agrees, citing last year’s Opera Australia attendance figures: “In total, including all the performances in Sydney and Melbourne plus that from our Oz Opera touring company, it was 447 000.”
So, will the youth carry on the opera-going tradition well into the future? This time, it seems that it’s only over when (or if) the fat lady stops singing.
Why I Hate Bass Players
The Bass Complex
If you're a guy and you play bass guitar, then you can frankly bugger off, cos more than likely you are furtively donning a massive bass complex - i.e. musical insecurities trying to be disguised through arrogance and egotism: both personally and musically...
He can never keep in tune “Your guitar needs tuning,” I might say to the lame-arse guitarist, not really aware if it was the bass, or indeed, the player himself.
“I have no concept of pitch,” he would reply, though not in so many words. I snort aloud at the thought of him so openly admitting to any of his weaknesses. Especially musical weakness, although he’s never even played a scale in his life.
His frustrated attempts to tune a guitar against his tone-deaf ear tells me what his words never will… The result of his tuning efforts only ever become more strained and raspy than before.
But it was his own fault really. He would always try to jam along with the likes of Angus Young, Trent Reznor, Syd Barrett. Blasphemous, really, for a bass palyer to assume himself in such a high regard…especially one of his calibre.
It happens to the youngest child. Those once hampered with an Oedipal complex and no idea of how to act upon it, they start to play the bass guitar.
How many bass guitarists could you name? In all seriousness, they’re the Kris Novoselic’s of the world. And if you haven’t heard of him, then my point is even further proven: i.e: he’s the only dude from Nirvana with no obvious acclaim (albeit, a lot of bucks..) But they want it so much more...
The bass players are always the ones who want the tiring rounds of publicity and in their live attempts to elbow their way to the spotlight centre, right in the thrust of the frontman, further attempt to ascertain their musical genius. And yet they can't even play a simple chord...
Ah, the bass complex. Yes boys, your penis's may be very large, but you still can’t play music for shit. Perhaps you should just whip out your dick onstage and blow the audience away in the more literal sense.
If you're a guy and you play bass guitar, then you can frankly bugger off, cos more than likely you are furtively donning a massive bass complex - i.e. musical insecurities trying to be disguised through arrogance and egotism: both personally and musically...
He can never keep in tune “Your guitar needs tuning,” I might say to the lame-arse guitarist, not really aware if it was the bass, or indeed, the player himself.
“I have no concept of pitch,” he would reply, though not in so many words. I snort aloud at the thought of him so openly admitting to any of his weaknesses. Especially musical weakness, although he’s never even played a scale in his life.
His frustrated attempts to tune a guitar against his tone-deaf ear tells me what his words never will… The result of his tuning efforts only ever become more strained and raspy than before.
But it was his own fault really. He would always try to jam along with the likes of Angus Young, Trent Reznor, Syd Barrett. Blasphemous, really, for a bass palyer to assume himself in such a high regard…especially one of his calibre.
It happens to the youngest child. Those once hampered with an Oedipal complex and no idea of how to act upon it, they start to play the bass guitar.
How many bass guitarists could you name? In all seriousness, they’re the Kris Novoselic’s of the world. And if you haven’t heard of him, then my point is even further proven: i.e: he’s the only dude from Nirvana with no obvious acclaim (albeit, a lot of bucks..) But they want it so much more...
The bass players are always the ones who want the tiring rounds of publicity and in their live attempts to elbow their way to the spotlight centre, right in the thrust of the frontman, further attempt to ascertain their musical genius. And yet they can't even play a simple chord...
Ah, the bass complex. Yes boys, your penis's may be very large, but you still can’t play music for shit. Perhaps you should just whip out your dick onstage and blow the audience away in the more literal sense.
Jun 19, 2008
Why MigSpace has been on hiatus...
To all those beautiful peeps who have been anxiously awaiting a new migspace post, i am sad to say that i have (albeit momentarily) indulged my finances by getting a temp job in the middle of bloody nowhere (for Sydneysiders, I'm talkin Silverwater...to all else i'm talkin the absolute freakin boonies....woop woop etc...).
But it's all good, I have just been recruited by a music recording studio to design their all new and improved website, which i wonder if I am capable of accomplishing, but in all honesty, who in their right mind would ever refuse a job for anyone in the music biz..that's how i'm feelin, so old mate paraquad are going to have to live without me for a day as i confer with the head honcho about what's hot on music websites...as soon as i get a proper url for it, don't you worry, I shall be floggin it hardcore...
But it's all good, I have just been recruited by a music recording studio to design their all new and improved website, which i wonder if I am capable of accomplishing, but in all honesty, who in their right mind would ever refuse a job for anyone in the music biz..that's how i'm feelin, so old mate paraquad are going to have to live without me for a day as i confer with the head honcho about what's hot on music websites...as soon as i get a proper url for it, don't you worry, I shall be floggin it hardcore...
