My Pilfershire Lane unboxing video

It's a silly little thing, but it had to be done, as this is such an exciting work of art!

New Fairlight Instruments website

Hot on the heels of the press release, Peter Vogel has now brought the full website online with much more detail about the forthcoming Fairlight CMI 30A.

Fairlight Instruments

I'm very honoured to have a link on the links page of the site, directing visitors to my Spotify playlist, "All The Fun Of The Fairlight"

Sadly, I don't think it will warrant me a discount or review version of the new machine! LOL

And that brings me on to the price....

$17,000 for the System & Monitor plus $2,000 for the keyboard. Prices are still an estimate and Peter has always maintained that the CMI 30A was never intended to be price competitive.

So, much like back in 1984, the Fairlight will remain out of the reach of the vast majority of us, which is sad. However, my eternally optimistic side is thinking that this may be the start of something that may lead to other Fairlight things, like really good sample libraries.

Fingers crossed! ;o)

More in depth blogging on this matter to follow soon :o)

And yet more details about the Fairlight CMI 30A

This email received this morning in to the Fairlight Yahoo Users Group from Peter Vogel...

We’re hoping to have some more detailed specs this week, however I can answer a few questions in general terms.

The CC-1 can perform very complex algorithms and lots of them, with almost no latency. So yes, we are modelling the quirky hardware of the CMI. The sound of each CMI was subtly different, due to their analogue bits, so it won’t sound exactly like any one CMI, but lined up with a few CMIs you won’t be able to tell the difference.

The sound will be user selectable, to be like a series I,II,IIX, III etc. Or you can dig deeper and make it sound like nothing else.

One of the many nice things about the CC-1 is that it has no inherent bit width. “Normal” processors generally offer say 32 or 64 bit operations, where as the CC-1 can be configured to any number of bits. So if something works most effectively as 33 bits, so be it. And the bit widths can be mixed within the one signal path.

The “n” polyphony is achieved by “n” individual circuits set up in the FPGA working in parallel, as opposed to the software emulation model which is necessarily sequential. The channels can have different configurations is required; in any case there will be subtle coefficient differences between channels to reproduce the individuality of outputs that has often been cited.

How much polyphony? All we know at this time are the extremes – it will certainly be at least 16 like the original Series III but given that the Crystal Core when used in a DAW delivers up to 230 channels of mixing ALL of which have full processing (8 bands EQ, 3 stages Dynamics), you can safely assume a lot more than 16 will be possible.

Re pricing: yet to be finalised, but the choice to go with the CC-1 does come at a price. Although the CC-1 is not sold currently as a separate card (it would be no use without the software etc that goes with it), the retail price would be around the $5,000 mark. So you can do the sums, the CMI 30-A is not going to be price competitive with the mass-market synths which abound.

Peter

More news on the Fairlight CMI 30A Limited Edition

This just in from Peter Vogel via Nick @ Sonicstate.com...

The 30A will look like and perform like the original CMI, although the mainframe will be much lighter for portability. The look and feel of the user interface will also be similar to the original, with retro green on black graphics like the original. A replica of the original music keyboard will also be available as an option, or you can use your own MIDI keyboard.

The software will combine the very best of the early series II and III features, with a multitude of additional features. Sound quality of 8-bit, 16-bit, or "best quality" 36-bit floating point can be selected, and existing Fairlight users can import their entire sample libraries. Even better, non-Fairlight sounds, such as WAV files can be imported and specified to play back with the classic Fairlight sound.

Internally it will be all digital, but will use FPGA technology to provide "virtual hardware" emulation which will exactly model the original analog circuitry. There will be 16 analog outputs and a stereo sampling input. All I/O will also be available digitally through MADI.

For an idea of the performance to expect, see attached description of the Crystal Core engine which the new CMI use.

We are builing a run of only 100 units, which will be available early next year. Price is to finalised, it is not intended to be cost competitive with other samplers, but of course much cheaper than the original CMI, even adjusted for inflation!

Tara Busch - Pilfershire Lane - Box Set Instructions!

Further enhancing the awesome value of the Pilfershire Lane boxset, here are 3 videos by Maf Lewis showing in great detail how to construct the stage set that comes in the box, along with full 2 bit sampling circuit!

In addition to this, Tara & Maf will be providing exclusive one off musical samples to be fed into the device, to all box set owners. Each piece of audio will be completely unique. This, my friends, is how you should sell an album :o)









I've always wondered what Maf actually looks like....

For some reason, I get an image of British food critic Giles Coren in my head....!

Fairlight CMI 30A - The 30th Anniversay Edition!!

