Mc Norman - Why

We love new traditions.  Creative Commons Affiliates has put out a mixtape of 25 different artists from around the world who are using the license to get their music out there to share. Released on netwaves records, this is a tremendously diverse grouping of musical talent and styles.

For our post today we offer this tune from South African-based Ugandan artist, Mc Norman.  His music is published on Jamendo.com and features a popish reggaeton sound.  This tune is very catchy and worth a listen.

As mentioned above, the mixtape provides an incredible window into the international Creative Commons music world.  The artists release their music on a wide-range of platforms, including Jamendo, Free Music Archive, Soundcloud, Archive.org and Bandcamp. There really is something for everyone on this release.  

From the release notes:

Across the world millions of creators are using Creative Commons licenses to promote and spread their creativity and to find a global audience. Many of these are music artists, performers and songwriters and for this year’s tape a whopping 25 countries have contributed, covering 4 continents of amazing music cultures and artistic talents of all audio trades. Dive in to discover what the world has to offer while at the same time appreciating sharing culture. Enjoy!

I expect that we will be revisiting in the next several days.  But don't wait for us, follow the link and get it yourself.  You'll be drilling down into the music before you know it.  

Mc Norman - Why

Yahoo Music Store Goes Away and Takes DRM'd Tunes With It

The excellent site, ReadWriteWeb is reporting that as the Yahoo Music Store exits the scene it will no longer support the Digital Rights Management (DRM) licensing that was embedded in tunes purchased from the service. This will serve as an excellent illustration of what DRM means in the marketplace. Technological obsolescence built into the digital file has significant implications on the longevity of that file.

ReadWriteWeb quotes an e-mail message from Yahoo! Music:

"Songs and albums that were purchased through the Yahoo! Music Unlimited Store are protected by a digital rights management system that requires a valid license key before they can be played on your computer.

After the Store closes, Yahoo! will no longer be able to support the retrieval of license keys for music purchased from Yahoo! Music Unlimited, and Yahoo! will no longer be able to authorize song playback on additional computers.

After September 30, 2008, you will not be able to transfer songs to unauthorized computers or re-license these songs after changing operating systems. Please note that your purchased tracks will generally continue to play on your existing authorized computers unless there is a change to the computer's operating system."

Consumers beware.

Sie Sind Berlinern

Yep, that's right. My favorite Seattle ensemble, Lushy is playing in Berlin a week from Saturday at the Wassermusik Festival. If you are in the neighborhood, check them out. I would.

Lushy at the High Dive

This just in:

Lushy Tonight 6-8PM @ High Dive in Fremont High Dive

513 N 36th St

Seattle, WA 98103 (Fremont)

I won't be able to make it, but if you are in Jet City head on down, you won't regret it.

Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult!!!!

Yep. Single biggest pledge in the mother ship's fund drive will win a cowbell autographed by guitarist/songwriter Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult!!!!

CALL 413.644.9797 TO MAKE A PLEDGE or stop by our studios at 195 Main St. Behind The Pink Cloud!!!!
LET’S ROCK THIS THING!!!!!

BSWC Returns to the Mothership for One Night--It's the Fund Drive

That's right. Biotic and Subsystem7 will be hosting a BSWC return to the air Saturday, June 14 from 9-11 pm EST on WBCR-LP, 97.7 FM in Great Barrington, MA. You can listen locally or catch the stream at berkshireradio.org.

It is the fund drive for this plucky low-powered FM community station. If you appreciate and support true community radio, then please take the time and look down this blog's sidebar to donate money to help WBCR-LP continue the good work. (You can also call in on (413) 644-9797 and make a contribution during the show).

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Biotic

DURDEN - Broken (DURDEN Version)

So, Creative Commons has put an RFP on the streets offering to sell ccMixter. I heard about it on Friday from Jon Phillips via Tweeter. This morning I looked at what Victor Stone, ccMixter's principal administrator had to say about the prospect.

Essentially, CC is looking to get out of the social networking business, something in which, they acknowledge, they have little expertise. My impression is that the RFP goes to some length to protect the resource. My fingers are crossed.