May 24, 2008
Why I HAVE to Start a Right-Wing Hip-Hop Crew
So, I saw that crap-arse video clip on "Rage" in the wee hours of the morning, something along the lines of: "From Little Things, Big Things Grow"...Not only did it feature the revoltingly emphatic lefties such as Missy Higgins and my all time favourite "indie artist", John Butler...
Australian music lovers alike, this is seriously uncool...Now that K. Rudd (or, as I like to call him, Krudd) is in power, what are the likes of The Herd et.al going to rap about? The government's in a state of relative peace...I mean, sure, we're pissed about petrol prices and puny pensions, but generally, all is amazingly cruisy, governmentally speaking.
That's why I need to take over the hip hop world and do tracks such as, "Do you want Fries with your Whale Burger?" and "The Howard Lament" just to even up the balance and stuff...I mean, what, with Bush almost out, and the potential of a black president arising, what will rap stars have to complain about???
Australian music lovers alike, this is seriously uncool...Now that K. Rudd (or, as I like to call him, Krudd) is in power, what are the likes of The Herd et.al going to rap about? The government's in a state of relative peace...I mean, sure, we're pissed about petrol prices and puny pensions, but generally, all is amazingly cruisy, governmentally speaking.
That's why I need to take over the hip hop world and do tracks such as, "Do you want Fries with your Whale Burger?" and "The Howard Lament" just to even up the balance and stuff...I mean, what, with Bush almost out, and the potential of a black president arising, what will rap stars have to complain about???
May 23, 2008
Why technicalities are a byatch
So, I started my co-hosting gig today on 2rdj, with Mel's Music Show. Pretty exciting shizen, until you realise that some community stations are better resourced than others...
Yes, that's right...me and Mel had to work with only ONE (count 'em, 1, numero uno, etc...) mike to carry through with a successful show.
I did my KMH (for those not in the know, I mean Kate Miller-Heidke, but crikey, that's a bitch of a name to type, much less, say, if you're asking Mel...) review from the good ole Annandale from 2 weeks ago...a bit old, you scoff? Well, bugger you, how many gigs do you attend in the average week..hmmm? I don't know how it went, were YOU listening?
Well, if you weren't tuned in this Friday, then FEAR NOT compardres....for you can tune into the Migsta every Friday arvo as of now from 3-5pm on 88.1 (awesome) FM...apparently it's the first station on the FM dial, so hey, there is really no excuse not t0 tune in and ave a go on Mel's Music (it's definitely the coolest stuff that they play on this station, so revel, peeps, revel!)
... And for God's sake...stay tuned...I need your support!!!
I love you all, all 3 of you mig-space followers, so show me some of the love next Fri...hopefully all mikes will be on deck...xxx
Yes, that's right...me and Mel had to work with only ONE (count 'em, 1, numero uno, etc...) mike to carry through with a successful show.
I did my KMH (for those not in the know, I mean Kate Miller-Heidke, but crikey, that's a bitch of a name to type, much less, say, if you're asking Mel...) review from the good ole Annandale from 2 weeks ago...a bit old, you scoff? Well, bugger you, how many gigs do you attend in the average week..hmmm? I don't know how it went, were YOU listening?
Well, if you weren't tuned in this Friday, then FEAR NOT compardres....for you can tune into the Migsta every Friday arvo as of now from 3-5pm on 88.1 (awesome) FM...apparently it's the first station on the FM dial, so hey, there is really no excuse not t0 tune in and ave a go on Mel's Music (it's definitely the coolest stuff that they play on this station, so revel, peeps, revel!)
... And for God's sake...stay tuned...I need your support!!!
I love you all, all 3 of you mig-space followers, so show me some of the love next Fri...hopefully all mikes will be on deck...xxx
May 21, 2008
Why you should tune into 88.1 this Friday...
...Cos I'll be on it, bitch!
Nah, seriously, I was meant to start my series of "Mig the Gig Pig" episodes on 2RDJ 88.1 FM (Sydney) last Fri, but let's just say that I was not up for the Milo challenge at that particular time (hence, I am tres bad...)
And, so my newest radio gig will hopefully - all extenuating circumstances prevailing - begin Friday at about 3ish. And it'll be a blink and you'll miss it kind of glory momento...just a quick gig review. Now I'm just tossing up whether to go with Kate Miller-Heidke or Architecture in Helsinki...Stay tuned (literally!!!)
Nah, seriously, I was meant to start my series of "Mig the Gig Pig" episodes on 2RDJ 88.1 FM (Sydney) last Fri, but let's just say that I was not up for the Milo challenge at that particular time (hence, I am tres bad...)
