One week ago, some great minds in music writing/blogging converged at Newtown Radio in Brooklyn. The reason was to discuss the ethics of music writing online, and the recent increase in blogger run labels. The conversation was lively, informative and above all, fun. Those taking part say it was constructive, those listening in were tweeting up a storm.
The forum was organized by Visitation Rites and Microphone Memory Emotion. Ari Stern of Underwater Peoples helped us lead the conversation, and Mark from Newtown Radio contributed immensely with his technical assistance.
Guests:
Ryan Schreiber, Founder of Pitchfork Media; Sam Hockley-Smith, Editor at The FADER magazine and co-owner of Group Tightener, Michael McGregor, founder of Chocolate Bobka and The Curatorial Club, Mark Schoneveld, founder of Yvynyl and co-owner of upcoming label Trig Club and Chris Cantalini, of Gorilla Vs. Bear and Forest Family Records.
Topics covered:
What’s the difference between a journalist/critic and a blogger? Does the difference lie in the medium in which said person writes?
Is objectivity possible in blogging? Is it even desirable?
Should we think of bloggers more as “curators” than as writers?
Can and should blogs write negative reviews? Does criticism have a place in the blogosphere?
Is it ethical for a blogger to sell what they have created a demand for?
Can a blogger ethically write about something that he or she also releasing? Is transparency enough?
How important is the question of scale? Would a blogger-run label represent a conflict of interest if it ceased to operate on a limited-run basis, and became a more commercially-minded operation with wide-scale distribution?
Does the fact that a blogger-run label boasts its own built-in pr-outlet give it a natural advantage over the traditional record label? Do blogger-run labels have the potential to transform the record industry from the inside-out?
Are blogs the new A&R?
The concept of “firsties.”
At the end of the conversation, we took a few calls and tweets with questions, including what we have every reason believe was a request for Tumblr advice from Carles himself. Unfortunately, we ran out of time mid-discussion. But this conversation was the first of many, so stay tuned.
Stream and download the whole conversation below. Newtown Radio is a DIY operation, so keep that in mind while listening. And no. Someone was not trying to call in via fax machine.
“Underwater Visitations Episode #8: The Blogger Ethics Roundtable”
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Download the discussion here Download the full episode, with Underwater Visitations DJ set, here.
Playlist after the jump.
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I must give my sincerest thanks to my blog-bro Yvynyl for sharing Rosali Middleman’s debut track under the moniker Zillions. “Even Though” pounds a driving, infectious rhythm under a glossy and similarly addictive guitar riff with great affect. Middleman’s powerful vocal performance and rhythmic inflections are, however, the track’s biggest draw. Her penchant for R&B-esque vocal deliveries floating over a bed of atmospheric effects and skittery riffs recalls the best moments of the Dirty Projector’s opus, Bitte Orca. But where that group seemingly sought to be off-putting and strange, Rosali uses similar methods to comfort and reel in listeners. I believe that the end result makes listening to “Even Though” the closest that I have come to understanding the term “vibe-ing” in reference to an aural experience. I quite enjoy it.