Meanwhile, I took a gander at the site and, as usual, found some amazing work posted. I was quite taken by this remix by DURDEN. It has a ethereal quality that marries some strong vocals by Amelia June with incredible work by ccMixter regular Trifonic.

Durden’s epic treatment surrounding Amelia June’s sorrowful vocal track from Trifonic’s masterful “Emergence” album is a symphony for the new millennium. Surrounding pained sadness with determined power, gentle strings giving way to powerfully melancholic guitars, soaring and circling above a rhythmic foundation made of pure rock.

If you haven't already delved into the musical treats at ccMixter, then now is the time to visit the site and see for yourself.

DURDEN - Broken (DURDEN Version)

Update: Biotic has been Listening, but not Posting--This is about to Change

Mobile post sent by biotic using Utterz. Replies. mp3

Messer Chups in NYC!

Messer Chups is in NYC!

March, 5 2008 at DJ Set @ Rose Live Music
345 Grand Street btw Marcy and Havemeyer, Williamsburg, New York

Messer Chups is in NYC!

March, 7 2008 at Galapagos Art Space
70 North 6th Street, Williamsburg, New York

I can't make it, but, if you can, you should.

BSWC News: Wakka Chikka Wakka Chikka Vol. 2

via Internet Archive Forums: View Post

That's right. There will be a second volume to this amazing compilation. WM Recordings will be hosting the second iteration. They have put out the call for submissions....go get in on the act.

If you aren't familiar with the Wakka Chikka Wakka Chikka that Comfort Stand put out, then maybe you ought to mosey over there and check it out.

BSWC News: Good Bye DiSfish!

via ccMixterblog: Good By DiSfish!

Report from DiSfish artist, hepepe.hu says that Marco Raaphorst and Cezary Ostrowski are ending the Creative Commons netlabel. The link is already dead. I have a frown on my face.

BSWC News: Wind-up MP3/video player

Via Boing Boing: Wind-up MP3/video player

Love this concept. The Eco-Media player. Crank up your tunes. One minute of winding results in 40 minutes of playback. Formats include mp3, wma, asf, wav, mp4. It also has a built-in radio and flashlight.

If I become a survivalist, then this item is definitely in the bunker with me...

BSWC News: BlocSonic releases a BSWC/BlocSonic netBloc Co-Presentation

It is called 10 from 200 plus one. Thanks to Michael at BlocSonic for appreciating our gig over here at BSWC. I know I can speak for Subsystem when I say we sure appreciate his gig. This is his 7th netBloc compilation and they are terrific.

I love to see his selection of One-a-Day posts. Perhaps regular readers have their favorites, too. If so, post them below...I'm interested.

Love all around,

Biotic

Sour Grapes Dept.: Prince CD Giveaway Angers Music Industry

Prince CD Giveaway Angers Music Industry

"The Artist formerly known as Prince should know that with behavior like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores," said Paul Quirk, co-chairman of the Entertainment Retailers Association

The story is that Prince is bundling his new CD with a british tabloid, the Mail. The CD and the paper will retail this weekend for $2.80.

Sony BMG UK is not going through with their release plans in Britain.

Seems like Creative Commons licensed digital downloads of Prince are somewhere in the future, no?

BSWC News: Webjay to Close at the End of June

The news on the street is that the playlist site, Webjay is going away. They have an announcement in their banner to this effect along with instructions on how to salvage playlists created on the site.

I've used Webjay a little, but never jumped all the way in the pool. Sorry to see them exit the stage.

BSWC News: Internet Archive Changes The Way They Count Downloads

The Internet Archive announced today that they are shifting the way they count and report downloads of material at the site. Until today they only counted direct downloads from their site. In other words, you needed to be at archive.org to have your download count in IA's Batting Average for the item.

Now, they are going to count downloads of files that have direct links from other sites. This should have a big impact on netlabels and other independent music distributors hosted by IA.

The change certainly makes a lot of sense. It will provide a more realistic and meaningful statistic than the old Batting Average.

