In reference to the article concerning heavy metal and teen suicide: I, being a heavy metal fan, must admit that death is a recurring theme in some bands' lyrics. However, I also wanted to point out that nowadays, "thinking about suicide" has become popular because of the media. (Example: Kurt Cobain's suicide has been glorified and many teenagers followed such action) Why? We're suffering from what I would call "mindlesness"...I sadly see how many of my schoolmates, for example, will be quick to accept whatever MTV and the radio throw at them (ANYTHING).
These two mediums have played with political correctness and have turned it into a gimmick, therefore contributing to a general lack of objective and critical thought. Heavy metal is not the only part to blame...the media is too, and so are may irresponsible parents. I must sadly affirm that the United States is suffering from a breakdown in the institution of what is known as "the family", in which many parents would rather let the government take care of their children and dedicate themselves to other things. As I said before, heavy metal is not the only one to blame, but it is an easy scapegoat for those who insist on blaming youth's problems on someone.
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Friday, 25 July 2008
BPI v ISPs - who's won on music piracy?
Just two days ago BskyB signed a deal with Universal to set up an online music service and I asked whether the fast-growing broadband provider would be doing anything in return to crack down on filesharing. Well now I've got my answer. Sky is one of six major ISPs to sign a memorandum of understanding with the music industry to reduce the ilegal swapping of music online.
The deal was brokered by the government and is being unveiled on Thursday morning. Among those companies to have signed up is Carphone Warehouse, whose boss Charles Dunstone sent the music industry away with a flea in its ear a few months back, insisting it wasn't his job to act as an internet policeman.
So victory to the BPI, the music industry trade body which has fought long and hard to get the ISPs to to recognise their duty to cooperate in the campaign against piracy? Err, not quite.
All the ISPs have promised to do is to send letters to those customers identified by the BPI as persistent filesharers. And these letters are described as "Informative", designed to let people know that what they are doing is illegal, but not to threaten them with anything - much like the letters that Virgin Media has been sending to some of its customers. What the BPI wants - and it's been telling anyone that would listen that it had the government's backing on this - is a "three strikes and you're out" policy, which would see customers who ignored repeated warnings disconnected by their broadband providers. I've spoken to two ISPs in the last few hours and both have made it clear that they certainly will not be threatening customers with any such thing.
Now these letters may have an effect on some who receive them, particularly parents who are informed that the teenagers are upstairs sharing their music with the world. Indeed I'm told that a trial shows they work in around 70% of cases. The trouble is that the other 30%, what you might call the hardcore filesharers, will not be deterred. That issue - dealing with the repeat offenders - will now be discussed by the two sides with the media regulator Ofcom.
I've also heard that the business minister Baroness Vadera has spent many hours on the phone to ISP bosses, urging them to sign up to this deal. Whatever the BPI may say about the threat of legislation if the ISPs don't play ball, it's clear the government wants to avoid that at all cost. After all, any kind of voluntary "pact on piracy" sounds a lot better than framing complex laws designed to turn millions of internet users and the companies who supply them into criminals.
Oh, and that story running in one newspaper about the government favouring a £30 tax to download music seems to be wide of the mark. It sounds like the "iPod tax" idea floated by some parts of the music industry - and even they admit that it is now a non-starter.
The BPI has a carrot-and-stick approach in its dealings with the ISPs - you crack down on pirates, and you can have a stake in what is still a pretty lucrative business. So far, the ISPs seem to be grabbing the carrot - while avoiding the stick.
The deal was brokered by the government and is being unveiled on Thursday morning. Among those companies to have signed up is Carphone Warehouse, whose boss Charles Dunstone sent the music industry away with a flea in its ear a few months back, insisting it wasn't his job to act as an internet policeman.
So victory to the BPI, the music industry trade body which has fought long and hard to get the ISPs to to recognise their duty to cooperate in the campaign against piracy? Err, not quite.
All the ISPs have promised to do is to send letters to those customers identified by the BPI as persistent filesharers. And these letters are described as "Informative", designed to let people know that what they are doing is illegal, but not to threaten them with anything - much like the letters that Virgin Media has been sending to some of its customers. What the BPI wants - and it's been telling anyone that would listen that it had the government's backing on this - is a "three strikes and you're out" policy, which would see customers who ignored repeated warnings disconnected by their broadband providers. I've spoken to two ISPs in the last few hours and both have made it clear that they certainly will not be threatening customers with any such thing.
