Opinion – Rocknerd

Notes and Reflections: Lana Del Rey

16 May, 202316 May, 2023 Opinion, Pop, Record 0

There were eight whole records to listen to. Eight!

It’s gonna play all the records in the hit parade, and they’re all Morgan Wallen.

18 March, 202317 April, 2023 Country, Opinion, Pop, Record 0

I hadn’t expected listening to the hit parade to feed me an album review.

Flower Face: The Shark in Your Water (2022).

10 February, 202323 July, 2023 Indie, Opinion, Record 0

Something to listen to while tending your greenhouse full of carnivorous and/or poisonous plants.

Farewell: Panic! at the Disco, 2004-2023

27 January, 202323 July, 2023 Opinion, Pop 0

Nineteen years isn’t a bad run, for a baby band that blew up and then fell apart several times along the way.

Sometimes I just want to listen to R.E.M.

25 January, 202323 July, 2023 Opinion, Pop, Rock 0

I like to put an R.E.M. mix on while I’m baking. But only the ones that include Man on the Moon.

Missed Connections: Happy Mondays.

18 January, 202323 July, 2023 Dance, Indie, Opinion 0

I had an epic musical missed connection when I confused the Happy Flowers with the Happy Mondays, and didn’t realize what had happened until thirty-odd years later.

Shelf-reading at Bandcamp: Industrial — Leæther Strip, Metal Heart, Master Boot Record, Pertubator (2022, 2023).

13 January, 202323 July, 2023 Dance, Industrial, Opinion, Record 0

Yeeeeeahhhh that’s the 2nd floor of Slimelight GOOD STUFF, y’all.

Collected thoughts: The War on Drugs

11 January, 202323 July, 2023 Opinion, Rock 0

I’m sulky mainly because of the band name, which causes me to think muffled cross thoughts about failed social policy. But the name harmonizes well with the band’s overall vibe, which is “skate park during the golden hour.”

Late Night Listening: Status/Non-Status: Surely Travel (2022).

6 January, 202323 July, 2023 Opinion, Record, Rock 0

The blogging equivalent of sitting in the garage twiddling radio knobs just to see what might be out there.

Art Damage through Self-Referentialty

30 July, 202030 July, 2020 Opinion, Rocknerd 0

In the early 90s I was introduced to the notion of “art damage”, appearing as an editorial rant in the glorious glossy cyberpunk magazine, Mondo 2000, now sadly forgotten by most.

2019 in music: your comprehensive and reliable global guide.

13 January, 202014 January, 2020 Industry, Live, Opinion, Record, Theatre 2

The punishment of luxury is in the air for all to see. And it’s ugly now, and it’s getting worse every day. Hey! Hey! Hey!

I ran the Perth indie record charts, from 1989 to 1991. Corruption! Manipulation! Propaganda!

10 September, 20183 November, 2018 Indie, Opinion, Record 1

An excuse to get Perth bands into a published record chart, so they’d get some publicity and could use it in their marketing. And to propagandise Australian indie to the masses. Includes THE HITS OF 1989!

Reripping the CDs, as you do.

12 June, 201815 June, 2018 Audio, Opinion 0

Here’s to cdparanoia and EAC, to turn the music trapped in the silver abominations back into the pure data they were meant to be.

Richard Syrett on Theodor Adorno, the Beatles, conspiracy theorists and … me.

6 June, 20186 June, 2018 Esoterica, Opinion, Pop, Radio, Rock 0

Did you know that Frankfurt School philosopher Theodor Adorno wrote all the Beatles songs? I sure didn’t! In fact, I still don’t.

How to make Spotify suck less than YouTube for streaming.

9 May, 201828 June, 2023 mp3, Opinion 0

I actively try to use Spotify, because I like the idea that the artist will get at least a penny shaving. So why do I keep just using YouTube? Because it’s not a goddamn pain in the arse.

Oh, eMusic, no — don’t go blockchain! Another Kodak moment.

6 April, 201817 July, 2018 Industry, mp3, Opinion 3

It looks like eMusic’s attempt at a comeback last year didn’t work out so well. Behold: the eMusic Blockchain Platform! … a Kodak moment indeed.

Last week after “Dynasty” I had crows feet under my eyes. Paid two days for getting high. Mark E. Smith is dead.

25 January, 201825 January, 2018 Opinion, Post-Punk 2

Sounds like MiG 20 crack, huh? Over! Over!

Björkcoin: Björk’s cryptocurrency album project dissected (impolite ranty version).

12 November, 201725 November, 2017 Indie, Industry, Opinion 6

My restrained and professional assessment of the incompetence and stupidity all through the Björk cryptocurrency project was reasonably popular and widely read. This expanded version adds what I was actually thinking when writing up this collapse board cascade of slapstick coded-by-dildo incompetence.

Those Crazy Socialist Juggalos

5 November, 20175 November, 2017 Opinion 0

On the most unexpected political alliance of the year: the Juggalo youth subculture and organised socialism.

YouTube stream ripping: the record industry is being thick again.

12 September, 201719 September, 2017 Industry, mp3, Opinion 3

I feel like I’m giving away the game here by revealing the truth to the terminally incompetent, but good Lord this is ridiculous.

The virtual reality hype slowly faces up to real reality.

28 August, 201728 August, 2017 Film, Games, Opinion 2

Despite continuing attempts to keep the Virtual Reality hype going, the real reality has not improved since late last year.

Karlheinz Stockhausen as synthesizer music for ten year old children.

27 August, 20175 October, 2019 Classical, Esoterica, Opinion, Record 1

At age ten I’d heard synthesizers were cool, so found some Karlheinz Stockhausen to start me off. I, ah, didn’t quite know what to make of it.

How Spotify dragged the record industry kicking and screaming to its own survival.

22 August, 20179 May, 2018 Industry, mp3, Opinion 0

You’d think people running a business would do things that would make money and have them still be around next year. But, welcome to music!

When did music journalism stop wielding the axe? Particularly against the industry?

2 August, 201719 January, 2018 Industry, Media, Opinion, Writing 0

Music journalist upset at not being able to put the boot in any more? YOU ARE NOT SHORT OF TARGETS.

Spotify’s extruded pop product substitute is worth it for the industry outrage.

12 July, 201717 July, 2017 Industry, Media, mp3, Opinion, Pop 1

Spotify outrages the record industry by not giving them even more free money. The actual listeners are fine with this.

Master Quality Authenticated — “high-resolution” audio with … lossy compression.

17 May, 201721 May, 2017 Audio, Opinion 8

An audacious innovation in the “high-resolution audio” field: hi-res audio that does lossy compression. And the record companies love it.

Warner does a deal with YouTube. The record industry is outraged!

8 May, 20179 May, 2017 Industry, mp3, Opinion, Your rights 0

Warner has signed a completely expected deal with YouTube, because they do great business with each other and fully wish to continue. The music industry is hilariously outraged that Warner did the obvious deal with a fantastic and essential publicity outlet.