3.25.2021

STREAMING PLATFORMS: THE BEST MARKETING TOOLS FOR THE MUSICIAN

Фотография: Caught In Joy. Источник: Unsplash.com

Now in the parliamentary proceedings against YouTube in the United Kingdom - in the situation of dissatisfaction with the level of payments from the largest video hosting site, lots of people are beginning to see it only as a tool for marketing and attracting the attention of listeners. Let's discuss whether this makes sense.

Nothing new

In the '30s and '40s, when the Western pop music industry was gaining momentum, a lot of writers and performers worried about technological innovations would only hurt their careers. There was nothing surprising about that - back then, producers would simply gather musicians in the studio, put on a couple of microphones, and ask them to play everything the way it usually sounded in concert. The recordings of the studio sessions really sold out quickly, so there was a risk of a decline in ticket sales for the performances - some of the audience lost interest in them and were satisfied with the material, which they could start and listen to on their own at any time.

That's why the unions defended the right to a steady income from recordings and tried to compensate for the losses from the lack of attendance at shows. But the labels were in no hurry to meet their demands, and there were strikes throughout the '40s. Unionists were forbidden to cooperate with record companies, but it was very difficult to influence the work of the latter. 

The labels had managed to restock before the conflict started, plus they were releasing hits of the previous years and working with the so-called "hillbillies", which were not part of the professional communities and could record where and how they saw fit. And not everything was banned: musicians came to play on the air of radio stations, recorded vocals, which was quite acceptable, and cooperated with government agencies (by the way, this is how the number of publications on V-Discs was increased in those years - these were records designed exclusively for members of the U.S. Armed Forces).


Just a couple of years after the strikes were over, twice as many records were sold - the demand for them certainly increased. It was not until 1948, when mass television was already in full swing, that the labels made some concessions, albeit very small ones in terms of compensation for musicians. The use and dissemination of musical creativity for commercial purposes was becoming ubiquitous, and the approach to compensation for authors and performers simply had to be reconsidered. They suffered the most from the strikes - the public listened to what the labels and radio stations put out, forgetting everything else.

As the former Coinbase engineer stressed in his blog, only those who staked on reaching the widest possible audience instead of fighting for a slight increase in the thickness of the wallet came out of the crisis situation with minimal losses.

What now?

History repeats itself almost completely. While some complain about the level of payments from streaming services and YouTube, others see their advantages in this platform, and others are looking for more profitable opportunities for themselves in the form of selling royalty free music on platforms like taketones.com. The most obvious is the opportunity to reach an audience of many millions with a total of two billion users. To help with the recommendation of content in this case are the algorithms of the platform, which in addition is still a free video hosting. With the help of potential flaws or without it, it is worth recognizing that YouTube dominates its niche and the music component is no exception. While 20 million people subscribed to the company's streaming service last February, the number of listeners increased by 50 percent over the next seven months. In this case, we are talking about regular payments, which means a likely increase in compensation for the streams. Representatives of the platform have already openly stated that in just four years YouTube will become a leader in this indicator.


Can authors and performers demand anything when a company provides them with such a massive infrastructure and opportunities? Many people bypass payment disputes and use their YouTube channels to promote their music on paid streaming services. For example, the authors of "lo-fi" compositions, who, according to the laws of the genre, cannot make money from advertising, do so.

So music on one streaming platform actually becomes a marketing tool for other tracks, performances, and merch. Another thing is that with the latter two points, things are not quite the way musicians would like them to be in the world. What in such a situation they can promote - apart from their own profiles on alternative platforms - and whether they can make money just by not letting their fans forget about them, as their colleagues did in the old days, it is still difficult to understand. Let's see how the situation is going to develop and analyze its dynamics in some time.

3.19.2021

SOLAR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN AND MOON


Solar Eclipse of the Sun and Moon

Have you ever experienced sudden darkness in the sky except the weather is not cloudy? Some of you may see it. For those who haven't experienced it, this article is for them. The sun doesn't have to get shadowed only by the clouds, the condition could be done by something else! Are you excited to know? Let's see how far we can go to the secret world of the sky.

The condition is called a solar eclipse. Do you know what is it?

What is Solar Eclipse?

At a particular time of each year, the moon comes between the Earth and the Sun. And the moon creates a shadow over the earth. Theoretically, this occurrence is a solar eclipse.

Usually, the situation happens at the phase of the new moon. The time when the moon passes directly between the two planets. The shadow of the moon casts over the earth. And the sun gets behind the moon. After that, we can’t see the sun under the moon's shadow. And the situation is scientifically called Solar Eclipse.

