I have moved my blog to Wordpress instead of Blogger after being advised to do so.
This blog will stay open if you feel like you have to read old posts, it will be inactive though. I won't be publishing anything else on this blog.
The new address is itsonthemind.wordpress.com.
Just blogspot with wordpress and you have converted the old URL to the new one! WOW!
See ya on the other side,
-Luke Morton
Monday 17 November 2008
Friday 14 November 2008
Record Of The Week: Week 1
I've decided to start this little feature on my blog, to possibly introduce people to some new music or merely offer an opinion on music you already know. I'm going to write this little piece every Friday (hopefully) and it will include both a single of the week and an album of the week (except this week). These will not necessarily be recent tracks or albums, as not all new music is actually good.
Single Of The Week: A Wilhelm Scream - The Rip
For those of you who follow me on Twitter, I have been raving about this band as of late. I have recently rekindled my past love for new American punk music and A Wilhelm Scream personify the genre perfectly. The song The Rip is fuelled with anger and emotion but it's also melodious and catchy. The chorus somehow manages to drill itself into your head and stick with you all day, the song has just been on my stereo all week.
Find it on their album Mute Print, here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mute-Print-Wilhelm-Scream/dp/B0001WAGTC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1226695183&sr=8-3
I will include an album next week, I don't particularly have a favourite album for this week and I didn't want to lie about what I've been listening to.
Single Of The Week: A Wilhelm Scream - The Rip
For those of you who follow me on Twitter, I have been raving about this band as of late. I have recently rekindled my past love for new American punk music and A Wilhelm Scream personify the genre perfectly. The song The Rip is fuelled with anger and emotion but it's also melodious and catchy. The chorus somehow manages to drill itself into your head and stick with you all day, the song has just been on my stereo all week.
Find it on their album Mute Print, here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mute-Print-Wilhelm-Scream/dp/B0001WAGTC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1226695183&sr=8-3
I will include an album next week, I don't particularly have a favourite album for this week and I didn't want to lie about what I've been listening to.
Wednesday 12 November 2008
Another Innovation In Online Music
Launched this week is a brilliant little resource for music lovers, known as We7. This website is filled with thousands of albums and singles which are available to listen to in their entireity for free! Not just pop music either, I'm currently listening to Hot Water Music as I have been meaning to check them out for a while and this website allows me to listen to 3 pages worth of their material (unlike Myspace Music which usually includes 4 songs maximum on an artist's profile).
I'm not sure whether We7 is going to take over Myspace Music as Myspace Music is definitley a handy little tool when researching bands or simply wanting to check out new music, but We7 seems much more professionally done. With the option to purchase any one of the songs on the website for 77p (2p cheaper than iTunes) some could argue that it will soon rival Apple in the online music market...but I doubt it. Unless We7 manage to encourage artists who are not part of iTunes to sign up for their online music store, then iTunes will still reign supreme for the forseeable future.
Despite this, We7 is still very much a 'must have' on your bookmark list if you're really interested in music as it has many more songs on offer than Myspace Music and they're good quality too (the majority of songs on Myspace Music are of reduced quality).
We7 also features an unsigned artist section which allows bands to upload their own material for people to listen to and rate. My suggestion if you're in a band is to get yourself on We7 as it can only be beneficial, who knows your music might influence a lot of people?
So here it is: www.we7.com, get yourself over there and discover a new world of music!
I'm not sure whether We7 is going to take over Myspace Music as Myspace Music is definitley a handy little tool when researching bands or simply wanting to check out new music, but We7 seems much more professionally done. With the option to purchase any one of the songs on the website for 77p (2p cheaper than iTunes) some could argue that it will soon rival Apple in the online music market...but I doubt it. Unless We7 manage to encourage artists who are not part of iTunes to sign up for their online music store, then iTunes will still reign supreme for the forseeable future.
Despite this, We7 is still very much a 'must have' on your bookmark list if you're really interested in music as it has many more songs on offer than Myspace Music and they're good quality too (the majority of songs on Myspace Music are of reduced quality).
We7 also features an unsigned artist section which allows bands to upload their own material for people to listen to and rate. My suggestion if you're in a band is to get yourself on We7 as it can only be beneficial, who knows your music might influence a lot of people?
So here it is: www.we7.com, get yourself over there and discover a new world of music!
Saturday 8 November 2008
Lincoln Isn't Just Indie Fans!