Now these letters may have an effect on some who receive them, particularly parents who are informed that the teenagers are upstairs sharing their music with the world. Indeed I'm told that a trial shows they work in around 70% of cases. The trouble is that the other 30%, what you might call the hardcore filesharers, will not be deterred. That issue - dealing with the repeat offenders - will now be discussed by the two sides with the media regulator Ofcom.
I've also heard that the business minister Baroness Vadera has spent many hours on the phone to ISP bosses, urging them to sign up to this deal. Whatever the BPI may say about the threat of legislation if the ISPs don't play ball, it's clear the government wants to avoid that at all cost. After all, any kind of voluntary "pact on piracy" sounds a lot better than framing complex laws designed to turn millions of internet users and the companies who supply them into criminals.
Oh, and that story running in one newspaper about the government favouring a £30 tax to download music seems to be wide of the mark. It sounds like the "iPod tax" idea floated by some parts of the music industry - and even they admit that it is now a non-starter.
The BPI has a carrot-and-stick approach in its dealings with the ISPs - you crack down on pirates, and you can have a stake in what is still a pretty lucrative business. So far, the ISPs seem to be grabbing the carrot - while avoiding the stick.
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
The Magic Of The Rolling Stones: by Victor Epand
Unlike many other bands that had started out in the early sixties, the Rolling Stones is still going strong. In fact, because the band has been around for so long, many of the original band members are no longer with the Rolling Stones. When originally formed in the year of 1962, the band members consisted of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman. Brian Jones would be fired from the band in 1968 and Mick Taylor, who left the band in 1974, would take his place.
Ronnie Wood later joined the band and Bill Wyman left the band in the early nineties. Today, the band currently consists of only four members: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts. Even with the many changes that occurred throughout the years, including the turn over in the members, the band continues to tour and be enjoyed for its music.
The Rolling Stones focused more in rhythm and blues and rock and roll when they first started out, but were more or less labeled a rock and roll band after a hit in the mid 1960s. From then, they went on to become one of the most successful rock and roll bands in the twentieth century. They would create thirty albums and many compilations through the years. In 1994, they made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Even though they continued to tour and play together, many of the band members also created solo albums on the side. It is obvious through their dedication to their music and their want to continue playing that music is what these people love. For over forty years they have been playing together as a band and continuing to share their unique style with the world. In fact, they are quite experimental in their playing and have been extremely successful in doing so. Even though they are a rock and roll band, they always include many different music genres in their music.
Perhaps the reason why the Rolling Stones have been a success for so long is because they have such a passion and love for what they do. This is why they have been able to create music that has been enjoyed for more than forty years. It is an extraordinary achievement that other bands and musicians strive to do, and while there have been a few that were successful in having a lifetime career in music, there are few bands that have managed to entertain so well for so long.
The ironic thing about the band's success is that in the beginning Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were not terribly impressed with their music and were surprised when their first few songs had such a good turn out. That success helped them to build their confidence and they kept on going after that. They may have underestimated their abilities at first, but after some hard work they began to see what they were really capable of.
Ronnie Wood later joined the band and Bill Wyman left the band in the early nineties. Today, the band currently consists of only four members: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts. Even with the many changes that occurred throughout the years, including the turn over in the members, the band continues to tour and be enjoyed for its music.
The Rolling Stones focused more in rhythm and blues and rock and roll when they first started out, but were more or less labeled a rock and roll band after a hit in the mid 1960s. From then, they went on to become one of the most successful rock and roll bands in the twentieth century. They would create thirty albums and many compilations through the years. In 1994, they made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Even though they continued to tour and play together, many of the band members also created solo albums on the side. It is obvious through their dedication to their music and their want to continue playing that music is what these people love. For over forty years they have been playing together as a band and continuing to share their unique style with the world. In fact, they are quite experimental in their playing and have been extremely successful in doing so. Even though they are a rock and roll band, they always include many different music genres in their music.
Perhaps the reason why the Rolling Stones have been a success for so long is because they have such a passion and love for what they do. This is why they have been able to create music that has been enjoyed for more than forty years. It is an extraordinary achievement that other bands and musicians strive to do, and while there have been a few that were successful in having a lifetime career in music, there are few bands that have managed to entertain so well for so long.
The ironic thing about the band's success is that in the beginning Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were not terribly impressed with their music and were surprised when their first few songs had such a good turn out. That success helped them to build their confidence and they kept on going after that. They may have underestimated their abilities at first, but after some hard work they began to see what they were really capable of.
Monday, 14 July 2008
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