#p: keynote music collective

[lsdunesarchive]

Nate Bergman, Kayleigh Goldsworthy and L.S. Dunes Takeover The Ottobar in Baltimore, MD

Words and photos by Samantha Walsh December 6, 2022

Oh, the Ottobar. An hour and some change from home for me, but it feels like a home away from home. In 2018 the Ottobar was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by Rolling Stone Magazine. Understanding why is clear as soon as you step foot in the door.

This intimate, grungy dive bar type venue hosts everything from dance parties to burlesque shows. But I digress. 

The show is sold out and fans are waiting in the bitter cold for an hour before doors. No complaints from the lengthy line, though. The buzz and excitement about the looming show kept us warm and content. We’re let in and well, as expected, there’s no barricade (I later learned they never have them). If you’re a photographer, you know how scary the words ‘no barricade’ can be. Especially in a cozy little club like The Ottobar with a high energy crowd.

Nate Bergman

The room fills quickly with listeners of all ages. You’ve got everything from your hardcore dudes to younger gals with their parents in tow. At 7:50p.m., Nate Bergman, bluesy rock artist, casually strolls onto stage, and begins to sing his first song acapella. Dude’s got pipes from Heaven, his voice sweet, serenading and raspy (in a good way). 

Hailing from Washington D.C, he’s basically right at home at this venue. Nate strums his guitar and belts his emotional lyrics to a totally immersed crowd. Oh, and he brought Kayleigh Goldsworthy out for a duet. They harmonized angelically, covering “Dancing On My Own”, made famous by Robyn in 2010. A bittersweet banger, and man, did they nail it. Nate ends his set by hustling down the stage stairs, crooning as he makes his way through a sea of people. He invites us to come to his merch table and chat with him after the show. 

Someone from the Boston crowd got a video of Bergman and Goldsworthy dueting “Dancing On My Own”. You can check it out here. Hop on over to Nate’s Instagram, where he posts plenty of acoustic goodness.

Kayleigh Goldsworthy

The clock strikes 8:30 and Kayleigh Goldsworthy graces the stage once again. Beautiful and beaming (literally, she was wearing a really cute bedazzled top), this alternative folk artist’s set follows and complements Nate’s beautifully. Her lyrics heartfelt but a slightly more upbeat. Between songs, she smiles at her fans and replies sweetly to the ones brave enough to shout out words of encouragement to her. 

Goldsworthy is talented and quirky to boot, telling short stories and joking with the audience prior to each song. Her set concludes with a few special guests to support her through her final song. Yep, the boys of L.S. Dunes came out and performed her original song, “Overambitious” alongside her. Henceforth, the crowd of course lost their minds. 

You can watch the music video for “Overambitious” right here. Keep up with Kayleigh via her Instagram page.

L.S. Dunes

At 9:35 its L.S. Dunes turn to take the stage, and boy, did they. Right out of the gate, drummer Tucker Rule plops down at his kit and takes off. The rest of the band joins in on their respective instruments. The shrieks of an excited and packed to the gills venue is comparable to a roar. 

If you’re not familiar with L.S. Dunes (I mean, they are a new band after all), you may see some faces that jog your memory. 

Frontman Anthony Green, like his band mates, has quite the musical history. Circa Survive, Saosin, and The Sound of Animals Fighting, in addition to his solo music. (Dear Child was stuck in my head for 3 days leading up to the show). Frank Iero, My Chemical Romance rhythm guitarist, also was a part of Leathermouth and Pencey Prep. (And if that’s not enough, he has a solo project called Frank Iero and The Future Violents). You’ve got Thursday bassist Tim Payne, Travis Stever, co-founder and lead guitarist of Coheed and Cambria, and drummer Tucker Rule. 

Quite literally a medley of all of my favorite bands as an emo teen, wrapped up into a perfect indie supergroup. I’ve been to an array of shows, all different genres, venues massive and tiny. The energy and stage presence this band has is unmatched, unlike anything I’ve seen before. 

The band plays harmoniously, grinning and grooving. Meanwhile Anthony darts around the stage, whipping his sweat drenched locks around to the beat of each song. L.S. Dunes performed their new album, “Past Lives” in its entirety, by the way. 

They’re at 110% for the whole damn set, it’s really incredible. The entire room was so eager to be closer to stage that consequently, you could not move to lift your arms. The night ends with the boys leaving the stage, only for the crowd to demand an encore. They return to stage and close out with my personal favorite from the album, “Sleep Cult”. It’s a beautifully haunting and weirdly romantic jam. Kayleigh Goldsworthy joins in, playing along on her violin and creating a sweet but somber ending to the night.

While their 2022 tour has concluded, (their first tour!) lookout for L.S. Dunes to dominate the nation in 2023. 

You can listen to their new album, ‘Past Lives’ here.

Want to keep up with L.S. Dunes? Check out their Twitter and Instagram for the latest.

[folk-enjoyer]

Suggested song

"The Frozen Logger" The Weavers, 1951

"The Frozen Logger" was originally written and performed in 1929 by Jim Stevens (the man who popularized the folk legend Paul bunyan in his 1925 book "Paul Bunyan"

for his program on the ABC seattle network "The Histories of Paul Bunyan"

here's a segment of Jim Stevens talking about that himself:

Oregon Historical Quarterly Vol. 50, No. 4 (Dec., 1949) pp.235-242

it's possible that the song was performed by Ivar Haglund (notable for his prolific seafood themed songs and clam restaurant) in the early to mid 1940s on his radio show "Around the Sound" where he would sing folk music for 15 minutes, and I found a couple sources listing him as either the copyright owner of the song, or the writer (he did not write the song). He was friends with Jim Stevens, and it's likely that Stevens taught him the song.

Radio Daily, July 1944 and KJR flyer, 1942

Many secondhand sources mentioned that "The Frozen Logger" was based on an old tune or an old ballad, with words that were originally written by Jim Stevens, including Jim Stevens himself though he's not specific. I think i might be the first person ever to point out that the ballad it was based on belongs to the folk song family of "The Unfortunate Rake"/ "The Unfortunate Lad" (recorded here in the 1960s and performed by A.L. Lloyd) it has a similar story structure, similar characters, similar rhymes, and similar composition.

in " 'The Unfortunate Rake' and His Descendants" by Kenneth Lodewick, the original song is dated as being from ireland in 1790, and one of its earliest printings was in England in 1850 as a folk ballad

as you might be able to guess if you're familiar with cowboy ballads, this song is also the origin of "Streets of Laredo" or "The cowboys lament" which emerged in the late 1800s from cowhand workers. A cowhand in the late 1870s named Frank H. Maynard has claimed to write the song in 1876 and published his version in "Cowboy's Lament: A Life on the Open Range" in 1911 after it was published in Alan Lomax's "Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads" in 1910. in my opinion, i think this song could have multiple origins.

the oldest recording i could find was by Harry McClintock in 1928

as an aside, there was also ANOTHER lumberjack version of the song collected by John C. French called "The Wild Lumberjack" from Pennsylvania logging camps dated between 1870-1904/1905. performed here by Kenneth S Goldstein (1960s). This song isn't the origin of "The Frozen Logger" but it's interesting that there are two songs like this.

I believe that "The Frozen Logger" is an adaptation from the cowboy version. Jim Stevens grew up in Idaho and worked in Montana (where he mentions learning many songs) and in 1959, he gave an interview with Ivar Harglund about how he used traditional folk and country music and created new and topical lyrics for the Keep Washington Green Campaign in the 1940s

The first ever publishment and recording (That I could find) of "The Frozen Logger" was in 1947 by Earl Robinson in his Keynote Album, commented upon by the Chicago star by Raeburn Flerlage that same year.

The Chicago Star (Chicago, III.) April 5, 1947 (p.13). Library of Congress

Pete seeger, one of the Weavers, was (for some reason that escapes me) friends with Ivar Haglund (who was friends with Jim Stevens) and, like with the song "the Old Settler" , it is likely that Haglund taught the song to Pete Seeger who then, with the rest of the Weavers, performed it in 1951, popularizing the song.

for @slowtraincumming

[didanawisgi]

THE SOURCE OF SUFISM

THE SOURCE OF SUFISM by Moustafa Gadalla, published in Egyptian Mystics (2003)

“The common premise is that “Sufism” is an Islamic group practicing a form of mysticism that originated in Persia.

