A Bit of News (just learned) about Marianas Trench

For those looking for the Recepter and Arm the Angels review, it's just below this short update note.

Just a quick note to give kudos to Marianas Trench, who were reviewed last year. They were one of the featured artists on last season's ABC Family summer hit, Kyle XY, which I also watch religiously. MySpace Records will be releasing the soundtrack to Kyle XY, which is very cool and Marianas Trench is on it.

Marianas Trench was one of the bands that won the 2006 Aha! Blogolicious! Media Awards for Innovation. Unfortunately, they never got back in contact with me so never picked up their trophy (or rather had it sent to them since they are in Vancouver, last I knew.)

Still, great band, so congrats...I'm not the only one that thinks your great!

Best,
CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media

Music REVIEW: Montreal's Experimental Electronic Rockers, Recepter and San Diego's punkers, Arm the Angels

Experimental Rock Recepter and a bit of painful punk from Arm the Angels!

A trip to Montreal trips out with Recepter, while San Diegos punks out with some angst ridden Angels.

Out of Montreal, Canada, you can find an experimental rock group called Recepter. Their electronica/rock mix is powerful and driving. The plaintative, soul-searing vocals of Zo (formerly with Pulse ultra) tear at your soul, while the dark lyrics and eerie melodies of the music take you into different, yet seductive realms. There is just enough electronica to keep the sound distinct and just enough rock to keep it pounding in your veins. Give these musicians a listen and you'll likely find yourself hooked--an addiction without end.

You can find their MySpace offerings at http://www.myspace.com/receptermusic.

If experimental rock isn't your cup of caffeine, or you aren't near Montreal, perhaps you'll like the rocking, popping punk of Arm the Angels. Out of San Diego, California, this pop punk band is running around San Diego, Del Mar, Hollywood and even Las Vegas, spreading their 'therapy for kids' punk message. Describing their influences as a mix of Guns n' Roses and Foo Fighters and being described in turn by others as influenced by punk groups A.F.I. and Rancid, this solid punk band has opened for bands like the Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, Journey and Def Leppard. Solid tunes that hook you, bleed you and then toss you out into the street keep their fan base strong and their own influence growing. Feel like some dark and painful angst trips? Give these guys a try.

You can find their MySpace tunes at http://www.myspace.com/armtheangels.

More next week.
Have a great weekend, long (Memorial Day in the USA) or short!

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious! Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events...and Canada!

A Bit of Humor About the Government (What are the odds?!)

Which Government? Does it matter? It seems equally applicable!

My sister brought me these two items...the author of the first one, below, is unknown, so if you have any leads, please email me at cganders1@yahoo.com so I can give them their due credit. The second is a link to a live journal entry, so the author is known.

And yes, this weekend, likely Saturday night or Sunday afternoon, I will be posting a music review of a great band (or bands, possibly) so check back if you're interested. And if not, have a great weekend (and for those in the USA, have a great Memorial Day weekend...remember those we've lost, honor those we still have but remember, that being miserable doesn't make things any better for anyone...so enjoy the long weekend.)

CG

--item one

How Government And Business Works
( just about any large corporation these days)

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said "Someone may steal from it at night."

So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?"

So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?"

So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.

Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?"

So they created the following positions, a timekeeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people.

Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?"

So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost."

So they laid off the night watchman.

---item two is a link to a fun entry on dogs

http://littera-abactor.livejournal.com/7748.html

Enjoy!
CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media

Why are Great Games Great? Is it the Fun factor? The Tech? The Interface?

Great Games are Great Why?
Tell me!
Image, Fun, Interaction & You?

Instead of talking about a must-see band today, I decided to muse and mull something different. After all, the site's name is Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events...and Canada. Well, I'm going to muse, and perhaps you can help me find some meaning. It may not be non-sensical, then again, what is sensible about many things that we, as human beings, do? As for Canada, well, this musing is international, so feel free to pipe in from whereever you are--Canada won't be an addendum to the US this time! (wink & LOL, sorry Canada, know it bothers you all when people lump you together with the USA.)

I do a lot of research into image, interaction, social identity in an online world, interface design, and other things--including what makes something 'beautiful' or 'fun' or 'innovative' or you-name-it. It's one reason this site is dedicated to music, art, dance and media issues. I find beauty here as well as innovation and that ever illusive 'fun' factor.

