Brian Eno spoke out against the Gaza situation at the Stop Gaza Massacre protest, London Saturday 3 January 09.

Here’s his summary of his comments:

An Experiment in Provocation

Stealing Gaza

By BRIAN ENO

It’s a tragedy that the Israelis – a people who must understand better than almost anybody the horrors of oppression – are now acting as oppressors. As the great Jewish writer Primo Levi once remarked “Everybody has their Jews, and for the Israelis it’s the Palestinians”. By creating a middle Eastern version of the Warsaw ghetto they are recapitulating their own history as though they’ve forgotten it. And by trying to paint an equivalence between the Palestinians – with their homemade rockets and stone-throwing teenagers – and themselves – with one of the most sophisticated military machines in the world – they sacrifice all credibility.

The Israelis are a gifted and resourceful people who fully deserve the right to live in peace, but who seem intent on squandering every chance to allow that to happen. It’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that this conflict serves the political and economic purposes of Israel so well that they have every interest in maintaining it. While there is fighting they can continue to build illegal settlements. While there is fighting they continue to receive huge quantities of military aid from the United States. And while there is fighting they can avoid looking candidly at themselves and the ruthlessness into which they are descending.

Gaza is now an experiment in provocation. Stuff one and a half million people into a tiny space, stifle their access to water, electricity, food and medical treatment, destroy their livelihoods, and humiliate them regularly…and, surprise, surprise – they turn hostile. Now why would you want to make that experiment?

Because the hostility you provoke is the whole point. Now ‘under attack’ you can cast yourself as the victim, and call out the helicopter gunships and the F16 attack fighters and the heavy tanks and the guided missiles, and destroy yet more of the pathetic remains of infrastructure that the Palestinian state still has left. And then you can point to it as a hopeless case, unfit to govern itself, a terrorist state, a state with which you couldn’t possibly reach an accommodation.

And then you can carry on with business as usual, quietly stealing their homeland.

I tend to agree with Eno. The US has been dumping buckets of money into the Middle East for decades, and it’s difficult to see how this serves our interests or humanitarian interests anymore.

You can hear that there were both supporters and hecklers in Eno’s audience, though.

Do you think Eno is right? Or do you think he should STFU and get back to making music?

via Dean Whitbread

This is a new version of Wojciech Kosma’s Blow Job, which explores the audio feedback effects of fellatio on a microphone.

From a performance at Image Music Text Gallery in London.

Is this art, music or just an attempt to scandalize people that kind of liked the heterosexual Blow Job with a gay version? It certainly pushes the boundaries of music and challenges your preconceptions of what music is.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

This video captures a performance of Blowjob, a experimental exploration of controlled feedback.

If you’re in London, you may want to check out the Dec 12 IMT performance, which will feature Wojciech Kosma’s recent compositions, Headfuck and Blowjob, a composition by Berlin based artist Oliver Laric, and an appearance by Polish new-media artist Jan Simon.

Is this music? Art? Exploitation?

Let me know what you think in the comments.

And if you can’t decide, there are more performances of this particular piece that may help you make up your mind.

Here are the details on the Dec 12 IMT performance:

IMT is proud to present an evening of innovative contemporary music performed by the Wrong Ensemble, an experimental music group established in 2008 by Polish visual artist and composer Wojciech Kosma. Wrong Ensemble is dedicated to performing musical and music theatre works by non-musical artists. For this performance the London based group of amateur and professional classical musicians will consist of Phil D’Aroso, John Bingham-Hall, Nicole Kearey, Kate Lush, Wojciech Pucilowski, Thom Tew, Chris White and others.

Wojciech Kosma lives between Berlin and London, working between art and composition. His artworks and performances are often spatial, sonic, obliquely interactive and poetic, creating speculative aesthetic interventions in public and gallery space. He has exhibited, undertaken commissions and residencies and performed widely in a variety of institutions and arts organisations, as well as informal networks of cultural producers. Most recently in MOMA Warsaw and Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. He is currently research student at Goldsmiths University in London. www.wojciechkosma.com

Oliver Laric studied at the University of Applied Arts Vienna and, together with Aleksandra Domanovic, Christoph Priglinger and Georg Schnitzer, is one of the co-founders of the platform VVORK. His recent exhibitions include ‘50 50 2008 ? ? TOUCH MY BODY’, Seventeen, London, ‘I love the Horizon’, Le Magasin-Centre National d’art Contemporain, Grenoble, ‘Montage: Unmonumental Online’, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, and ‘Becks Fusions’, ICA, London.oliverlaric.com

Jan Simon studied psychology and sociology at the Jagiellonian University, Krakow. He works chiefly with films and interactive installations, which make use of motifs from computer games. His works were exhibited at a number of group shows, both in Poland and abroad. In 2006 he was nominated for the “Passport of Polityka” award.

via Muff Wiggler

Earlier in the year, we highlighted a controversial ad for Deckadance DJ software, and asked for your thoughts on it.