As the book progresses, we will find that “Sufism” has nothing to do with Islam or Persia, and everything to do with the quiet peoples of Ancient and Baladi Egypt. Two points of interest should be mentioned here:

The term and practices of “Sufism” surfaced as a result of Islamic conquests and the subsequent terrorizing of its victims. In order for the Islamic-terrorized masses to maintain their ancient traditions, they had to camouflage old traditions under an Islamic garment.

The pure form of “Sufism” originated in Egypt. Other countries copied it and were quick to take the credit for it. Their application of “Sufism” is impure and incomplete, as we will find throughout this book.

The common premise (mentioned above) about the roots and essence of “Sufism” is absolutely wrong, as we will conclude by examining the facts throughout this book. Here are just a few introductory facts:

1. The notion of an Islamic origin of “Sufism” is wrong. “Islamic mysticism” is an oxymoron—as per the following selected points:

The mystical seekers who are called “Sufis” have always suffered from Islamic rule throughout the ages. Many have been killed. They have been accused of attempting to make innovations on the dogmas of Islam; of following practices forbidden by the Koran; of denying the very existence of a personal Allah. The tolerance, or lack thereof, of Sufism in the Arabized/Islamized world is closely linked to the whim of the ruler and how he interprets/enforces Islamic laws. During certain periods, Sufism was/is tolerated; during others, it was outlawed and condemned.

The keynote of mysticism (Sufism) is the union between man and God which, in Islam, is considered blasphemy; and as such is punishable by death by any Moslem, who is “empowered” to do so by the Koran itself!

Islamic teachings are characterized by a consuming fear of God’s wrath, while the Egyptian model of mysticism (Sufism) emphasizes love and not fear. God is perceived in terms of emotional closeness—“the friend,” “the lover”—whose love can be experienced personally and individually.

Mysticism (Sufism) is based on self-attained revelations by mystical means, which is contrary to Islam. Such revelations, as experienced by the mystical seekers (Sufis), are considered blasphemy and therefore are punishable by death, as established in the Koran.

The Egyptian mystical seekers (Sufis) include in their ritual practices (as well as public festivals) specific methods to achieve ecstatic proximity to God through music, dance, or song. This runs contrary to Islam, where music, singing, and dancing are strictly forbidden, as clearly stated in all treatises on Islamic laws.

Contrary to Islamic doctrine, Egyptian mysticism (Sufism) bridges the gulf between man and God with folk saints. Veneration of folk saints and pilgrimages to their shrines represent an important aspect of the Egyptian Baladi mystical practices which is totally against the Islamic doctrine.

2. The claim of a Persian origin of “Sufism” is also wrong. The Persians themselves refer to Egypt as the source of “Sufism”. For example:

a. The Egyptian Dhu ‘l-Nun (died in 860 CE) is recognized in all Islamized Sufi references as the spiritual source of “Sufism” who prepared the way for the presently-known form of Islamized Sufism. Sufis claim him for their own as a leader and the originator of important concepts such as the mystic’s direct knowledge (gnosis) of God and the stations and states of the spiritual Path. Dhu ‘l-Nun was knowledgeable of the Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. A number of short treatises which deal with alchemy, magic, and medicine are attributed to him.

b. Thoth (Tehuti), the Ancient Egyptian neter (god), is recognized by all early (and later) Sufi writers as the ancient model of alchemy, mysticism, and all related subjects.

The well- known Sufi writer Idries Shah, who was an Iranian/Persian himself, admits the role of Egypt via Thoth and Dhu’I-Nun on Sufism and alchemy as follows:

. . . alchemical lore came from Egypt direct from the writings of Thoth . . . According to Sufi tradition the lore was transmitted through Dhu’i-Nun the Egyptian, the King or Lord of the Fish, one of the most famous of classical Sufi teachers. [The Sufis, 1964]

Thoth’s name appears among the ancient masters of what is now called the Way of the Sufis. In other words, both the Sufis and the alchemists recognize Tehuti as the foundation of their knowledge.

Idries Shah also makes a direct reference to the Spanish-Arab historian Said of Toledo (who died in 1069) who outlines this tradition of the Ancient Egyptian Thoth (aka Hermes):

Sages affirm that all antediluvian sciences originate with the Egyptian Hermes [Thoth], in Upper Egypt. The Jews call him Enoch and the Moslems Idris. He was the first who spoke of the material of the superior world and of planetary movements . . . Medicine and poetry were his functions . . . [as well as] the sciences, including alchemy and magic. [Cf. Asin Palacios, Ibn Masarra, p. 13]

c. It is an indisputable fact that all Sufi mystical terms are not Persian (or Turkish). All Sufi terms are “Arabic”. The “Arabic” language is substantially of Egyptian origin. After the Arab/Islamic conquests of their neighboring countries (including Egypt), they simply cancelled the identity of their victimized countries,= and labeled them “Arabs”.

3. To continue the point above (regarding the language of Sufism), it should be noted that the word Sufi was never mentioned in the Koran or in Mohammed’s sayings. There is no consensus on its meaning. The “translation” of the word/term “Sufi” as a “wearer of wool” is totally fabricated, and is one of many attempted explanations.

The word is actually of Ancient Egyptian origin. Seph/Soph was a component of common Egyptian names; meaning wisdom and purity (among many other meanings).

4. Some of the standard Sufi terms that are often used are: old religion, antique faith, old one, andancient tradition. Such terms were used/stressed by all early Sufi writers, which is indicative of the pre-Islamic origins of Sufism.

5. The Egyptians are remarkable traditionalists to a fault. Early historians have attested to this fact, such as: Herodotus, in The Histories, Book Two, 79:

The Egyptians keep to their native customs and never adopt any from abroad.

And Herodotus in The Histories, Book Two, 91:

The Egyptians are unwilling to adopt Greek customs, or, to speak generally, those of any other country.

Plato and other writers affirmed the complete adherence of the Egyptians to their own traditions.

6. Supernatural powers acclaimed by the mystics (Sufis) are often called magic. From the earliest times, Egypt has been celebrated for its magicians, and accounts of their marvelous achievements have been documented not only in Ancient Egyptian records, but also in the Bible and in the works of several classical writers. Furthermore, many of the tales in the famous collection of stories known as The Arabian Nights show what wonder-working powers were attributed to magicians in medieval Egypt.

Heka [shown above] represents the Ancient Egyptian magical power of words. He is usually depicted holding two snakes with total ease.

7. The country that has the largest number of “Sufi” followers is Egypt. Participation in Sufi fellowships (orders) in other countries besides Egypt is very small in comparison.

Egyptian mysticism (Sufism) is not an offshoot of Islam; it is the old “religion” camouflaged into Arabized/Islamized terms.

Egyptian mystical seekers (Sufis) maintain low profiles, for they seek no public glory; but rather the ultimate mystical glory—The Divine.”

Previous: Preface [1st Edition]

Next: Chapter 6 : The Way to Revelations

[suzylwade]

Neon Nights Tim Etchells (born 1962) is a British artist and writer based in Sheffield and London. Etchells is the artistic director of 'Forced Entertainment' an experimental performance company founded in 1984. He has published several works of fiction, written about contemporary performance and exhibited his visual art projects in various locations. Etchells is ‘Professor of Performance' at 'Lancaster University'. In 2006, he convened ‘The Presence Project’ a series of workshops at 'Stanford University'. Etchells' publication ‘Vacuum Days’ based on his year-long web-based project of 2011, was published by Storythings in 2012. Etchells has published several works of fiction ‘Endland Stories’, ‘The Dream Dictionary for the Modern Dreamer’ and the novel ‘The Broken World’ and has written about contemporary performance in ‘The Guardian’ and in artist monographs, such as an ‘MIT Press’ publication on the work of Tehching Hsieh and a 'Live Art Development Agency' publication on Ron Athey. In 2013 he was guest curator of Ljubljana's ‘Exodos Festival’ – selecting an international programme of work in performance, theatre and dance. On 25 November 2013, Etchells gave a public keynote address ‘Live Forever’ at Tate Modern in the frame of their research series ‘Collecting the Performative’. A new public sculpture work by Etchells ‘A Stitch in Time’ was commissioned for the ‘Lumiere Festival’ Londonderry and installed on top of the old ‘Rosemount Shirt Factory’. The work comprises a 23 metre long and 2 metre high sign made with white LED bulbs. #neonurchin #neonurchinblog #dedicatedtothethingswelove #suzyurchin #ollyurchin #art #music #photography #fashion #film #words #pictures #neon #urchin #timetchells #british #forcedentertainment #lancasteruniversity #thepresenceproject #endlandstories #wordsasart #neonlights https://www.instagram.com/p/BtvNtuPAhqp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ozu0lcipc9n5