But the solar eclipse is not that simple process. We need to know more about it if anyone is interested to understand the world of the sky and its elements. There are various types of solar eclipse, and several factors are affecting the condition. People like to see and experience this type of event that happen rarely, solar eclipse tours is the best thing you must go at least once in your life.

Types of Solar Eclipse:

There are four types: Total Solar Eclipse, Annual Solar Eclipse, Partial Solar Eclipse and Hybrid Solar Eclipse

Of all solar eclipses-

Total solar eclipses are 28%;

35% are partial;

32% annular; 

5% are hybrids.

Total Solar Eclipse:


The total solar eclipse is called the happy moment of nature. Usually, the sun is four hundred times greater than our silvery moon. But, when the moon comes four hundred times closer to the Earth than the sun, the Total Solar Eclipse happens. The orbital planes intersect. The new moon completely covers the disk of the sun, so the sun can’t be visible from the earth.

The casting shadow are of two types-

Umbra: A dark and slander cone shape.

Penumbra: a light, funnel shape shadow.


A total solar eclipse happens on the Earth about every eighteen months. The time of the total solar eclipse may last as long as 7 minutes 31 seconds. The time may come much shorter.

Annular Solar Eclipse:

The Annual Solar Eclipse is another beautiful scenery to watch. And this is quite different from the firstly mentioned Total Solar Eclipse. It is different because half of the sun shows during the annual solar eclipse. The dark shadow of the moon's umbra can extend out for no longer than 235,700 miles. During the eclipse, the ant-umbra reaches the ground. And anyone looks up past either side of the umbra and sees the "ring of fire" around the moon.

The annual eclipse lasts for a maximum of 12 minutes 30 seconds.

Partial Solar Eclipse:


The Partial eclipse happens only the penumbra which is the partial shadow, passes over the sun. In this process, some part of the sun always remains in view. During the eclipse, how much of the sun people can see depends on some specific conditions. It lasts longer than above two solar eclipses.

Hybrid Solar Eclipse:

The Hybrid means it doesn't belong to only one. So, the Hybrid Solar Eclipse comes the same. The solar eclipse is called Annual-Total(A-T) Eclipse. This eclipse occurs when the distance of the moon is nearby. The A-T eclipse starts as an annular eclipse because the tip of the umbra falls short of making contact with Earth. Then the moon becomes total. Because the roundness of the planet reaches up. Then finally it returns to the annular toward the end of the path.

Don't and dos:

If you are so excited to watch the occurrence, make sure to use a protective eyeglass like lead glasses. Because watching with bare eyes can cause blindness. So, be careful about this!

Wrap up:


The solar eclipse is a natural occurrence. If you want to be the eye witness of history, don't miss the opportunity to watch the Solar Eclipse in the sky.

3.05.2021

HARRY BENNETT'S YPSILANTI CABIN

Harry Bennett Cabin north of Ypsilanti (photo courtesy of Bob Fox)

Recently I received an interesting email from the current owner of the property where one of Harry Bennett's old cabins still stands. It is in terrible shape and the roof is gone, but still, it's another cool Harry Bennett/Henry Ford structure made of cement but created to look like logs.

The new owner found my other stories about Harry Bennett's buildings and contacted me to see if I had information on this old cabin. 

I did visit the cabin once back in the 1970s with my friend Pat Soraruf. So I had very few memories of the place. However, another friend of ours lived there for 3 years! So I found Bob Fox on Facebook. He graciously answered my questions for this post.

Retrokimmer Q&A with Bob Fox

RK:
  How did you find out about this cabin?

BF: New Year’s morning, 1969, after going to midnight mass and staying up all night, Pat Soraruf took me on a hike all the way from town to see this place that was hidden in a woods 1/2 mile from the nearest road. The door was open and inside there was an old couch. We built a fire in the fireplace to warm up and then fell asleep on the couch before walking back to town.

RK:  What were your first thoughts when you saw the cabin?

BF:
I loved the place. It was like being in a fairy tale. There were panels where the walls opened revealing hidden passages. And across the yard, the underground rooms were like the best forts a kid could ever build. It was also quiet there in the woods, making it feel like a place far -far away from all the troubles challenging teenaged life in the 60s.

RK: What were the coolest things about the cabin? Do you know when it was built?

