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Mflow Gets Fry'd

Mike Gatiss — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 09:39:25 GMT

Once upon a time it was slashdot that could bring fledgling websites and internet services to their needs by triggering an unexpected surge in interest. These days it's the high-profile twitterati that can overload a server in hours. A couple of days ago this is exactly what happened to new music service mflow thanks to Stephen Fry.

If you haven't come across mflow yet, it has been described as a cross between Twitter and Spotify but personally I think it's a lot closer to a cross between Twitter and Last.fm. It's not about to become your main music application (unless you like the unpredictability of not knowing what you'll be listening to next), but for discovering new music it's a great service.

Like Twitter you follow other users and gain followers, you can flow music to your followers at which point they'll have a full length preview of your flows dropped into their inboxes. Should any of your followers like the music you're flowing enough to buy the (DRM free) mp3's you'll get a 20% cut added to your account. Okay you're not going to get rich anytime soon at a rate of 16p per track (or £1.79 per album) but it can cover the cost of some free mp3's for you and all for just sharing great music.

Mflow has been growing steadily since it's official launch in April, all was going well, service was good then Stephen Fry mentioned it…

As expected, his loyal followers jumped on it, swamping mflow's servers with requests and bringing the service to a crawl. There hasn't been any official word on the size of the increase except to say "The traffic has been off the scale". As promised the service was bounced and tweaked and has come back able to cope with the increase in demand. Sadly at the time of writing we're still waiting to see what Stephen Fry is going to flow, could he be that he hasn't found anything he likes yet or is he wary of revealing his taste in music.

I myself have no such problems, my taste in music is as random as ever but there are some great bands on there so if you fancy hearing something different, drop by, install mflow and spread the love for your favourite tunes.

Technorati Tags: mflow,stephen fry,new music,music web services

Fyfe Dangerfield Live at The Deaf Institute, Manchester, 19-01-2010

Mike Gatiss — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:37:22 GMT

It takes all sorts to be successful in the music business; some get by with a mediocre voice and average performance with exceptional lyrics to carry them, with others it’s all about the show. Every now and then though you get reminded that what counts most is the music. Tonight was one of those nights when you couldn’t help but be touched by music and song so exquisitely performed that a full room stands in rapt silence.

Playing in Manchester on an evening when City and United were going head to head may not be the best idea a promoter has ever had but no-one was disappointed (well apart from a United fan here and there after losing 2-1 to local rivals City). Opening the show was front man Conor J O’Brien playing a solo acoustic set without the support of his band Villagers. So far he and his band are relatively unknown unless you’ve managed to catch his acerbic wit paired with a voice capable of unbelievable purity supporting the likes of Neil Young and Tracey Chapman. With a single and an EP already under his belt and an album on the way, you’re sure to be hearing more of this incredible talent in 2010.

Another front man going without his usual supporting band was tonight’s main attraction and surely the man with the coolest name in music, Guillemots front man, Fyfe Dangerfield. If you haven’t heard his debut solo album “Fly Yellow Moon”, get your backside over to his MySpace page to listen to the streaming tracks. Looking slightly nervous without fellow Guillies Aristazabal and co. on stage to back him up, Fyfe took us through the full range of human emotions from the joy of “She Needs Me” to the yearning of “If The World Ends” and every step between was a perfectly formed piece of pop. Even technical hitches couldn’t distract the audience and his final encore of Guillemots classic “Made Up Lovesong #43” on ukulele was the perfect finish to a great night.

BANDS: Fyfe Dangerfield - Images by mike gatiss

Technorati Tags: live music,gigs,the deaf institute,fyfe dangerfield,the guillemots,villagers,conor j o'brien

How To Guarantee A Future Filled With Mediocrity

Mike Gatiss — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:15:17 GMT

I was saddened yesterday to hear that another music photographer is quitting the business. Especially when chatting to him later he revealed that he still loves shooting music, he’s just got tired of the business and being expected to supply his shots for free. He’s not the first music ‘tog to quit, and I’m sure he won’t be the last. Unfortunately he’s just another victim of the “everything should be free” culture that has spread far and wide over the last decade, and it’s a culture that threatens to lead to a very dull future.

