I finally got around to writing this after reading your Q&A yesterday. Thanks for the motivation! Also, I cannot wait for Gary Giddins to publish the next volume of his Bing Crosby biography to see what details he uncovers about Bing the tech visionary.
Thanks for shining light on the history of this. Yes, the war machine spearheaded the technologies that cemented recording engineering but the modern ecosystem for artists was not programmed and pushed by them. Streaming technology was not made for soldiers at war to feel connected to their homes the way that portable record players played that roll. We have had enough wars for the world ten times over. When the CEO of the biggest music platform puts his money directly towards military spending, taking into account our present time, we have to say we don't want our money to fund that and therefore we won't give it to you. Yes, there are other ubiquitous companies, Microsoft, Google, etc that do this same thing. We have to choose to end surveillance, end wars, end discrimination with the money we spend. It's the only language these companies speak.
Thanks for reading, but let's get real: Ek is investing in unproven technology that's unlikely to ever work as promised. It's all part of a shell game that's likely to end badly for the world economy. There's a vast economy out there that's killing people today, and no one seems to care much about that.
I'll support anyone who decides to pull music off Spotify, but it's protest in the streets that has an impact on the war machine.
Great piece. Technology, media and the military are obviously inexplicably tied together, and always have been. I appreciate artists removing their work from Spotify trying to "do the right thing," but I think you laid out the better reasons to leave Spotify at the top of this piece: paying artists poorly, substandard audio quality, creating bland work-for-hire to not pay artist royalties, and you didn't even get into the royalty-free AI-created slop that populates people's dank ambient/focus/"chill" playlists.
I'm reminded of the boycotts of SXSW a year or so ago that I found especially silly. SXSW is an organization that was created to support up-and-coming bands, filmmakers, the music industry and the film/new media industry. Boycotting the festival because of tenuous ties to Israeli and military money is fighting the entire idea of the existence of money altogether. I haven't looked into it much recently, but SXSW seems to be one of the few music-focused events that continues to be a successful launching pad for new music.
What's left for popular music in a post-commerce world? Busking on the street with a cheap acoustic guitar? Maybe don't look too closely at how that $150 guitar was made...
I have some bad news: SXSW has pulled the plug on the music festival. They're in the movie and tech business now.
My family background is on the lower end of the economic spectrum. I've always considered it a sign of privilege when someone has no idea how much the military is baked into our society and economy. That includes most of the people who work in the news media.
I hadn't heard this, but it looks like the news has now been clarified to SXSW keeping the music side, but making it two days shorter. Still not a great sign. CMJ is long gone, and lots of industry stalwarts continue to fade out. I used to live in Austin, and quite enjoyed attending SXSW. I left the city right before the blogosphere exploded, and suddenly everyone was a music writer or photographer and armbands sold out in minutes. I could go on a long digression about a new generation getting really excited by independent music, essentially taking the industry over, and then abandoning it and maybe dooming the industry when they got bored with it, but I'll spare you.
Save for some real independent success stories like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, the billion-dollar "only pop star left" weirdness of Taylor Swift primacy and the ongoing success of geezer-rock touring packages (with no press or fanfare attached), the music industry seems to be in a bad place. I think it will rise again, but it's going to have to be rebuilt from the ground up with new blood.
I'm telling stories that contradict or offer a different perspective on the conventional wisdom in hopes that someone else finds something they can use to create a new path.
I've read a couple of your pieces and I like what you're doing. There's some great people on Substack who see what's going on with film and music, discussing it, and pointing towards something new. The media industry, especially what's left of its journalism arm, seem oblivious. This is (hopefully) how it begins.
Telefunken put themselves on blast. There are whole pictures of Adolf using ridiculously over-branded mics. We always called our baby-bottle "the Hitler mic"
While I appreciate the history, the conclusion you’re leaving us with is: “that’s the way it is and has always been, so don’t bother trying to change it.”
There’s enough nihilism in our culture today. Those who are taking action for change shouldn’t be sneered at.
Thanks for reading. I don't think a reflection on the complicated history of technology and the military is sneering, and I've burned thousands of words on the ethics of the people who run Spotify.
I can't really point any fingers. I'm one of the Gen X men who had to register for the draft to be eligible for federally guaranteed student loans.
I'll cop to that last sentence being mean, but I was aiming to be mean to the armchair activists who'll find something easy to complain about so they can feel good about themselves without actually doing anything. We do have the means to make change, but anyone who's concerned about the war machine has to understand that it involves marching in the streets and protestors willing to put themselves into harm's way. Thanks for the thoughtful comments.
Same. James writes about interesting topics and with a unique perspective. I appreciate it. I'm hardly an audiophile but I love music and I love knowing how things work.
Great read. always fascinated by Bing’s connection to the recording revolution. Such a crazy story
I finally got around to writing this after reading your Q&A yesterday. Thanks for the motivation! Also, I cannot wait for Gary Giddins to publish the next volume of his Bing Crosby biography to see what details he uncovers about Bing the tech visionary.