I just got sent the following link by my good friend, Steve Howell....

http://www.fairlightinstruments.com./

It shows the following....



THE NEXT GENERATION



Peter Vogel with his first baby, the CMI, in 1979



...and his new baby, Jasmine, in 2009.



The Fairlight keyboard, signed by the who's who of 80s music,
which sold at auction for $100,000 in 2006



Fairlight CMI Series 30A

(Thirtieth Anniversary) Limited Edition

Pre-production mockup

Want to know more?

Email: Peter Vogel

Suffice to say, I just spoofed in my pants!! LOL :o)

I have, of course, emailed Peter for more info!

Don't touch that dial!!!

Hollow Sun relaunch with multi format downloads!!

The world famous and respected sample developer, Hollow Sun, have revamped their site, but most importantly, their product offering.

Most importantly, they are now, for the first time, available for immediate download!

Their libraries now come in a variety of formats including Akai S5/6000, Z Series, MPC4000 and the latest MPC5000 v2. There are also libraries for the Alesis Fusion too. And for the first time these libraries are available in Kontakt 3 format!



To use their words...

HOLLOW SUN now supports the popular NI Kontakt 3 format which takes these award winning sounds to new heights. Each sound has been meticulously converted to K3 format and hand crafted to take advantage of K3's superb facilities.

HOLLOW SUN now offers a new download service in conjunction with PayPal. Just click on 'BUY NOW' and follow the on-screen PayPal instructions. You will be given a unique link to download your purchase. It couldn't be simpler.

If you don't have a PayPal account, no problem - you can use your credit card.

Buying from HOLLOW SUN has never been easier.

If you don't have a suitable fast broadband connection, CDs are available on request.

>> SMALL PACKS NOW AVAILABLE

For those who, for whatever reason, don't want to buy complete products, SMALL PACKS are now available enabling you to buy the HOLLOW SUN libraries in smaller, more affordable downloads.

>> AKAI MPC5000V2 COMPATIBLE

With the advent of V2 for the MPC5000's new OS which can read S5/6000 'keygroup' programs, all of HOLLOW SUN's soundware is now directly compatible with the MPC5000.

If you use an MPC5000, HOLLOW SUN has to be your first port of call for new sounds to transform your MIDI Production Centre way beyond its hip-hop heritage.

Most libraries can be bought complete for $50, which is a bargain in itself, but they can now be bought in smaller chunks too. So, for example, you want the critically acclaimed Yamaha CP70 set, but not the other EP's within that library (Wurlitzer EP200, Hohner Pianet or Classic EP), you can just download the CP70 for $25! Or you can have the Classic EP for $10, or the Wurli for $15. They'll even let you have the RMI Electrapiano for free!

And yes, you read right. All of these libraries are available for immediate download! Pay your money and have those samples straight away. If you don't have a suitable connection to download these, they will still provide them as CD's on request.

There's even a freebies section so you can sample their products and understand the quality you will get with these libraries.

I've known Steve Howell, the man behind Hollow Sun, for some years and we have worked together on a number of various projects, including Hollow Sun's own library (including the Nostalgia VSTi) to work for Akai & Alesis on products such as the Akai MPC500 & MPC5000 & the Alesis Fusion & SR18. Steve's work is impeccable and his list of credits is a veritable roll of honour, working with companies such as Akai, Alesis, Korg, Roland, Bela D, Apogee, HHB, Genex, and Novation as well as artists such as Peter Gabriel and Holly Johnson.

His skills as a samplist and programmer are second to none. I can personally vouch for the excellence of his output and can highly recommend any and all of his soundware offering.

Enjoy!

http://www.hollowsun.com/

K.T. Tunstall & The Akai E2 Headrush

K.T. Tunstall showing us her usage of the Akai E2 Headrush pedal....

Akai's Video Briefs!

Akai's Video Brief's on it's latest releases, the LPK25 & LPD8

Tara Busch shows off her Box (set)!!

Here's Tara herself, going through the goodies contained within her box set....

Gary Numan & Nine Inch Nails - "Cars" Live

Just all kinds of awesome!! Check out Gary rockin' the Polymoog!! :-O

Tara Busch - Pilfershire Lane

Much to my better half's dismay, I do go on a bit about Tara Busch. You see, she's one of a rare breed of talented musician who is also an utter synth geek and she has this amazingly open personality and unique voice that is Kate Bush-esque but without the frailty that Kate exhibits (which is an endearing quality in Kate's voice). Tara's voice is strong. Note perfectly strong. It's pitch and tone unwavering at the extremes of volume. And the range... well, Julie Andrews would be impressed! She is also making a name for herself doing remixes for the likes of Bat For Lashes.