[trascapades]

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⚖️🎼#ArtIsAWeapon ✊🏿Reposted from @this.is.a.movement #THISISAMOVEMENT is an initiative seeking to create a fairer, freer and more representative music industry through an intersectional, Black feminist provocation. this two-part jazz and gender convening commences on saturday, january 15 kicking off with #tiam keynote conversations from 11:00 am until 1 pm followed by M³ deeper dives from 2:00 - 3:30 pm EST. we encourage our collective community to unite in imagining an equitable present and future service of this rich art form. please head to our bio link to register for our convening 🦋 @berkleecollege @thenewschool @mutualmentorshipformusicians @bricer22 @realmusicrebels @ajatheethnomusicologist @secsmiles @carolinedavismusic @ae_eeeeee @ginaizzo @___niama___ @saraserpamusic @jenshyu @jazzandgenderjustice @angeltheoracle @fabian_almazan @marquise_reads @jordannahelizabeth @terrilynecarrington @georgia.muldrow @shantourage @naomisoextra @lmoh000 @jhoardmusic @lilelenna @templestud.io @southartsorg @thesoundmindbk #ThisIsAMovement https://www.instagram.com/trascapades/p/CYuEVFxBpI6/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sfbgs]

🚨🌿Today is the day! 🌿🚨 Join us online for Garden Feast from 5:30-6:30pm to benefit the Garden’s education programs and extraordinary global plant collections! Link in bio. 🌼🌸🌺 This free event will debut a new Garden drone video narrated by Curator Ryan Guillou, keynote from @bgci_us Executive Director Abby Meyer that will deepen our understanding of the critical role botanical gardens play in conserving global biodiversity, music from Polina Sedukh of @sfsymphony, and stay with us until the end of the event for special announcement about Flower Piano 2021! 🌼🎹 #sfbotanicalgarden #youtheducation #plantcollections #flowerpiano #gardenfeast (at San Francisco Botanical Garden) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPEPnueAb7c/?utm_medium=tumblr

[bynkii]

Apple Music

What it could be

I’m not a huge fan of “what they should have said at the keynote” things because often, they’re full of shit. I’ve done one or so in my life. Which was about Steve Jobs making everyone at a Macworld Keynote actually kiss his physical ass. Because that shit is funny.

But listening to the Apple Music part of the WWDC, it was just kind of…sterile. Like Jimmy Iovine and Drake are talking about this in the most flat way possible, and I’m not sure anyone saw the potential here.

But I did, because I’m old enough to remember when radio was different. When DJs actually decided what got played, and would play random shit like the Clash or Public Enemy. So I think about how it could have gone...

Music

Music…music is humanity. Music is a part of everyone. We all think about music, we all care about music. We all have those songs. The songs that bring us to our feet, to our knees, or both. The songs that bring us to laughter to tears or both. Sometimes both at the same time. The songs that are a part of the best and worst moments of our lives, and got us through those moments, and everything in between.

Once upon a time, radio was central to that. I know now, it’s almost a joke, but for me, for folks my age, radio was how we discovered new music. Radio stations like Zeta4, WEDR, WSHE, and Super Q in Miami were how I took my first musical steps from the classical and folk my parents loved. Through them I discovered people I’d never heard of. Led Zeppelin. Kiss. The Clash. Prince. Bob Marley. Tito Puente. A little group called the “Miami Sound Machine” whose singer was a local girl, Gloria Estefan.

When I was…eleven I think, one of my dad’s co-workers took me to what was my first ever concert. It was P-Funk. The Hollywood Sportatorium was packed and we were, the nine of us, like the only honkies in the building. It blew my mind. I don’t mean in the way most people do, that mundane, shallow thing they talk about. I’m not talking about the new quinoa dish or yet another bottle of Pinot Grigio.

For hours, I stood there, unable to process what I was seeing, hearing and feeling. I was an eleven-year-old white boy who knew more about Beethoven and The Kingston Trio than anything else. I was not ready for George Clinton, Bootsy, and all the rest. I had no idea what the hell was going on, but it dug into me, it carved out a place, and it stayed. The next morning, I was doing the slow crawl through the FM stations and I hit WEDR, the only real “black” station in Miami, and they were playing the stuff my soul was screaming for.

WEDR, and its DJs taught me things. Like what funk was. What soul was. Not the calm, whitewashed things you saw on TV when they trotted out Ray Charles for yet another rendering of “Georgia on My Mind” or “Hit The Road, Jack”. But the deep dirty funk. It’s where I first heard Prince, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and so many other artists.

But here’s the thing: WEDR and the DJs were the only way I was going to hear that. My friends were all into either Zeppelin & Pink Floyd, or Disco. From them, I’d have never heard this stuff.

A couple years later, stations like Zeta4 and WVUM showed me things like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and others.

Radio, in that brief moment of my life before the ClearChannels of the world turned it all to…whatever it became, was how I learned the things I’d have never learned, where I found the things that would have otherwise existed just out of my reach. And that was in a city like Miami. Had I lived in some small town in say, North Dakota? Jesus.

The online revolution in music has both democratized and stratified music. It gives the kid in Arvilla, N.D. access to the same catalog as the kid in New York City, Chicago, or Miami. All you need is an even sort of fast internet connection and it’s all there waiting for you to find it.

But how? How do you find it?

We rely on algorithms from online services to help us pick the next song we listen to. We rely on algorithms to help us find the next song to buy. We hope our friends happen to have wider tastes that we do. (As much as that was limited when I was in high school and into my 20s, it’s even worse now. People in their late 40s get kind of boring about music.) But it gets harder and harder to have that “Aha” experience, where you hear something you’d never have looked for, that isn’t like anything else you own or normally listen to. Had it not been for Zeta-4's Sunday Morning reggae show, I’d still probably know nothing about it.

Algorithms are only as good as their source data and they suck, they suck so hard at thinking “yeah, this might be cool, lets find out.”

You need people who deeply love music. People who live and breathe it, all of it. Who understand why a playlist should go from Weird Al to The Time to Ozzy to Bauhaus to Taylor Swift. Who can look at “Hee-Haw” reruns and still be amazed at how wickedly good Glenn Campbell and Roy Clark played:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_kbgjsuCec

There’s no algorithm that does that, because it’s not based on anything quantifiable. It’s based on someone sending you a song out of the blue, and the first 4 measures blow you away so hard that you have to share it with everyone. It’s watching Saturday Night Live on January 26th, 1980 in a hotel room on a Disney World trip, being almost 13 years old, and seeing this collection of weirdos called “The B-52s” and 3 minutes later, an entire hotel is dancing on the balconies and if you don’t tell everyone you know about this, you will burst. (And years later, having your first ‘52s concert not include “Rock Lobster” because the balcony you’re standing and dancing on is bouncing so much that the venue, and the band, are terrified it will collapse if that song is played.)

You need people to do that, and that is what Apple Music is. Radio the way it briefly once was. A way for people who love music to share that love with the world. Who can listen to the first handful of notes to any song they know and tell you what song it is, who wrote it, what version you’re listening to, and probably have 6 versions of it. People who can tell you how not only did Rihanna sample Michael Jackson and “Wanna be Startin’ Something” for “Don’t Stop the Music”, but if you listen to “Get On the Floor” from “Off the Wall”, Michael Jackson sampled Michael Jackson for “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” and that it is entirely rational to have elebenty bootleg Zeppelin concert albums.

People who know that genre is just a tool to sell music, and that what really matters is the flow and the feeling. That 4/4 is not always just 4/4, and that one of Prince’s best solos was when he destroyed “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.