And, so my newest radio gig will hopefully - all extenuating circumstances prevailing - begin Friday at about 3ish. And it'll be a blink and you'll miss it kind of glory momento...just a quick gig review. Now I'm just tossing up whether to go with Kate Miller-Heidke or Architecture in Helsinki...Stay tuned (literally!!!)
May 13, 2008
Why I'm not THAT desperate
Thinking that her baby may end up a spinster, my dearest mumsy was at me last time I was up in Newcastle, to "settle down" with someone. She is aware that she won't get the grand-kiddies out of my lazy bum sister*, I am her only hope.
Not wanting to fail her, I saw an email offering a chance to write a story about the Desperate and Dateless Ball (which has since been kindly refined to D&D) and thought that it would make both a good story and a very happy mumsy, if I was to meet "the one". And, if nothing else, a free ticket (to the value of $110) and all the piss I could drink - how could I lose?
And right there I acknowledge my massive mistake. For, the event in question turned out to be nothing more than a scarily glorified meat market.
There were moments of disgust, whereby I had to run away from a group of desperate dudes chasing me, whilst crying out: "Journalist! Journalist!!" Who ever thought that I would be so ashamed to admit to being a part of the career I so aspire to having...
In any case, you could totally smell the desperation in the air. And the fact that the men totally outnumbered the women, I was at leats hoping to get a good story out of a good old gay hook up. There were many times that some guys would offer to make out with each other, but sadly, it never eventuated on my camera...ahhh nuts!
Suffice to say, it was one hell seedy night and I count myself lucky that I escaped completely unscathed...
So, sorry mumsy, and sorry Deepthi (Reportage editor), for I have nothing positive to say about my experience in desperation...thinking that from now on, I shall stick simply to going out for the gigs - NOT the guys...
Not wanting to fail her, I saw an email offering a chance to write a story about the Desperate and Dateless Ball (which has since been kindly refined to D&D) and thought that it would make both a good story and a very happy mumsy, if I was to meet "the one". And, if nothing else, a free ticket (to the value of $110) and all the piss I could drink - how could I lose?
And right there I acknowledge my massive mistake. For, the event in question turned out to be nothing more than a scarily glorified meat market.
There were moments of disgust, whereby I had to run away from a group of desperate dudes chasing me, whilst crying out: "Journalist! Journalist!!" Who ever thought that I would be so ashamed to admit to being a part of the career I so aspire to having...
In any case, you could totally smell the desperation in the air. And the fact that the men totally outnumbered the women, I was at leats hoping to get a good story out of a good old gay hook up. There were many times that some guys would offer to make out with each other, but sadly, it never eventuated on my camera...ahhh nuts!
Suffice to say, it was one hell seedy night and I count myself lucky that I escaped completely unscathed...
So, sorry mumsy, and sorry Deepthi (Reportage editor), for I have nothing positive to say about my experience in desperation...thinking that from now on, I shall stick simply to going out for the gigs - NOT the guys...
* It would appear that the publication of this post has ultimately defamed the person in question. The author wishes to apologise for any mortification this has brought about to the victim...
May 8, 2008
Why Tropfest is the Arse-End
Since when did amateur film comps become a corporate spectacle?
Tropfest is now the blue blood of a concept that was once considered classless.
But with Polson comes power comes money and so them's the brakes for any struggling film students out there with no connections.
Well, this kind of thing really pissed off three artsy Newtown types, Martin, Spiros and Bill, who now dig into their own pockets to fund the now annual Newtown Ficks Film Festival (as well as JVC's - but they're NOT sell-outs by any stretch)...
Anyone who can, should get down there, it's over the weekend of the 31st May - 2 June at the PACT Theatre (Erskineville, right near Newtown)...it'll be 3 days of keeping it REAL...and we should all encourage that, right, peeps?
Plus, film-makers make the best bar buddies ever (heaps better than pretentious actors, who end up breaking down in a messy heap of self love when too blotto...trust me...)
In the meantime, check out my feature on it! It's going to appear in the upcoming edition of Precinct, which makes it official - my Precinct cherry's been popped!
Soon it'll be Reportage after I go undercover to the D&D ball this Saturday night. I'll be vox-popping whilst trying to pull some poor bloke and make my poor Mumsy's wishes come true, and I might actually settle down with some nice, desperate dude and hopefully getting blind on the virtues of a press pass...stay tuned, it'll be posted!
Film festivals, in the height of their popularity, seem to be neglecting the grassroots notion that they once encapsulated.
With the likes of short film extravaganza, Tropfest, which has made a sharp ascent into the mainstream, there is little opportunity for up and coming film makers to put their work out there and be guaranteed a screening.
In light of this, three Newtown locals: Martin Kelly, Spiros Hristias and Bill Jordan got together in 2005 to put together and are the directors of what is now known as Newtown Flicks Short Film Festival.
“As we saw it, these were the facts,” says Kelly. “The Valhalla and Cheval Theatres had closed down and the likes of Tropfest was unattainable for most film makers.”