Oh, and she's drop dead gorgeous too ;o)

But above all else, she's a rare talent. Tara is now getting the recognition she deserves. I recall blogging about her some years back after finding a video of her dicking around with some Moogerfoogers. It was the almost child like innocence and fascination of making a sound and mangling it up that first attracted me. And then when I heard her tunes, there were these beautiful melodies. The kind that when you first hear them, you can't quite figure them out but intrigue you so much that they draw you in until they smack you around the head and you "get them".

Thing is, when you try and tell people about Tara Busch, it's hard to get them hooked without a substantial body of work to back up your evangelising! You know, something like an album.

Well, Tara now has one. At long, long last. Finally, a body of work that you can jump into and swim around in. Something truly tangible, above a YouTube video or MySpace stream, that you can use as the "sales" tool to convince others of her genius.

Ladies and germs, I give you "Pilfershire Lane"



Now, this isn't a review. Oh no, I have to hear the thing in it's entirety first. which won't be for a few weeks yet, I guess.

No, I wanted to give you all a heads up on the impending arrival but also to show you the staggeringly unique box set that Tara has put together for the album. As well as the regular CD that can be bought for the bargain price of £8.99 here, Tara and her equally talented husband Maf, have put together what is, quite likely, the most original and unique box set ever.

Apart from the album, in deluxe digipak sleeve, you get the following...

A 100th cut strip of a 16MM B&W film created specifically for the box set. This 16mm movie is the only copy that will ever exist and is cut equally between the 100 boxes.

An original one-off Polaroid 600 picture of Tara taken at her studio in Los Angeles.

A Certificate Of Authenticity signed and numbered by the artist

And the best bit....

A 7" × 7" stainless steel mini popup stage set. This includes working microphone, speaker and circuit with record and play feature. The set comes with popup Korg MS-20 and Minimoog, but also included are interchangeable stainless steel face plates for the Buchla 200e, MacBeth M5, Analogue Solutions Vostok, ARP Odyssey, Micromoog and Moog Etherwave Theremin.

All in a beautifully made 7" × 7" × 2" rigid cardboard box.

Check the pic...



How incredibly fucking genius is that?

In Tara's own words...

"Finally, after an extended period of crafting, tweaking, perfecting and retweaking, the Tara Busch Pilfershire Lane box set is available at last on the legendary Tummy Touch Records! Our lovingly crafted box set is the second issue in Tummy Touch's recently unveiled multimedia quarterly, TUCH01 (you may recall from this post that Crazy Girl's box set was the first issue in this series). This series is a strictly limited only 100 boxes.

Luckily, Maf & I were given the freedom to fill the box with whatever our hearts could dream up. As the album was complete, Maf let rip his exquisite design sensibilities to come up with 3 more luscious gems with which to fill the box - a one off Polaroid 600 photo, a beautiful 16mm film and, last but not least, a stainless steel pop- up model of my stage set-up with interchangeable face plates for the synths. This also includes a recordable mini sampler circuit for the model, complete with a microphone and speaker.. The pop up model is presented in the box as a kit that you get to assemble (And of course we encourage all the circuit bending & hot rodding & modding to your hearts content!)!"

So, stay tuned for ceremonial unboxing video's, and oodles of fun playing with "Metal Tara", and of course a proper review of the most important component... the album itself.

Much love to Tara for securing my copy :o) xxxxxxx

New Products from Akai & Alesis!

Well, the boys in Rhode Island keep banging new stuff out. This time some competition for the Korg Nano range, a new (and welcome) 61 key addition to the MPK range and some Akai studio monitors, as well as a new electronic drum kit from Alesis and a handy USB MIDI interface cable. Read the press releases below....

Akai LPK25 & LPD8

The LPD8 and LPK25 are USB-MIDI controllers for musicians, producers, DJs and other music creators. Each model is less than 13 inches across and weighs less than a pound to easily fit into a laptop case, backpack or messenger bag for extreme portability.

The LPD8 is based on Akai Professional’s MPC line of iconic music product stations. While the smallest model, the MPC500 is quite portable, many producers prefer to work with software on their computer and the LPD8 gives their laptop the controls they prefer over a mouse and keyboard. The LPD8 has eight blue light-up pads that are velocity sensitive for programming rhythmic or melodic parts. The pads can also send program-change information to software. The LPD8 also has eight assignable Q-Link knobs to which users can assign virtually any parameters in their software for hands-on control.

The LPK25 is a scaled-down relative to the MPK series of keyboard performance controllers. The diminutive keyboard is made up of 25 miniature, velocity-sensitive keyboard keys with synth action. The LPK25 contains an arpeggiator, which steps through chords automatically, assisting musicians with creating quick melodic ideas. Sustain, octave up and down and tap tempo controls round out the LPK25’s easy-to-learn layout.

Each controller works plug and play with Mac and PC and requires no software driver installation or wall power for operation. Both the LPD8 and LPK25 have four memory banks for programming and recalling settings appropriate to different software programs they use.

“Today’s music is in constant evolution, and that requires the tools for music creation to evolve similarly,” said Adam Cohen, Director of Business Development, Akai Professional. “The computer has entrenched itself as the new core of the music studio, and we are now seeing more live performance with computers than ever before. The LPD8 and LPK25 are the perfect extensions of the computer for making music in any setting.”

The LPD8 and LPK25 will be available from musical instrument and professional audio retailers Q3 2009.

Akai MPK61

The MPK61 is a keyboard performance MIDI controller that expands the popular MPK line. Each MPK controller combines a piano-style keybed with a bank of genuine Akai Professional MPC pads, assignable Q-Link controllers and some of the technologies from the icon MPC. Producers, performers and DJs will appreciate the MPK61’s mix of 61 semi-weighted keys with aftertouch, 16 MPC pads with velocity and pressure sensitivity, 72 assignable Q-Link, MPC Note Repeat, MPC Swing and an arpeggiator. The MPK61’s size is ideal for performers who need a larger range than the original 49-key MPK49 offers, but also prefer the lighter weight and associated portability of a semi-weighted keyboard. The MPK61 retains the key split features from the MPK88, enabling the performer to divide the keyboard into two zones for performing with two different programs at once.

Like its 25, 49 and fully weighted 88-key siblings – the MPK25, MPK49 and MPK88, respectively – the MPK61 empowers musicians to create and manipulate melodic, harmonic and rhythmic content and manipulate quickly with its arpeggiator, MPC Swing and MPC Note Repeat technologies. The MPK61 comes with Ableton Live Lite Akai Edition software, one of the most popular and powerful performance and production programs worldwide. Ableton Live Lite enables musicians to spontaneously compose, record, remix, improvise, and edit musical ideas in a seamless audio/MIDI environment. The MPK61 is a MIDI controller that sends MIDI values over USB for plug-and-play performance with Mac and PC. Because they are MIDI compliant, the MPK series works with virtually all MIDI recording, sequencing, and performance software for musical performers from keyboard players to producers to DJs and VJs.

“The MPK61 was designed to meet the requests of many keyboard performers,” said Adam Cohen, Director of Business Development, Akai Professional. “They loved the MPK49’s portability and ease of integration into their setup; they liked the large scale of the MPK88, and requested something in between: the MPK61.”

The MPK61 performance keyboard controller will be available from professional audio and musical instrument retailers Q3, 2009.

Akai RPM8

RPM8 studio monitors are two-way, active, bi-amplified, nearfield loudspeakers intended for producers, recording engineers, remix artists, DJs and other musicians. The two-way monitors each feature an eight-inch woven-kevlar low-frequency driver with 80W RMS of continuous amplification for robust, full bass all the way down to 39 Hz. The monitors’ high-frequency system consists of a one-inch silk-dome tweeter with 40W RMS of continuous amplification, mounted on a custom, functionally optimized waveguide for excellent control of directivity and reduction of unwanted early reflections.

RPM8 studio monitors contain active, fourth-order crossovers for outstanding separation and optimal power management. Their cabinet is constructed of industry-standard MDF for low resonance, and is dually ported on the front baffle for bass extension in any setting including soffit-mounted installations. The bi-amplification, ported cabinet design and overall acoustical efficiency combine to produce a speaker that can deliver up to powerful 113 dB SPL and with accurate frequency response from 39 Hz to 20 kHz. Producers will appreciate the RPM8s’ bicolor LED clip indicator, which assists them in avoiding damage to their system. Engineers can connect their professional studio systems to the RPM8s’ combination XLR-balanced 1/4" TRS inputs for compatibility with a wide variety of source equipment.

“There is so much low-end content in music being made today,” said Adam Cohen, Director of Business Development, Akai Professional, “we felt that a studio monitor specifically designed for extended low frequency playback would appeal to the people who already use our MPCs and production controllers.”

RPM8 studio monitors are sold individually and will be available from professional audio and musical instrument retailers Q4, 2009.

