Friday, 9 April 2010

Anarchy in the UK

I used to have this poster for the Apollo in Glasgow (a gig that never took place!)

If there's one or two things I've learned from mucking about with brand participation ideas they are as follows.Whatever it is we want people to do it neads to be as easy as possible to participate and the quicker we can make it appear to onlookers that it's a good idea they need to get involved with, the better.

This doesn't mean it has to be a familiar idea.
In fact the more unfamiliar or innovative the idea is then the initial hipsters and 'early adopters', if you like, are more likely to have their interest piqued.

At that point it then becomes 'safe', or 'social proof' emerges, then the slightly more cautious are able to dip their toes in.

This is crucial because a participation idea needs to be 'in public'. The 'outsiders' don't see just the leaders, they mostly see the the followers, new recruits follow the followers, kind of thing, not just the the leaders.

Pondering this I recall a story from Bernie Rhodes (I think it was him).

Rhodes managed The Clash back in the day and was in cahoots with Malcolm Mclaren (Sex Pistols) and Jake Riviera (the unsung 3rd man of the original emergent UK punk scene, and erstwhile manager of The Damned).

Between the three of them they realised that to create a movement that initial 'social proof' needed to be apparent.

One band could not do it on their own, but 3 bands...

Do the arithmetic.

3 bands (Pistols, Clash, Damned) each with four members.
Say each band member has five 'friends', thats 60 people minimum.

So a triple header gig in a small strip joint in Soho has an instant crowd of 60 or so likeminded bods, to any waif or stray thats wandered in off the street it immediately looks like 'something' is happening.

As more people decide to join in it's no longer a risk, if they 'get it' no reason not to join in now, and the codes, language, style is all there for them.
It's very easy to participate.

We are a we-species after all.

And there's your movement.

Easy in principle but the hard part is having the guts and purpose to innovate in the first place, because if it's not interesting and worth the effort to join in, there will be no takers.Malcolm, Bernie and Jake, my mentors ;)

Eaon Pritchard @'Never Get Out Of The Boat'

(Thanx Stan!)

Dogmop - For Fifi XXX

4-1

Malcolm McLaren - 22/01/46 - 08/04/10 RIP

Malcolm McLaren, former manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls, died today in New York after a bout with cancer, The Independent reports. He was 64.

During the course of his career, the outspoken impresario worked in the fashion industry and released hip-hop and electronic albums, but he's most famous for his association with the Sex Pistols. The degree to which he helped the UK punk band rise in the late 70s is much debated.

When asked for a job description on Australian talk show "Enough Rope" in 2006, McLaren said, "Somehow or another, I remain permanently cool [...] I try to make ideas happen-- ideas that could change life."

Ryan Dombal @ 'Pitchfork'

Pixels Attack!

I'm voting Labour, founder of Tory gay rights group says

The founder of the Conservative Party's biggest group campaigning for gay rights has said she will now vote Labour at the general election after David Cameron failed to reprimand a Shadow Cabinet member for questioning gay rights.

Anastasia Beaumont-Bott, the first chairman of the LGBTory group, said she felt guilty for having told gay voters to back the Tories in the past after Chris Grayling, the shadow Home Secretary, said he believed bed and breakfast owners should have the right to ban gay couples from staying in their property. She called on the Tory leader to dismiss Mr Grayling. So far, Mr Cameron has refused to take any action against him.

Michael Savage @'The Independent'

Remember that it doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, black or white, straight or straight, Cameron's your man!

Teenager Heads to North Pole to Check In With Foursquare

Pope Opera

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Pope Opera

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Reform

Inside Story: What Are the Rules of Engagement?

Thursday, 8 April 2010

Moderat - Clash Music DJ Mix

The mighty Moderat – a combination of two of the best things to have come out of Germany since Erdinger (Modeselektor and Apparat) – supply Clash’s exclusive DJ mix this week, in part one of a two-week takeover of the podcast by BPitch Control – Berlin’s beast of an electronica label. Yum.

Beginning with some… unusual canine sounds (best not to ask), Moderat’s mix slides into the lush tones of the deservedly hyped Darkstar track, ‘Aidy’s Girl’s a Computer’ (giving a cogent example of where UK funky should be headed), before unveiling some garagey, grimy goodness from Untold, a few tasty remixes (including a Zomby rework of Martyn’s ‘Hear Me’, and a Joy Orbison remix of Four Tet) and some techno delights from Marcel Dettmann.

Not that either of the two acts in question really need any introduction, but in case you vowed not to listen to any good music last year, Moderat produced one of the most-anticipated electronic highlights of 2009 with their self-titled album (not forgetting the considerable individual triumphs of Modeselektor and Apparat) before taking their immense sound on the road with a series of live shows.

A mix of deep, uncompromising electronica and future dub from two artists on the cutting edge of dance music.

HERE

Moderat Dj Mix Tracklisting

01. Moondog – Moodog’s Theme

02. Darkstar – Aidy’s Girl’s a Computer

03. Untold - Revenue

04. Luis Digital - Dancefloor Microphysics

05. Jose James - Blackmagic / Joy Orbison Rmx

06. Four Tet - Love Cry / Joy Orbison Rmx

07. Vindicatrix - Private Places / Shackleton & Mordant Music version

08. Monolake - Plumbicon / Sleeparchive Remix

09. Emtyset - Awake