BSWC 04.07.07: 100 One-a-Day Posts and Counting

[Update 4.09.07: Here is the audio file.]

Boy, that's right. A milestone today for the One-a-Day feed. 100 and counting.

Keep 'em coming I say.

With that said, here is the playlist for BSWC-The Show.

As always, if you are reading this sometime between 9 and 11 pm Eastern (-5 Greenwich) on Saturday night you can listen to our stream.

If you don't hear it live, then you can always subscribe to the podcast feed:

Here is the feed.
Click here for iTunes



Berceuse obscure by Ehma
Les petits poissons by Echo lali
borderline-DU-remix by bradsucks
Making Me Nervous (Cezary Ostrowski mix) by Brad Sucks
da_TA.marindo Exotic Session by Masseratti 2lts
Electrolux by Alexandre Bilodeau
magister ludi by baroquedub
I am leaving by Phour Trakk
Take My Wings Away by Band of Mad Women
Mounir Magic Guittar Vs. Mounir Gadhab by Ben Othman
Long Time No See by Sleepy Town Manufacture
Champ by Capulet
The Fleeting Beauty Of A Butterfly by French Teen Idol
About The Things I Had To Say by Girl Boy Moog
Clones of each others fashions by Monomatik
Electric games by Happiness Project
secret girl by lithium
magneto by sleepwalk in el paso
Twist Tango by Ninefold Italy
Babyliscous by Leash
Song For Insects by Hazmat
Endless Vision by The Complex

BSWC News: Mothership Holds Fund Drive

I wanted to take a little time to drop a note on the blog about our WBCR-LP Fund Drive. Many of you know that BSWC-The Show airs on this little Low Power FM station in the Berkshire hills of Massachusetts (simulcast on KWMD, 90.7 in Kasilof, AK, but that's another story). After it airs, we pull the mp3 file from the station's computers, edit it a smidgeon and put it up on archive.org for podcasting.

If you look around the blog you will see no advertising. You will find nothing commercial on this site. However, keeping WBCR-LP as a going concern is vital to continuing the services that you find around you at Black Sweater, White Cat.

I would ask regular visitors and listeners to contribute to our fund drive today or tomorrow in support of BSWC and our mothership, WBCR-LP. You can do it online, over there in the sidebar or call us at (413) 644-9797. We are not a corporate public radio enterprise by any means. This is people putting radio together for people...sound familiar?

Tell them Biotic sent you.

Thank you for your time and support.

Chenard Walcker Tribute

Sad news from WM Recordings:

Chenard Walcker, a friend of the online music world, is slowly recovering from a diabetic coma. His brother reports that he is not physically suffering. He fell into the coma in September, and is now working on speech development and object differentiation. Chenard is the prolific visual and musical collage artist who operates the Free Sample Zone with 58 releases available for download. Chenard also has two releases available on our label and he has contributed to various compilations. So many of us have benefited from and enjoy Chenard's work. This is our chance to repay our sweet friend and to send him our love with a tribute release on WM Recordings.

Submissions for the tribute should be sent to WM Recordings by January 31, 2007. They have more information on the tribute page.

Over a 1000 Links to CC Music in 15 Months

As 2006 comes to a close, we would like to thank our listeners.  Some of you listen to the radio show over-the-air and others to the podcast.  Over the last 15 months, BSWC has posted over 1000 links to music posted on the internet with a variety of Creative Commons licenses.  As we have mentioned previously on this blog, the variety and depth of CC music available online is simply amazing. 

In the coming years, BSWC will continue to support and promote Creative Commons licensed music and the artists that create it.  Stay tuned for our ccMixter Extravaganza coming soon.  If you have ccMixter favorites that you would like to see included in this special edition of BSWC, please post them in the comments section.

This coming Saturday, we will present an encore broadcast of our Comfort Stand Auld Lang Syne program that included phone interviews with Otis Fodder and Mr. Melvis on the night the final Comfort Stand collection was released (CS 071).

Have a great weekend, be safe, have fun.  Happy New Year.

Biotic