For obvious reasons, music photography is particularly close to my heart but it isn’t the only victim. If the Lily Allen is to be believed, the music industry itself has been hit hard by fans wanting their music for free. Newspapers and magazines are being squeezed hard and many have gone out of business as readers abandon them for the web – why pay for a newspaper or magazine when everything you need is available for free online. Even TV Channels are losing out as people simply download their latest shows rather than sitting through the advertising which supports them.

Many are the calls that say simply “things have changed, either change with them or get left behind”, and to an extent that is true – the internet is a Pandora’s box that can't and shouldn’t be closed, but if we’re going to expect everything for free we should know what to expect.

Part of the problem is that many talented people aren’t just talented in one area. For instance, the talented music photographer is a talented photographer first and foremost so if music photography won’t pay the bills, he/she has little option but to switch to another type of photography that will. The provocative writer that loses her job because the magazine she writes for goes out of business may have to turn to writing advertising copy instead to pay her mortgage. The musician that can’t sell his albums because everyone downloads them for free will be stuck with jingles. Oh I’m sure they will try to continue with their artistic side and personal projects but when it comes to food vs. art guess which will win. The net result is that very talented people will sell their talents to corporations that realise the value of what they have instead of writing, singing, photographing or whatever they do for our entertainment and pure cultural value. TV production companies will make programs that appeal to the widest possible audience for the lowest possible cost (reality shows anyone) instead of making high-risk intellectually challenging programs that may upset people for fear of losing what little advertising revenue they have left. Newspapers and magazines will stick to sensationalist attention grabbing stories rather than spending their meagre funds on good quality investigative journalism and photography.

This isn’t an attack on file sharing, I’ve downloaded music many times myself but I’ve always had the attitude that if I like it I buy it (the CD not the digital download but I’ll save that for another day), if I don’t it gets deleted. Instead it’s simply pointing out that if we don’t change and stop expecting everything to be free we’re in for a very dull future.

Also I don’t believe that advertising supported services such as Spotify are the answer either. Whilst Spotify has undoubtedly been a media success and has gotten a lot of attention over recent months I suspect the majority of users are going for the free advertising based service which means they are will be relying heavily on advertising. Unfortunately the internet generation have become pretty immune to online advertising so I have to question how valuable those advertising slots really are and whether they will be enough to pay the licencing fees demanded by the musicians and their labels. There is hope however given that Spotify have had to restore their invite system due to the popularity of their mobile app. Time (and premium subscriber figures) will tell.

Love him or hate him, Rupert Murdoch has already seen this in action as online news sites kill demands for his papers and plans to charge for online content. The big question is whether we (all) are willing to pay for it and other forms of content. If not the future’s dull, the future’s beige.

Bloc Party live at Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, 14-10-2009

Mike Gatiss — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:47:58 GMT

Without a new album to promote some might question the reason for Bloc Party’s Bloctober tour, not the fans though. They turned out in their droves to see the band in action and weren’t disappointed.

Looking as if he’s spent the year or so in the gym beefing up for the tour and sporting a new badass shaved head, Kele Okereke looked chilled and well up for the show.

Launching into One Month Off, Bloc Party wasted no time in getting the crowd going, following up with “Waiting For The 7.18” and then sending them into a frenzy with “Mercury”.

Sadly after the show news spread that Bloc Party’s future is less than certain. Combined with the bands cancellation of their Newport gig due to Guitarist Russell Lissack needing to undergo an unavoidable medical procedure the fans are getting understandably twitchy. Here’s wishing Russell a speedy recovery and the band some well earned R&R after this mammoth 20 date tour.

Technorati Tags: Bloc Party,live music,gigs,music photography,bloctober

New Los Campesinos! Member Unveiled

Mike Gatiss — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:28:43 GMT

If like me you were distraught at the news Aleks Campesinos had left the band to return to her studies, you’ll be relieved to know her shoes have been filled by new addition Kim Campesinos. The band spared no expense at her unveiling and I can’t wait to see her in action on the upcoming Los Campesinos! tour.

Out with the old

And in with the new

Kim Campesinos! Signs For Los Campesinos! from Los Campesinos! on Vimeo.

Technorati Tags: los-campesinos,music news