The ad, shown above, is dominated by a large image of a woman’s rear, with second woman swooning in minimal bathing attire under the first woman’s crotch. 

The post, and the ad, inspired a lot of comments:

• Unless the females in the industry unite and complain against this, you can expect more from them since they’ll most likely see a sales increase from all the horny males. – Bluebrat
• I clipped the image from your site and used it as my desktop wallpaper. Maybe I’ll photo-shop out the Deckadance logo. – umourman
• I’m a girl and I was not offended at all by this. Girls who are offended by it are, in my opinion, a bit ridiculous. Advertisements are for selling things. - Kalilamae
• It is true that sex sells, but to throw two half naked women onto an ad rather than show off their product makes me skeptical about the quality of what they’re selling. – Trinisa
• What century do we live in? you would have to be blind to say this ad is not offensive. it portrays these women as sex objects and not people. it also reinforces many stereotypes that our society has about women. wow…all I can say is grow up, stop living in the dark ages, and learn to value women for more than their looks. – will
• Using this picture to sell anything other than bathing suits or some high price / low class resort is just puerile and lame.  - Jake
• When your first foray into the world of DJ software fails miserably, ou need some ass to sell the product. Seriously this is the most unfinished piece of crap software I have ever tried to use. Not for pro-djs stay away from decadance! – Yo
• If i was a dad i wouldnt want my young kids looking at this, it’s porn. – spikypunker
• As a female and a DJ I find such advertising alienating. And it might not have anything to do with my sex/gender: I too think that since the actual product is nowhere to be seen, it must be rubbish.  - Zt

In February of 2006, the FCC proposed a $1 million fine against Behringer USA for apparent violation of the FCC’s equipment authorization rules. The equipment found to be in violation of the FCC rules included audio processors, equalizers, mic preamps, sample-rate converters, mixers, amplifiers and lighting controllers.

“The products in question were shipped to the US between the years 2000 and 2005,” stated Ron Koliha, Global Communications Director. “One of the FCC’s allegations was that we didn’t comply quickly enough with their notifications. Behringer’s top management took that as a serious ‘wake-up call’ and set about to prevent mistakes like this from happening again. That’s one reason why all currently available models shipped to US dealers after our response to the complaint in early 2006 fully comply with FCC regulations and are properly identified as such.”

CEO Michael Deeb cited Behringer’s investment in what he called “state-of-the-art safety and RF emissions pre-testing facilities” with a staff of 15 technicians and engineers, appointment of a Corporate Compliance Officer, consolidation of compliance activities and operations to ensure all products comply with FCC and other global regulatory standards, and development of an in-house tracking and global regulatory review system

“Testing and labeling oversights like the ones that happened prior to 2005 are behind us now,” said Deeb.

March 04

Today we’re highlighting YMO’s Ryuichi Sakamoto and his Stop Rokkasho project.

The Rokkasho-mura reprocessing plant in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture opened for testing on March 31st, 2006. Less than two weeks later, radioactive water containing plutonium and uranium spilled inside the plant.

In response to the opening of the Rokkasho nuclear reprocessing plant and the associated dangers that go along with the plant’s operation, on May 16th, electronic musician Ryuichi Sakamoto launched an international campaign to raise awareness of the risks of nuclear energy and to raise awareness of renewable alternatives.

Sakamoto has created free tracks for the site and solicited new tracks, remixes and music videos from other electronic musicians, including DJ Krush (preview his track below), Ton, Ryddan, Atom and Thomas Dolby (preview below).

Best of all, the music is Creative Commons licensed, so you can download, share and remix it. There are dozens of free downloads at the site.

In addition, Cisco and Apple will explore opportunities for interoperability in the areas of security, and consumer and enterprise communications. Other terms of the agreement are confidential.

• Continue as is it is now, with each manufacturer competing freely with their own “top to bottom” proprietary systems for selling, playing and protecting music.
• Apple could license its FairPlay DRM technology to current and future competitors with the goal of achieving interoperability between different company’s players and music stores.
• Abolish DRMs entirely – according to Jobs, this is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat. If the big four music companies would license Apple their music without the requirement that it be protected with a DRM, we would switch to selling only DRM-free music on our iTunes store. Every iPod ever made will play this DRM-free music.

Jobs concludes by asking that people concerned with DRM convince the record labels to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free, saying that “Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly.”

Jobs’ statement is clearly self-serving; the company has faced criticism and legal battles from several European nations over its monopolization of digital music formats.

Nevertheless, Jobs move demonstrates his intuitive mastery of public relations, redirecting criticism of Apple’s monopolization of digital music to the record labels and their licensing restrictions.

Job’s statement has resulted in an outburst of discussion around the Internet.

via Podcasting News

Apple

Apple’s stock has taken a hit recently over concerns about the stock option scandal and Steve Jobs’ role in it. Investors have been concerned that Jobs might have to resign from his role as CEO at the successful company because of financial improprieties.

Based on an analysis of the findings of the independent investigation, the Company has recognized total additional non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $84 million after tax, including $4 million and $7 million in fiscal years 2006 and 2005, respectively. The restatement arises solely from certain stock option grants made between 1997 and 2002; the investigation found no grants after December 31, 2002 that required accounting adjustments.

“The special committee, its independent counsel and forensic accountants have performed an exhaustive investigation of Apple’s stock option granting practices,” in a joint statement said Al Gore, chair of the special committee, and Jerome York, chair of Apple’s Audit and Finance Committee. “The board of directors is confident that the Company has corrected the problems that led to the restatement, and it has complete confidence in Steve Jobs and the senior management team.”

Apple on of many companies in Silicon Valley that have come under scrutiny for assigning favorable grant dates to stock options to inflate their value.

Earlier in the year, Apple had to deal with negative publicity resulting from one of its major suppliers violating Apple’s Code of Conduct.

via Podcasting News

The FCC has concluded that Behringer violated its rules by marketing in the US unauthorized digital audio devices. Rules require that these devices are tested and verified to be compliant with FCC technical standards prior to marketing them in the United States.

From the FCC Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture and Order:

We find that Behringer continued to import and market substantial numbers of these unauthorized devices for more than a year after the Enforcement Bureau initiated an inquiry into Behringer’s compliance with the Commission’s equipment authorization requirements. Based on the facts and circumstances before us, including the egregious nature of Behringer’s continued non-compliance, we conclude that Behringer is apparently liable for a forfeiture in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000).

In proposing its forfeiture amount, the Commission considered that Behringer marketed the unauthorized devices for more than five years overall and for almost a year after it was on notice of the FCC’s investigation, and that Behringer derived substantial financial gain from the sale of the unauthorized devices.

Behringer Unauthorized Class B Digital Devices Marketed in the United States include dynamic processors, equalizers, mic preamps, digital effect processors, UB Series Mixing Consoles, Analog Mixing Consoles, DJ mixers, DJ gear, guitar amps, instrument lighting systems, pro lighting systems, and the Behringer Control series of devices.

Source: FCC NALF (Acrobat file)

The Mayo Clinic warns that portable music devices put your hearing at risk.

“With the older devices, like the Walkman, if you turned them up all the way, they sounded very bad, so people didn’t do it. Now, they don’t sound bad at maximum volume, and that could pose a problem,” says Jodi Cook, Ph.D., director of the hearing aid program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

“i respect the prodigy and i respect eminem as talented and relevant musicians, but i spoke up because i found the misogynystic content of their lyrics(among many others) to be deeply offensive. even if they themselves are not misogynysts,” writes Moby. “i found it irresponsible that they, and many others, would release music that glamourized misogyny.”

He also has harsh words for labels that promote misogynistic music. “any employee of a record company or journalist or radio programmer or mtv employee who has promoted and celebrated misogynystic or homophobic music should be ashamed. you have blood on your hands, and you should be deeply, deeply troubled at the culture that you’ve helped to create.”

Moby’s own lyrics, like “People they come together, People they fall apart; No one can stop us now, ‘Cause we are all made of stars.” have received a certain amount of criticism in the past, too. Critic Rob Mitchum recently wrote about Moby’s Hotel: “Moby has filed away his distinguishing characteristics, and all that’s left is an artist too played out to even be one of Eminem’s punchlines.”

Regardless of what one thinks of Moby’s music, politics or opinions, it’s refreshing to see artists speaking directly to their fans, without a publicist filter, via the Internet.

