Never get out of the boat: January 2008

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

unm2pnm

I'm about to receive a copy of Joseph Jaffe's latest book Join the Conversation.

Joseph has invited 150 bloggers/podcasters to review the book as part of a 'use new marketing to prove new marketing' initiative. Full details of the initiative can be found on his excellent Jaffe Juice.

I've been regularly reading Jaffe Juice and listening to Joseph's podcast for the last couple of years and both helped significantly open my eyes to the new marketing thinking. In fact, I doubt i'd be writing this blog without some of that influence (readers voice: so now we know who to blame...)

I'm also pleased to note he appears to be using the unm2pnm logo I whizzed up.

Once I've read and reviewed the book I'm going to purchase a copy for myself then offer up the free one I got for someone else. Any one who who would like the spare copy drop your name in the comments and i'll stick them in the old tombola and draw a recipient.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

DIY? from post-punk to myspace and back again

In his article Rise Of The DIY Superstar James Cherkoff notes how a young relative described her favourite music to him:

They're all MySpace bands, no one listens to (the Top 40) anymore’.

I commented on his post that the underground has always found alternative distribution channels. The MySpace phenomenon is the logical progression from the DIY ethic that spawned fanzines (Xerox self publishing), the indie distribution networks (Rough Trade, The Cartel, CWNN etc) of the post-punk period and the Acid House explosion of the late 80’s.

He describes the bands that are harnessing digital channels to create their audience - without relying on record companies - as DIY Superstars.

A DIY story…

APB formed in 1979 in Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Their punk/funk hybrid sound combining Bootsy Collins, NY no-wavers ESG and UK post-punkers like the Gang of Four.

Their second single for Aberdeen based Oily Records -‘Shoot You Down’ (1981) found it’s way over the Atlantic to NYC's underground dance clubs - Danceteria, Berlin, the Mudd Club – via London Blitz dj Rusty Egan and heavy rotation on college radio.

The band became a phenomenon in the NY/NJ areas eventually signing with the home of hip-hop electro, Sleeping Bag Records, notching up a No. 1 on the Billboard dance chart with ‘What Kind of Girl’. Bizarrely they could hardly get arrested in the UK during this time despite being legends on the Lower East side and eventually split.
And , yes, that is JB in the pic.

Fast forward to 2006, ‘Something to believe in' – a sort of greatest hits, original copies of which had been changing hands on ebay for ridiculous sums – has been re-released on itunes as the band’s MySpace community swells to 15k plus.

They followed that up with some live dates in NY/NJ and a full set of new songs released as ‘Three’ earlier this year.
I also hear that there’s a remix project in the pipeline for some of the classic early singles.

In a year where the biggest stories in the mainstream media have been the reunions of the likes of Led Zep (hooray!) The Police (boo!) here’s a band that got back together in 2007, used the power of the web to re-unite their audience and added the link to the chain which connects the post-punk DIY ethic to the web2.0 update.

APB on MySpace
Young American Recordings

the greatest punk band that never was...?

What a band this could have been. The Looters: Cook and Jones from the Pistols, Paul Simonon from the Clash with Ray Winstone (!) on vocals.

From the long lost 1982 movie Ladies and Gentlemen the Fabulous Stains

In the Long Tail of everything there's not much that we can't get our hands on, so this must be due for DVD release please?

Friday, January 11, 2008

A new Agency Model?

Thanks to Neil Perkin from the excellent Only Dead Fish for bringing this presentation by Albion to our attention. Much chatter about new agency models in the past year or so. These guys have a pretty decent stab at articulating.

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Tuesday, January 08, 2008

The matter in hand.

Props to Jamie C who has alerted us to this anti drink driving initiative from Saatchi & Saatchi in Frankfurt.

The Piss-Screen.

In these driving games - placed in the urinals of bars, clubs - players control the cars using their pee via pressure-sensitive inlay set within urinals. A social utility if I'm not mistaken.

It's unconfirmed whether Wii technology is involved.

Made me remember a bar back in Aberdeen in the early 90's. Behind plexi glass urinals were mini tv screens with footage of Glasgow Rangers footballers on constant rotation. Thus encouraging you to drink more just to have the (possibly - and slightly worryingly - homo-erotic) pleasure of pissing on Mark Hateleys face.
Sadly no pic available.

Whopper freakout Ghetto versions

In case you missed the long form 'viral' where Burger King kid on that the Whopper is being discontinued. Quite funny when they start substituting Wendy burgers and big Mac's for Whoppers.

But even better fun to be had with the 'remixed' Ghetto versions.
'The world is comin' to an end...you gonna fuck us all up!'

Saturday, January 05, 2008

all you need is cash (or 'is advertising a 4 letter word?')

Considering the current grim state of the establishment music biz it comes as no surprise that the holy grail - the Beatles catalogue - is now available for use in ads.

Yes we have no bananas?
In a statement, Sony/ATV - which owns the rights to 259 Lennon and McCartney songs - have said they will allow performances of the aforementioned songs (providing they are by artists other than the fabs) to be used in...wait for it....BRAND PARTNERSHIPS.

The first of these (ahem) 'partnerships' is set to be with P&G in the US for their 'Luvs' nappies - All You Need is Luvs (geddit)

Friday, January 04, 2008

blurb - self publishing, books on demand

I've not been surprised that e-books have not really taken off big style (yet...).
There's something tangible about a physical book that the digital equivalent doesn't satisfy. A bit like 12" LP's.

Dare I say it, it may even be a social object.

With stylish self-publishing service, Blurb, you can print your portfolio, wedding album or novel, i suppose, in various formats.

hat-tip to threeminds.

most contagious 2007

In the flurry of year-end round-ups Contagious magazine have gone beyond the call of duty and have pulled together a nice round up of the best of the best in digital campaigns and bits and bobs of last year.

One for your virtual coffee table.
Download mostcontagious2007.pdf

Our Orange interactive tv work gets noted, albeit a bit too briefly ;)