Last.fm Group Journal: we love british accent

The Last.fm Subscription Decision

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:59:33 +0000

Last.fm’s recent decision has sparked off a lot of rebellion in the community and I do not doubt that you do not know the reason why this is happening. There have been groups made up and users joining to support this. However, what is really the purpose of these groups? What are they really going to do to last.fm’s decision? Is it really going to change anything?

The players

So we have a lot of ‘big’ major groups forming and here are some of them which are making little progress.

The first is Free is Free which have a very cluttered up announcement/overview in their group for starters and show no sign of even having anything they want out of it. Yes, they have the stupid idea of ‘striking scrobbling’ by scrobbling non-existed songs from their invented artist Strike Scrobbling. Even though, scrobbling is not even the threat here, it is the radio free-streaming broadcast which is put up by major labels. Also, this invention not only messes up the whole dam charts of last.fm, the database and also crowds your own charts; it simply is a childish way of doing things. I have been on last.fm’s side for this one, like I was with the design, but this time making alternative ideas for them like petitions or protest marches.

The second is an equalling a stupid group, this is of course the wannabe ‘first’ made group of its kind – Bring Back the Free Last.fm – which it isn’t. This group is better laid out, yes, but still what they want is not clearly collaborated anywhere. This protestors suck at organising anything beyond there virtual cd collection it seems. I haven’t really looked at this one as thoroughly as the last one, as they locked there shoutbox and forums for outsiders once I and a team of last.fm pros came in and ‘argued’ there group’s lack of ability to organise (which I find ironic). Anyway, one thing they think is good is that they are getting staff and moderators from the site in their group, watching them. Well, I could say that when they come visiting my groups but it isn’t frankly; they are just users of their site like any of us. The ones making the decisions are the business men in the directors meetings with their partner CBS. So really, little will change with these coming into your group except the hope that you are getting somewhere with your marketing. (Which is also ironic as last.fm seems they can’t do promotion out to every user on their database just saying please donate or something like that?)

Purpose

As you have read so far, and probably now either nodding your head or slamming your head into the computer screen, that these groups have no real outcome to them. It is like protests in UK for anything really, a shambles. The recent (or coming) ‘protests’ for the economic conditions of the country, it ant working I can tell ya. The purposes or main purpose is lacking in analysis or explaining. What do they want? Most of them (when I talked to them) is that they hate the moral distribution of the sites announcing this new feature. Well, how else were they meant to do it? Through the blog, the most effective way on this site to do it, isn’t it? Also, some of them feel it is that the subscription distribution that is the problem. Yes, three countries get let off but that is because they have revenue for these countries already. So, no we are not cheapskates if we are from these countries, we are backed up by fair business man that need freaking money because they are broke! (Because of some Scottish PM) Therefore, it is totally ridiculous view that last.fm are ‘unfair’.

Money

There is also another problem. One argument is that last.fm is ‘doing it to stab the users that love them in the back…again’…really? I don’t think so. Actually I am pretty sure it was the hardest decision they had to make since changing there name. I mean, come on, they are a small company based in the most economically blundering city of the world today (because of that Scottish PM again) and need some dosh to make up their bills? Wrong? Fair? I think it is fair for them to do it. It is only 3 euros (that is less than a lunch meal) for a whole month. Yes, you didn’t have to pay this before and it was a 3 euro a month that you had in savings, but you are really helping a broke company with this. The people saying they cannot afford it, come on, you are either cannot do your books correctly or you are being unjust to last.fm. If you really cannot afford it, firstly, I am sorry you are in that way of life and society has failed you and secondly, how can you buy a computer/pay for an hour on internet café AND buy/download your cd collection OR even listen to music when I would be braking my back to earn a decent enough a living to have a comfortable life (like I am doing nowadays)???

Conclusion

I know, last.fm could have done this differently but I really feel they are doing it for the user in the long run not to condemn you from their site. I do not think it is ‘racist’ (because if it is, I will call the KKK and tell them to be more extreme), I do not think that it is unfair or incorrect. Also, the purposes are all disorganised and will not do anything to change the minds of the big men in charge. If a business has troubles they always stick to it. If it is a joke, it be a sick one of that so anyone who says that is just as sick as they are. Peace.