Jessica Vale has announced the upcoming release of The Sex Album. The provocative CD features sounds (with the exception of Vale’s vocals) taken entirely from the recordings of live sex that were manipulated into dark electronic and ambient music.

Synthtopia recently interviewed Vale about making The Sex Album.

This is the first release from artist/producer Jessica Vale, who collaborated with fellow NYC producer, Ivan Evangelista to make the record. The Sex Album is not meant to be pornographic; rather it was created to explore the use of sounds, making an innovative release that maintains a musical sense.

“The trend in music today is to look at sexuality on a safe, superficial level, when what most people experience is anything but that,” says Vale. “I wanted to make an album that dug a little deeper and reflected what’s really happening. We composed the music from processed sex recordings to punctuate the subject matter and to create a unique, lush sound-scape.”

In March 2003 Vale and Evangelista began pursuing couples that were willing to participate in the project. Shortly after they started their search, they found seven couples of different sexual orientations that were interested. The participants were strategically strapped with microphones and every sound from racing hearts and moans to their most intimate moments were morphed into bass lines, percussions and every other instrumental sound heard on the disc.

Though the album is not to be perceived as an aphrodisiac, sensual undertones are significantly present. At certain points the music can evoke a trance, such as in Look Pretty. The track Sarajevo has a more danceable, upbeat feel, while Boy in Black and Welcome explore darker musical aspects.

A preliminary limited edition version of The Sex Album was released in May 2005, available online only. The upcoming release includes additional remix tracks from electro-industrial mixer, Xris Flam (KMFDM, DJ Spooky), Brian Jackson, Jeff Saphin, Jean-Luc Cohen and more. Vale and Evangelista plan to take the album on the road as well. As you could imagine, the show will be anything but the norm.

Tiger Direct

Tiger Direct has asked for a temporary restraining order and injunction against Apple Computer. The lawsuit focuses on the release of Apple’s OS X 10.4 operating system. Apple has been running a large multi-media marketing campaign, promoting OS X 10.4 “Tiger”.

According to Tiger Direct, Apple’s promotions use the term “Tiger” in relationship to “products from manufacturers and product categories which are basically the same as the offerings by Tiger Direct.”

A preliminary injunction hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 3, 2005.

Mikael Elsila sat down with Enomoto and asked her about her fight against the use of a virtual orchestra, and standing strong with her colleagues.

Mikael Elsila: What happened the night you were going to play with the Opera Company of Brooklyn with the virtual orchestra machine?

Kiku Enomoto: What happened was, a bass player and I were coming into the theatre, and we saw union members and reps picketing. [802 President] David Lennon and a colleague came up and explained the situation and we listened. We didn’t know what to do. So we heard them out and heard that we were playing with a virtual orchestra machine and it needed to be stopped. Otherwise the future of live musicians would be banished. This struck a chord with me since I am a Las Vegas native.

Mikael Elsila: Could you explain why being a Las Vegas native helped you appreciate this situation better?

Kiku Enomoto: I was raised in the Las Vegas scene, and my teacher was a musician for Wayne Newton. A lot of jazz musicians had come to Vegas to play in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. But when I started playing violin it was 1980. A lot of things were going on; musicians were protesting because Vegas was going to canned music. A lot of the musicians just up and moved to Los Angeles so we lost a lot of our great musicians. And a lot of my teachers and a lot of the people I looked up to. My teacher ended up staying. Wayne Newton was the only one who stayed with his live musicians.

Mikael Elsila: When did you first hear of the virtual orchestra machine?

Kiku Enomoto: I live with an 802 member and he is a jazz musician – I had borrowed Allegro (magazine) from him and I had read about it. And going to a conservatory, you also hear about this kind of thing through the grapevine. I had also heard about the machine from another musician who had to play with it for a Broadway rehearsal [last year], and he said it was so hard to play with not a real harp and not a real flute; trying to tune to that was just insane, he said. But I didn’t know that the OCB was using an actual virtual orchestra machine.

Mikael Elsila: Did you hear the virtual orchestra machine as you were rehearsing with the OCB?

Kiku Enomoto: I definitely knew that I heard something that we were not playing. There were only two violinists in our orchestra, and it sounded like there were 20 or 30 violinists. I knew there was a computer of some kind. The person that was playing it was a pianist. And then a couple of rehearsals into it, I went back there and checked it out. I saw it only had five keys. I got to know how it was run. But still at that time, I didn’t know it was the virtual orchestra machine, the machine I was told to stay away from. But that night when David Lennon and his staff approached us, I realized that what I had seen was the virtual orchestra machine.