Now in its third year, running May 30-June 1, the festival is determined not to become like Tropfest. “It’s the brand-name festival, that’s what we call it.” Says Kelly, only half-jokingly. “We were pretty concerned about making sure that we weren’t just going to be another branded festival, what we want to do is really support, assist and showcase young people.”
And, of course, being centred around Newtown, the festival is possessive of that slightly eccentric, bohemian feel that makes up this Inner-West suburb. “We want that Newtown vibe, we want that Inner West sort of vibe,” agrees Hrsiatis.
In terms of its conditions, the only criteria is that films are twenty minutes or less in duration, and all are intending to be screened during the festival. “If we do get too many, then we guarantee that we will find other venues to show it at a later date.” Says Kelly.
Newtown Flicks awards four prizes: The Open Category, Film School, Director’s Choice, and, one of the first of its kind, the Treehouse: a special award dedicated to children’s film.
“I haven’t really seen any other festival in Australia that had just a childhood category it’s quite uncommon. It’s one of the reasons why I entered it,” says Tonnette Stanford, 2007 Treehouse winner with her film, Wally.
When it comes to the categories, Newtown Flicks is about moulding itself around its entrants and not the other way around. “We’ve got an award chosen by the directors.” Says Kelly. “For those films that don’t fit into those that have tangible qualities
Last year’s directors prize went to Sarah Antill, and that was something that didn’t fit within the other categories.” Antill, whose featured documentary, Not Sitting Still, was produced as an educational film, used Newtown Flicks to raise the film’s profile.
“Since winning, I’ve begun working on much bigger projects with two documentary makers,” she says. “The Newtown Flicks win gave me the confidence to approach them, and an award that got them to look at me.”
Stanford has also achieved a large degree of success, with her production company, Stickybeak, producing films that are currently being distributed around the world.
With a festival that prides itself on ditching production values in the name of a good story, Newtown Flicks, again, stands alone in the world of film festivals. All three directors are sceptical of film makers and their use of special effects.
"They’re looking for prouction qualities and sound editing, etc etc…” says Kelly of usual festival standards: “Newtown Flicks is an opportunity to have your work up on the big screen for everyone to see, for everyone to hear – to have their voice heard.”
And with some big-name judges on board, such as Garry Maddox and Genevieve Lemon, it also enables film-makers a chance to be offered objective criticsm.
“The entrants are being at least measured by their peers or people that they aspire to be and I think that that’s very important that they get a realistic vision when they get the opportunity to show their stuff.”
Stanford acknowledges the assistance that public attention can bring for a film maker: “Every time you enter a film festival and it gets screened, especially if it wins an award…it expands its profile and the fact that Newtown Flicks was especially good was because they organised a lot of media and stuff surrounding it.” She says.
Newtown Flicks is also intent on focussing on the importance of the ultimate critic: the audience. “Catering to and considering what an audience wants is crucial,” says Kelly, acknowledging the importance of the audience perspective in terms of educating the film maker: “so it’s about planning for them as well… the program considers not only about presenting a show for a film maker, but about presenting for an audience as well.”
Antill agrees: “When Not Sitting Still was showing at Newtown Flicks, I sat just in front of a woman who had obviously come to see someone else’s film, because when it started, she was rummaging through her handbag for chocolate. At the end, she was dabbing her eyes with a tissue and snuffling,”
When looking towards the future of Newtown Flicks, for film makers, audience and director’s alike, Kelly and Hrsiatis remain enthusiastic, but uncertain. “We’re much better placed now than we were then – but it’s the Great Unknown.” Says Kelly.
Further plans involve the expansion of Newtown Flicks to the western suburbs, thereby capturing the voice of Sydney in its entirety.
“Their story is as valid as someone who has a beautiful, carefully constructed production.. That’s the point we want to make about the festival.”
Apr 30, 2008
Why Movies Should be Musicals
So...they made a long and crappy drawn out musical version of Gone With the Wind , although I wonder whether it was just a perfect opportunity for clever critics to use the line, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn about this musical..."
And that's not even to mention bloody Edward Scissorhands - The Musical (the movie was stupid enough, and not worthy of Johnny Depp's good looks...)
Anyways, it inspired me to go further afield and consider other cinematic greats that should make it to Broadway, please feel free to add your own classics...
Once Were Warriors - The Musical - ("Get me some eggs, WOMAN...Some eggs, some eggs...ohhh get him some eggs..)
Requiem for a Dream - The Chorus Line - ("So, my mom's on the crack, and I dig the smack...")
Bad Boy Bubby Does Broadway - ("Ode to Cling Wrap")
High School Musical On Ice - (and I aint talkin about the ice skating version...)
So, compardres, any other suggestions??
And that's not even to mention bloody Edward Scissorhands - The Musical (the movie was stupid enough, and not worthy of Johnny Depp's good looks...)