I did not read this back through

D.A.M, Cerebral Fix, Betrayer, Battered, Avenger Of Blood, Living Death, Mortal Sin, Voivod, Dekapitator, Aggression Vulcano, Re-Animator, Wargasm, Acid Drinkers, Dead Horse, Dead Head, Cranium, Overdose, Bywar, Bewitched Annihilator, Carnivore, D.B.C., Warbringer, Hirax, Accept, Sepultura, Twelfth Gate, Volcano, Metal Church Hexenhaus, Cryptic Slaughter, Flotsam and Jetsam, Sanctuary, Morbid Saint, Toxic Holocaust, Tankard, Agent Steel, Gama Bomb, Merciless Death Vio-Lence, Toxik, Evildead, Exciter, Sacred Reich, Sacrifice, Artillery, Realm, Blessed Death, Blood Feast S.O.D., Exumer, Razor, Dark Angel, Whiplash, Heathen, Laaz Rockit, Holy Moses, Holy Terror, Blind Illusion
Excel,Exhorder,Suicidal Tendencies ,Death Angel,Iron Angel,D.R.I.,Assassin,SSS (a.k.a Short Sharp Shock), Bonded By Blood, Evile
Believer,Rigor Mortis,Legion of the Damned,Nuclear Assault,Testament ,Coroner,Municipal Waste,Overkill, Forbidden,Exodus Sabbat, Xentrix,Onslaught Destruction,Anthrax,Kreator,Sodom,Metallica,Megadeth,Slayer
Invocator Stone (FINProtector Sarcófago A.R.G Exorcist Nasty Savage Abattoir Intruder (US) Destroyer 666
Radiohead Red Hot Chilli Peppers The Beatles Muse Lilly Allen The Ting Tangs

The Beta Code

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:22:08 +0000

It's a funny thing in my life: people tell me their secrets. I don't know what it is. I used to think it was my open face and winning smile but even on the internet, people tell me things.

I won't tell you who told me but I'll tell you what they said. And if I find I can't log in tomorrow, I've got this article saved...

Let's unravel the mystery, shall we?

Let's start with CBS, one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States with a great portfolio, now including Last.fm. As a business, they need their assets to perform whilst at the same time meet their needs. So it was that at some point last year, a new release was promised by Last.fm, one that would fix all of CBS's problems.

What might those problems be? Let's make some intelligent guesses and arrive at some assumptions:

* improved advertising
* new business, ie attract more users, ie target mainstream audiences
* better incorporation of CBS data, ie their back catalogue
* better promotion of artists (CBS artists?)
* a more up-to-date look
* room for future growth
* CBS and Last.fm senior managment probably signed off a vague paper which wasn't more than a list of ticked boxes. The 'creatives' would do the rest.

What came next was a year's worth of mismanagement and ignoring of 'creatives' on the shop floor. Writing code which wasn't going to be released for 8 months was a recipe for disaster and a disaster it was. The silver bullet promised by Last.fm senior management didn't work. Understandably, after waiting a year, CBS wanted to see results. What was taking so long? Get it done! And so it was an unfinished beta was released to over 21 million users worldwide.

It's the old story, isn't it? You have senior management who make all the decisions; middle-management who are effectively the go-betweens; and the shop floor who do all the work. It's people on the shop floor who always have the closest relationship with a company. And it's senior management who are the most disconnected. The go-betweens can work for good or evil, depending on the point they want to make. We all have our stories...

The new look Last.fm went live on Thursday 17 July 2008 at 4.45pm, British Summer Time. There was no announcement or forewarning but that's not unusual, I have never known them to make a big announcement prior to a new release in all the years I have been here. There was an immediate backlash and staff on the shop floor were left to cope on their own, without any guidance or support. I noticed throughout beta testing, whenever they put a foot wrong or revealed a little too much to us, they were punished, yet the vague directions they had to go on weren't fleshed out. If communication between Last.fm and users was lacking, it was even worse back at base. If you think we impassioned users don't like it, imagine how heartbreaking it is for those staff who have been there for years.

Where do we go from here?