Alesis DM10 Kit

The DM10 Pro Kit is the product of extensive research and development efforts. Based around the completely new DM10 sound module, the DM10 Pro Kit features Alesis’ RealHead drum pads, SURGE Cymbals made of real cymbal alloy and an ErgoRack mounting system.

Drummers will immediately notice the DM10 module’s outstanding sound quality. This new drum sound module contains true drum, cymbal and percussion sounds built from real samples of classic studio drums and prized cymbals. Drummers will find some of the most in-demand acoustic drum sounds from legendary drum brands, a huge arsenal of top producers' go-to snare drums, real American, Canadian, Chinese, and Turkish cymbals, and electronic beat-machine sounds that have fueled the biggest hit records.

Discerning drummers will notice that each sound is actually a series of different samples: multiple dynamic-level samples and articulations are all built in so as the drummer plays harder and softer, the drum or cymbal changes its timbre, not just its dynamics. This engineered realism is known as Dynamic Articulation™, an Alesis exclusive. Drummers can play with or without reverb for different room sounds and enjoy a wide variety of rimshots, rim clicks and different stick-placement sounds on the cymbals. For example, a hi-hat’s sound depends on a number of factors: how open or closed the pedal is, how hard it is struck, and other variables resulting in 40 different sounds – plus foot chick and heel splash.

The DM10 module not only has a breathtaking collection of sounds on board, it is also the world's first drum-sound module that enables players to load new sound sets via USB connection to their computer. This means that owners’ sounds will always stay fresh, current and cutting edge. Drummers can also use the DM10 as a trigger-to-MIDI interface for performing and tracking with software drum modules such as BFD, Toontrack and Reason. Drummers can play along with the tracks in the DM10’s internal sequencer, mix in an iPod or other MP3 player and play along.

The DM10 module has 12 TRS inputs, enabling drummers to create custom configurations with up to 24 different pads. Its top-panel mixer gives drummers easy access to creating custom mixes.

The DM10 Pro Kit has acoustic-feeling RealHead pads in eight-inch and 10-inch sizes. The dual-zone pads feature real mylar drumheads and real triple-flanged counterhoops for the feel professional drummers demand. The snare and tom pads are dual zone, enabling players to perform rimshots, rim clicks or assign other sounds such as wind chimes, cymbals, gongs and cowbells on the tom rims.

The DM10 Pro Kit comes with premium SURGE Cymbals, the only serious choice in electronic cymbals. The kit comes with a 12” SURGE Hi-Hat Cymbal, a 13” SURGE Crash Cymbal with choke and a 16” SURGE triple-zone Ride Cymbal with choke. Based around a genuine alloy cymbal and coated with a clear sound-dampening layer, SURGE Cymbals feel like acoustic cymbals because they begin life as just that. The Crash and Ride cymbals feature large choke strips on the undersides for even more attention to accurate cymbal control. The SURGE Ride also features multiple-zone triggering on the bell, face and edge. The SURGE Hi-Hat Cymbal is continuously controllable using the included pedal.

Drummers will appreciate the DM10 Pro Kit’s ergonomically curved, chrome-plated ErgoRack. It is heavy gauge, heavy duty, and supremely adjustable. The ErgoRack is large enough to enable drummers to add on additional drum pads and SURGE Cymbals. They can even mount acoustic drums, cymbals, and percussion instruments on this roadworthy system. It employs standard one and one-half-inch tubing for compatibility with virtually all drum manufacturers’ rack hardware. The rack features quick-release, metal clamps for fast setup and tear down. The Crash and Ride cymbals mount on large, knurled boom cymbal arms that are height adjustable right in the rack down tubes. The DM10 Pro Kit comes with tom mounts that enable freely adjustable mounting. Drummer-friendly wing-screws are present on all important rack clamps and pads for ease of adjustment without reaching for a drum key. The drum pads mount on standard 10.5mm L-rods with low-slip, knurled mounting surfaces.

“The DM10 Pro Kit is a giant leap forward for us,” said Jim Norman, Product Manager, Alesis. “We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about electronic percussion, and built the DM10 Pro Kit from the ground up to deliver an incredible playing experience at a breakthrough price point.”

The DM10 Pro Kit will be available from musical instrument and professional audio retailers in Q3 2009.

BFD is a trademark of FXpansion Audio UK Ltd.
Toontrack is a registered trademark of Toontrack.
Reason is a trademark of Propellerhead Software AB.
iPod is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

The kit’s DM10 module contains a breathtaking collection of sounds on board, and is also the world's first drum-sound module that enables players to load new sound sets via USB connection from their computer. This means that owners’ sounds will always stay fresh, current and cutting edge. To that end, Alesis has established a partnership with FXpansion. FXpansion pushes the boundaries of audio software technology, with software such as the award-winning BFD series of software drum modules.