Mikael Elsila: What does the virtual orchestra machine sound like?

Kiku Enomoto: It sounds like a tinny orchestra.

Mikael Elsila: Why did you and your colleagues decide to support the union?

Kiku Enomoto: I had a lot of reinforcement from everyone else who was there. We’re all right out of college – most of us went to the same school. If the virtual orchestra machine were to continue, then none of us will be able to take a stand in the future. This is something big that we have a voice in now. We have a voice in what happens to us and our kids in the future.

Mikael Elsila:What would you advise to other musicians who are facing the virtual orchestra machine?

Kiku Enomoto: I know that a lot of the touring shows use synthesizers and even virtual orchestra machines. It’s not a good thing. At least with the synthesizers, there is some talent that goes along with it. I would say, if you do have to play in something with a virtual orchestra machine, it’s not good.

Mikael Elsila: Where do you see the virtual orchestra machine taking music?

Kiku Enomoto: It’s the death to all musicians. Are we playing music for the money or are we doing it to play music with other musicians?

Mikael Elsila: How did it feel when all of the OCB musicians were standing together in solidarity?

Kiku Enomoto: It felt really cool. It felt like, “Wow, this is something where we really do have a say and a voice!” It felt very empowering. I’m glad that in turn it helped the union negotiate more agreements that contain bans on virtual orchestra machines. What I did I couldn’t have done without everyone else being there with me, supporting each other.

Guest Author – Mikael Elsila
Note: This story originally appeared in the December 2004 issue of Allegro, the newspaper of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), Local 802.

The new report, from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, suggests that musicians are divided about the impact of file-sharing on the music business. While many felt that file-sharing gained them additional exposure, others were concerned about losing control over their work. Most agreed, though, that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and its lawsuits against file-sharers would not benefit musicians.

Between March 15 and April 15 of this year, 2,755 musicians and songwriters responded to a Web-based survey about the way they use the Internet and their views on a host of public policy questions related to copyright and music file-sharing on the Internet.

Highlights of the report:

• The Internet appears to be benefiting more musicians than it hurts. 35% of the musicians interviewed agreed that file-sharing services are not bad for artists, compared to 23% that felt that they hurt artists.
• 7 times as many musicians feel that the Internet has helped them as feel it has hurt them. When asked what impact free downloading on the Internet has had on their careers as musicians, 37% say free downloading has not really made a difference, 35% say it has helped and 8% say it has both helped and hurt their career. Only 5% say free downloading has exclusively hurt their career and 15% of the respondents say they don’t know.
• Most musicians think file-sharing has had a small or no effect on the piracy of their music. Asked whether online music file-sharing has made it harder to protect their music from piracy, 16% say the Internet has had a big effect in allowing piracy of their music, 21% say it has had a small effect, and 41% say it has had no effect.
• Most musicians think current laws adequately protecting musicians. 67% say artists should have complete control over material they copyright and they say copyright laws do a good job of protecting artists. Fully 61% of those in this sample believe that current copyright laws do a good job of protecting artists’ rights, but 59% also say that copyright laws do more to protect those who sell art than to protect the artists themselves.

While many musicians seem to see benefits from the Internet, and even file-sharing, they also have concerns about these technologies:

• Most musicians and songwriters think file-sharing on the Internet poses some threat to creative industries that make music and movies. One-third say file-sharing poses a “major threat” to these industries while one-third say it poses a “minor threat.” Another third say file-sharing poses “no threat at all” and 7% say they don’t know.
• Most of the musicians and songwriters sampled do not believe current copyright laws “unfairly limit public access to art.” Some 46% disagree with this statement and 21% strongly disagree. However, 15% do agree that current laws unfairly limit public access to art, 8% strongly agree and 10% say they don’t know.
• Half of the musicians and songwriters surveyed say they would be bothered if someone put a digital copy of their music on the Internet without permission (compared to 37% who say they would not be bothered and 12% who say they don’t know). Some 28% said they had experienced this situation firsthand.

While the views that Pew captured in their research are complex and sometimes conflicting, there seems to be general consensus among musicians that the Internet is a powerful tool for reaching new audiences. 83% have provided free samples of their work online and significant numbers say free downloading has helped them sell CDs and increase the crowds at concerts

As for their own careers, more of these artists say free music downloading online has helped them than hurt them. Fully 83% of those in the survey say they provide free samples or previews of their music online. And strong pluralities say free downloading has a payoff for them. For instance, 35% of them say free downloading has helped their careers and only 5% say it has hurt. Some 30% say free downloading has helped increase attendance at their concerts, 21% say it has helped them sell CDs or other merchandise; and 19% say it has helped them gain radio playing time for their music. Only fractions of them cite any negative impact of downloading on those aspects of their work.