Algorithms can’t do that. They can’t know that, they certainly can’t feel that. But people can, and that’s what Apple Music is: people who love music so much that they will burst if they don’t tell you ALL THE THINGS about ALL THE MUSIC. It’ll only take you a lifetime to learn it all but really…

[easythetape]

Journal Update #5 FEB - ICE TEA and the Sampling Dilemma

One of the main ethical issues I am facing with my project is the extensive use of samples. Sampling has always and will always be a part of my musical process I am a Hip-Hop head and I just love the art. This post will explain my stance on the ethics and the issue, how I intend to combat it and in cases not combat it and ignore the rules. The history of Hip-Hop is rich with examples of high profile sampling lawsuits and sampling troll companies that have negatively effected and sometimes ruined artist's careers, definitely stopping them from gaining any royalties on their releases. As a disciple of Madlib, crowned Complex’s producer of the year 2019 (Skelton & Simpson, 2020), and J Dilla, who both heavily utilised samples in their productions and are integral to their styles it will be hard for me to stay away from this element of my own productions. Madlib has, “after decades of perfecting his sample-based production techniques, worked with everyone from MF Doom to De La Soul to Mos Def to Kanye West.” (Skelton & Simpson, 2020).

Sometimes sampling is viewed as ethically and morally wrong or immoral. On the other hand sampling can be viewed as the highest form of artistic ‘flattery’ and a strong case can be made that supports the fact that sampling in one form or another has existed for centuries. For example, a Diabelli composition named Waltz in C Major was essentially remixed by Beethoven in Diabelli variations, a collected piano works released in 1824 (Read, 2017). Thats a long time ago. Today many of the opinions about copyright law are largely shaped and driven by copyright holders who commonly believe that the purpose of copyright is to protect their works from infringement. But as it’s clearly expressed in the United States Code, that’s not the central purpose of copyright. The a purpose of copyright is “to promote the progress of Science and useful Arts.” The United States Copyright Office even doubles down on this declaration in its own description of the function of the copyright office: “the purpose of the copyright system has always been to promote creativity in society…” Any serious conversation about the role of copyright, creativity, and the arts must begin with this key fact: Copyright was created to promote creativity (Said, 2016).

Mark Ronson argues in his TEDTalk How Sampling Transformed Music, it is not about “hijacking nostalgia wholesale”, but about creating new tapestries of sound. Ronson eloquently explains, “We take the things we love and we build on them. And when we really add something significant and original and we merge our musical journey with this, then we have a chance to be a part of the evolution of that music that we love.” Rather than looking at sampling as a form of disrespect, it is often the case that artists that sample have the utmost reverence for the people who created the music that came before as you’re not going to sample music from a song you hate. Instead it is likely that they heard something in the music which inspired them, and so “they instantly wanted to inject themselves into the narrative of that music.” (Khoo, 2019).

I have to be realistic and understand that at this point in time I am an unknown artist with a small audience, and no commercial backing. I am not looking to release The Tape with any label and therefore I do not expect to make any money off this release. The fact that sample clearance is monetarily prohibitive, and I don’t have the budget, (which I’m mainly reserving for the release itself and marketing) prohibits me from paying for samples. Hank Shocklee of Public Enemy is quoted saying “Jay-Z and Kanye can afford to pay the sample rates, but not the kids starting out in their own little home studio in their house,” Shocklee says. “And that, to me, is what’s holding back creativity,” (Richards, 2012). 

Seeing as Hip-Hop and Trap are largely reliant on samples I am not going to creatively limit myself, with this project because I want it to be my best work, and as a hero of mine Stan Lee says you “do your best work when your doing what you want to do and your doing it the way you think it should be done.” (UCLA Extension, 2018). I am well aware of the legal implications of doing this and not limiting myself to royalty-free and un-copyrighted material or material in the public domain. Although I will make use of as much un-copyrighted material as I will write some of the tracks on ‘The Tape’ completely from scratch, I won't be able to do myself justice if I don’t allow myself free-reign to sample anything that works within the concept of the beat-tape. For example, Led Zeppelins breaks, which have already been heavily recycled in Hip-Hop, are not out of copyright but would be subject to the idea of De-Minimis. Many cartoons, tv shows, and films I wish to sample from will also not be out of copyright because I grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s.

(IF) any track does blow up I will sort it out with PRS and the publishing companies after the fact. There are a few things I can do to minimise the risk of any lawsuit, however, I will sample from family archives, cassette tapes, films, my own vinyl collection and attempt to, following in the footsteps of DJ Shadow, take obscure snippets and manipulate them or transform them in a way which makes them my own. On DJ Shadow’s debut album Endtroducing he sampled more obscure records, making it a sort of rule to avoid popular material; he said: "I've always pushed myself to use obscure things, and if I use something obvious, it's usually only to break my own rules.” (Keyboard, 1997). Also sampling from other Hip-Hop artists usually means you are okay and they won’t sue, so there will be a few samples (mainly vocals) from other Hip-Hop songs in The Tape.

ICE TEA

A beat that I started working on this week is called ICE TEA which is based on a sample from an acapella by Jamaican artists Home T, Cutty Ranks and Cocoa Tea. The rest of the instrumentation is mine but there are other sampled vocal shots from other Reggae tunes in the beat. There are going to be multiple samples taken from some of my favourite Reggae artists throughout ‘The Tape’. This is one example that links to my love of Jamaican music. When I was a teenager I was heavily into Reggae and Bob Marley and became a Mod. For a long period of my youth I identified as a mod/casual it wasn't a particularly popular sub-culture it just fitted with my musical tastes at the time. I love Soul and classic Reggae and Dub, and used to go to Channel One nights at a local venue in Tooting. My mate ‘Skinhead Dean’ is a DJ and runs Good Intentions sound system, he introduced me to loads of great Reggae and Ska and I used to go to their Up their Junction night. Brighton and Carnaby Street were favourites and where I got the gear, I used to have a parka, tonic suits and all swag (I still have my tonic suit).

References:

Skelton, E., & Simpson, P. (2020). A Conversation With Madlib, the Best Hip-Hop Producer of 2019. Retrieved 2020, from Complex website: https://www.complex.com/music/madlib-interview-best-hip-hop-producer-2019

Read, C. (2017). A History of Sampling w/ Chris Read (WhoSampled) at Point Blank London [YouTube Video]. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZGobMX9I48

Said, A. (2016). Hip Hop & Copyright Part 2: You Can Be Sued for Samples on Free Mixtapes. Retrieved 2020, from HipHopDX website: https://hiphopdx.com/editorials/id.3197/title.hip-hop-copyright-part-2-you-can-be-sued-for-samples-on-free-mixtapes

Khoo, Y. (2019). Sampling: Is imitation really the sincerest form of flattery? Retrieved 2020, from PHASER website: https://phasermagazine.com/main/2019/11/29/sampling-is-imitation-really-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery

Richards, C. (2012). The court case that changed hip-hop — from Public Enemy to Kanye — forever. The Washington Post. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-court-case-that-changed-hip-hop--from-public-enemy-to-kanye--forever/2012/07/06/gJQAVWr0RW_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.6cdf1ff6573c

UCLA Extension. (2018). Stan Lee Keynote at the 2017 Graduation Ceremony [YouTube Video]. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMo9Guj5gCc

Keyboard. (1997). WebCite Query Result. Keyboard. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.webcitation.org/6FGMHPpaB?url=http://www.solesides.com/winblad/shadowkeyboard1097.html

[tahitianstarseed]

🎵Music🎵 Oracle Message《°•Miles Davis•°》 for •The Collective• written by: Stephen Ellcock and illustrated by: Timbra Smits #music #musicoracle #oraclemessage #oraclecards #musicalmessage #spiritualmessage #oracleguidance #🎵 #🎶 #musician #artist #oraclecardreadersofinstagram #musicwisdom #musicalwisdom #oraclecommunity #musiclover #tarotreadersofinstagram #tarotcommunity #milesdavis #play #dontknowhow #progress #impossible #shock #keynotes #leftunplayed (at Fort Lauderdale, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8MqPDOHXhq/?igshid=1addunaiadtqa

[tsgcharlottesvillevirginia]

Our Week Scouted // 10.31.19

We’ve got a lot going on this week, from openings of new art shows and Jefferson’s dream-realized planetarium, to a lust-worthy catalogue and ways to get your heart racing. And of course, the best way to celebrate Dia de los Muertos. 