“We are proud and honored to partner with a first-class name in drum sampling,” said Adam Cohen, Director of Business Development, Alesis. “Drummers and producers alike will truly be impressed by these sounds.”

Alesis plans to announce additional development partnerships in the near future; visit www.alesis.com for the latest news.

The DM10 Pro Kit will be available from musical instrument and professional audio retailers in Q3, 2009. Sound sets from FXpansion will also be available in Q3, 2009.

All trademarks, product names and company names cited herein are the property of their respective owners.

Alesis USB-MIDI Cable

The USB-MIDI Cable is the latest addition to Alesis’ AudioLink Series of problem-solving cables for musicians. The MIDI-to-USB cable has traditional male and female MIDI (DIN) connectors on one end and a USB connector on the other. Musicians can use the USB-MIDI Cable to control virtually any MIDI-compliant software using any hardware device with a MIDI output jack, such as a keyboard, drum pad or MPC.

The USB-MIDI Cable is class compliant for plug-and-play USB connectivity on Mac and PC, requiring no software-driver installation or external powering. Musicians can use the USB-MIDI Cable with virtually all music production, sequencing and recording software.

“This new cable is perfect for bringing older MIDI controllers into today’s computer-music age,” said Jim Norman, Product Manager, Alesis. “The USB-MIDI Cable is one of those problem solvers that should be in every studio as an insurance policy, if nothing else.”

The USB-MIDI Cable will be available from musical instrument and professional audio retailers Q3 2009.

All these products will make their debut at the Alesis & Akai Professional booth, number 400, at the Summer NAMM Show held at the Nashville Convention Center, July 17 – 19.

For more information on the Alesis products, visit www.alesis.com; images are available at http://www.alesis.com/media.

For more information on the Akai products, visit www.akaipro.com; images are available at http://akaipro.com/media.php.

Michael Jackson Tribute

Well, it didn't take long, did it....

A tribute to the King of Pop; Michael Jackson. R.I.P. Featuring The Game, Chris Brown, Diddy, Polow The Don, Mario Winans, Usher and Boyz II Men, produced by DJ Khalil

Michael Jackson - 1958-2009

Much has been said, and much more will be said in the weeks and months to come, about Michael Jackson, who tragically died on Thursday. Even now, it stills feels weird and surreal, much like the latter part of his life really.

I wouldn't class myself as a fan, to be totally honest. Certainly not in the same sense that I am a fan of other artists, but there is no doubt that I, like most people, totally admired his work. He was the ultimate accessible song & dance man. His appeal was so far reaching and inspiring to so many. Was he the greatest ever? Debatable. The greatest what, exactly? Jackson was not a singularly talented man. His body of work was the culmination of a great many talents and contributors, all sparking off the imagination of Jackson. He was a catalyst. His music was a combination of self composed material, co-writes or songs by other writers. Rod Temperton goes vastly unnoticed as the man who wrote some of his best known songs and Quincy Jones' production polished the material to make it what it is today; a benchmark in popular music. He was a modern day Gene Kelly or Sammy Davis Jr. Song & Dance was his game. He didn't bust out killer riffs on a piano or guitar, but he choreographed and danced his way around the world, all backed up by his own incredible instrument; a voice of soul, dynamism and power.

Michael Jackson ceased to be a viable and relevant musical force a long time ago. No new material since 2001's "Invincible" album and his best work being that classic triumvirate of albums, "Off The Wall", "Thriller" & "Bad". After that, he became a parody of himself. The unparalleled fame and notoriety rarefied his world even more than it was previously and we saw him turn from artist to freakish sideshow act in a shockingly, and tragically short amount of time.

That said, whether you liked his music or not (and I imagine there are very few people that completely disliked all of his output) you could not deny the showmanship, professionalism and quality of his work. His material was an indulgence of not only his peers and admirers, but also a guilty pleasure of many people you would not immediately think of as Jackson fans. His vision of performance single-handedly inspired every other musical genre. To witness a Jackson video or live show was to see a full scale theatrical event and even the most extremes of the music industry stole inspiration from them.

Whilst we should all try to forget the "other side" of his life, the side that had nothing to do with his musical talents, it simply cannot be swept under the carpet. His financial extravagance was the stuff of legend. Many of the more famous stories (the masks, Bubbles, the oxygen sleeping chamber) were just other performances and as well choreographed by Jackson as any one of his stage shows. He gave the media and the celebrity hungry public what they wanted, but the price was heavy, and his social ineptitude, exacerbated by having to live his quite unique life in the public gaze, made him even more eccentric and outlandish. His dalliances with young people soon began to generate the most controversial and unwelcome accusations of his life. And it was to haunt him for the rest of his days.