This has been playing on my mind for a while now, as I'm sure it has for many other music lovers in Lincoln. The main music venue in this city is the Engine Shed, which opened its doors in 2006 to a wide range of artists...or so we thought. The first bands to play (of which I took notice) were Embrace, The Zutons and Shiny Toy Guns. Sadly when the Engine Shed first opened it was an 18+ venue and I was not 18, thusly I was denied entry.
As of late however the gigs are now 16+, which has allowed more fans to attend the gigs and more bands to play (knowing there would be more people, especially in the age range they aim for). However, all these bands have been commercial indie tripe which are being passed around the Radio 1 playlist like God know's what and therefore becoming popular without actually trying.
When the Engine Shed started booking bands on a regular basis though I did attend, mainly to support my local music scene. In the space of a few months I had seen The Hoosiers, Scouting For Girls, The Script, Reverend And The Makers, The Black Kids, Kate Nash, Cage The Elephant and The Pigeon Detectives. Not really a wide selection of music there by anyone's standards, all of the aforementioned bands have been overplayed on both BBC and commercial radio which apparently means they're going to be amazing live...sadly not.
Personally I'm not a fan of commercial indie at all (mainly bands emerging in the past 2 years beginning with 'The') and the shows I saw at the Engine Shed confirmed my stance on the genre. Admittedly some of the bands were good and the crowd got going for it, but it was never anything out of the ordinary. The usual forté of a vibrant frontman running around everywhere whilst the rest of the band stand still for the fear they might get noticed by the crowd.
Since the starting of regular gigs at the Engine Shed, there has been a constant barrage of indie band after indie band infecting the stage with their unbearable 'new take' on the genre, which somehow sounds like everyone else. Bands which have appeared recently are; The Kooks, The Ting Tings, The Charlatans and other such bands beginning with 'The'. There have been some 'alternative' bands though in the past 2 years which such as Deftones, Cooper Temple Clause and Feeder. I attended the Deftones gig which was majorly underpromoted (the tour date wasn't even on the t-shirts on sale at the gig) as such the venue was just over half full. Yet if a Radio 1 posterchild is given the opportunity to headline then their posters will be all over the city of Lincoln like a tropical rash.
The mere idea of an 'alternative' band must somehow scare the 'powers that be' in charge of the Engine Shed and will only book indie bands as they know it will sell out and therefore make a profit. The population of Lincoln is around 100,000 and the capacity of the Engine Shed is 1,500 - I'm sure if they book a popular band that is not indie then tickets will sell. Bands such as Enter Shikari, Pendulum, Gallows, Klaxons and other such artists could fill the venue many times over - but probably will never get the chance.
I was most excited when the Taste Of Chaos 2008 tour was announced at the Engine Shed for November this year, but was cancelled in Lincoln due to 'unforeseen circumstances'. After 2 years of waiting some metal bands were going to play Lincoln but it got cancelled, and no-one seems to know why. I knew many people who bought tickets, including myself. I was ticket number 700-and something which must mean it was nearly half sold out months before it was due to happen...but nevertheless it was cancelled.
So overall it seems that the people in charge of booking talent for the Engine Shed are scared of not selling the venue out, so only book bands which are played on the radio more than 3 times an hour every hour for months on end until the general public finally give in and start liking the band. Personally I feel the bookers for the Engine Shed should at least give it a shot booking a big non-indie band, if it fails then fine I was wrong that Lincoln isn't just full of indie fans - but there is still only one way to find out...book someone else!
As of late however the gigs are now 16+, which has allowed more fans to attend the gigs and more bands to play (knowing there would be more people, especially in the age range they aim for). However, all these bands have been commercial indie tripe which are being passed around the Radio 1 playlist like God know's what and therefore becoming popular without actually trying.
When the Engine Shed started booking bands on a regular basis though I did attend, mainly to support my local music scene. In the space of a few months I had seen The Hoosiers, Scouting For Girls, The Script, Reverend And The Makers, The Black Kids, Kate Nash, Cage The Elephant and The Pigeon Detectives. Not really a wide selection of music there by anyone's standards, all of the aforementioned bands have been overplayed on both BBC and commercial radio which apparently means they're going to be amazing live...sadly not.