Big Stone Fireplace

BF: The coolest thing was the architecture. The sculptured cement walls looked like logs complete with knots, bark, and growth rings. Also, the inside stonework and the woodwork (pine paneling) were top-notch. The higher one looks at the chimney over the fireplace, the bigger the stones get. Where the pine work met the stonework, the scribbled joinery was perfect. Eventually, I would learn how to do that, and I can’t ever do scribe work even now without thinking about those perfect fits at the cabin.

Floorplan by Bob Fox

RK: The worst things about living in the Cabin?

BF: The worst thing was not having electricity and running water, but those were also the things that made the place what it was. If the cabin had utilities, it wouldn’t have been available to me on my budget when I actually moved to the place 6 years later. I bought a generator, and eventually, with incredible do-it-yourself optimism, I got the well working again too. 

If I did it again now, I would call a well guy and throw down the credit card. There were two brick outhouses (octagon-shaped) that had toilets that were supposed to flush automatically when you stood up. Wish I had detailed photos of those. Anyway, I would run new plastic lines to those now and get it all working as fast as I could. Even as a kid, not having an outhouse and having to go in the woods was a drag.

Floor Plan by Bob Fox

RK: What were the unique architectural features? Generator room info, sugar shack, etc. Interior. Exterior.

BF: The cabin complex was probably built in 1941—the same time as the concrete barn that is still by the road. The cabin was often referred to as (Harry) Bennett’s Hideout. The one bunker had a passive make-up air feed and the door seemed to be strategically set facing away from Detroit. 

We speculated that Henry Ford had it done that way because he might have been aware of the possibility of atomic bomb development. When I was living there in the 70s, all the drains for the cabin and the bunkers still worked, as did all the underground electrical transmission lines. 


I bought a generator and set it up in the generator/well bunker and the power worked in both the cabin and the other underground room; probably still works because underground power lines last a lot longer than above ground. Only the waterlines had gone bad, probably because they went so long without having water in them they rusted and disintegrated.


RK:  How long were you there and what prompted you to give it up?

BF: I moved into the Cabin on August 1, 1975. I had a deal with the man who ran the horse farm and who lived in the farmhouse in the front, Tom Ewing. I did all the maintenance in exchange for having the cabin. 

Things changed sometime in 1977 or 1978. There was a gas leak in Tom’s house that filled the attic. One night he turned off the kitchen light and the place exploded. There were big stories about that in the newspapers. He wasn’t killed because the place had double rafters and didn’t cave on him, even though the walls were blown out. 

Ewing said that Bennett had it built that way because often it wasn’t a house bomb that would kill someone, but the house falling on them. Tom moved elsewhere and someone else took over the farm. 

One day I came home and all my stuff had been stolen—tools and everything. It was more than I could recover from so I moved on. By then my father was retiring and leaving where he lived on Deep Run Farm on the south side of Ypsilanti—another amazing place, probably more amazing than the cabin really—and it had also been used and influenced by Henry Ford (as were many other places in the area). I took Deep Run Farm over in 1979 and lived there until it was turned into a shopping center in 2002.

current state

RK: What do you think the cabin was probably used for and by whom?

BF: There were lots of rumors and speculation about how Ford and Bennett used the cabin. There are 2 little rooms with a connecting passage up inside the fireplace. A steel ladder to reach them that was hidden behind a secret opening next to one of the fireplaces. The spaces had cement block walls and were easily big enough for a couple people to hide inside.

The vents opened and everyone that knew about them thought they were probably gun ports. Behind another folding panel, there was a cocktail bar with a separate outside entrance—that bar had to be for Bennett’s boys because Henry Ford did not party.

Bob Fox 1970s in front of the Cabin

While I lived at the cabin, I kept diaries and journals. The journals have entries from other people that also lived there with me and participated in what we had going on. For instance, we didn’t have electricity most of the time, so we played a lot of acoustic music which turned into homemade music parties that we called Moon Squallors—but that’s another story.

3.04.2021

BADFINGER RELEASES NEW LP OF COLLABORATIONS WITH MUSIC ICONS


Classic Rock Icons BADFINGER Release Full-Length Album Of Collabs Featuring Veteran Stars Of Rock, Blues & Pop!

Includes performances by Matthew Sweet, Todd Rundgren, Rick Wakeman, The Legendary Pink Dots, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, Rick Springfield, Sonny Landreth and more!