In my humble opinion, none of us can even begin to comprehend what his life must have been like. Taken as a child, by his father, and along with his brothers, made to work and perform with little or no time to grow up and interact was only ever going to have a major adverse effect on him. We take for granted, the ability to socially and physically interact with others of our own age. And it is what Michael never got. The child in him was suppressed into almost total non-existence. So was it any wonder that when he eventually had the ability to express his inner child, it manifested itself in such an elaborate and enormous way. It is my belief that he surrounded himself with young people to simply satisfy his own urge to be a child again. Maybe some of the awful accusations were based in some truth, although he was never found guilty of any crime, but he clearly couldn't understand a rational adult point of view that his actions could be construed as inappropriate. It is also fairly safe to assume that parents and lawyers saw an easy (and wealthy) target and did whatever they could to screw him for everything they could. And of course, the media fed off the whole thing as only they can, further perpetuating the misinformation and speculation, simply to line their own pockets at the misfortune of others.

It would be entirely safe to assume that in the coming months and years, we will begin to see and hear many people coming out of the woodwork, all with stories to sell.

His own insecurity with his self image and appearance was also a major part of his public persona. Whether he had a skin disorder or not, there was no getting away from the fact he felt totally uncomfortable in his own metaphorical skin and sought to change himself as much as he could. Was it a subconscious effort to build a "mask"? Was it a form of elaborate self harm in reaction to paternal jibes? Was it medically necessary? We will probably never know, but the shell of a man we saw a few months back in London was a far cry from the handsome young man of the 60's and 70's. It is heartbreaking to see pictures of him back in those days, full of youth and boyish good looks, a handsome African American man with all the alluring physical traits that that brings. His self destructing actions were left unchallenged by those close enough to him to care and they must all accept some responsibility for the damage he did to himself.

And it was this self harm that may well have been the driving force behind the events that led to his untimely passing this week. His alleged addition to pain killers, taken to suppress pain induced by years of physically demanding performances and the constant and unnatural abuse of his physical appearance may well have rendered his internal functions so weak and fragile that they simply said, "No more". Toxicology reports due by the end of July will confirm or deny this, and reports just today claim that a dose of morphine administered by his personal physician may well have been the final straw.

So now, we are left with a cultural void of sorts. No doubt, we will see a massive resurgence in sales of his back catalogue. Bets are already off him making No.1 in most charts around the world this weekend. The funeral will be a spectacle of equally fantastic and embarrassing proportions. Conspiracy theories are already rife, and will only grow with time.

And will the world learn from this? Probably not. Society will still crave it's idols to worship and ridicule in equal measure. It will hound these individuals, demanding them to perform the sick and bizarre dance of celebrity until it either tires of them or kills them.

At least now, Michael Jackson can rest in peace, free from the obvious pain and suffering he endured both physically and mentally and our memory of him can revert back to one of what he did better than almost anybody in the history of this world.

The ultimate song and dance man.

Daniel by Bat For Lashes (Tara Busch's AnalogSuicide Mix)

I just had to share this with you. Tara was asked to do a remix of this track and her equally talented partner, Maf, filmed the process and the result is a very interesting insight into the remix process and also Tara's beautifully quirky, yet eloquent musical mind. I have placed all nine short clips into a single playlist for ease of viewing. To acquire the full remix track for free, visit Tara's website and follow the links therein ;o)

The Art Of The Playlist

The advent of Spotify and the joyous way it enables you to listen to music online has been nothing short of revolutionary. Sure, there have been numerous ways of streaming music legitimately for some while, but not as easy and as satisfying as Spotify. And because it is so easy, the concept of playlists has taken on new life. With a Spotify playlist, music can be shared quickly and, best of all, collaboratively. And because of the surge in popularity, websites like ShareMyPlaylists.com have sprung up all over the place. I could mention the others, but a simple Google search will unearth them all for you. ShareMyPlaylists does appear to be one of the better ones with a simple user interface and ratings system, and great communications with it's users too.

Now, I have created a small number of playlists which are hosted there and I am very pleased with the responses I have got on them. But having trawled through many lists on there and other playlist sites, it became quite clear that many of them were a major letdown or just totally ill conceived from the get go. With all due respect to those that created them (and I won't be naming & shaming), a little more thought and care could have turned them into excellent and viable lists. So I got to thinking about what constitutes a great playlist.