Effectively, what we have right now is an open beta, which means the site is being built and tested whilst in use. We are testing the new site as we go along and it is up to us to report bugs as we find them; remember to mention which operating system and which browser you're using, and don't forget to mention if you have a disability and are using any additional systems. We can request new features for consideration in the final version. Staff are going through all our feedback. It's exciting to see them go through. Recommendations on the Music landing page? Mine. Claimed! (at least, I think it's mine...) With only one site to look after and with any luck, it should be a much smoother process than when trying to maintain two.

To find out known issues and what Last.fm teams are working on, go to the Forums (at the bottom of the page), and in particular this thread: Site Update: KNOWN ISSUES (Updated 21 July). Frequently asked questions are answered here: Site Update FAQ. To find out what will definitely be added in the future, go here: Previously Suggested Ideas 3 (!). To leave your feedback and suggestions, go to the Feedback and Ideas forums. To report bugs, go to Website Support.

Some users are working on 'survival guides'. I will add those journals to this one as and when I find them. If you are writing one and want me to add it, please give me a shout.

Well, I feel much better. I have been sitting on this information for a little while and I look forward to sleeping soundly and not dreaming about beta bugs or drowning in my Library.

Hope I can log in tomorrow...

Babs _{My Gang}

Related:

* Journal: 4.45 - beta goes live
* Journal: I can't believe it's not beta...!
* News stories bookmarked by me: StumbleUpon
* The thread to read: this one

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New Pillbugs CD!

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:11:40 +0000

The title of the new CD by The Pillbugs will be

"Everybody Wants A Way Out"

and the release date is mid-October, 2008!!

Tell your friends, spread the word!!

The Pillbugs are back and ready to blow your minds
with pure psychedelic pop perfection!!

031

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:51:20 +0000

preparándonos para el 26 de Julio.

Bliss

esta otra no la van a tocar

Fillip

Muse

City Library Street Press recommences on Wed!

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:16:15 +0000

The City Library Street Press group is a free and weekly workshop held at Melbourne's City Library for all of those interested in creating their own zines, blogs, comics and all other aspects of Street Press. The first round of workshops hosted a plethora of interesting guests, judged a High Schools Zine competition and took control of the Library's Zine collection, and now we're recommencing indefinitely on Wednesday, 6 - 7.45pm...

Hope to see you there!

City Library, 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne...

NO SYSTEM BOOGIE, NO KISS || mix on byte.fm || next gigs

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:28:04 +0000

Sup hotties,

tune in to your fave DJ. He's got plenty of oooooooh and aaaaaah for you. Saturday night [Sunday July 20th at 00:00 CEST] on http://byte.fm. Click here for direct link to the show.

As always, it'll be available for d'l from Monday on my website. Playlist will be posted in August with my next last.fm journal entry.

Plus, there's still gigs coming up.

These are solo DJ appearances:
2008 Jul 26 || D-Kiel || Sternstunde ||.
2008 Aug 1 || D-Berlin || Lokal ||.

And these are gigs with Plemo RPM Lovesystem:
2008 Aug 22 || D-Frankfurt/W || Silbergold ||.
2008 Aug 23 || D-Kassel || Panoptikum ||.
2008 Oct 18 || D-Bielefeld || Falkendom ||.

DON'T MISS!

This is the playlist of LAST months byte.fm mix:
01 Larry Tee & Princess Superstar - Licky (Work It Out) (Herve Goes Low Remix)
02 Heartsrevolution - C.Y.O.A. (Brodinski Remix)
03 Osborne - l8
04 Hercules And Love Affair - You Belong (Riton Mix)
05 Cadence Weapon - We Move Away
06 Luke Walker - Find your way
07 Punx Soundcheck - Phantoms
08 Electrolesy - Fat Girl Slim
09 Rampue - out of my life
10 Alex Metric - Deadly On a Mission (dub)
11 Muscles - SWEATY (shazam remix)
12 The Ting Tings - Great DJ (Calvin Harris Remix)
13 Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Boys Noize Happy Birthday Remix)
14 Aston Shuffle - For Everyone
15 Benny Benassi - I Am Not Drunk (The Bloody Beetroots Remix)
16 Maral Salmassi - Fire Gem (Fukkk Offf Remix)
17 Bumblebeez - Flying Down To Rio (Etienne De Crecy Tech Mix)
18 Comtron - C64 Carat (Instrumental)
19 Jupiter - I Love America
20 Golden Bug - Golden Bullet
21 Siriusmo - simple
22 Grovesnor - Drive Your Car (Original Mix)
23 Bots On Weed - Oldskewlerz (Oldskewl Mix)
24 Unknown Artist - Don’t Chop The Music
25 Arms Neumond - Late Night Flight, L.A.X.
26 Aeroplane feat. Kathy Diamond - Whispers (Original Mix)

