M Is FOR MASHUP - November 5th, 2014 ( Not Halloween any more…sigh )
Fishing With Mashups
By DJ Useo
In addition to live gigs, I've done a lot of radio shows as well. All the radio shows were for online radio stations, which are great, but can be problematic in reaching listeners. Promotion is largely word of mouth, & there's fierce competition because of the sheer number of stations. Personally, I am so well stocked for music, that I don't even need radio at all. YET…there's awesome stations galore! Living in Austin as I do, there's even many fine FM stations that are fantastic. I actually heard one of my Halloween mashups on a far left of the dial station. Ni-ice,eh?
The radio concept comes in for me, because I'm still in the position of trying to lure in listeners. After more than ten years of posting my mashups, I've developed a method that keeps me quite interested. I post three mashups at once, each on different hosting. One will be "mainstream", one will be more "alternative", & the third will be completely insane. Lol. The most amazing thing about the competition this sets up is that it's not unusual for the strange track to be the one that draws in the most listeners. I have a theory that the strange ones do so well because not a lot of people make tracks like that. Not so much competition for that "style", you see?
Here's a batch of my tracks posted in the above mentioned manner:
01-mainstream, 02-alternative, & 03-strange, & the actual numbers they accrued.
Batch one - ( only posted a few hours at this point )
01-"You've Got Another Thing Comin' If You Wanna" ( Judas Priest vs The Vaccines ) 9 plays
( soundcloud.com/dj-useo/judas-priest-vs-vaccines )
02-"Rockin' Catawompus Girls" ( Sparks vs Bogtrotter ) 3 plays
( hearthis.at/vXMfxz7w/sparks-vs-bogtrotter/ )
03-"Floyd The Sheep Barber" ( Floyd The Barber vs Pink Floyd ) 8 plays
( www.hulkshare.com/n9p1qimugsg0 )
Batch two - ( posted for 5 days )
01-"Strict Sunny Machine" ( Goldfrapp vs Bobby Hebb ) 75 plays
( soundcloud.com/dj-useo/strict-sunny-machine-goldfrapp-vs-bobby-hebb )
02-"Hack Attack Boulevard" ( Green Day vs Sigue Sigue Sputnik ) 37 plays
( hearthis.at/vXMfxz7w/hack-attack-boulevard-green-day-vs-sigue-sigue-sputnik/ )
03-"Oldskool Lithium" ( Bruce Lash vs Alvaro & Van Dalen ) 103 plays
( www.hulkshare.com/9jqn4rc5lkhs )
Batch three - ( Posted for over a week )
01-"Grey Matter Blood On The Dancefloor" ( Michael Jackson vs Oingo Boingo ) 127 plays
( soundcloud.com/dj-useo/michael-jackson-vs-oingo-boingo )
02-"Midlife Taxman Crisis" ( Beatles vs Faith No More ) 58 plays
( hearthis.at/vXMfxz7w/midlife-taxman-crisis-beatles-vs-faith-no-more/ )
03-"Banana Bach Goes Surfing" ( Hoosier Hotshots vs The Surftones vs The Minions from 'Despicable Me' ) 145 plays
( www.hulkshare.com/bo6p7q1s6l1c )
Batch four - ( Posted for almost 2 months )
01-"Teenage Working Man Riot" ( Rush vs Sonic Youth vs The Police ) 119 plays
( soundcloud.com/dj-useo/rush-vs-sonic-youth-vs-the-police )
02-"Pumpin Bad Blood" ( NoNoNo vs Bastille ) 46 plays
( hearthis.at/vXMfxz7w/pumpin-bad-blood-nonono-vs-bastille/ )
03-"Blue Jay Way Closer" ( The Button/Beatles vs Tim Maloney )
(Did so well I had to change hosting 3 times. Current new link only has 9 plays. )
Batch five - ( posted for one year, approx. )
01-"Twerkit Bass Star" ( Busta Rhymes Feat Nicki Minaj vs Bare )
( necessary multiple hosts, lost track of play numbers, current host numbers 136 )
( app.box.com/s/glmvd3it8okqjxpaj4bj )
02-"Oh Darling Millions" ( The Beatles vs XTC ) ( 2nd host, currently 64 plays )
( hearthis.at/vXMfxz7w/oh-darling-millions-the-beatles-vs-xtc/ )
03-"Who Needs Kryptonite" ( 3 Doors Down vs Frank Zappa ) 7667 plays ( + 29,385 downloads!!!)