Anyways, it inspired me to go further afield and consider other cinematic greats that should make it to Broadway, please feel free to add your own classics...
Once Were Warriors - The Musical - ("Get me some eggs, WOMAN...Some eggs, some eggs...ohhh get him some eggs..)
Requiem for a Dream - The Chorus Line - ("So, my mom's on the crack, and I dig the smack...")
Bad Boy Bubby Does Broadway - ("Ode to Cling Wrap")
High School Musical On Ice - (and I aint talkin about the ice skating version...)
So, compardres, any other suggestions??
Apr 23, 2008
Why Marijuana Will Save the World
Yes, that's right - rejoice in the reefer, because according to some crazy kids, it's pretty much the be all and all of existence and has the potential to undo the environmental havoc we have caused over the years...
From the Murray Basin to the Amazon, there's no limit to the potentials of the humble weed - from architecture to food (but not in a hash cookie type of way)
I interviewed an industrial hemp grower for 2ser on Razor's Edge (hey, it's community radio, I'll shamelessly plug it...download the podcasts...you may even learn something...a Nimbin resident who can't stop extolling the virtues of the doobie (how many other slang terms for marijuana are there??) in terms of saving the economy, the farmers, and the world at large...you go girl!
Here's how, according to some dude who needs a publishing contract, pot will save the world!! Hallelujah for hemp!! Here's his website (his name is Jack, if that provides him with any more credibility...
I you don't believe me, or want to follow this somewhat quirky movement, here's some literature to get you started on your journey to saving the world....with hemp....CLICK HERE
Anyways...It will explain just how hemp is responsible or global civilisation, how convincingly - I cannot ascertain.
So, you know, spark up - hey, you're doing it for the planet after all!!
From the Murray Basin to the Amazon, there's no limit to the potentials of the humble weed - from architecture to food (but not in a hash cookie type of way)
I interviewed an industrial hemp grower for 2ser on Razor's Edge (hey, it's community radio, I'll shamelessly plug it...download the podcasts...you may even learn something...a Nimbin resident who can't stop extolling the virtues of the doobie (how many other slang terms for marijuana are there??) in terms of saving the economy, the farmers, and the world at large...you go girl!
Here's how, according to some dude who needs a publishing contract, pot will save the world!! Hallelujah for hemp!! Here's his website (his name is Jack, if that provides him with any more credibility...
I you don't believe me, or want to follow this somewhat quirky movement, here's some literature to get you started on your journey to saving the world....with hemp....CLICK HERE
Anyways...It will explain just how hemp is responsible or global civilisation, how convincingly - I cannot ascertain.
So, you know, spark up - hey, you're doing it for the planet after all!!
Apr 22, 2008
Why Music is a Corporate Whore
Well, Media Watch broke the story about the controversy embedded in the climate change capital and their cozy relationship with The Age (wow, I can't believe there's something about Melbourne that I now truly hate...)
Furthering this thought, something that I have wondered about ever since last year's Splendour in the Grass festival, and the "carbon neutral" costing that is now whacked onto (already bloody hefty) admission prices for all those bloody PoMosers (in other word, post-modern posers) who love the thought of being environmentally friendly, and thus, heaps cool.
However, my qualm revolves around the fact that to get to Byron Bay, one needs to expend numerous emissions of a carbon nature, and how the hell does an extra $5 on a ticket price reconcile this? And what about the festival itself? What, is it bloody well running on solar powered amps or what?
And now, you have no choice! Now, I don't want to look like a corporate whore (but in any case, it may well be true, if only I had enough moolah), but I attended Richard Branson's glorified advertising bonanza, oh, oops, I meant the V Festival, and this crappy carbon neutrality thing is already included in the (already exorbitant) ticket prices, and this h
In light of this, dearest Jade, (ex-editor of The Dwarf, current ed. of A Fine Line) let me run with this hot-headed train of thought, and even published it in the December issue of A Fine Line, so here it is, somewhat brought down a level, anger-wise...
So here it is...
It seems that lately, carbon has become the latest buzzword. We talk of the imprint in our “carbon footprint”, and think of ways in which becoming “carbon neutral”. The problem with this term, many argue, is that there is no possible way to neutralise or offset one’s carbon emissions
But it seems that as much as the capital world used to blame ideas of environmental consciousness as conspiracies against consumption, they are only now too happy to jump on the proverbial bandwagon. Now, it seems that money can buy the way out of anything: even, as the case may be, the degradation of the natural world and the piece of mind that comes with the title of “carbon neutral” too can be attained for a price.
Not to be outdone in any way, the music industry too has felt an obligation to stand up for the rights of Mother Nature. It seems to have started with Coldplay’s album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, the first album to be classified as carbon neutral.
