By: A. Brain
Music industry insiders are whining about the lack of consumer interest in new records these days, the piracy of music on the internet and conversely consumers are staying away in droves and, get this…making their own music. Websites like MacBand, BrooklynBoy, GarageBand, and CDBaby are touting the best new and independent music right on the web. Garageband.com says:
"Since 1999, thirteen bands discovered by GarageBand.com have been signed by major record labels, and one has already gone double-platinum! Many more have scored publishing, production, or licensing deals, in some cases directly because of exposure on GarageBand.com.Of course, we can't promise that you'll get signed. But 75,000 bands can't be wrong!”

And a very popular aspect of GarageBand is the forum where listeners get to play Simon Cowell with other people's hopes and dreams:
Wow, that is the first bad review I have had for that song. It would be nice if you had said something intelligent or constructive.
1: You're a complete backwoods [naughty bits deleted].
2: You're generic ass brand of early 90's country is weak.
3: If making songs means I have to talk about bacon and [naughty bits deleted], then I'll continue on my path of not making songs.
4: If you don't like modern effects it is because you're old and tired.
5: Don't you ever get tired of writing the same boring song that everyone else on the radio is writing? Oh, of course you don't because you have twenty carbon copy rip offs on your own band page. Honestly, is there an original bone in your body? You're like a watered down version of the Charlie Daniel's Band.
So, if I should go play some video games, I guess you should go shoot some guns and force yourself on your daughter or something. In short, eat [naughty bits deleted].
Love,
Ryan
I must admit that the violent nature of the letter punctuated by the "Love, Ryan" really won me over. But back to my point that people aren't waiting around for Sony, Interscope, Capitol or anybody else to speak to their specific music tatses, but rather going out and making their own music is priceless.
Is it revolutionary? Not on that aspect by itself, no. But coupled with the medium of the internet it is pinging a never before reached audience, and that does make it revolutionary. Back when I was a young man
I was thrilled to get tapes of a nearby fool, as opposed to a far-away fool, who was prank calling a fellow co-worker and recording the conversations. He would then share the tapes with friends and other friends would pass them on to us for our listening pleasure. (like a redneck internet) His calls weren't incredibly poignant or insightful, and the production quality was grainy at best, but a couple of years later the Jerky Boys had parlayed prank calling into a tidy little business with a movie deal and so many records out that the shelves at Stuckey's literally over-flowed with them. Even today Crank-Yankers on Comedy Central has jazzed up the prank phone call scenario with puppets and put it on television. Although I have to argue that puppets rarely spice up anything.
But, it was a precursor of things to come. No test groups, no big-money backers wanting validation for spending their capital on your vision...just a dude with a crappy tape recorder and a dream to prank call a 55 year old man who worked in a car dealership, and had a penchant for cursing over the phone. (Playing Bette Midler's "Did you ever know that you're my Hero")
That's what is so great about GarageBand and Macband and all the others...the voice. The consumer has become the producer. You know what you like - go make it. Stop gripping about not having any music for your tatses...you want Indian Rap Music? They got it! Some Techno-Funk/house infant tunes? Well, honestly I have no idea but there is probably a group working hard to make that the next music you get your groove down to. And soon enough, we'll see these groups on the shelves at our favorite music store or at Itunes in the staff favorites section. The music industry has to listen, we're not buying anything else anyway.
And not just music, films too. Coming next...
Yes, it is supposed to say "griPPing"...thankyouverymuch!
the King
Posted by: a.brain | 10/19/2004 at 04:38 PM