( www.hulkshare.com/djuseo/who-needs-kryptonite )
These tracks are not intended for the same listeners. I figure most people don't even like mashups, let alone such wide stylistic variations. It's why my dj slogan has always been " Not Mandatory!". ;) Still, I do know of people who go for whatever I make. A good feeling results!
Draw whatever conclusions you like from these stats. Bear in mind, these are the numbers provided to me, & I can't verify them. I tell ya, though, they make me happy,anyway. I love listening to my own mixes, knowing others are listening at the same time as me. Just imagine if the numbers translated into actual fish !?
I could open my own Red Lobster restaurant. Lol!
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Paul Krugman: "Enthusiasm Is Good (Personal and Trivial)" (NY Times)
… it's nonetheless sort of wonderful to see enthusiasm. God knows Japan has big problems, but it's obviously full of cultural creativity, high and low. And that's a good thing to see.
Tom Shone: "Christopher Nolan: the man who rebooted the blockbuster" (Guardian)
He is one of the few directors who can walk into a Hollywood studio with an idea and come out with $200m. So will Nolan's latest epic, Interstellar, reinforce his reputation as the auteur who thinks big?
Take the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (Guardian)
Where would you sit on a scale stretching from 'not happy' to 'too happy'? Find out in this five-minute test from psychologists at Oxford Brookes University.
Emma Brockes: Is wasting time on the internet actually good for you? Read this and find out (Guardian)
Maybe the sheer banality of the web could induce the kind of fugue state that allows ideas to flourish.
Gladstone: The 4 Greatest Secret Movie Roles of Famous Actors (Cracked)
You ever go to the movies and are surprised to see an actor you had no idea would be in the film? … I'm focusing on those times major stars take small but important roles in movies and are not part of the film's publicity. They're not in the trailers or movie posters. They're just doing small but good work, and their presence in the film is a big surprise.
Michael Price: I'm terrified of my new TV: Why I'm scared to turn this thing on - and you'd be, too (Salon)
The TV boasts a "voice recognition" feature that allows viewers to control the screen with voice commands. But the service comes with a rather ominous warning: "Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party." Got that? Don't say personal or sensitive stuff in front of the TV.
David Foster Wallace's amazing fiction syllabus: "We can talk about whatever you wish to - provided that we do it cogently and well" (Salon)
EXCLUSIVE: Take a class with David Foster Wallace. Here's his syllabus, reading list, rules -- and even footnotes.
Adrienne Crezo: 14 Regular People Who Became Memes (Mental Floss)
You never know when your 15 minutes of fame might happen: you could star in a popular YouTube video, model for a frequently seen stock photo, or maybe you could just work at Target. After Twitter user @auscalem posted a candid shot of "Alex from Target," the image went viral and the unsuspecting employee became an Internet sensation. This isn't the first time this has happened; here are some other people who became memes.
Elena Cresci: What happens when you accidentally become internet famous? (Guardian)
Wondered why #Alexfromtarget was trending? It's because someone posted a picture of someone called Alex working at Target. Confused? Welcome to the world of accidental internet fame.
David Bruce's Amazon Author Page
David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog
David Bruce's Lulu Storefront
David Bruce's Apple iBookstore
David Bruce has approximately 50 Kindle books on Amazon.com.
"Doug's Most Shared Facebook Post" Today
wrote:
took the day off.
is semi-retired.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
From The Creator of 'Avery Ant'
from Marc Perkel
BartCop
Hello Bartcop fans,
As you all know the untimely passing of Terry was unexpected, even by
him. We all knew he had cancer but we all thought he had some years
left. So some of us who have worked closely with him over the years are
scrambling around trying to figure out what to do. My job, among other
things, is to establish communications with the Bartcop community and
provide email lists and groups for those who might put something
together. Those who want to play an active roll in something coming from
this, or if you are one of Bart's pillars, should send an email to
active@bartcop.com.
Bart's final wish was to pay off the house mortgage for Mrs. Bart who is
overwhelmed and so very grateful for the support she has received.
