Writer, musician, wizardly guide to platform independence
An almost 10 minute video of exploring abandoned ski resorts and breathtaking scenery. Exactly the sort of video that makes me want to sell everything and travel the world.
In 2010 I left my apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with my bike and what I carried in my bag. I rode my single speed bike up the GW Bridge, and made my way to Rutherford, NJ to crash with a friend.
I miss that shit.
(thx, Norah)
“We’ll survive however we have to. We’ll continue writing about art. What I know now, that I didn’t then, is that fun and games are the entire point — the way we weather a world that’s largely indifferent to our joy.”
Linnie Greene in ‘The Official Pitchfork Obituary‘ at Byline
I’m about a million years late to this amazing work, but I’m so glad I discovered it via a website (Waxy), and they have a website!
“The decision to stop at a location, to mentally frame a scene on your page, is the deliberate act of reducing your complex reality to simple lines and shapes.”
Nishant Jain of The SneakyArt Post
“That article reads as a kind of elegy to SoundCloud’s heyday, before multiple pivots through chaotic monetization and promotion. At least Bandcamp still works – for now. It’s a simultaneous reminder that we need to build something new, maybe this time not for the investors, but for the eu-IVs – for each other. For a reason to keep producing and uploading, and a place to do it. And, importantly, for listening.”
Peter Kirn at Create Digital Media
I love this so much: “a simultaneous reminder that we need to build something new, maybe this time not for the investors, but for the eu-IVs – for each other.”
WordPress can have a steep learning curve, but get a few friends together, figure it out, and we’ve got a new “media outlet.”
I’ve seen some music newsletters on Substack, but I fear shit like that can implode at any point, too. Sure, I’m sure as heck using it, but making sure this blog is updated, secure, and the domain name ain’t gonna lapse.
Like… we need need to stop waiting for the next MUSIC PUBLICATION to figure their shit out, and just make it ourselves, like we used to back in the day.
Our bands couldn’t play the big venues, so we rented VFWs and firehalls and made it happen.
Like, Spotify and Apple Music will not magically start paying artists more.
The big outlets aren’t going to feature you, and even if they do, it probably won’t amount to much because the big outlets have devolved into showcasing death and drama, turning their readership into gossip-hungry zombies.
I’m jaded as fuck at this ‘cuz I’ve seen it devolve for the past 20 years. The fix ain’t waiting for tech-bros to develop new platforms – the power is with the people on the streets and the bedrooms to make it happen.
“Large parasocial platforms transformed the internet into a hostile and impersonal place. They feed our FOMO to keep us clicking. They exaggerate our differences for “engagement”. They create engines for stardom to keep us creeping. They bait us into nutritionless and sensationalist content. Humanity cannot subsist on hype alone.”
Taylor from Potato.cheap
Haven’t made any of these in a few years, but I’ve got a new laptop now, and some headspace for creative output, so here’s a little boop.
I make the music in Abelton Live. This is a fresh install, so it’s factory setting sounds and effects, but I’m happy with it. I need to bring over my plugins and such from my external HD.
When I went to look for videos on Pexels to use I was surprised to see Google DeepMind on there. They’ve got a bunch of videos and still images, so it looks like I’ve got a bunch of material to work with for future clips.
“The key to success wasn’t slowly working your way up, grasping for small opportunities. Instead, she decided to channel her energies into one exceptional piece of work.”
Jacqueline Novak
Over on Substack Notes, Sarah Styf asked about using a lead magnet, to which I replied with this meme because I am a very serious email marketing thought leader.
Do what you want with your thing, of course, but seriously, for Social Media Escape Club, I am the lead magnet.
You might know Noah Kalina from his “Noah takes a photo of himself everyday” project that started in 2000.
Now, he’s making videos from his studio about… whatever. In the video above, he’s talking about photographers in commercials, which I find very funny.
Noah is making the sort of video I love – calm, quiet, not over produced, just a few funny edits here and there.
See more of his videos here.