Los Angeles, CA - You’ve grooved to Matthew Sweet’s “Baby Blue,” played air piano along with Rick Wakeman on “Come And Get It,” and swooned hearing Rick Springfield’s voice on “Love Is Gonna Come At Last” - but now the wait is finally over as the full-length collaboration between Joey Molland’s Badfinger and a stellar line-up of special guest superstars is finally released! No Matter What - Revisiting The Hits gathers an immense amount of talent on one album - in addition to the aforementioned, guests include Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson, blues legend Sonny Landreth, eclectic art rockers The Legendary Pink Dots and many more - who offer their unique twists on some of Badfinger’s biggest, most era-defining hits from the Paul McCartney-penned “Come And Get It” to “Day After Day,” to the monster ballad “Without You.” The latter was originally released by Badfinger in 1970 but became a global phenomenon when Harry Nilsson recorded a version in 1971, and then it conquered the airwaves again in 1994 courtesy of Mariah Carey’s bombastic version, and now Rock Hall Of Fame nominee and producer/songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire Todd Rundgren offers a passionate rendering of the song that is by itself worth the price of admission to this great collection.

No Matter What - Revisiting The Hits will be available on both digipak CD and in superb-looking tri-color (red, white & blue) vinyl!


Order the album: https://orcd.co/badfinger_no_matter_what

TRACKLIST:
1. No Matter What feat. Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge)
2. Come And Get It feat. Rick Wakeman
3. I Don’t Mind feat. Carl Giammarese (The Buckinghams)
4. Day After Day feat. Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Terry Reid & Manchester String Quartet
5. Love Is Gonna Come At Last feat. Rick Springfield
6. Baby Blue feat. Matthew Sweet
7. Midnight Caller feat. The Legendary Pink Dots
8. Suitcase feat. Sonny Landreth
9. Sweet Tuesday Morning feat. Albert Lee
10. Without You feat. Todd Rundgren

3.03.2021

CACTUS RELEASES NEW ALBUM: TIGHTROPE!!

Classic Rock Legends CACTUS Balance Power & Precision On New Album TIGHTROPE!

Los Angeles, CA - ‘70s classic rock legends Cactus came to be known as The American Led Zeppelin, a moniker they owned by virtue of their explosive blues-rock stylings, subdued yet undeniably brilliant musicianship, not to mention their energetic and vivacious stage presence which made them a staple of arena rock venues around the globe. Now the band has returned with a smashing new album called Tightrope that strikes a delicate balance between powerful, driving rockers and more complex, heady album tracks. 

Still led by iconic drummer Carmine Appice alongside long-time members Jimmy Kunes on vocals and Randy Pratt on harmonica, Tightrope is according to Appice “one of the best Cactus albums we’ve ever done. From playing to production and songs, we really took a step up!” They are joined by new lead guitarist/vocalist Paul Warren (ex-Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker) and James Caputo on bass. Tightrope will also give long-time Cactus fans a reason to cheer as it includes special guest appearances from original Cactus guitarist Jim McCarty and singer Phil Naro!
 

Tightrope will be available on digipak CD, a deluxe 2LP set with a gatefold jacket and colored vinyl, and of course, digital platforms everywhere starting April 2.

Order the album: https://orcd.co/cactus_tightrope

Track List:
1. Tightrope
2. Papa Was A Rolling Stone
3. All Shook Up
4. Poison In Paradise
5. Third Time Gone
6. Shake That Thing
7. Primitive Touch
8. Preaching Woman Man Blues
9. Elevation
10. Suite 1 & 2: Everlong, All The Madmen
11. Headed For A Fall
12. Wear It Out

FOR ALL THINGS CACTUS:
www.cactusrocks.net

TIPS FOR PICKING THE PERFECT PLUS SIZE PROM DRESS

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Being a girl does not define a particular shape and size. There is no ideal size for being beautiful. Beautiful is a plus-size woman, a pear-shaped woman, and a thin woman too. Everybody knows this. Unfortunately, it is still difficult to find a plus-size dress for parties and prom nights. 

For a trendy, affordable, and flattering plus size prom dress, we have to scroll through numerous fashion pages, research many social media platforms, and whatnot. Still, we do not get what we desire. But you can see a lot of plus-size models and fashionistas in such pretty dresses. Where do they get it from? Why don't you own a dress like that? How should you buy that ideal prom dress? Hold on! We have got answers to all these questions. If you want to flatter everybody with your looks, stay with us, and you'll rock it.

Fabulous tips to get you an amazing prom dress

Find  the appropriate designers

The fashion industry is full of fashion designers. Sadly, not all of them design plus-size dresses that are graceful and trendy at the same time. If not the designers, you should find the right store with a rundown of popular designers on one platform. 