On a local level, national festivals and tours by the likes of Splendour in the Grass and the John Butler Trio have placed a carbon neutral levy on ticket sales, assuring patrons the notion of carbon neutrality. However, is it all too easy to claim that the carbon emissions at major music festivals can really just disappear from forking out a couple of extra bucks here or there? When one considers the potential environmental impact of the travel ticket holders must endure to arrive at particular venues, not to mention all the electricity consumed by the various bands and their equipment, it seems hard to fathom that a couple of dollars added on to the original ticket price could make much difference.
“It’s got to be more tangible than that.” Says Falls Festival director, Simon Daly on the potential for festival organisers to do their bit.
The Falls Festival occurs annually on camping sites in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania. Since 1999, the organisers have been ardently working towards doing all they can to maintain the sites that they use. This includes incentives such as a conveyer belt to sift through recyclable materials.
“If just one item from those bins is non-recyclable waste, then the whole lot is deemed contaminated,” Daly explains. “So with conveyer belts, we can ensure that everything that can be recycled will be.”
Also new are the self-composting toilets, which, in Marion Bay, are all you get, no port-a-loos for these guys! “100% of the toilets at Marion Bay are composting.”
Daly believes that the next step is to get the bands involved, but sees the festival as an overall positive experience for the average environmentalist who doesn’t wish to tread heavily on the earth. “We use the time to really get in there and educate a lot of like-minded people.”
The Falls Festival has also encouraged its attendees to pay a surcharge of “a couple of dollars”, according to Daly, to offset the carbon emissions related to their travel. In fact, just over a quarter of all patrons opted to do so.
There are problems with such terms as “carbon neutral” and “carbon offsetting” being offered in that consumers are being led to believe that they are in fact, cancelling out their environmental impact altogether.
Not true, says Professor Christopher Dey from the University of Sydney, who has recently penned a research paper entitled: “Carbon Neutral: Sense and Sensibility”. He argues that….
Others agree that such incentives are just ploys taken on from major corporate giants.
The move by UK band, Coldplay to create their “carbon neutral album” seems to have been the origins of music’s involvement in environmental activism, which has since been taken on by the likes of major tour promoters and bands.
However, Aussie hip-hop outfit, Combat Wombat have been conscious of the carbon impact that national touring can involve by adding to their tour bus a vegetable-oil fuelled engine. “It is very efficient,” says Combat Wombat’s Monkey Marc of the bus’s capacity to run. “We actually get more miles per gallon on veggie oil than we do on diesel.”
Not only does this system benefit the environment, but also funds.
“All the oil we get is old so it’s all recycled and free. We’ve done just over 20 000 kms around Australia for basically nothing.”
But is it really even plausible for anyone to just chuck in an old frying pan and fill up the tank?
We are constantly fearing the imminent environmental armageddon and we want to act responsibly as individuals, while still enjoying things such as live music and travel. The question which seems difficult to resolve is how this should be done. It seems all too easy to boil it down to a system where one person can pass off their own environmental activities by paying a few dollars, but for all those penny-pinchers out there fear not. It seems more productive, in cases such as Combat Wombat and the Falls Festival, to get out and get actively involved. Then, maybe you’ll rest easier about the well being of Mother Nature.
Furthering this thought, something that I have wondered about ever since last year's Splendour in the Grass festival, and the "carbon neutral" costing that is now whacked onto (already bloody hefty) admission prices for all those bloody PoMosers (in other word, post-modern posers) who love the thought of being environmentally friendly, and thus, heaps cool.
However, my qualm revolves around the fact that to get to Byron Bay, one needs to expend numerous emissions of a carbon nature, and how the hell does an extra $5 on a ticket price reconcile this? And what about the festival itself? What, is it bloody well running on solar powered amps or what?
And now, you have no choice! Now, I don't want to look like a corporate whore (but in any case, it may well be true, if only I had enough moolah), but I attended Richard Branson's glorified advertising bonanza, oh, oops, I meant the V Festival, and this crappy carbon neutrality thing is already included in the (already exorbitant) ticket prices, and this h
In light of this, dearest Jade, (ex-editor of The Dwarf, current ed. of A Fine Line) let me run with this hot-headed train of thought, and even published it in the December issue of A Fine Line, so here it is, somewhat brought down a level, anger-wise...
So here it is...
CARBON NEUTRAL - AT WHAT COST??
It seems that lately, carbon has become the latest buzzword. We talk of the imprint in our “carbon footprint”, and think of ways in which becoming “carbon neutral”. The problem with this term, many argue, is that there is no possible way to neutralise or offset one’s carbon emissions
But it seems that as much as the capital world used to blame ideas of environmental consciousness as conspiracies against consumption, they are only now too happy to jump on the proverbial bandwagon. Now, it seems that money can buy the way out of anything: even, as the case may be, the degradation of the natural world and the piece of mind that comes with the title of “carbon neutral” too can be attained for a price.