Anyone wanting to make a donation can click on this the yellow donate
button on bartcop.com
But - I need you all to help keep this going. This note
isn't going to directly reach all of Bart's fans. So if you can repost
it on blogs and discussion boards so people can sign up then when we
figure out what's next we can let more people know. This list is just
over 600 but like to get it up to at least 10,000 pretty quick. So
here's the signup link for this email list.
( mailman.bartcop.com/listinfo/bartnews )
Marc Perkel
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sunny and warmer.
Keeping A Good Woman Down
Aung San Suu Kyi
Despite hailing Myanmar Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as "an icon of democracy," U.S. President Barack Obama is quietly acquiescing to the government's decision to bar her from running for the presidency in next year's election, U.S. officials say.
Obama, who visits Myanmar Burma next week, appears to be balancing his push for democratic reforms with a desire to maintain influence with a government that remains deeply suspicious of Suu Kyi and is led by some of the same former generals who kept her under house arrest for 15 years.
U.S. reluctance to press for assurances that the Nobel Peace Prize winner can contest next year's general election is sure to disappoint her supporters, some of whom spent years in prison until the Southeast Asian country ended 49 years of direct military rule in 2011 and launched reforms.
Clarification of Washington's hands-off stance on Suu Kyi's political future comes at a time when Myanmar Burma's leaders have been widely accused of backsliding in the transition process.
Aung San Suu Kyi
Highest Paid Woman In Music
Beyonce
Beyonce is the highest paid woman in music in 2014, with estimated earnings of $115 million, more than double what she pulled in last year, Forbes magazine said on Tuesday.
The huge sum, most of which was from her world tour, propelled Beyonce, 33, from fourth place last year and put her firmly ahead of pop star Taylor Swift, 24, with $64 million, who jumped up one spot from last year to No. 2.
Pop singer Pink, 35, climbed up from No. 8 in 2013 to third with $52 million.
Barbados-born Rihanna, 26, with $48 million and Katy Perry, 30, who earned an estimated $40 million, rounded out the top five on the annual list.
Madonna, 56, ranked No. 1 last year, failed to make the top 10 in 2014. Lady Gaga, 28, slumped from No. 2 in 2013 to ninth place this year with estimated earnings of $33 million.
Beyonce
Do Unto Others
Fort Lauderdale
Late last month, the city of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., passed a series of laws that restricted where organizations could feed the homeless.
On Sunday, when a 90-year-old man received a citation in Stranahan Park, the effects of these new laws came into full view.
Arnold Abbott, who is ordered to appear in court, says that hundreds of homeless people had gathered in the park and then police arrived. Police issued court orders to him and two members of the clergy, who were handing out food. He says he faces a maximum of 60 days in jail.
Mr. Abbott is a longtime advocate. He says he has been feeding the homeless at a local beach for more than 20 years, and he founded his organization, Love Thy Neighbor, in 1991. He says he will return to that beach Wednesday night - and expects a repeat of Sunday's interaction with police.
Mayor Jack Seiler, who was unavailable for an interview by press time, told the Sun Sentinel that providing homeless people with a meal perpetuates a "cycle of homeless" in Fort Lauderdale.
Fort Lauderdale
World's Finest Dram
Yamazaki Single Malt
A Japanese single malt whisky was named the world's best for the first time by a prestigious guide released Monday, which failed to place a Scotch in its top ranking.
The Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was described as "thick, dry, as rounded as a snooker ball" by Jim Murray's Whisky Bible, which awarded it a record-equalling 97.5 points out of 100.
Three bourbons from the US took second, third and fourth places -- William Larue Weller, Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old and Four Roses.
Whisky has been made commercially in Japan since the 1920s after a Japanese student who studied in Glasgow, Masataka Taketsuru, moved home with his Scottish wife and helped start the Yamazaki distillery near Kyoto.
Yamazaki Single Malt
"Christian Higher Education Institution"
Tri-Valley University
A San Francisco woman was sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for running what prosecutors said was a sham university that served as a front for an immigration scam.
Susan Xiao-Ping Su, founder and president of the phony Tri-Valley University, was accused of charging hundreds of foreigners, mostly Indian nationals, tuition and other payments for visa-related documents that allowed them to live and work in the U.S. while she purported that they were here legally to study. She made more than $5.6 million and used the money to buy commercial real estate, a Mercedes Benz and multiple homes, including one at a golf club, federal prosecutors said Monday.
