What is 'Love'?

WHAT IS LOVE? (BABY DON'T HURT ME)

So it is that most divisive of days on the calendar…

ST VALENTINES DAY!

Regardless of your position on the validity of such a day, lets talk about love.

Don’t worry this isn’t going to be some mushy monologue about romance and whatnot.

Instead, lets talk about music and the love of it.

I have been in love with music since I was probably about 14 years old when I bought ‘Smash’ by the Offspring and it blew my mind, it was so different to what I had grown up with, or heard on the radio…It spoke to my teen angst in a way that I believe changed me significantly.

MANY YEARS LATER: Whilst my tastes have changed, music remains a driving force in my life, playing a massive part in my personal and professional life…as a music fan, musician and Label owner.

But why do we do it? Why do we spend so much of our money on a collection of structured sound waves, either collecting them or making them?

As any musician will tell you, its not to get rich…that is a 1 in a million shot.

Is it for fame?

I don’t think so; there are easier ways to get famous and certainly cheaper/easier ones.

Why does that kid sit in his room practicing guitar licks for 4 hours a day? Why does that 30 something guy keep getting in that van and playing shitty pub gigs to 20 people? Why does that couple spend every penny they earn to follow their favourite artist around the country on their tour?

I wish I could tell you but I am as bamboozled as to the significance of music as anyone, but I will say one thing…I am glad I have it in my life!

I would love to hear about your stories and your relationship with music, so please comment and let me know!!!

For those of you that are fans of valentines and are looking to spend the evening with your special one, here is the awesome track ‘A Spark In The Air’ by MiXE1:



For those that would rather the whole thing just went away and shut up, here is ‘Parasite’ by Defeat:


PS. Message to the Missus, happy valentine’s day Kathy ;)

Promotion>Production>Product?

Promotion>Production>Product?

Random thoughts from Steve Fearon.

It is perhaps a sign of our times of over-commercialisation and our attitude to music, that I am seeing an increasing amount of emphasis being placed on the marketability and production quality of a song/band over the actual quality of the 'product'.

I think in this day an age, production quality is more attainable than ever, and there is admittedly little excuse for less than at least mediocre production values, and an artists image is of course an important aspect of the whole package...however the lack of attention on the songwriting itself is becoming a little worrying.

With all the time and money spent by people on getting the PR and mix right, learning new production techniques, new social media methods...how many artists are putting the same effort into the art of songwriting?

How many people have spent days hunched over a computer trying to get that Kick sounding just right?

LOADS

how many people have spent days working on a vocal melody, or a nice transition from the bridge to the chorus, or in trying to learn new ways of writing challenging counter-melodies?

Less I am willing to bet.

I am not suggesting that we neglect the production, or the business side of creating music, but it worries me that these are often getting more time and attention than the art to which we all fell in love in the first place.

The song is what speaks to the heart, so if you get that right the rest will amplify it.

If you neglect the art, what will you have to shine up and market?

Ask Mr Cowell...he has made a career from it.

As a positive end to this rather dour article (Sorry!) here is a track from our latest addition to the roster, MACHINE ROX!