Not to be outdone in any way, the music industry too has felt an obligation to stand up for the rights of Mother Nature. It seems to have started with Coldplay’s album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, the first album to be classified as carbon neutral.
On a local level, national festivals and tours by the likes of Splendour in the Grass and the John Butler Trio have placed a carbon neutral levy on ticket sales, assuring patrons the notion of carbon neutrality. However, is it all too easy to claim that the carbon emissions at major music festivals can really just disappear from forking out a couple of extra bucks here or there? When one considers the potential environmental impact of the travel ticket holders must endure to arrive at particular venues, not to mention all the electricity consumed by the various bands and their equipment, it seems hard to fathom that a couple of dollars added on to the original ticket price could make much difference.
“It’s got to be more tangible than that.” Says Falls Festival director, Simon Daly on the potential for festival organisers to do their bit.
The Falls Festival occurs annually on camping sites in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania. Since 1999, the organisers have been ardently working towards doing all they can to maintain the sites that they use. This includes incentives such as a conveyer belt to sift through recyclable materials.
“If just one item from those bins is non-recyclable waste, then the whole lot is deemed contaminated,” Daly explains. “So with conveyer belts, we can ensure that everything that can be recycled will be.”
Also new are the self-composting toilets, which, in Marion Bay, are all you get, no port-a-loos for these guys! “100% of the toilets at Marion Bay are composting.”
Daly believes that the next step is to get the bands involved, but sees the festival as an overall positive experience for the average environmentalist who doesn’t wish to tread heavily on the earth. “We use the time to really get in there and educate a lot of like-minded people.”
The Falls Festival has also encouraged its attendees to pay a surcharge of “a couple of dollars”, according to Daly, to offset the carbon emissions related to their travel. In fact, just over a quarter of all patrons opted to do so.
There are problems with such terms as “carbon neutral” and “carbon offsetting” being offered in that consumers are being led to believe that they are in fact, cancelling out their environmental impact altogether.
Not true, says Professor Christopher Dey from the University of Sydney, who has recently penned a research paper entitled: “Carbon Neutral: Sense and Sensibility”. He argues that….
Others agree that such incentives are just ploys taken on from major corporate giants.
The move by UK band, Coldplay to create their “carbon neutral album” seems to have been the origins of music’s involvement in environmental activism, which has since been taken on by the likes of major tour promoters and bands.
However, Aussie hip-hop outfit, Combat Wombat have been conscious of the carbon impact that national touring can involve by adding to their tour bus a vegetable-oil fuelled engine. “It is very efficient,” says Combat Wombat’s Monkey Marc of the bus’s capacity to run. “We actually get more miles per gallon on veggie oil than we do on diesel.”
Not only does this system benefit the environment, but also funds.
“All the oil we get is old so it’s all recycled and free. We’ve done just over 20 000 kms around Australia for basically nothing.”
But is it really even plausible for anyone to just chuck in an old frying pan and fill up the tank?
We are constantly fearing the imminent environmental armageddon and we want to act responsibly as individuals, while still enjoying things such as live music and travel. The question which seems difficult to resolve is how this should be done. It seems all too easy to boil it down to a system where one person can pass off their own environmental activities by paying a few dollars, but for all those penny-pinchers out there fear not. It seems more productive, in cases such as Combat Wombat and the Falls Festival, to get out and get actively involved. Then, maybe you’ll rest easier about the well being of Mother Nature.
Why The Presets hate my guts...
I just want to say, sorry Kim, I was so bloody hungover that day...but no excuse, it was the WORST bloody interview I've ever done, and I love these guys so much, though thankfully not as much as Cut Copy, and they're also heaps better looking than old Kim and Jules...
WARNING: If ever you interview an electro-pop muso (oh sorry, "artist") don't tarnish their egos by implying that it's all just about laptop pop
PRE-SETTLED
“Are you asking me out on a date?” asks an incredulous, Kim Moyes of The Presets, at one point in the conversation we’re having about the guys’ new album, Apocalypso.
I would certainly be lucky to get a night out with one half of the latest “it” bands, as these hard-working lads seem to be doing a gig practically every night. What, with shows jam packed from here to overseas and more to follow throughout the year, it doesn’t seem a date would be able to fit in the diary.
“We are exclusive Qantas Club members,” he agrees of his extensive schedule. “we kept getting offered festivals, tour supports and gigs and stuff.”
It’s obviously paid off, with the guys becoming somewhat of a hit across the shores.
“It’s going sort of well over there,” Moyes modestly concedes. “the album’s going to be brought out in the States and then the UK and Europe.”
Apocalypso is the highly anticipated follow up to The Presets’ debut, Beams, and is very much characteristic of their previous release of catchy ballads noir.
“We’re a pretty intense couple of dudes, we’re a pretty dark band” says Moyes of their style. But still: “we’ve always made music to party to.”