U.S. District Court Judge Jon S. Tigar sentenced Su, 44, on Friday after she was convicted in March of visa fraud and other charges. She was also ordered to forfeit $5.6 million and pay more than $900,000 in restitution to two companies that processed payments from students, authorities said. Su's attorney, John Jordan, said he has filed a notice of appeal with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Most of the students appeared to know they were taking part in a fraudulent scheme, said Mitchell Rose, a supervisory special agent with Homeland Security Investigations in San Francisco.
They received visa-related documents in exchange for about $2,700 a semester, Rose said.
Tri-Valley University
Justices Sympathetic?
TSA Whistleblower
U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday appeared to be leaning toward ruling that a former air marshal can seek whistleblower protections for disclosing sensitive information to the news media about the absence of security officers on certain flights.
During an hour-long oral argument, a majority of the nine justices sounded skeptical about the case made by President Barack Obama's administration, which is seeking to reverse an appeals court ruling favoring whistleblower Robert MacLean, who was fired for the 2003 leak.
MacLean told an MSNBC reporter the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had decided not to assign air marshals to certain long-distance flights, a decision he disagreed with. He said the decision was made soon after the TSA told marshals of a potential plot to hijack U.S. airplanes.
The TSA places undercover armed air marshals on some commercial U.S. flights to monitor security.
The legal question is whether MacLean's actions may be protected by the U.S. Whistleblower Protection Act, a law that protects employees if a disclosure exposes unlawful conduct, gross mismanagement or threats to public safety.
TSA Whistleblower
Court Grills Opponents
Phone Data Collection
A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday grilled opponents of the U.S. government program that collects millions of Americans' phone records, casting doubt on whether it would uphold a lower court ruling that found the program was likely unlawful.
This case is one of a handful brought against the program run by the National Security Agency since its existence was revealed in June 2013 by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
U.S. government officials say the program sweeps up numbers dialed and length and time of calls but not the content of communications or the locations of cell phones.
They contend the program, which aims to search for connections to terrorist groups, is legal. Opponents say it violates U.S. citizens' privacy rights.
Experts expect the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the issue once several appeals courts weigh in, if they produce conflicting rulings.
Phone Data Collection
Group Protests Ad
DirecTV
Shy bladder sufferers want DirecTV to stop airing a television ad where a "painfully awkward" actor Rob Lowe says that he can't urinate in public.
The satellite TV company suggests its critics should be able to take a joke.
Part of a campaign to encourage people to switch from cable, the ad features two Lowes: a handsome one in a slick suit who claims to be a DirecTV customer, and a goofy-looking Lowe wearing a fanny pack with his hair parted in the middle. "Painfully awkward" Lowe is a cable customer.
The ad is in poor taste and ridicules a serious problem, said Steve Soifer, CEO of the International Paruresis Association, which estimates that some 7 percent of Americans have some form of "shy bladder syndrome."
Members of his group have written and called DirecTV, asking that the ad be removed. But Darris Gringeri, spokesman for DirecTV, said it won't.
DirecTV
Prime-Time Nielsens
Ratings
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for Oct. 27-Nov. 2. Listings include the week's ranking and viewership.
1. World Series Game 7: San Francisco vs. Kansas City, Fox, 23.52 million.
2. NFL Football: Dallas vs. Washington, ESPN, 18.81 million.
3. NFL Football: Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh, NBC, 18.6 million.
4. "60 Minutes," CBS, 17.8 million.
5. "NCIS," CBS, 17.53 million.
6. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 16.25 million.
7. "NCIS: New Orleans," CBS, 16.09 million.
8. "The Walking Dead," AMC, 14.52 million.
9. "Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 13.94 million.
10. World Series Game 6: San Francisco vs. Kansas City, Fox, 13.37 million.
11. "Madam Secretary," CBS, 13.21 million.
12. "Dancing With the Stars," ABC, 12.62 million.
13. "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 12.48 million.
14. "Blue Bloods," CBS, 11.39 million.
15. "The Voice" (Tuesday), NBC, 11.35 million.
16. "Mom," CBS, 11.13 million.
17. "Criminal Minds," CBS, 10.48 million.
18. "The Good Wife," CBS, 10.45 million.
19. "Scorpion," CBS, 10.39 million.
20. "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 10.29 million.
Ratings
| CURRENT MOON lunar phases |