📷: Beatrix Ost, Nature Politely Declines - Metamorphosis of Order, 2002, Oil on canvas, 66 x 60 inches

SEE: Find your way downtown on Friday, November 1 for an opening reception of Beatrix Ost’s Iluminations & Illusions at Second Street Gallery. An opening reception will be held in the gallery from 5:30 – 7:30pm, with a reading by Ost at 6:30pm. Ost’s evocative and dreamlike work has been exhibited all over the world, exploring the nature of time and intimacy, as well as the fragility of the beauty that surrounds us. The multi-sensory show at Second Street Gallery will include a tightly curated selection of Beatrix’s dark, surrealist-inspired paintings and sculptures, accompanied by a musical score by Abel Okugawa composed specially for the exhibition. There will also be an olfactory element to the exhibition, celebrating fragrance as an artistic medium. Second Street Gallery | 115 Second Street SE | 434.977.7284 Open Tuesday- Friday, 11am - 6pm and Saturday, 11am - 4pm

SHOP: We’ve loved perusing Beecroft & Bull’s Fall 2019 Online Magazine. It’s unlike any publication a local retailer produces and full of so many gorgeous things we’re dying to add to the wardrobes of the men in our lives. And we have to admit, as evidenced below, there might be an item or two you want to snag for yourself. Peruse it online through the link above, or better yet, pop into the store to pick up your copy.  

As a matter of fact, you can head on over to Beecroft & Bull on Friday, November 1 to check out the “Costal Cool” vintage vibe of Faherty Brand as they present their fall ‘19 collection. Plus, special guest Loretta Schneider from PTO5 will be on hand with her caravan of goods from Italy.  Beecroft & Bull | Barracks Road Shopping Center, North Wing |2126 Barracks Road | 434.979.9010

EXPERIENCE: Tom Tom’s 8th annual fall festival, TOMTOBERFEST, is going down on Friday, November 1 from 5pm - 2am and it’s open to all. Head on down to the IX Park to build community and celebrate our hometown in style.First, shake hands and make professional connections at the Charlottesville Mixer. Then, enjoy a spirit or two at the Beer Garden, grab a bite from your favorite food truck, and jam to live music at the free Block Party featuring reggae surprises from The Elovaters, local favorite Free Union Music, and funky change-makers with a message of hope, The Change.

LOVE: Join Magpie Knits this Friday, November 1 from 5-8pm to celebrate their 3rd anniversary and for their premier First Fridays exhibit. They are welcoming local artist Amy Varner and her first beautiful yarn-inspired painting, “Looking at Yarn.” This is also a great opportunity to check out all of their amazing yards from all over the world, needlepoint canvases and exquisite linens. They also have great bags and other items that that are perfect for gifting.  Magpie Knits | Downtown Mall, 111 West Main St. |(434) 296 – 4625

CELEBRATE: Take part in  Dia de Los Muertos at IX Park on Saturday, November 2 from 7pm-midnight. Take part in this beautiful Mexican tradition that celebrates and honors the lives of ancestors and loved ones. Bring flowers, photos, poems, letters, creations, food, and things that represent your loved ones to place on offering table, Ofrenda. Each person or family will receive a luminary bag to decorate for the Ofrenda. Stay for a live show by Lua Project and a DJ dance party. This year’s event will fundraise for Sin Barreras Charlottesville, who provides legal aide, justice advocacy, and so much more to our local immigrant community. Kids free; suggested adult donation of $10 (all proceeds for Sin Barreras). 7-9pm: Art and decorating for the Memorial Altar 8-10pm: Live show by Lua Project and Special Guests 10-midnight: DJ Party

LEARN: In 1819, Thomas Jefferson sketched plans for a planetarium spanning the dome of the University of Virginia’s Rotunda Library. Unfortunately, Jefferson’s proposed celestial dome was never realized—until now. The Rotunda Planetarium is scheduled to open on November 1 where an array of digital projectors will transform the Rotunda’s dome room (UVa’s architectural centerpiece and a UNESCO world heritage site) into a vast enlightenment planetarium. A public symposium will be held  in the Rotunda from 2-8:30pm. This event will culminate with a keynote lecture by  Sara J. Schechner, David P. Wheatland, Curator of Historical Scientific Instruments at Harvard University, titled, “Astronomy Inside and Out: Jefferson’s Vision for the University of Virginia,” at 6:30pm. The launch of the Rotunda Planetarium projection will follow at 7:30pm. All are welcome to witness the fruition of one of Jefferson’s dreams. 

HONOR: The Club at Glenmore is teaming up with Michael Kaminski of the Freedom 5k and Gratitude Charlottesville to honor and benefit those who serve this Veterans Day weekend. The Freedom 5k race will take place Saturday November 9 and is open to 350 runners. I have run in this race and it’s a moving event with spectacular fall foliage. Register here. 

The Club at Glenmore has also added  a golfing event, “Town Day” on Veterans Day, Monday November 11 to raise even more funds for veterans and their families. Non-member golfers are invited to play Glenmore’s private, members-only golf course for just $75, which includes green fee, cart fee, range and a boxed lunch. Active military or veteran players are welcome to play for $65. There will be an 11am shotgun start for all players, with check-in at 10:30am. To make reservations email jsnyder@glenmorecountryclub.com or call the Glenmore Pro Shop (434) 817-0502.

SWEAT: Get ahead of the lethargy that sets in once cold weather hits and check out the newly-opened Club Pilates. The 2,100 square-foot fitness studio is located on the second level of Barracks Road North, above Folly. The studio will offer free introductory classes year-round to anyone who is interested in trying it out for the first time.“Our full-body, low-impact workouts can work for any skill level, from someone who is just establishing a fitness routine to an experienced athlete,” Marvin Schettgen, owner of the Cville Club Pilates, said. “With seven different class formats, four different skill levels and an array of specialized equipment, we’re confident we have something for everyone.” Their regular class schedule is up and running, with 50-minute classes offered seven days a week. Go ahead and sign up for your free class here www.clubpilates.com/charlottesville. You might just discover your favorite new workout.  Club Pilates Charlottesville | 2140 Barracks Road | (434) 202-4219

[ttlspcdevice]

Bibliography

BOOKS /JOURNALS

Barthes, Roland. La cámara lúcida. Paidós, 2011.

Blesser, Barry, and Linda-Ruth Salter. Spaces Speak, Are You Listening?: Experiencing Aural Architecture. MIT Press, 2009

Brech, Martha, and Ralph Paland. Kompositionen für hörbaren Raum: Die frühe Elektroakustische Musik Und Ihre Kontexte = Compositions for Audible Space: the Early Electroacoustic Music and Its Contexts. Transcript, 2015.

Brook, Peter. The Empty Space. Penguin Books, 1968

Cage, John. Themes & Variations. Station Hill, 1982.

Chion, Michel, and Claudia Gorbman. Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen. Columbia University Press, 2019.

Cox, Christoph. Audio Culture, Revised Edition: Readings in Modern Music. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2017.

Cox, Christoph. Sonic Flux: Sound, Art, and Metaphysics. The University of Chicago Press, 2018

Chris, et al. “Self Unbound: Ego Dissolution in Psychedelic Experience.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 30 June 2017, academic.oup.com/nc/article/2017/1/nix016/3916730.

Deleuze and Guattari's A thousand plateaus

Eugene Holland - Bloomsbury - 2013

Eliade, Mircea. Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy. Princeton University Press, 2004

Goodman, Steve. Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear. MIT Press, 2012

Gottschalk, Jennie. Experimental Music since 1970. Bloomsbury Academic, an Imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.

Iyer, Vijay. “Improvisation, Action Understanding, and Music Cognition with and without Bodies.” Oxford Handbooks, Oxford University Press, 17 June 2017, www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195370935.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780195370935-e-014.

John, Graham St. Rave Culture and Religion.

Routledge, 2009.

Kim-Cohen, Seth. In the Blink of an Ear: toward a Non-Cochlear Sonic Art. Bloomsbury, 2013.

Kries, Mateo. Night Fever: a Design History of Club Culture. Vitra Design Museum GmbH, 2018

Leary Timothy, Ralph Metzner and Richard Alpert - The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead 1964.

