Every year, as the summer ends, the surf companies show off their clothes and surfers in free surf films. They are a visual delight and the soundtrack always supplies a new favorite song. Here is the first one, from Billabong – Daze at Sea – available for download in various sizes:
I think it’s funny and the perfect way to bring back MySpace. The whining tones of missing your girl and wanting to get back together, they help you get over the moment of – I’m so over MySpace. And then you can see the new design for what it is – focused on music and fans, pictures and sharing links.
But can MySpace – with all the brand recognition – get something going?
The market is full of similar social networks with the same features. The only advantage is to serve a niche – like resumes with Linkedin or photos with Pinterest – and music is MySpace’s niche. If they can maintain focus on that, build some momentum, and bring some respect back to the name, then I think they have a chance.
I’m interested.
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Don’t forget to sign-up for an invite to the New MySpace.
A beautiful short film by John Lynch set to the music of Sam Bauer – and the combination shines.
From the filmmaker:
I was so involved in my DSLR work, I had the impulse to look at some 16mm footage. To see what I used to shoot on my trusty old vintage 16mm Bolex.
It was refreshing to see moments in footage presented exactly the way they were filmed. No effects were necessary for the texture and feel. A quality that celluloid film will always have over digital.
I met Sam Bauer a few years ago on a project. We became friends and he expressed interest in doing a cut and composing a score to my cinematography. I gave him a series of out-takes from my 2003 South Africa Trip that became a part in “Change the Subject” (released in 2004).
Sam was the editor of Donnie Darko so he possesses natural affinity for sound design and score. This is Sam’s interpretation of the footage.
It was is refreshing to see this after so many years.
J. Lynch
One of the joys a Pandora listener experiences is hearing a song for the first time. That moment when the music genome offers up his ideal genetic match from an artist he’s never heard before. And when he clicks the bio to learn more, the AllMusic database loads up a charming piece of prose:
Undeniably ambitious, melodically exquisite, and flush with enough perfectly rendered fantasy metal clichés to feed an army of bards, druids, monks, paladins, and rangers as they set forth on a great cola-and-pizza/20-sided-die-fueled adventure, Iron Maiden’s seventh studio album is the sh$t.
Even Iron Maiden deserves charming prose. And this beautiful literature is found all across Pandora with even more on the AllMusic website. Where the curious fan can browse through any genre, mood, or theme that delights him. It’s such a rewarding experience that I recommend clearing up a few hours and diving in.
This experience is not limited to music, for there is also AllMovie and AllGame. And both provide endearing compositions:
The story in Chimpanzee centers on Oscar, a young simian born into a large family of 35 others, and eager to learn the ways of life in the jungle. As Oscar’s mother Isha teaches her newborn how to find food and avoid dangerous predators, the leader of their family, Freddy, vigilantly defends their territory from his rival Scar.
Atari’s dominance in the game industry was challenged by a company originally founded to sell leather supplies. Promising to “Bring the Arcade Experience Home,” Coleco released its much-anticipated ColecoVision in 1982, making history by firing the first shot in the inaugural console wars.
All three sites are a delight for any fan, and worth remembering for any purchase or move rental. I leave you with one more review for Ravi Coltrane’s newest album, to inspire you to go turn on some music:
Despite the metaphysical suggestion in Spirit Fiction’s title, this is Ravi Coltrane’s most cerebral, process-oriented recording to date. There is an abundance of emotion and sensual detail, most of it expressed gently, with the confidence — and authority — of a veteran bandleader.
This weekend, I experienced the mellifluous genius of John Williams conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl through a series of scores he has composed over his fifty-plus year career. The man responsible for creating the iconic themes to Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones, E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter (the list goes on, and on, and on) is now eighty years old and is the living embodiment of having a career versus having a job. Last year, he received two Academy Award nominations for War Horse and The Adventures of Tin Tin and shows no sign of slowing down.
Which got me thinking…what will I be doing when I’m an octogenarian? Will I be living my passion? How many people envision a career beyond “retirement age”?
It wasn’t until I witnessed Williams on stage — the exuberance on his face, the vigor in his voice — that I considered the question.
Warren Buffett is 82 years old and while preparing for his abdication of the Berkshire Hathaway throne, appears amazingly involved. Queen Elizabeth is 86 and spoofing herself at global arenas like the London Olympics. It’s conceivable these magnates will remain actively centered in their vocations well into their 90s.
As our lifespans lengthen, are our views on everything from careers to relationships to faith expanding as well? While I haven’t read it (yet, it’s on my to-read list), I’m told the book “100 Plus: How the Coming Age of Longevity Will Change Everything, From Careers and Relationships to Family and Faith” tackles these issues with thought-provoking adroitness.
A couple years ago I made the decision to pursue a career I loved, versus succeed in a job (that started out as a career) I liked. Now, as I draw inspiration and guidance from those living and sustaining their dreams, like Margaret Atwood, who at 72 is working with the online writing community at Wattpad to encourage new writers, I look towards the future with an unexpected optic, one that answers “I hope so” to the aforementioned question: Will I be living my passion at 80 years old?
On Labor Day, as we pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers, it seems appropriate to reflect upon on our laboring futures, with farsighted lenses.
Businessman and author Harvey Mackay is touted for coining the phrase: “Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” While this feels exceedingly trope-ish, there is a distinct difference between a labor of love, and just laboring, with the former presenting a much more sustainable, and fulfilling, future.
Cardiff, a city just north of San Diego, is hosting an event guaranteed to be fun. There will be multiple surf contests, a green expo, tarp surfing (see picture below), musical entertainment, and a demo of various DIY surf toys (handplanes, paipos, etc.).
The Cardiff Surf Classic & Green Beach Fair
Saturday, October 27
8am – 5pm
Cardiff Seaside Beach
Free, open to all
The music industry still has a stranglehold on digital music.
Pandora and Spotify Rake in the Money and Then Send It Off in Royalties
At least 33 million people have tried Spotify, more than 150 million have registered for Pandora…Both are losing money, and for largely the same reason: the cost of music royalties. Pandora…in its most recently reported quarter lost $20 million on $81 million in revenue. Spotify’s accounts…show that it lost $57 million in 2011, despite a big increase in revenue, to $236 million.
It just seems silly. The music labels are pulling millions from these companies. So, why don’t they negotiate a rate that allows these companies to say in business?
I’ve always enjoyed the art that comes out of events and concerts. A promotional flier put together by some creative genius. Sometimes printed, sometimes not, used for a few short weeks and then gone forever.
Here are eight from the website of the band, The Mattson2:
**Hint: my favorite is the last one, but only because of the name.
BBC wrote an interesting piece on the history of the steel pan:
Amid the electronica of 20th Century music one new instrument stands out for its simplicity. The steel pan, possibly the only instrument made out of industrial waste, has become an icon of Trinidadian culture.
“There is something about the steel pan and Caribbean music in general that resonates with the rest of the world,” says Professor Tim Wall.
The music has been keenly adopted by the pop world. The Hollies used the sound of the steel pan in their song Carrie Anne, Prince used it in his song New Position.
Go ahead and read the full story, but make sure to compare these two steel pans. They will get you in the right frame of mind.
Here is one you can buy new for $150: