We interviewed John Cale in issue #156 around the time of his previous release, Mercy. He has just released POPtical Illusion, a collection of synth and keyboard heavy tunes that carry a heavy, and at times angry message about the state of the world. That is not to say that that Cale has lost all hope and there is optimism that we can still bring about change. POPtical Illusion was produced by Cale along with longtime artistic collaborator Nita Scott.
"...from what I have seen, the industry is fatally flawed. Everyone seems to want something for nothing and few are willing to pay for what something is actually worth. Plus, there are thousands of graduates flooding recording studios each year...
Expect to see more changes in the music purchasing/acquiring habits of teenagers as time goes by. Courtesy of the NPD Group's press release:
"teens (age 13 to 17) acquired 19 percent less music in 2008 than they did in 2007. CD purchasing declined 26...
It's that time of year again where we go back through our digital listening histories or simply look over at the turntable to get a handle on just what we were enjoying this past year. There were a ton of great releases this year, many of them...
THE GREAT BRITISH RECORDING STUDIOS
Howard Massey, an excellent author and recording engineer, is putting together what should be an important book on the British record studio scene of the sixites and seventies. If you were involved in this...
My pal Howard Bilerman of Hotel2Tango studios in Montreal is hosting and interviewing for this excellent event. It's in conjunction with the fantastic PopMontreal music fest. OCTOBER 2nd, 4:30pm. The secret you get here is that "the following day,...
Like any war, the loudness wars are a total mess brought on by territorial tendencies amongst those who fear losing their place in the world. And like a real war, the loudness wars cause people to throw rational thought out the window and replace it...
I recently wrote about Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Records, and their excellent vinyl (and CD) reissues. I have become a huge fan of their releases, especially the attention to detail and sonic quality of their pressings.
On December...
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Alan Parsons is one of the most talented engineer/producers out there and a hell of a nice guy. His Art and Science of Sound Recording DVD set is a great learning tool that we reviewed a while back. Now...
The husband and wife partnership of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker will forever be remembered for their work in the band Low. Their remarkable vocal harmonies always told a story of a long and storied relationship that went far beyond the music and...