Month: December 2022

RACING THE SETTING SUN

I was in search of a new camera today. I’ve been pining for a “new toy” for a bit. Been looking online, tried visiting a small camera shop today (it wasn’t there anymore), and hit two BestBuy stores and their presentation was horrific. If I do end up buying something, I’m ordering from a reputable camera dealer online, thanks.

That said, after all that driving around, I took the woods. It was late afternoon, but I figured I could beat the sunset on my normal route, and I’m glad I gave it a chance.

It was in the 50s today, but as the sun went down, it seemed like a layer of fog or mist rolled in. There was a chill in the air, and it felt like magic.

Almost 1000′ of climbing, some gorgeous views, and made it back to the car just as the sun set. A damn good day.

FLIP IT BACK TO FILM

Starting doing “morning pages” since I finally started reading The Artist’s Way. In a short time I’ve already got ideas, or rather the universe has dropped some ideas in my lap and I’m already implementing one of those ideas pretty hardcore. I am excited for this and many things to come.

I’ll say this – I bought a disposable film camera for the first time in a million years. Oh, boy.

The whole idea here is this – as many of us contemplate “where to next?” in the whole social media world, I’m hopeful we just back back to visiting a few websites each day. I’ve already started looking at Flickr again for photography. Seeing the photos I want to see from the photographers I follow, without algorithms.

So yeah.. working on another idea that involves things we used to do and talking on the phone (well, Zoom, because seeing our friends faces is wonderful).

The thing that excites me about this is that it’s starting (or working) on something where it is.

Instead of doing some of the work, then spending a few hours a day marketing that work on various social media channels, it’s just.. the work.

Do the work.

Don’t worry about getting the word out. Make a great thing. Make a compelling product. Build the marketing into what you’re already doing. Are people sharing it and talking about it? No? Why not? Figure that out.

And then spend less time on social media.

And a year from now, we’re just working on our thing.

GOODNIGHT, METAL FRIEND #29

Tried to hit 30 total mixes by the end of the year, but just missed it. I love doing these, and will continue doing them into the new year. This weird thing I started doing as a little hobby during the start of the pandemic is the one thing that’s truly stayed with me from that time!

When I started using the Headspace app to fall asleep, I loved the Warm Engines clip. And, well, I love metal, but falling asleep to metal is very hard. Even some of the more doom – drone stuff includes DRUMS and shrieks and stuff, so that doesn’t work well for sleeping.

I didn’t really know it was a genre, but “dark ambient” was what I was looking for, and even then there are many variants of this sub-genre. Some is still pretty grating, with loud parts and and shrieks and other sudden bursts of sound.

So rather than build a playlist on on a streaming music service, I start sourcing (and purchasing) music from Bandcamp, and figured out how to “mix” songs together like a DJ, and I absolutely love it.

My online pal DJ Shotski start DJing polka music around the start of the pandemic, and now she DJs at festivals and events. Maybe I can DJ some planetarium or spooky art galleries some time! DREAM BIG.

To listen to more, you can find all my mixes on Mixcloud, or read all the Goodnight, Metal Friend posts here on my blog.

NOBODY CAN COMMENT

Sure, paying someone to “handle you socials” is nice and all, but you can do the same thing with the format of your choosing.

Millie doesn’t have social media on her phone. Someone else handles her Instagram and Facebook pages, the only social platforms she hasn’t deleted, and she went to therapy to handle the constant bullying she has faced online. It’s hard to escape the fact that people are obsessed with everything Millie says and does. The actor has been inappropriately sexualized for years, something she’s tried her best to ignore, but the effect of trolling and harassment has been severe. Before she deleted Twitter and TikTok, Millie had been constantly bombarded with hateful messages, angry threats, and even NSFW missives from adult men.

Now Millie only speaks directly to fans via blog posts that read like diary entries on the Florence by Mills website. It works because, as she says, “Nobody can comment.”

NOBODY CAN COMMENT. I love this.

We don’t owe ANYONE a direct line of communication.

Want to make a comment? Eh, go start your own site, or post it on social media for no one to read.

We owe no one a conversation.

SOCIAL IS TRASH

So TikTok spied on Forbes journalists.

Twitter showing everyone how many times there posts have been seen. What a fucking TRAIN WRECK that’s gonna be for media outlets and labels. I’m sure this will be reversed by the weekend.

The UK based Center for Countering Digital Hate says “the TikTok algorithm takes just 2.6 minutes to show vulnerable girls videos touting restrictive eating plans and self-harm content.”

When anyone asks which social media network I’m looking to join next, I tell them NONE. I have this website. A few newsletters. An email address.

Bye.

BLOGGING

Fun interview with Rayne Fisher-Quann over at Substack:

Love the part at about the 15:30 mark, where Hamish McKenzie brings up blogs, and what a time that was.

And wow… it fucking was. I mean, I started a music blog in 2001, which was read by some people at AOL Music, which helped me get my foot in the door in 2006 when I got a three month contract gig.

That small bit there is WILD to think, and something I discount so much.

A few years later, in 2008, in the middle of the boom of Buzznet buying up music blogs where I was approached for “acquisition” (and said no), I was asked if I wanted to start a metal blog for AOL Music. That relationship and opportunity existed because of BLOGGING.

I had airfare and a hotel room for three nights in Oslo Norway because of blogging.
I shared one of those luxury boxes at a NBA game with people from Elle magazine because of my music blog.

These days I mostly update Google Sheets and build email campaigns, so a little less glamorous, but I think that’s why I love writing my HEAVY METAL EMAIL newsletter so much, because the ability to reach people via websites and email newsletters is still able to change lives.