Lippman, Edward A. The Philosophy & Aesthetics of Music. University of Nebraska Press, 1999.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Sv785yYCL1YC&pg

Oliveros Pauline - Quantum Improvisation: The Cybernetic Presence Keynote address presented at the conference Improvisation Across Borders at UCSD April 11, 1999

Oliveros Pauline - Sonic Meditations (1974) the Complete Text and Scores.” The Hum Blog, 13 Sept. 2016, blogthehum.com/2016/09/13/pauline-oliveros-sonic-meditations-1974-the-complete-text-and-scores/

Oram, Daphne. Daphne Oram: an Individual Note of Music, Sound and Electronics. Anomie Academic, 2017

Silver, Micah. Figures in Air: Essays toward a Philosophy of Audio. Inventory Press, 2014.

Smalley, Denis. “Space-Form and the Acousmatic Image.” Organised Sound, vol. 12, no. 01, 2007, p. 42., doi:10.1017/s1355771807001665

Thompson, Marie, and Ian Biddle. Sound, Music, Affect: Theorizing Sonic Experience. Bloomsbury Academic, 2013.

Reynolds, Simon. Generation Ecstasy: into the World of Techno and Rave Culture. Routledge, 2016.

Thompson, Marie, and Ian D. Biddle. Sound, Music, Affect: Theorizing Sonic Experience. Bloomsbury, 2013.

Wilber, Ken. No Boundary, an Illuminating Overview of Eastern and Western Approaches to Personal Growth. Center Publications, 1979

WEB

Arq. Wendell Cole in Observatori Espais Escénics, espaciosescenicos.org/The-theatre-projects-of-Walter-Gropius-Wendell-Cole.

Fabrizi, Mariabruna. “Yannis Xenakis' Polytopes: Cosmogonies in Sound and Architecture.” SOCKS, 9 Feb. 2018, socks-studio.com/2014/01/08/yannis-xenakis-polytopes-cosmogonies-in-sound-and-architecture/

“Technologies of the Self.” Michel Foucault, Info., Michel Foucault, Info., foucault.info/documents/foucault.technologiesOfSelf.en/

“Set and Setting.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Aug. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Set_and_setting

“Cine De Destape.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Jan. 2019, es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cine_de_destape

“Salience (Neuroscience).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salience_(neuroscience)

“Gesamtkunstwerk.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gesamtkunstwerk

“Unity of Opposites.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Aug. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_of_opposites

Ruffolo, Mattia. “Breaking down the German Artist Anne Imhof's Astounding Venice Biennale Pavilion.” I, VICE, 23 May 2017, i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/d37gkm/breaking-down-the-german-artist-anne-imhofs-astounding-venice-biennale-pavilion

Pearl, Max. Kode9 Installs 40,000-Watt Soundsystem in Tate Modern. Resident Advisor, 1 Oct. 2018, www.residentadvisor.net/news/42581

Terence Mckenna in: Henrykeats, director. Terence Mckenna: Build Your Own Damn Boat [FULL].YouTube, YouTube, 23 Feb. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2zvVAdqj8Y 08m 23s

Technology Networks. “This Is How LSD Alters Our Perception.” Neuroscience from Technology Networks, Technology Networks, 31 Oct. 2018, www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/how-lsd-changes-perception-311248

U B U W E B :: Dick Higgins on Intermedia, www.ubu.com/papers/higgins_intermedia.html

Hantelmann, von. The Experiential Turn. Walker Art Center, Walker Art Center, 30 June 2014, walkerart.org/collections/publications/performativity/experiential-turn/

“Harvard University Graduate School of Design.” Entanglement of Movement and Meaning: The Architect, Spatial Perception and the Technological Body - Harvard Graduate School of Design, www.gsd.harvard.edu/course/entanglement-of-movement-and-meaning-the-architect-spatial-perception-and-the-technological-body-spring-2019

Resident Advisor. “Reviews.” Resident Advisor,

www.residentadvisor.net/reviews/20813.

[jobsforfans]

Research Intern

New York, NY

The Research Intern is responsible for supporting the Managing Director with data entry and research on topics such as video games, streaming video and esports. The ideal candidate is a versatile self-starter and data-minded, with a passion for the business side of video games.

Explore and Discover Nielsen! With offices located in 110 countries, we are a global independent measurement and big data analytics company focused on your future. Nielsen Portfolio is one of three core Nielsen businesses.

The Portfolio division is defined as a high-growth, innovation-based business that supports the needs of our clients. Portfolio includes Gracenote, Nielsen Sports/Esports/Games, Nielsen Music, Brandbank, SuperData, & Nielsen Book, making Nielsen Portfolio the largest supplier of metadata, data, measurement, and insights to the global Entertainment Industry.

Our SuperData team is looking to fill the position of part-time Research Intern.

SuperData is the leading provider of data and market intelligence on digital games and interactive media. Our research methodology is driven by behavioral and digital point-of-sale data collected directly from game publishers and developers.

SuperData publishes industry relevant key performance indicators for benchmarking, competitive analysis, and performance optimization. We specialize in helping our clients use data to identify actionable growth and investment opportunities.

The Research Intern is responsible for supporting the Managing Director with data entry and research on topics such as video games, streaming video and esports. The ideal candidate is a versatile self-starter and data-minded, with a passion for the business side of video games.

Responsibilities:

Prepare presentation decks for conference talks and client meetings

Organize and update excel data sets

Perform primary research on video game and media trends to support data findings

Collaborate with other departments to identify internal resources that can be used to support research

Required Skills:

Experience with Excel spreadsheets

Experience with PowerPoint, Keynote or Google Slides

A passion for video games, video game streaming and/or esports

Keen attention to detail

Highly organized

Ability to multitask

Fast learner

Independent worker

Proactive self-starter

Great communication skills

About Nielsen:

Nielsen N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers Watch and Buy. Nielsen’s Watch segment provides media and advertising clients with Total Audience measurement services across all devices where content — video, audio, and text — is consumed. The Buy segment offers consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers the industry’s only global view of retail performance measurement.

By integrating information from its Watch and Buy segments and other data sources, Nielsen provides its clients with both world-class measurement as well as analytics that help improve performance. Nielsen, an S&P 500 company, has operations in over 100 countries that cover more than 90 percent of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com

Nielsen is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action-Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, marital status, protected veteran status or any other protected class.

[coin-river-blog]

2018 was something, and here’s to 2019 (hopefully) being something else.

It's New Year's Eve, and everyone is getting ready to start anew in 2019. Just because we're about to leave 2018 in the past doesn't mean we have to forget (even if we desperately want to) everything that happened this year in crypto and blockchain news. That's why ETHNews is here with a roundup of some of the less truly impactful, maybe a little less philosophically relevant, but nonetheless tantalizing stories of 2018's crypto pop-culture takeover.

Not a Subhead

We'll start just a couple of months back to help prevent any time-travel-induced vertigo. In October, it was reported that Elon Musk's Boring Company, an infrastructure and tunneling firm managed by Musk himself, was accepting bitcoin, bitcoin cash, Ether, and Litecoin as payment for the company's "Not a Flamethrower."

Turns out those reports were false, and the whole internet had been duped by a fake Boring Company domain that showed the flamethrower that's not a flamethrower being purchased using cryptocurrencies through a Coinbase extension.

I know the cryptospace is a hotbed for metaphors, but there's something about cryptocurrencies, flamethrowers, and internet trickery that feels way too on the nose.

This wasn't even the first time in 2018 that Musk's name was involved in cryptocurrency drama. In July, Musk tweeted about Twitter accounts impersonating him and running Ethereum scams, which prompted a response from Vitalik Buterin, who asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to "help us please." By the end of July, Twitter purged all Musk, John McAfee, Bill Gates, and Roger Ver impersonator accounts.

Unfortunately, that also meant we lost a lot of great Musk Twitter parody accounts, too. RIP, French and Italian Elon Musk Twitter accounts.

I Only Read It for the Crypto Articles

Way back in March, Vice Industry, an adult entertainment company, tweeted about its partnership with Playboy and Playboy TV, the magazine's television channel. The plan was to allow customers to use cryptocurrencies, starting with the Vice Industry Token, to pay for exclusive Playboy content.

Like most things in the cryptospace, it didn't turn out to be that simple. By August, the Los Angeles Times reported that Playboy Enterprises had filed a lawsuit against the Canadian company Global Blockchain Technologies (GBT), which had been tasked with integrating cryptocurrency payment systems on Playboy's media sites. Playboy Enterprises claimed GBT had failed to fulfill the requirements and hadn't paid the $4 million it promised in their agreement.

I guess you could say everyone was feeling a little bit blue.

I'll be here all week.