Personally I'm not a fan of commercial indie at all (mainly bands emerging in the past 2 years beginning with 'The') and the shows I saw at the Engine Shed confirmed my stance on the genre. Admittedly some of the bands were good and the crowd got going for it, but it was never anything out of the ordinary. The usual forté of a vibrant frontman running around everywhere whilst the rest of the band stand still for the fear they might get noticed by the crowd.
Since the starting of regular gigs at the Engine Shed, there has been a constant barrage of indie band after indie band infecting the stage with their unbearable 'new take' on the genre, which somehow sounds like everyone else. Bands which have appeared recently are; The Kooks, The Ting Tings, The Charlatans and other such bands beginning with 'The'. There have been some 'alternative' bands though in the past 2 years which such as Deftones, Cooper Temple Clause and Feeder. I attended the Deftones gig which was majorly underpromoted (the tour date wasn't even on the t-shirts on sale at the gig) as such the venue was just over half full. Yet if a Radio 1 posterchild is given the opportunity to headline then their posters will be all over the city of Lincoln like a tropical rash.
The mere idea of an 'alternative' band must somehow scare the 'powers that be' in charge of the Engine Shed and will only book indie bands as they know it will sell out and therefore make a profit. The population of Lincoln is around 100,000 and the capacity of the Engine Shed is 1,500 - I'm sure if they book a popular band that is not indie then tickets will sell. Bands such as Enter Shikari, Pendulum, Gallows, Klaxons and other such artists could fill the venue many times over - but probably will never get the chance.
I was most excited when the Taste Of Chaos 2008 tour was announced at the Engine Shed for November this year, but was cancelled in Lincoln due to 'unforeseen circumstances'. After 2 years of waiting some metal bands were going to play Lincoln but it got cancelled, and no-one seems to know why. I knew many people who bought tickets, including myself. I was ticket number 700-and something which must mean it was nearly half sold out months before it was due to happen...but nevertheless it was cancelled.
So overall it seems that the people in charge of booking talent for the Engine Shed are scared of not selling the venue out, so only book bands which are played on the radio more than 3 times an hour every hour for months on end until the general public finally give in and start liking the band. Personally I feel the bookers for the Engine Shed should at least give it a shot booking a big non-indie band, if it fails then fine I was wrong that Lincoln isn't just full of indie fans - but there is still only one way to find out...book someone else!
Monday 3 November 2008
Simon Cowell Will Kill Music Television
This news may be common knowledge to people now but I've been too busy over the past few days to put my opinion on the matter onto the screen, so here it goes.
It has been reported that Simon Cowell himself is going to bring Top Of The Pops back! But to ITV. This is one of the reasons why I can see TOTP failing again. TOTP ended in 2006 after a 42 year run on the BBC which to be fair is a very long time for a television show, especially a music show. The only reason that TOTP survived was that it changed with the times and incorporated new, weird and underground bands onto the show - which music lovers like. Actual music lovers don't listen to manufactured pop music such as the X Factor drivel Simon Cowell is pumping into the living rooms of our nation every Saturday night.
Simon Cowell has built his empire on knowing what will become #1 in the charts, which are predominantly pop. I can see now that the new TOTP will be another outlet for Mr. Cowell to force his latest plastic popstar onto the world, but it won't be the same. T4 music is sort of along the right lines, they have a lot of underground and lesser known bands but it's usually on at 2am which isn't really primetime viewing. Also as TOTP will be broadcast on ITV it means there will be adverts, woo hoo. There will probably be 2 songs MAXIMUM in each part then we'll be blown away by adverts for car insurance, or injury lawyers or a variety of brightly coloured cleaning products - things that really appeal to the youth of today.
Basically this is going to be the death of music television, not even MTV plays music any more. That's been spread amongst it's children (MTV2, MTV Base etc) which are on 24/7, TOTP is going to be an hour long and have pop song after pop song after cheesy pop song and no-one will care. Of course I could be wrong and this venture will change music as we know it...but I doubt it.
It has been reported that Simon Cowell himself is going to bring Top Of The Pops back! But to ITV. This is one of the reasons why I can see TOTP failing again. TOTP ended in 2006 after a 42 year run on the BBC which to be fair is a very long time for a television show, especially a music show. The only reason that TOTP survived was that it changed with the times and incorporated new, weird and underground bands onto the show - which music lovers like. Actual music lovers don't listen to manufactured pop music such as the X Factor drivel Simon Cowell is pumping into the living rooms of our nation every Saturday night.