Those that read this blog regularly know that I often spoof Microsoft, Google, Disney and other big media players (you note I said 'media' not 'internet' as we are well beyond just 'internet' these days in our daily online lives.) They get spoofed not because of any real dislike for them, but because they are so big and powerful now that the effects they can have on the media world can be shattering. Or they can be innovative and uplifting. However, being big companies, they are about profit and loss (P&L) and if we, those without power, don't constantly remind them that we, those that purchase and use their services, want fun, innovation and usefulness, then there is the likely chance that they will stop listening all together. Customer service departments you see and market research are money sinks rather than profit centers--hence, if big companies think they can get rid of the money sinks, they will.

What has this got to do with games, image or even you? Well, beyond the obvious things of you being a consumer/user, I'm talking about quality of life. This includes quality of life online as well as offline. Fun is a big part of that. Games are often a way to understand 'fun.' Plus, how you interact with games or online spaces is a big factor as well.

As for Image, many of you...in fact ALL of you...create your image and present it to others, online or offline. If you are an artist (any genre, any form) then understanding how to create your image and how to present it to others as well as what effects it has on others will help you succeed or fail in your artistic pursuit. Why do you think big companies spend so much time and money on Branding? They know it matters in ways that are hard to measure with current, past and future customers. Human beings are wonderfully complicated and yet both similar and unique. This is why companies try to appeal to particular demographics and why different art forms, music genres, games and of course sporting events exist. We are different. We are alike. We like different things. We band together to enjoy those things. Sometimes we change our minds and like something new or go back to something old. We're fickle and we change over time. It's natural.

But if you are trying to build a fanbase for your work, then you have the same headaches those big companies have with trying to retain their customers and find new ones. Image.

Except you don't have millions to spend on branding, marketing and research, or PR spinning when you mess up, do you? So you need to think even more carefully about how you present yourself to others and whether it has the intended effect.

So back to games. I've talked about marketing issues related to image. I've talked about design tools that make it easier to create your image online (without being a programmer.) So why am I blathering on about games? Or for that matter that interaction or design thing I mentioned?

Think about your presentation online. It's not just about putting up some photos of yourself and quickie bio, is it? You customize your webpage, your MySpace page or your blog, don't you? You should be thinking not just about 'what' you say and 'what images' you put up, but also about what colors you choose for your site, what songs/music you put on your site and on a deeper level, how viewers interact with the stuff you put up.

Now MySpace and Google Blogger pretty much give you standard interfaces (buttons, comment sections and so forth) so if you think carefully about how you customize there, you won't have many problems. (I've seen some sites that didn't think first, and you can't find the buttons, or other elements sit in front of them so you can't use them.)

Figuring out that interaction is also important. If you frustrate people by making it hard to contact you, or get to options on your page or you mislead them into following some trail that turns out to be bogus, then you are going to have major image problems. Don't piss off your potential and current fan base. Know what they like and want and do that, but without being false. Be true to yourself and your image, true fans will respect you for it and it will be easier to maintain a true image, even one that is evolving through the highs and lows of being an artist.

Again, games? Why games? OK, games are innovative almost by their very nature AND they have to think about interactions with the player and the interface design AND all the creative elements (visual, audio, narrative, everything.) A great game creates an emotional connection between the game and the player. It doesn't take million dollar special effects or 1000s of man hours of programming. Production quality always helps, but like some great cult TV shows, it doesn't always matter.

Games also innovate in how we see the world. The one thing that disappoints me across the web and software industry is the lack of cool, visual design innovations. They are out there, but you rarely see them. Big companies don't like risk and consumers too often are risk aversive, too. Consumers say they want intuitive design (which is great) but then companies decide that that means don't try anything new. What do we get? We get same-old, same-old web designs based on very standardized design principles and almost always using the same 2D desktop metaphor that Windows and Mac both use.

The idea of design standards was to give designers a better understanding of GOOD design..i.e. don't make it hard to use, don't make it so that people can't understand what it's for, make it easy to make a purchase, or find a bit of information...that sort of thing. It didn't mean look exactly like your neighbor, except for the branding graphics and the link titles. It didn't mean throw out other metaphors for visual design and only, ONLY use the flat, 2D desktop model. (No, adding buttons that have a more 3D kind of look, isn't 3D...having simulated depth use via a 2D screen is 3D.)