It makes it easier to compare different plus-size dresses designers and picks the best one. You can explore the bestselling section to find what shoppers like the most. These stores offer the right fit and highlight the best features of your body. Whatever your preference be, different designers can satisfy different choices.


A fit that enhances your figure

Break the stereotypes that say plus size prom dresses can't be sexy and beautiful. The latest trends for prom dresses include sweetheart necklines, chiffon fabrics, and empire waists. These are the features you should be looking for while purchasing a plus-size gown in 2021. The top-notch designers tailor gowns with all the above features. The dresses with sweetheart necklines are ideal for heavy busts, while the empire waist highlights the hourglass body shape. If you want to stay away from strapless, various designers at the fashion store offer more neckline styles.

Ravishing and fashion-forward!


As we said before, similar to dresses of other sizes, plus size dresses should be fabulous and mirror the latest fashion trends. Prom dresses in 2021 include glitz, colors, chiffon fabrics, and glamour. Balance your personality and style with the season's latest trends, and you'll be set to rock all those long plus size dresses. Pair the dress with matching accessories and the right pair of heels.


Find the ideal colors

This season, rule the prom look with pastor color pallets. Fashion stores with top designers stock dresses that are fit for the spring season. However, it is no hard and fast rule to restrict yourself to pastels. You can also go with classic colors like navy or black. Some designers offer these shades in irresistible designs that can also work as plus-size wedding dresses. Find out your style and the right color for a dazzling look.

Accessories

Never forget that your dress is always prettier when paired with matching accessories. Get your prom accessories to add charm to the prom dress. Prefer to buy dazzling earrings with short plus size dresses and lightweight accessories with embellished gowns.


Above all, the way you carry yourself and the confidence you own will win the crown. You can rock the stage if you move onto it in that charming dress with a beautiful smile. For everything else, leave it on the right online fashion store.

3.02.2021

GREATEST NOTE TAKING APPS FOR 2021

  

The greatest note-taking applications for the year 2021

We write down different types of information and notes regularly, whether attending a customer conference call, at our homes or elsewhere. The notes can be a witty quote from someone or a contact number. At times, the information we need to take note of can be visual, such as a flyer picture having some essential details. The market is awash with thousands of note-taking apps; hence, you have to choose the one that suits your purpose. This article by Writezillas.com will help you the best note-taking app that suits your purpose. These apps are available in both Android and iOS, while you can access others through web browsers.

Evernote

It is the best note-taking app that allows users to capture different digital information, coupled with great organizational features. You have a choice to take notes in different formats such as annotated web pages, videos, audio, pictures, and texts. You can even organize your notes into virtual notebooks and manage those notes using shortcuts and tags.

OneNote

This Microsoft’s productivity product is the best for the business environment. OneNote is a free-form information collection app that allows users to capture everything and organize it on a flexible electronic canvas. Users either have an option to type their notes by hand, type, or even scan pages or handwritten notes.

Dropbox Paper

At times, we have to collaborate with colleagues in gathering and sharing information on a project. In such circumstances, a great collaborative note-taking app such as Dropbox paper comes in handy. Dropbox paper provides a collaborative workspace where teams can conduct meetings, brainstorm and review ideas, add and edit notes. It also serves as a task management tool that allows users to allocate to-do lists and even add datelines. Annotations allow users to add comments to a particular section of a picture.

Simplenote

This product is the simplest app for taking notes in the market. The product offers users an easy way to keep ideas, lists, and notes. Simplenote is the best in terms of efficiency and speed. You launch the app and start typing your notes. Once you have your notes, you can edit them whenever you need to. The product comes with a lightning-fast search function that allows users to quickly search what they are looking for with changing entries as you kind the search keyword.

Apple Notes


For either iPad or iPhone users, they do not need to search for other note-taking apps since Apple Notes is sufficient for taking notes. Users can write down to-do lists and textual notes from this app. You can also add sketches of notes, scanned documents, and web links. Users can use Apple’s virtual assistant called Siri to create a new note and even dictate the note’s contents.

Google Keep

Google Keep is the note-taking app by Google for devices running the Android operating system. Google Keep enables users to write down everything ranging from capturing photos to typing textual information. Users can speak a voice memo, and this app will transcribe it for you. The notes get organized as electronic sticky notes, and users can assign each a different color easy of identification.

Zoho Notebook

This product is different from the other products since it uses a different approach in organizing each note. It comes with a card-based design.
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