Bitcoin Bummer

I'll be the first to say it: Bitcoin is dead. I know it's controversial, but my middle name is Hot Take, and I stand by my parents' strange decision.

What's that now? I'm not the first to say it? Bitcoin died 91 times in 2018, according to 99Bitcoins?

Well, I'll be damned.

Yes, bitcoin died 91 times in 2018, which is relatively far off from its 125 deaths in 2017. There's a lesson to be learned here, and again, I'll be the first to say it: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Despite early predictions that bitcoin would crash this year, proclamations that the fad was over, and warnings that it had left the tracks – despite all of that, bitcoin's heart is still beating away, alive and well.

What's that now? ETHNews covered this year's hard fork and wrote a great article about the harsh reality of this crypto winter?

Well, I'm new here, okay, can I catch a break?

Coin-be Bryant

TRON founder Justin Sun announced on Twitter in November that NBA legend Kobe Bryant would be attending niTROn, the company's blockchain conference, this coming January 2019. The niTROn site also lists Bryant as a celebrity speaker.

What exactly Bryant will be speaking about is still up for debate. The site lists entrepreneurship under his name, and Bryant has made quite a name for himself in the investment world. Surely it won't be any worse than Bill Clinton's rousing keynote speech at Ripple's Swell conference, an announcement Vitalik Buterin questioned when the news broke.

Now that I think about it, maybe Bryant wasn't a ball hog at all. He was just an early adopter of the #hodl mindset.

Mr. ERC305

In April, Pitbull tried to save music.

Let me explain. Pitbull, Mr. Worldwide, Mr. 305, whatever you want to call him, announced his Smackathon project. The event sought to "decentralize the music industry" by holding a monthlong coding competition designed around "teams who can use the Ethereum platform to disrupt the current state of the music industry, bringing blockchain and music together."

Then the unimaginable happened: something positive. In July, 10 Smackathon finalists presented their projects to a panel of judges that included Pitbull. In the end, Singapore-based HyperValence was awarded first place for its crowdfunding platform that allows fans to support emerging artists by buying ERC721-compliant collectible tokens.

I guess the jury's still out on if and how this will save the music industry, but let's just end this list on a good note.

From all of us here at ETHNews, we –

808s and Hash Rates

Wait, there's one more! I almost forgot. Kanye West tweeted the word "decentralize" this year. You can figure out what that means on your own.

Okay, for real this time. From all of us here at ETHNews, we hope you have a great New Year's Eve and an even better 2019.

Nicholas Ruggieri studied English with an emphasis in creative writing at the University of Nevada, Reno. When he’s not quoting Vines at anyone who’s willing to listen, you’ll find him listening to too many podcasts, reading too many books, and crocheting too many sweaters for his dogs, RT and Peterman.

ETHNews is committed to its Editorial Policy

Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter @ETHNews_ to receive the latest pop culture, Kanye West or other Ethereum lifestyle news.

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[abrarkureshy]

Karachi Literature Festival Goes London! Either it was #KLFLondon hashtag on Twitter or a post on Oxford University Press’s Facebook page where they announced KLF’s launch in Royal Festival Hall of London’s Southbank Center as part of their annual Alchemy festival. Unfortunately though, we don’t get literary vibes from Pakistan much and KLF is an exception to that persona of our homeland. But this time, it wasn’t the case and did it make me feel proud, because I, along with many other literature & book-lovers attended Islamabad Literature Festival with full enthusiasm few weeks back.

Karachi Literature Festival was founded in 2010 by Ameena Syed and Asif Farruki, now Pakistan’s biggest literary event. It first branched out to Islamabad as ILF in 2013 and now has grown beyond Pakistan on International horizon. KLF London, produced by Oxford University Press, was organized in collaboration with the Southbank Centre, Bloomsbury Pakistan (a research collective from London), and Rukhsana Ahmed. Event brought Pakistani and International writers, authors and scholars under one roof. Event turned out to be very successful w.r.t. public participation. Event tickets were pre-sold and all sessions were jam-packed.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Mohammed Hanif, an internationally acclaimed Pakistani-origin author and journalist formally inaugurated the event by his keynote address. Hanif talked gave unique insights into Pakistan’s history.  Guests and speakers were welcomed by Ameena Saiyid, KLF and ILF Founder & Director, Asif Farrukhi, KLF and ILF Founder, and Adrian Mellor, Managing Director, Asia Education, OUP. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK, Syed Ibn Abbas also addressed the participants.

Around 70 writers (Pakistani as well as International), scholars, critics, journalists, and artists participated, 20 sessions progressed simultaneously covering a broad range of themes, ideas, and subjects. Sessions were live streamed on Oxford University Press’ official Facebook page.

A separate strand for children which included an immersive theatre piece by Jungly Jadoogars; an animated film by the artist Fauzia Minallah; storytelling by the children’s author, Shahbano Bilgrami; and sing-along songs by the veteran Pakistani musician, Khaled Anam, were also a part of the festival.

Notable sessions from day 1 were ‘Transphobia and Misogyny’, a discussion on legislation around transgenders and women in Pakistan; ‘Reluctant Returners: Migrants, Refugees and Memories of the Homeland’ in which characters and fictions inspired by exile and displacement were explored. ‘Pakistani Renaissance? The Best in Cinema, Reportage, Theatre and Fashion’ with  Atiqa Odho, Faris Kermani, designer Maheen Khan, and journalist Cyril Almeida.

Taimur Rahman, Moni Mohsin, and H. M. Naqvi weighed up the challenge of portraying Pakistan’s gender and class divide in ‘Blaming the Elite: Class, Greed, and Gender in Contemporary Pakistan’. Educationists, entrepreneurs, and experts including Farid Panjwani, Ahmereen Reza, Mona Kasuri, and Ameena Saiyid were part of panel discussion titled ‘Madrassas and Montessoris: Are Private Schools Keeping Madrassas at Bay?’.

Shuja Nawaz, Maleeha Lodhi, Ishrat Husain, and Victoria Schofield analyzed geopolitical and internal challenges Pakistan is facing in ‘Against All Odds: The Price of Prosperity in Pakistan Today’ . In the session ‘Urdu ki Zid Mai: At Loggerheads: Urdu vs English vs Regional Languages’ Basir Kazmi, Ishrat Afreen, Harris Khalique and Asif Farrukhi discussed if Urdu in Pakistan is under threat from English or the regional languages.

The evening sessions comprised thought-provoking discourses on ‘Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: Diaspora Pakistanis Caught in Post Brexit Hate-Storm’, with Ziauddin Sardar, Farooq Bajwa, and Iftikhar Malik debating the challenges faced by Pakistani diaspora in Europe; ‘Karachi: City of Lights and Gangs’ with Laurent Gayer, Nichola Khan, Mohammed Hanif, Sobia Ahmad Kaker, Omar Shahid Hamid, and Kamran Asdar Ali talking about the battle for Karachi and its resilience despite political conflicts; and ‘Tweeting for Social Change: How Social Media is Influencing the Political Scene’ in which Huma Yusuf,  Umber Khairi, and Umair Javed discussed the impact of social media on Pakistan’s political scene.

The highlight of the festival was the ‘Satrangi Mushaira’, which was an open mic session for Pakistan’s regional language poets to recite their latest offerings. Another session ‘In Their Own Words: Writers and Poets from Pakistan’, moderated by Muneeza Shamsie, featured poetry and prose readings by writers of Pakistani origin including Imtiaz Dharker, Aamer Hussein, and Zaffar Kunial. In ‘Partition Stories’ Nimra Bucha, Vayu Naidu, Shayma Saiyid, Amrit Kaur Lohia, and Sarah Ansari presented a medley of readings, film clips, recitals, dance and poetry about the Partition of India.

The evening came to a close by a kathak dance performance by Shayma Saiyid and a music concert by Khumariyaan, a Peshawar-based music band known for their fusion brand of Pashtun folk music.

Sponsorship support to the KLF London was provided by Bestway, Arts Council England, Third World Quarterly magazine, Salt n Pepper restaurant, High Commission of Pakistan in London, South Asia Institute of the University of Texas at Austin, and The Pakistan Society.

KLF founded Pakistan’s biggest literary event. Now branched out o London. #KLFLondon #KLF #ILF Karachi Literature Festival Goes London! Either it was #KLFLondon hashtag on Twitter or a post on Oxford University Press's Facebook page where they announced KLF's launch in Royal Festival Hall of London's Southbank Center as part of their annual Alchemy festival.