Many musicians and songwriters do not think the RIAA campaign against free file sharing on the Internet will benefit them

The survey shows that many musicians do not think the recording industry efforts to halt the free sharing of music on the Internet will benefit those who create and perform music.

Some 60% of those in the sample say they do not think the Recording Industry Association of America’s suits against online music swappers will benefit musicians and songwriters. Those who earn the majority of their income from music are more inclined than “starving musicians” to back the RIAA, but even those very committed musicians do not believe the RIAA campaign will help them. Some 42% of those who earn most of their income from their music do not think the RIAA legal efforts will help them, while 35% think those legal challenges will ultimately benefit them.

Details and methodology on Pew’s survey are available at their site.

The site is a project of Downhill Battle, a site that documents and promotes music activism against the major record labels, and promotes independent music. The site has two main goals.

• To make it impossible for the five major record labels to use legal threats to stifle musical art. Their plan is to publicly distribute works that are driven underground by the major labels.
• To advocate for common-sense reforms to copyright law that can make sampling legal and practical for artists, and benefiting both the musicians who created source material and sample-based musicians who are using it to create new works. For an informed and vibrant discussion to exist on these topics, sample-based music needs to be readily available. To determine whether current copyright law is serving musicians and fans, the public needs to be able to hear the kind of work that’s currently being suppressed.

The site is distributing an easy BitTorrent installer to help distribute banned works.

Now Claire Channel and Scary Sherman (great names) have created the new Jay-Z Construction Set. It’s a CD-ROM that collects 9 remixes of Jay-Z’s Black Album (including the Grey Album). It also has the original Jay-Z a capella vocal tracks, hundreds of samples and breakbeats, and photos of Jay-Z, his rivals, hot cars, and picturesque scenes. In other words, it’s all the pieces you need to make your own Black Album remix, and the cover art to go with it. Who needs the Grey Album, how about a Purple Album, or a Fuscia Album, or a Rainbow Album?

The Construction Set is already huge on torrent. It has turned into one of the hottest downloads, and this is turning into the best free publicity that Jay-Z could get. It’s hard to imagine that record company executives won’t see the value in releasing song components that anybody can remix, considering that this has brought a considerable amount of attention to an album that is otherwise unexceptional.

Interesting things are happening in the music world. The Grey Album is one example. People are interested in being involved in music, and the computers of today are like the cheap guitars of 40 years ago. People are taking the tools they have available and making interesting and not so interesting derivitive work. Instant Music is another example. Cheap laptops and free music software have made it easy for anybody to make music anywhere. This has led to overnight creations like the Dean Mixes. It also makes it easy for anybody to make high-quality recordings on location, approved or unapproved. Expect to see more instant music, and the rise of guerilla location recording.

The Jay-Z construction set is available via torrent. Information is available at the Jay Z Construction Set site. The file you get from BitTorrent is a .zip file. The Jay-Z Construction Set was designed to fit on a CD-ROM. It weighs in at just under 650mb so it should work on any CD burner. The site suggests that users should “Feel free to alter the contents as much as you want. Include your own remixes, add more samples, whatever you want– this project belongs to everyone that touches it!”

They’ve made a list of 6 reasons to tell the RIAA where to go:

• Music diversity will grow.
• Pay-for-play radio will end.
• Independent music won’t be marginalized.
• The lawsuits will stop.
• Artistic freedom will expand.
• Musicians will make a better living.

The list is supported with explanations of how the major labels are using newspeak to support their monopolies, and offers alternatives.

If enacted, the Ecstasy Awareness Act would throw people in jail who organize raves or similar electronic dance events if some of their customers used drugs.

This is one more way electronica is being targeted as part of the “war on drugs”. Unfortunately, by targetting the promoters, this bill will effectively limit your access to electronic music.

If enacted, H.R. 2962 would make it a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison to profit “monetarily from a rave or similar electronic dance event, knowing or having reason to know that the unlawful use or distribution of a controlled substance occurs at the rave or similar event.”

If you think this is BS, let Congress know. The Drug Policy Action Center has a online form you can fill out that will automatically send a message to your representative in congress. Help stop this before it becomes a stupid, unnecessary law that discriminates against your music!