New Free Tracks at ACEtonestudio.com

...a couple of somewhat recent free downloads available at the real website:

Insane Invader Dub
This can only be described as an outtake of a track that has developed significantly since this glitch ridden abortive mix - yet there is something to it. Very much a 60's English sci-fi or horror vibe, which is fine by me. It sounds like the mix is being invaded by some sort of audio guzzling space bacteria...or something.

and this, which is entirely comprised of sound effects from 80s arcade games. For educational purposes only...this will not be released elsewhere...
Unit Test Failed Dub
A good laugh was had by all...

Show Me Your Backside!

To give better praise and credit to DJ Frank's Voodoo Funk project I'm linking it here again.

http://voodoofunk.blogspot.com

Lots of surprising, unusual and gratifying images, mp3 downloads and generally vibrantly wonderful African vinyl rips...and the pic here and the subject are really red herrings. I'm sure I'll treat this greatness with more respect when time permits - but this is well nice for now...

So that's What Baidu is all about!

there is more behind this than reported here I'm sure.

A huge number of the ACEtone downloads in particular of the the ACEtone ALLstars tracks is through Baidu and SoSo spiders.
The top hits in acetonestudio.com webstats are from these Chinese companies. I'm actually pretty happy with this because it means that lots of people in China are hearing the music I produce. Of course I would like to be paid for it, but...it is good advertising...

Now the article does say this:

Baidu provides links only to music files stored on third-party servers. No music is stored on computers owned or controlled by Baidu.

Well, what's the problem? It doesn't say that they are hacking into any servers. Sounds to me like they are not doing anything wrong. Sounds even more like the major labels are trying to quash independent artists and make only major label music available globally, and at a price. It is my choice if I want to give this music away for free and Baidu and SoSo should be able to make it accessible as long as they are not breaking any laws. Baidu is a search engine. It is possible to find free downloads, free LEGAL downloads using this search engine. Can the record companies not understand that some things in life are free? What a jaded, cynical, stupid subspecies they are!

Here also is the Slashdot angle on the subject where some comments get it right, wrong or just ridiculously misinformed.

and for some clarification here is the Wikipedia.org entry on Baidu

Recording Industry vs. the People

Recording Industry vs. the People's mission is to expose

...the RIAA's attempt to monopolize digital music by redefining copyright law, through the commencement of tens of thousands of extortionate lawsuits against ordinary working people.

They seem to be doing quite a good job of it too.

Around the World in 20+ Dubs

Eating Betty was recently honoured to be included in the selections for this Echo Beach (WLUW-FM) / Echo Chamber (KFAI-FM) joint effort. Thanks to Dr. Strange Dub and Turntable Terrorist...
You can hear the audio here (part 1) and here (part 2 includes Eating Betty)
or you can see if these buttons work:
Part 2


Part 1


Playlist is as follows:

Artist – Track – Album – Label – Year (Time)
1. Around the World in Dub Intro – Turntable Terrorist – Unreleased – 2008 (2:02)
2. USA: Subatomic Sound System – TTT Mashup of "The Chronicles" (vocals by Treasure Don) & "It's the Heat" – Heat Brings Heat EP – Subatomic Sound (Digital Only Release) – 2007 (4:01)
3. Jamaica: King Chilla – Chilla's Theme – 7" release on Dub Voltage – 2007 (3:01)
4. Mexico: Bungalo Dub – Mr. Mad – Dub Attack – Invasion/7 Records – 2007 (4:16)
5. Brazil: Victor Rice – Sun of Dubday – Dubshine – SpitShine Records – 2007 (3:36)
6. South Africa: Moodphase 5 – Paradise Syndrome (DJ Dope & Farmer Brian dub version) – In Superdeluxe Mode – African Dope Records – 2003 (5:44)
7. Australia/UK: Trevor "The Technician" McKenzie – Someone Dub – Exclusive mix "The Echo Chamber" & "Echo Beach" – 2008 (5:47)
8. Thailand: Dub Familia – Look to the East – Before The Baby Born – Net Release available on iTunes – 2007 (6:16)
9. Japan: Likkle Mai – Your Love (Spotlight Mix) – EP - Lik' Daughter - 2006 (8:42)
10. India: Midival Punditz – Chandini Chowk – Asian Massive – Six Degrees Records – 2002 (6:14)
11. Israel: Blondub Sexy Sound – Heaven (featuring Mad Professor) – Exclusive unreleased track from the upcoming "God Bless The Empress" album – 2008 (3:36)
12. Turkey: Firuzaga Soundsystem – Tekli Dub – Self-released – 2007 (3:43)
13. Sardinia: Arrogalla – Nuis Dub (Boghes de Bagamundos remix) – Arrogalla – Arrogalla Music – 2007 (4:56)
14. Morocco: Dubosmium – Waragine A Ragine – Horizontal Plane Polar Dub – Fresh Poulpe Records (net label) – 2006 (5:17)
15. Spain: Hot Drop – Hotdrop Inna Dance (featuring Ranking Forrest) – Ready – LaFamille Records – 2007 (5:21)
16. France: Fedayi Pacha – Hayduk Bey – New Dub Excursion – Sounds Around – 2007 (4:53)
17. Austria: Makossa & Megablast – Rip It Up (featuring Ras T-Weed) – Kanuaka – G-Stone Records – 2007 (8:25)
18. Czech Republic: Hypnotix – Reasoning (Wintage Remix) – Selection One – Popron Music – 2005 (5:36)
19. Germany: Tokyo Tower – I Need My Dubflash – I Need My Dubflash Each and Every Day – Upcoming release on Mutan Records – 2008 (3:47)
20. Holland: Togetha Brotha Soundsystem – Jahovia Dub – The Way of the Sinner – Self released – 2008 (5:12)
21. England: Rob Smith – Corner Dub (Blue & Red mix) – RSD – 2007 (3:23)
22. Wales: Llwybr Llaethog – Fflio Dub – Mega Tidy – Rasal Records – 2005 (4:55)
23. Ireland: Eating Betty – Dubbin' 2 Hard – Net release available for free through www.acetonestudio.com - 2008 (4:14)
24. Canada: Dubmatix – War Inna Corner (featuring Ranking Joe) – Upcoming release on the new Irie Ites label - 2008 (3:45)
25. USA: The Drastics – Kevlar – Premonition – Jump Up! Records – 2005 (5:06)

A Very Bad and Desperate Idea

Music industry fools run around around like headless chickens
or something like that...

If the record companies receive this tithe from the ISPs there is little hope of it ever reaching the artists (as recently proven by the news that the millions in damages won by the RIAA have not been disbursed to artists in any significant amounts). This is yet another desperate bid by the big 4 to shore up their failing profits and to forestall the collapse of their antiquated business model. As I've said before, the record companies need to break apart their various departments and go independent if they wish to survive in business.

To be remotely fair, the record companies would need to agree to some kind of no contest clause - so that regardless of what music content is shared online they would not attempt to interfere in any way with the natural order of P2P file sharing. They should be legally required to take the undeserved pound of flesh and shut the hell up.

Judging by this report and several others in the recent past, these talking heads know very little about anything and their primary role is to protect failing businesses by curbing progress and creativity. The welfare of the artists is not a significant consideration in any of these discussions or proposals.

It is reassuring to know how desperate they really are and that it is now and ever will be safe to download freely with roughly a 0.000488% chance of being shaken down by the so called 'content providers'. One day, we will all look back at this time and laugh, grimly, because there is little chance that human stupidity is on the wane...

Amen

Ireland to be Guinea Pig in ISP piracy battle?

IFPI Takes Irish ISP (Eircom) to Court
Let's just hope this suit gets thrown out.
Eircom’s lawyers...say that Eircom was “not on notice of specific illegal activity that infringed the rights of the companies”, adding that it was under no legal obligation to monitor traffic on its network.
I agree wholeheartedly...

More on the same subject

ACEtone Studio's Greatest hits for Jan 2008

...thought this might be of interest:
If I had a dollar, or 50 cents or even a dime for every download, I'd very be nicely supplementing the income from the day job and no longer struggling from paycheck to paycheck. And I'd be able to pay off a heap of debt. But you see, the thing is, most of the people, whoever they are, who downloaded the music most likely wouldn't have done so if there was the added hassle and expense of going through the process of paying for it. So, say I stop making 'The Dub Canon' for example available for free - I suspect it would no longer be heard by any new pairs of ears. Or at least very few.
To the people who downloaded the tracks, I heartily thank you and encourage you to keep on doing it. But if you can get around to it some time, please do buy a track every once in a while! And tell others...pass on the links...

I think this is a tiny thumbnail illustration of where the major record companies have it completely wrong. They haven't really lost anywhere near the number of sales they say they have due to 'illegal' filesharing. Again, they have misunderstood human nature, misinterpreted the art form and then gone on to insult and degrade their potential customers by bringing baseless lawsuits against them, extorting exorbitant settlement fees from individuals where no legal decision has even been reached and generally pissing off any sane minded lover of music.

I wouldn't give the majors a penny of my money now. They have nothing of value to offer. However, I do encourage supporting the little man, the small labels, the true independents - people who respect musicians and do not insist on business speak 101 such as calling musicians 'content providers'. Should we be selling music by quantity, or weight? When music becomes measurable it ceases to become music. You can say, well it's all mathematics really isn't it? But that notion in my view always misses the point. How mathematically inclined are you when you are being transported to another place and time whether playing or listening? It takes a certain kind of intellect and personality to find advanced mathematics transcendent, uplifting, inspiring etc.

When I'm working on a recording, I know that the timing/arrangement/note placement of the piece may be a sort of mathematical timeline/grid but this consciousness is buried beneath deep layers of expression and emotion/passion, neither of which are as yet quantifiable in mathematical terms...to the best of my knowledge anyway...

It has never been about money for me, maybe I'm a musical fool...
But is indeed gratifying to see some ACEtone productions being so popular with the barest minimum of promotion. The top three on this list were jammed live at 6/8 Studio and dub mixed back at ACEtone. The musicians I played with on these tracks are just some of the best coolest people I know. And if you find yourself listening to these tracks, remember that we were jammin' - no prior rehearsal involved. Sometimes it's the best way to make music.

Underground Roots is all ACEtone recorded and not bad at all. Nice to know it is getting out there a bit...

Enjoy free music. Pay for it if you think it is worth it...
I'll tell you what, pay for my music, then I'll be able to pay for music (to listen to) ; )

...well...this bollocks from U2's manager

I wrote a few words on this earlier but frankly the linked transcript speaks for itself. On the surface a lot of what he says seems to make sense - but really it is just all about corporate business as usual. Particularly nasty is his urging that ISPs be held responsible for stopping piracy on their networks. Almost as bad, his promotion of music subscription services. Bloody hell. Can that idea still be viable? Surely not!
So read and be very wary...
Here's his industry rant

To be FREE, or not to be FREE that is the music question

Excuse the lame Shakespeare paraphrasing. ACEtone Studio has been giving away for free several tracks with the best intentions of generating interest in the music produced here. And along with the best intention was the hope that it would drive some listeners to actually buy other tracks specifically released as commercially available music. It may have worked to a small degree, but the financial rewards are miniscule, hence my decision to make the same freely downloadable tracks available for sale. I'm working on this right now. The ACEtone ALLstars music has been hugely downloaded worldwide - now I'm working on selling it to see what happens. A crappy myspace page and the Snocap code to go with it. It will be interesting to see.

Surely it is better to dedicate yourself to your work and be rewarded for it. It is nice to hear kind words, yet the words ring a little hollow when there are not a few $ to help keep it going.

Happily the major record companies are in their 'last throes' and we are currently enjoying or suffering a period of flux that will result in some kind of new business model for music. One hopes that it will be a positive step towards rewarding the artists and frankly punishing the suits and marketing departments.

The only thing record companies really have going for them is their marketing. That is where all of the money is spent. So the marketing types should go independent - or the companies should set them apart and have them do what they do best...be assholes...and promote music. So as a musician you get to pay for someone who knows your music not what the label decides. Personally I couldn't give a crap. The kind of music the majors release is mostly dreadful rubbish. But it would be nice to think of them somehow adapting to the internet age.

There is much more I'd like to add to this topic, and I will in the future. But for now, free music is a good thing, but reward the artist if you value him or her. Most of my favourite artists either live hand to mouth or are dead due to extreme poverty. Make you think?