[devilsbastion]

11 facts about me...

tagged by the universe-unbalancing (seriously, woman? :p) @drgns8er ha! you do you, darling!

1. i like ice-cold drinks. i am perplexed whenever i visit the rogue, as ireland (and much of europe from what i gather) does not believe in ice in beverages. it makes me sad. he bought ice bags for me the last time i went...i was touched.

2. i spend time drawing things, and then throw them away because i think they look awful. (trust me, they do, i’m not good at drawing, but i like to try)

3. i met Nando Parrado at a conference i attended for work a few years ago, he was the keynote speaker and it was completely by chance that i was introduced to him...he was a very warm and pleasant man, but all i could think while he shook my hand was...”you ate people.”

4. i once had a boss who looked like Howdy Doody. i used to say Howdy to him whenever i saw him, and he thought i was just being friendly, but really it was because i thought he was doody, and it made me smile on the inside. (he really was crap. and NO, i’m not that old that i remember Howdy Doody! he was creepy and that kinda sticks with you...talking dolls? NO!)

5. i quote books, songs, movies a lot in everyday life...i’ve recently added Crowley quotes from Supernatural to the usual repertoire and my sister is so pleased (she’s a huge SPN-head)...but she’s a little concerned that i’m only quoting Crowley. ha.

6. i rate movies and television by their soundtracks...if the music sucks, i don’t care how great it is, it’s just not as great as it could have been. i appreciate the efforts of really good music supervisors and score composers. for me, the music is about as important as the story.

7. Johnny Rotten blew me a kiss in the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace once and i seriously love him for it. (sigh, the only Ginger i could ever truly love)

8. i want to live in a Wes Anderson world.

9. i like my steak bloody rare. walk it slowly through a warm room and it’s done. ok, sear it hard for a minute, then it’s done.

10. every time i’ve gone to NYC (only a handful) i’ve run into someone from my hometown, unintentionally. do you know how weird that is? a city of 8 million people and i am greeted by someone from a town of 20,000 almost 500 miles away. the universe is screwing with me, this is proof.

11. an ex-boyfriend’s dad collected and fixed old Jaguars as a hobby (nice hobby, right?) and he never let anyone drive them, especially his son. one day, his dad was going to see his parents (about an hour and a half away) and asked if we wanted to come and i said sure and then he asked if i wanted to drive one of the Jags and i said HELL YES! and my ex got soooo mad at me he didn’t talk to me the whole trip. i mean, come on, dude, be mad at your dad, there was no way i was going to say NO...it drove like an absolute dream. like steering a cloud across an endless sky....sigh.

leaving this tag open, if you want to drop some facts about yourself (not alternative ones, though, please) just say i tagged ya.

[businessfrontrunners]

Dr. Lydie, The World’s Most Sought-After Business Legal Authority Has Been Featured In The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today & The New York Law Journal

https://authoritypresswire.com/?p=35526&wpwautoposter=1621598488 LYDIE LOUIS, PH.D. ESQ.has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, and the New York Law Journal for her work to protect and empower small businesses and small investors.Dr. Lydie’s real-life academic know-how resonates with everyone from the C-Suite to middle management to business owners to employees to women to students to immigrants to celebrities. Providing access to proven legal tools and powerful techniques to help real people for a real, meaningful impact that reverberates around the world. She was invited to present a TEDx Talk in London on “U.S. Corporations Were Created to Do Public Good, What Went Wrong?” Dr. Lydie has a B.A. from Columbia University, a master’s in finance from New York University, a J.D. from Fordham University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Barcelona.Corporate executives hire Dr. Lydie to train employees to be more legally mindful in their employment transactions as well as to coach key personnel. The United Nations hire Dr. Lydie to instruct medium-sized enterprises across the globe on the laws that impact their businesses. Dr. Lydie has spoken at business, law, and tax conferences from Amsterdam to Bogota to Cape Town to Los Angeles to Paris to Guadalajara to Warsaw to Costa Rica to Germany to Haiti to New York.As a provocateur business speaker with twenty-eight years of hands-on business and legal experience, Dr. Lydie shares the powerful strategies that will continue to bring her financial and personal success. Utilizing uncommon knowledge of the rich, she pioneered the art of integrating particularized “know-how,” music, and precision execution to emerge as a sought-after business legal mentor and coach.Dr. Lydie teaches audience members how to apply her successful methods to a wide range of businesses today. She shares winning tips for negotiating and particularly negotiating for women by women, boosting sales, improving employee morale, increasing productivity, and optimizing staff talents. After working on Wall Street for almost 12 years, both as an advisor and financial regulator, Dr. Lydie spent almost 20 years as a law and graduate business school professor.A few years ago, Dr. Lydie transformed her own career path to becoming CEO of one of the fastest-growing business and personal wealth development training companies in the world. Dr. Lydie credits much of her success principles to being an emergency room volunteer medical intern at Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, when she was in high school. She has found the type of leadership, resilience, and specialized-skills performance mastery that was required to assist in handling life-threatening medical emergencies from heart attacks to severe burns and gunshot wounds equally applies to businesses that want a competitive advantage to not only survive but to go beyond survival to thrive!As a motivational speaker, Dr. Lydie’s riches to rags to riches success story of hunger, shame, sacrifice, hard work, strangers’ kindness, and perseverance will inspire any audience. Much more than a business coach, Dr. Lydie shares her proprietary “Morena” blend of gratitude, intentionality, and champion mindset, which will empower audience members to make positive pivots in their lives for immediate and long-term success. Dr. Lydie, America’s Leading Success Partner, will reveal how you can create a legacy of wealth for your loved ones.Dr. Lydie is currently the Chairman of In Pursuit Media & Co., a company that works with organizations and business owners around the world to build work cultures of intra-reliance and collective resilience. She is also the Founder of Entrepreneur Legal Studio, a company that works with small business owners to enhance their legal know-how in their business. Dr. Lydie’s keynotes, corporate workshops, retreats, business legal coaching, combined with her “Lessons from the Emergency Room” provide practical business strategies, personal development insights, and a unique delivery style to create a high-energy and impactful learning environment.Dr. Lydie is the owner of The Monetize You TV Channel, the Executive Producer and Host of The DR. Lydie Show and World Class Leaders Podcast, where she shares her insights and inspirations for today’s fast-paced marketplace as we pursue our personal development goals.  She is passionate about empowering one million business owners to become millionaires by building brilliant businesses to last for the next generations. She hosts The Protect And Monetize You Summit on a quarterly basis to provide a motivational space for entrepreneurs to learn, engage, and implement proven business success strategies from speakers & successful business owners worldwide.Dr. Lydie’s academic publications are available to be downloaded on her website. https://drlydie.comHer upcoming publications, “101 Questions You Always Wanted To Ask A Business Lawyer; What’s Law Got to Do with It?” – “Business Success Stories to Inspire Our Souls; and The Art & Science of Creating Your Money Mindset Mastery,” are getting a lot of attention.Here is what people are saying about DR. LYDIE LOUIS:“Dr. Lydie is the Suze Orman of business law! She is America’s Leading Business Partner!” – Bob Circosta – Co-Founder-Home Shopping Network “Dr. Lydie is someone every business owner and corporate executive needs to know and hire.” – Dr. Trish Murry – Founder Discover Health Functional“Dr. Lydie was able to give me legal insight that no other lawyer gave me. Her information motivated me to take action. Dr. Lydie should be a household name streaming into your living room!” – Forbes Reilly – CEO Forbes Factor Creator of the SpinGym“I trust Dr. Lydie with all of my legal matters. She is honest, caring, and figures things out that really helps you move forward. My spouse and I are so pleased with her that we hired her as our personal family attorney.” KD Wagner – Author and CEO Gold Star Matrix“Dr. Lydie is such a special person. She does everything she can to find a business legal solution that works for everyone. At this point, we consider her family, Merce-beaucoup Dr. Lydie!” – Werner Berger, Guinness World Records Holder, as the oldest person in the world to have completed the 7 Summit Climbs (The Messner-7).To learn more about DR. LYDIE LOUIS, PH.D. ESQ. or reserve a time to speak with her directly about your business or personal legal goals go to  https://linktr.ee/DrLydie