Thanks for your attention and don't forget to check this one out:
Thunderheist - Jerk It

[My Gang] Radiohead - House of Cards : Reco of the Week 15 Jul 08

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:13:38 +0000

Artist: Radiohead
Track: House of Cards
Album: In Rainbows
Tags: experimental, electronic, electronica, indie rock, chillout, relaxing, music to fall asleep to, my gang rotw

Official Video

The Making of 'House of Cards' video

House of Cards is my favourite track on In Rainbows, in fact it's my top track in the last 12 months. I am over the moon to find it has the most innovative music video to accompany it. It is (the first?) music video to be made without cameras or light.

The UK Guardian published an article yesterday describing the technical side which should be read in conjunction with viewing the 'making of' video above. It's quite complicated but in a nutshell, it's radar technology brought up-to-date, using lasers instead. Images for the video were recorded using three different systems, capturing contours in 3D. At the same time, distortions were introduced by interrupting the recordings using obstacles. Finally, all this data was combined then visualised.

Colours are deeply saturated and displayed against a black background. Radiohead have some stills on their website:

Radiohead have invited us to play around with the data, which they have made available online.

The video is part of Radiohead's promise not to make any "conventional" music videos for their In Rainbows material. Earlier this year they launched a contest where fans can pitch or create animated music videos for their songs. Now they are also making available the data used to create the House of Cards video, making it possible for fans to generate short clips.

When the site (hosted at http://code.google.com/radiohead) goes live, there will also be a documentary of the making-of process and a selection of 3D-rendered scenes.
(from The Guardian)

To me, the video is magic realism, where the lines between real life and fantasy are blurred. Thom Yorke talks of wanting to use the theme of vaporisation (in the 'making of' video).

The story is about social alienation; not feeling part of society. In the video, a man goes to a party but no one registers his presence. Everyone's backs are to him. He goes in, walks around, feels so invisible he starts to fade, then leaves. No one is around outside. Even the urban landscape is unstable, drifting and shifting infront of him. There's a sense of heightened reality running alongside one of confusion. There is also an unusual feeling of there being more reality in inanimate objects than in human beings. All the people are shades of white and grey, yet buildings, streets, trees, the countryside, pylons even, are all brilliant jewel colours, the same colours seen in light refracted through glass or crystal. Or rainbows.

Babs _{My Gang}

Edit: Is Radiohead the latest band to go open source? The Guardian, UK, July 17, 2008

Admin - Stats as of today:

Official Video:
Date Added to YouTube: July 13, 2008
Views: 419,867, Ratings: 1,207, Responses: 103, Comments: 586, Favorited: 1,646 times

Last.fm listeners of this track - 262,527 (full track)
No. of plays scrobbled in Last.fm - 1,908,734
Position in Top 20 Last Week: 7 / 15,843 (up 3)
Position in Top 100 Tracks: 9 / 149,704

Stats after 7 days:

Official Video:
Views: 1,742,653, Ratings: 4,085, Responses: 142, Comments: 2,687, Favorited: 5,971 times

Last.fm listeners of this track - 265,492 (full track)
No. of plays scrobbled in Last.fm - 1,930,583
Position in Last 7 Days: 7 / 15,843
Position in Last 6 Months: 9 / 149,704

464 Unique Visitors
581 Page Views

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MasHMaN

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:37:30 +0000

New Mash coming soon. All of those who have been enjoying the latest please continue to do so. We have more on their way.

MasHOuT

Mashman
That Guy Productions

Calling All Artists... !

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:07:51 +0000

Last.fm Group: Central Point: where artists and listeners meet

I've started a group in Last.fm where artists are invited to self-promote - the more shamelessly the better! - and where we listeners can browse, investigate, find stuff we may not otherwise come across.