From their debut into the musical world with such hits as, “Girl and the Sea” and “Are You the One” (“That’s kind of an ironic question, cos there is no one, just lots of potentials…”) the guys look set to follow up their previous successes with their latest release.
From their latest ambient single, “This Boy’s In Love”, to others such as “Kicking and Screaming”, the album encapsulates what is now recognised as The Presets unique sound.
“People would get too much of a shock if they buy the record and discover four golden country greats.”
So after gaining a familiar sound, and a strong following, Moyes and fellow bandmate, Julian Hamilton have worked out the winning formulae to success, and drive this outward confidence forward in Apocalypso.
“We’ve sort of worked on the idea that we had a couple of years ago and sharpened them up.” Moyes says of their new musical insight. “Certainly after touring and playing in front of people for a couple of years, you get a really strong sense of what works and what doesn’t work in front of a crowd and that informs the way you write your music.”
Having been touring with the likes of Duran Duran and Queens of the Stone Age during the V Festival, the stellar lineup sounds like it would be most artists (not to mention fans) wet dream.
Moyes, however, remains one cool customer. “I don’t have any great desires to play with anyone. They’re just a bunch of old bands.”
When pressed for gossip, he is dismissive, admitting that they’re just not the band for after parties anymore. “When I do a festival or a gig, I get there an hour before I have to play and then just leave straight away.” Says Moyes. “We just do it so much and have been for such a long time that now all we want to do is just get home and go to sleep.”
And therein lies some of the reluctance felt by Moyes in this embarkment into mass celebrity.
“We’ve definitely worked very hard for all of this, and then its like: ‘how the fuck did this all happen?’” he admits. “Why did we want this? At the time it seemed like such a great idea and now all I can think about is dinner and sleeping.”
Further dispelling the myth around rock stardom he adds: “I thought it was going to be drugs and girls and parties and champagne and expensive cars, but all it is is perpetual tiredness and constant hunger”
This may ultimately be the price that must be paid when you life mainly revolves around touring but it’s still about the music, and the show must go on, even for the fatigued.
“Now our album’s out we go into rehearsals for a couple of weeks, then we go to the States in June; then we come back and do a big album tour around Australia, then probably back overseas to do a bunch of festivals we’ve been offered…” On and on he lists their up and coming plans for the year, yet there is definite excitement in his voice in the prospect of introducing the world to Apocalypso.
“There’s something on there for all situations in people’s lives. I hope people take it on and have a really good time with it.”
And if Moyes’ anticipation is anything to go by, Apocalypso will be the album that transcends time, even being a catalyst in the creation of history.
“I hope they can look back in a few years when they’ve got kids and they can go through their collection and go ‘wow what’s this great record, who’s this?’ And they can go, ‘well this is The Presets, this is how I met your father.’”
Told you so (and judge yourself by the photo)... guess what? we never got round to that date...
Why I'm Just Like Bono....
After attending the extravaganza that was U23D at the overhyped IMAX theatre in tacky Darling Harbour (can you sense the resentment I was already facing..?) I was told that I'm the Bono reincarnate...Well hey, those 3D glasses are pretty cool...
I wouldn't usually pay $25 to get in anywhere (the music world is nothing but capital scum, nowadays, but that's a whole new post altogether! And yet, here I was, paying this very amount to, essentially see a movie...
When it got to the stage where Bono's wearing a stupid bandana with nonsensical letters and crude religious symbols (you WISH you were a jew, mate...) i was inwardly groaning...when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was slowly and robotical;ly being recited I inwardly hurled up my entire overpriced QVB meal...
There was one stage during the "gig" where Bono grabs a fellow U2er (The Edge, maybe?) and plants a smacking big kiss on his lips...now, the homophobics out of the hundreds who attended couldn't really stand the sight of this (especially not in 3D) and an audible gasp escaped them...I was hoping that this was more of a godfather kind of way, as in a perhaps untimely ending (or maybe a horse head under Bono's silken sheets..)
But this isn't some gasbagging rant on how much i hate bono, or U23D (although i do and did..), it's about my supreme likeness to said frontman...
It's all embedded in another GLORIA JEAN'S scandal...and you thought their support of Hillsong and Mercy Ministries was the extent of it...well actually it's pretty commonplace now: it seems that most major coffee franchises now do remote communities in the likes of PNG and Tibet out of business with their importation of crud beans (a scandal in itself..)
So by the end of the night, my friend (no names, let's just call her, G-Banger) floating in an ethereal cloud of U2 bliss (but I think even the Human Rights stuff was a bit much for her) she proposes a coffee at none other than evil GLORIA JEAN'S, to which I must explain my objections.
At this, her eyes lit up:
"Migs!" she cried in delight. "You're just like Bono"
I'm ready for the kiss of death...
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