Games go for 2D and 3D. They go for new interfaces for the players, with heads up displays, new controls, feedback systems, you name it. They are trying out new ideas everyday and it's not bleeding over into the more general online space, which disappoints me. It should also disappoint you, since you and I are the ones that are missing out on perhaps something even better than what we have now.

Games know that the competition is tough. (It's not just a question of Windows or Mac, Yahoo! or Google.) Competition for artists is tough, too! Even more than the games market, you have to find ways to stand out and get noticed. You need, like a game or website, GREAT content (i.e. your art, your music, your dance, your writing...) How you present yourself (IMAGE) goes a long way to getting people to notice you, trust you and want to learn more about you.

As for creating a fun, compelling experience for your fanbase, that's a whole other subject. I still wonder what 'fun' truly is...and what it means to different people. For example, the games I like the most, enjoy the most don't tend to be FPS (first person shooter) games like Halo or Half Life. I actually love games like Mercury, Marble Madness, F-Zero GX, Frequency, Dragon's Lair, Space Ace and Asteroids. Some of them are old games, some newer.

I was impressed with Myst; it's visually stunning, but I tend to get frustrated on complicated, obtuse games like that, so the fun factor dropped. The game that totally immersed me and scared the daylights out of me was called Iron Helix. No blood. No gore. But it did manage to actually convince me that what was happening was real, even though I was remotely controlling a robot and couldn't get hurt. My adrenalin raced as 'something' closed in on me and I fled the space station (to save my robot.) I had to remind myself that it wasn't real. Good games just like good TV shows or films do that to you.

But what I find fun or exciting or real is likely quite different from someone else, hence, fun is hard to break down into a fixed formula and why being true to yourself in building your image is so important. Everyone is different and not everyone will like you or your stuff. It's not an insult to you. It's normal. You want to find the fans that will like your stuff and appreciate it.

How you present your image helps. So look at games you like, TV and film you like, music you like, colors you like, design you like, interactive processes you typically do (how you navigate around the web, or what you expect to find someone's website...) all this will help you figure out how to design your image.

As for games and fun, I'm going to ask you the question because I definitely want to hear from you on this one.

What games do you find fun? What music is fun? What sports? What dances? What books? Or magazines? Or comics/graphic novels? Do you play games on your phone? How do you deal with the tiny screen? How can it still be fun with a screen that small? That small screen drives me nuts! What sites do you like? And WHY? What makes them fun for your? Do you even care that all the web site designs out there tend to look alike? That all the computers tend to look alike as well?

Let me know, because I really do want to know your opinions, and this is purely informal--I just want your opinions since I'm still trying to figure this out. Afterall...We human beings are hard to understand and every little bit helps.

Have a great weekend!
CG Anderson

REVIEW: The Shake deliver a New York Kind of British Invasion, While Flat 12 Evolves from the Studio.

Things Get The Shake Up in New York City. Meanwhile, Rhode Island Comes Out of the Studio and Gets Experimental.

Today has been a busy day but now it's time to relax with some great music and prepare for Mother's Day weekend...or just get the weekend started off on the right note. Today, two bands...one out of New York City and the other Rhode Island. (See, I don't always gravitate to Vancouver, it really was just random, honest!)

The Shake hearkens back to the sixties and the British Invasion sound of the time, from the vocals to the beat. The lyrics though tend to be contemporary (sort of) and hard rock riffs aren't forgotten in the intertwining powerpop and classic rock melodies.

In their own words, found by me to be most appropriate...Unlike other groups, each member of THE SHAKE is schooled in a different style of music, and draws from a wide pool of influences including rock, blues, jazz, and punk. The result is what they call “a constantly evolving, more musically diverse style of rock that utilizes distinct melodies and harmonies in order to maintain a straightforward and familiar feel hearkening back to the days of the original British Invasion, when rock and roll could change the world.”

I could hear ghosts of the Kinks and the Yardbirds here as well as typical rockabilly rocking and rolling combined with Pink Floyd like psychedelic guitar runs, all intermixed together. I even thought I heard a Moog. I didn't detect much by way of blues, jazz or punk, but perhaps I missed it among the rest of this evolving and interesting retro yet progressive mix.