Simon Cowell has built his empire on knowing what will become #1 in the charts, which are predominantly pop. I can see now that the new TOTP will be another outlet for Mr. Cowell to force his latest plastic popstar onto the world, but it won't be the same. T4 music is sort of along the right lines, they have a lot of underground and lesser known bands but it's usually on at 2am which isn't really primetime viewing. Also as TOTP will be broadcast on ITV it means there will be adverts, woo hoo. There will probably be 2 songs MAXIMUM in each part then we'll be blown away by adverts for car insurance, or injury lawyers or a variety of brightly coloured cleaning products - things that really appeal to the youth of today.
Basically this is going to be the death of music television, not even MTV plays music any more. That's been spread amongst it's children (MTV2, MTV Base etc) which are on 24/7, TOTP is going to be an hour long and have pop song after pop song after cheesy pop song and no-one will care. Of course I could be wrong and this venture will change music as we know it...but I doubt it.
Thursday 30 October 2008
The Band Remains The Same?
So it seems Led Zeppelin is going to return after all, but without Robert Plant. This has left (I'm sure) a lot of Zeppelin fans like myself divided on the issue. On one hand I am annoyed that Plant has denied to join Zeppelin on their reunion tour, but on the other I don't think one man should hold back possibly the world's best rock band from reuniting for their millions of fans.
Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones told the BBC that a new singer was being sought after Plant ruled himself out. NME have reported that Alter Bridge's vocalist Myles Kennedy has been rehearsing with the band lately.
Now I've heard some of Alter Bridge's stuff, and I like a couple of songs 'Find The Real' is a pretty good tune. But they have a completely different sound to that of Led Zeppelin. This of course isn't a bad thing, but if you're going to front the band then you should at least sound like them. I have a growing fear that Zeppelin are going to turn into a poor tribute version of themselves, which cannot happen! Led Zeppelin are one of the biggest and best rock n roll bands of all time, and they can't have a 'final' tour without Robert Plant.
On the other hand however this is probably the only chance that people like myself are going to have to see Led Zeppelin live before they eventually give up. If Robert Plant is not there, it is still Zeppelin in all their glory performing some of the greatest songs ever written. If Led Zep do go on tour without Robert Plant I would still try my hardest to get tickets for the nearest show, but if Plant does decide to reunite then I would even pay eBay prices for a ticket.
So whichever way this goes, I'm still going to try and go. But if Robert Plant suddenly has a change of heart and decides to go on tour with his bandmates then I will definately be there, no matter what it takes.
But as it seems Plant won't be changing his mind, here's a video of Alter Bridge doing a cover of 'Kashmir'. It's not bad, but it's not Robert Plant!
Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones told the BBC that a new singer was being sought after Plant ruled himself out. NME have reported that Alter Bridge's vocalist Myles Kennedy has been rehearsing with the band lately.
Now I've heard some of Alter Bridge's stuff, and I like a couple of songs 'Find The Real' is a pretty good tune. But they have a completely different sound to that of Led Zeppelin. This of course isn't a bad thing, but if you're going to front the band then you should at least sound like them. I have a growing fear that Zeppelin are going to turn into a poor tribute version of themselves, which cannot happen! Led Zeppelin are one of the biggest and best rock n roll bands of all time, and they can't have a 'final' tour without Robert Plant.
On the other hand however this is probably the only chance that people like myself are going to have to see Led Zeppelin live before they eventually give up. If Robert Plant is not there, it is still Zeppelin in all their glory performing some of the greatest songs ever written. If Led Zep do go on tour without Robert Plant I would still try my hardest to get tickets for the nearest show, but if Plant does decide to reunite then I would even pay eBay prices for a ticket.
So whichever way this goes, I'm still going to try and go. But if Robert Plant suddenly has a change of heart and decides to go on tour with his bandmates then I will definately be there, no matter what it takes.
But as it seems Plant won't be changing his mind, here's a video of Alter Bridge doing a cover of 'Kashmir'. It's not bad, but it's not Robert Plant!
Monday 27 October 2008
Who Knew Excel Could Be Used For This
As AC/DC are currently #1 in the album charts I thought it was fitting to post this video on here. AC/DC's "Rock N Roll Train" performed through Microsoft Excel!
To download the spreadsheet, click here: http://www.acdcrocks.com/excel/
To download the spreadsheet, click here: http://www.acdcrocks.com/excel/
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