Join policy is Open to all. I only made it Owner Approval so I can say hello.

Artists:

You probably already know you may not 'spam' in Last.fm, however that means it's harder for you to get the word out. In Central Point, you are invited to start a dedicated thread all about You. Tell us who you are, where we can hear you, if you have any free mp3s, where we can find you elsewhere on the net. Anything you want us to know, this is where you can advertise.

The same goes for all service providers: all of you who are DJs, have radio shows, podcasts, etc. Keep us up-to-date on your news and activities.

Bloggers: add yourselves to The Blog Directory.

On my part, I tag all artists central point, thereby creating a global radio. Click on the link to see how it stands. We haven't limited the love and we've also been tagging other artists who may not otherwise get much exposure. (see this thread to find out who they are). If you would like to hear who's on board already, try the Boss's tag radio.

If you know anyone who'd be interested, pass it on. Spread the word.

Do you like my Index? I did that. :D

Ok, that's your announcement from the Front Desk.

You can find me in The Kitchen.

Babs _{Central Point: where artists and listeners meet}

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[3 Mustaphas 3] Omnidirectional Ear Sharing - Jul 08 - Top 40

Wed, 9 Jul 2008 20:03:48 +0000

The 3 Mustaphas 3 group is dedicated to the, you guessed it - Balkan's Szegerely town band - 3 Mustaphas 3.

The 3 Mustaphas 3 group on Yahoo! is now over 101 lunar months old, so I though this a golly good time for the Scrobblers of Mustapha to make a special sharing of their omnidirectional ears ... ¡Forward in All Directions!

Thus, I've been back through the group's weekly track charts for the last sixteen weeks and collected up all the tracks that Friends of Mustapha have scrobbled more than once, then accumilated those scrobblings/plays over the whole period, to derive a form of four lunar month track chart. The top fourty+ tracks from the chart, plus the odd tune from the Mustaphas, can now be found on my 3M3 Omnidirectional Ear Sharing - Jul 08 station. The tracks are as follows:

1^st with 8 plays
- MGMT - Time to Pretend
- The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name
- Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good
4^th with 7 plays Joy Division - Dead Souls
5^th with 5 plays Soft Cell - Tainted Love
6^th with 4 plays
- Amy Winehouse - Rehab
- Arctic Monkeys - Choo Choo
- Björk - Human Behavior
- Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road
- Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey
- Coldplay - 42
- Coldplay - Cemeteries Of London
- Coldplay - Life In Technicolor
- Coldplay - Lost!
- Edwin Starr - War
- Joy Division - Colony
- Joy Division - Passover
- Joy Division - She's Lost Control
- Marvin Gaye - Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Today's Lesson
- Nine Inch Nails - 1 Ghosts I
- Portishead - The Rip
- Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away
- Siouxsie and the Banshees - Israel
- The Clash - Spanish Bombs
- The Cure - Boys Don't Cry
- The Jam - David Watts
- The Jam - Going Underground
- The Mountain Goats - Alpha Double Negative: Going to Catalina
- Uffie - Dismissed
30^th with 3 plays
- Amadou & Mariam - Coulibaly
- Björk - Army Of Me
- Duffy - Mercy
- Kirsty MacColl - He's on the Beach
- Lady Sovereign - Public Warning
- Leonard Cohen - Who By Fire
- Public Image Ltd. - Low Life
- Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
38^th with 2 plays The following tracks are the most popular played from artists who've had more than ten charting tracks, beyond those listed above, with two players.
- Elbow - Grounds For Divorce
- Erasure - A Little Respect
- Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
- Seth Lakeman - Race To Be King
- The Innocence Mission - The Lakes of Canada

^{3m3 omnidirectional ear sharing - jul 08}

The 3 Mustaphas 3s were pioneers of the worldbeat and favourites of John Peel, but've not made new recordings since the early 90s - so I thought the amalgamated favourites of the 24 Scrobblers of Mustapha would make interesting listening.

Please let me know what you think of the selection, I expect it to play for over two and a half hours, without repetition - Best, Ian_{My.Mashable.com/Scrawl}