A fun ride, hard to categorize, which may prove challenging in promoting them and getting them air time, but fun, nonetheless. They definitely shake it up and prove that music doesn't have to be repetitive and duplicative. Personally, of the four very different offerings on their myspace site, Dyin' though the least played, was still my favorite, and with some great guitar riffs and Creedance Clearwater (and similar bands) -like lyrics.

Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/theshakeband

The second band (or duo, rather) of note today lies within the realm of experimental, pop and rock. Flat 12 is a studio project by Dave Witham (ex frontman for Of The Hour) and Italian composer and producer, Mauro Colangelo. That combo is certainly one to turn heads but there is no denying the beauty and power of the music they are creating.

Brooding, powerful, electronica-ridden, melodic vocals, eerie, driving then relaxed...you name it, you'll probably find it in this trio of songs. Great to listen to but hard to categorize, as changeable as the wind but just as powerful in an underrated way. Just grab a glass of wine and don't worry about finding meaning or message in the lyrics, even as certain as one might be that they are there--just hidden and hypotizing. Just drink the darn wine and stop fretting about figuring out why you like this music. That's what I'm doing.

Check Flat 12 out at http://www.myspace.com/flat12

Have a great weekend! Happy Mother's Day!

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious! Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events …and Canada

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit given when quoted or reposted.

If a blog posting does NOT have this note at the bottom, please do not copy or repost it. It is likely in such a case NOT intended for wider distribution and you are requested to honor copyright protections and uses.

CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in media, art, tech, science and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!

MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/ahablogolicious (help me reach 1 million friends, add yourself as my friend now! Especially since my ability to add you is broken—still---and no eta from MySpace on a fix.)
Blog site: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/

Music REVIEW: Alternative rock group Scatterheart. Vancouver, B.C. keeps producing great music groups.

Music Review: Scatterheart has range and depth.

Scatterheart proves that once again, Vancouver, B.C. is a hub for great music.

I know it seems like I focus a great deal on Canadian bands but I assure you that it isn’t intentional. Maybe it’s karma or the fact that I include …and Canada in the name of my music/arts/media and light humor blog. I simply listen and search out bands that I believe are worth listening to, regardless of origin and without preference for genre. I like all music. I admit though that I often find myself listening mostly to pop, alternative and rock/punk with the best of the best rap and hip hop thrown in for good measure. (Best by my standards means simply that I like the music, vocals & lyrics and often find the lyrics relevant to the human condition, i.e. they have something worth saying or evoke emotions in me, the listener, and take me on a journey into their world.)

So yes, I found an alternative band this week and yes, they are from Vancouver, B.C. So sue me. (No, wait, don’t! That’s only a figure of speech!)

Scatterheart is unsigned but with a full, richly produced sound nonetheless. You can tell they’re a longtime professional band, meaning, not a garage wannabe but a working, professional band that knows their strengths and plays to them. An alternative band with a strong rock basis apparent in every chord and beat, they are surprisingly versatile. One moment they are riff extraordinaire and high energy, powering you out with stressed vocals and intense musicality. The next moment, or rather song, they are the object of restraint, fluidity and introspective social and emotional angst, pining for a better life.

I can’t tell you who does what, they didn’t list what each member did within the whole. Jesse, Wes, Mike and Doug only listed their names. However, the vocals have a wonderful plaintative feel and the music easily fills the gaps, backing up vocals and building the music into powerful swells when appropriate, moving everything along with nary a hiccup to the whole composition.

The more tender Soothe and the bass driven Shadows were my favorite of their four MySpace selections, but I enjoyed all four offerings.

Check them out at www.myspace.com/scatterheart
And check their site for upcoming live performances as well.

Have a great weekend and always keep the wire live.

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious! Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events …and Canada

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit given when quoted or reposted.

If a blog posting does NOT have this note at the bottom, please do not copy or repost it. It is likely in such a case NOT intended for wider distribution and you are requested to honor copyright protections and uses.

CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in media, art, tech, science and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!

MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/ahablogolicious (help me reach 1 million friends, add yourself as my friend now! Especially since my ability to add you is broken—still---and no eta from MySpace on a fix.)
Blog site: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/