Thanks for shining light on the history of this. Yes, the war machine spearheaded the technologies that cemented recording engineering but the modern ecosystem for artists was not programmed and pushed by them. Streaming technology was not made for soldiers at war to feel connected to their homes the way that portable record players played that roll. We have had enough wars for the world ten times over. When the CEO of the biggest music platform puts his money directly towards military spending, taking into account our present time, we have to say we don't want our money to fund that and therefore we won't give it to you. Yes, there are other ubiquitous companies, Microsoft, Google, etc that do this same thing. We have to choose to end surveillance, end wars, end discrimination with the money we spend. It's the only language these companies speak.
Thanks for reading, but let's get real: Ek is investing in unproven technology that's unlikely to ever work as promised. It's all part of a shell game that's likely to end badly for the world economy. There's a vast economy out there that's killing people today, and no one seems to care much about that.
I'll support anyone who decides to pull music off Spotify, but it's protest in the streets that has an impact on the war machine.
You would have to live under a rock to be completely clean of all of this stuff. Good luck, and Godspeed.
Great piece. Technology, media and the military are obviously inexplicably tied together, and always have been. I appreciate artists removing their work from Spotify trying to "do the right thing," but I think you laid out the better reasons to leave Spotify at the top of this piece: paying artists poorly, substandard audio quality, creating bland work-for-hire to not pay artist royalties, and you didn't even get into the royalty-free AI-created slop that populates people's dank ambient/focus/"chill" playlists.
I'm reminded of the boycotts of SXSW a year or so ago that I found especially silly. SXSW is an organization that was created to support up-and-coming bands, filmmakers, the music industry and the film/new media industry. Boycotting the festival because of tenuous ties to Israeli and military money is fighting the entire idea of the existence of money altogether. I haven't looked into it much recently, but SXSW seems to be one of the few music-focused events that continues to be a successful launching pad for new music.
What's left for popular music in a post-commerce world? Busking on the street with a cheap acoustic guitar? Maybe don't look too closely at how that $150 guitar was made...
I have some bad news: SXSW has pulled the plug on the music festival. They're in the movie and tech business now.
My family background is on the lower end of the economic spectrum. I've always considered it a sign of privilege when someone has no idea how much the military is baked into our society and economy. That includes most of the people who work in the news media.
I hadn't heard this, but it looks like the news has now been clarified to SXSW keeping the music side, but making it two days shorter. Still not a great sign. CMJ is long gone, and lots of industry stalwarts continue to fade out. I used to live in Austin, and quite enjoyed attending SXSW. I left the city right before the blogosphere exploded, and suddenly everyone was a music writer or photographer and armbands sold out in minutes. I could go on a long digression about a new generation getting really excited by independent music, essentially taking the industry over, and then abandoning it and maybe dooming the industry when they got bored with it, but I'll spare you.
Save for some real independent success stories like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, the billion-dollar "only pop star left" weirdness of Taylor Swift primacy and the ongoing success of geezer-rock touring packages (with no press or fanfare attached), the music industry seems to be in a bad place. I think it will rise again, but it's going to have to be rebuilt from the ground up with new blood.
I'm telling stories that contradict or offer a different perspective on the conventional wisdom in hopes that someone else finds something they can use to create a new path.
I've read a couple of your pieces and I like what you're doing. There's some great people on Substack who see what's going on with film and music, discussing it, and pointing towards something new. The media industry, especially what's left of its journalism arm, seem oblivious. This is (hopefully) how it begins.
Bravo for connecting the dots on this one with your tremendous insights and smarty-pants detective work. Fascinating & mildly terrifying! JP
My head is spinning. But, thanks for the info. I found you on Beato’s channel!
Jim, this is Ted Niceley.
If you want to discuss 90's stuff, put it together and let's podcast or just discuss?
It might be interesting 🤷🏻♂️
It would be amazing. I'll get in touch. Thank you!
Great read. Coulda put Siemens/Telefunken/Neumann on blast too
No blasting. I report, you decide.
Telefunken put themselves on blast. There are whole pictures of Adolf using ridiculously over-branded mics. We always called our baby-bottle "the Hitler mic"
"Good luck with your purification ritual". I feel like saying that 100 times a day, right now...
While I appreciate the history, the conclusion you’re leaving us with is: “that’s the way it is and has always been, so don’t bother trying to change it.”
There’s enough nihilism in our culture today. Those who are taking action for change shouldn’t be sneered at.
Thanks for reading. I don't think a reflection on the complicated history of technology and the military is sneering, and I've burned thousands of words on the ethics of the people who run Spotify.
I can't really point any fingers. I'm one of the Gen X men who had to register for the draft to be eligible for federally guaranteed student loans.
Thanks for the reply. I guess what got my goat was the final sentence that seemed to discount what folks are trying to do with their limited means.
I’ve also worked in the music industry for 25 years so my hands aren’t clean. And I, as well, registered to get my pitiful Pell Grant.
I just want to believe we have some means to make some change.
I'll cop to that last sentence being mean, but I was aiming to be mean to the armchair activists who'll find something easy to complain about so they can feel good about themselves without actually doing anything. We do have the means to make change, but anyone who's concerned about the war machine has to understand that it involves marching in the streets and protestors willing to put themselves into harm's way. Thanks for the thoughtful comments.
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I figured I’d been reading long enough without support. I was introduced to you on Rick Beato’s channel.
Same. James writes about interesting topics and with a unique perspective. I appreciate it. I'm hardly an audiophile but I love music and I love knowing how things work.
Thanks for this post. Most of these details I never knew.