The first major sin committed by a dodgy playlist creator is to chuck in entire albums of their favourite bands. If I wanted the whole of Blur, I'd just search Blur directly in Spotify and away I go. Worse still are playlists that contain just one album. Bizarre!

Secondly, a list that claims to contain the "best of" a particular artist or genre should be approached with caution. I did one called the Best Of The 80's and knew that I couldn't possibly get everything, but I made sure that I covered as many bases as possible.

Next on the list is the length of the playlist. Make the list worthwhile. Don't make it too short and don't be afraid to make it too long. But always keep it relevant. Know when to stop.

Artwork for your playlist is a must, just like an album sleeve is. Make it relevant and make it punchy. The image must also convey the sentiment of the playlist.

Song placement within the list is a matter of taste really. You could organise it track by track, but bear in mind that Spotify has a shuffle feature so your careful planning might be undone in an instant. When compiling your list, you can sometimes be hit by a wave of inspiration and add in large swathes of tracks, only to find that you want them all in a different order. This can prove to be a bit of an effort, so I often suggest that listeners use shuffle.

And that brings me on to descriptions. Name your list appropriately and give some thought to a short description about it. What inspired you to make the list? Why choose the songs you chose? Who are the songs about? Is there a particular relevance or theme and what is it? Sell your playlist to the listener.

But above all, remember that music is entirely and totally subjective. One man's meat is another man's poison. I've had some comments on mine about the inclusion of certain artists with others, but in the context of the theme, I was happy with my choice. For a brief period I was a bit angry at someone criticising the list, but soon realised that everyone has unique tastes and that was just the way he felt about my list. They can always make a list of their own ;o)

If you really like your playlist and want to share it, make sure you do via place like ShareMyPlaylists.com and see what people think. It can be quite a gratifying experience :o)

Four Years Old Today!

Yep, on this day in 2005, I started the Failed Muso blog.

The First Post

I had confused intentions back then. I wasn't sure if this was to be anything specific or just a place to collate my ramblings. It soon took a turn towards my passion for music and music technology, with a soupçon of random shit thrown in!

MUCH has changed since then, mostly for the better :o)

Anyway, Happy Birthday Failed Muso! You have served me well and here's to many more!

By way of a celebration, I created a rather large and eclectic new Spotify playlist today, entitled, "Failed Muso's History Of New York" which attemps (successfully, I hope) to bring together almost a century of music from that fine city. So expect to hear pieces by Al Jolson, George Gershwin, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, French Horn Rebellion, Suicide, Television, Velvet Underground, Blondie, Barbra Streisand, Ethel Merman, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Wu-Tan Clan, Jay-Z, Grandmaster Flash and many more.

It can be found on the most excellent ShareMyPlaylists.com site, along with all my others....

Failed Muso's History Of New York

Failed Muso's Spotify Playlists

JP Video - 'Spooky Action At A Distance'

I can be pretty crap. I mean REALLY crap. I'm a terrible procrastinator. A shameful waster of time and shockingly poor at prioritisation. I was meant to write a review for this album months ago. I could spend time telling you all the many reasons why it has taken me so long, but I'll spare you the effort and just get on with it. So, apologies for the delay but here we go.

'Spooky Action At A Distance' is the latest offering from JP Video, multi talented artist and musician, from New Jersey. I reviewed his last album, November back in March last year, so he's not been resting on his laurels.

As with that album, this new piece features only a small selection of tracks, but they are each varied enough for you to think there was more going on than the cover describes. 'November' seemed more experimental, more avant-garde but this new album seems more musical, more, dare I say it, mainstream. Don't worry, JP hasn't sold out to the pop demons. This stuff still makes you think. It still requires some effort and intelligence to listen to. The opening track, 'Obeah' is a tribal affair, preceded by some big analog synth sweeps. JP isn't afraid to mix sounds and styles to paint his sonic pictures. He describes the inspiration behind this track as a reconstruction of a Haitian ritual he observed some years ago that involves bestiality and consumption of blood. Female chanting, djembe-esque rhythms, metallic synth droplets... it's all in there, and works surprisingly well. I'm a big fan of fusing seemingly disparate sounds and styles.

What I'm not a massive fan of is covers of Beatles songs. To me, they are sacred vessels, not to be touched or messed with. Few get away with it. Siouxsie's version of Dear Prudence is one that passed muster. Funnily enough, the track that JP covers is from the same album as 'Prudence', the classic 'White Album'. I am told that JP covered it as a tribute of sorts to an ex girlfriend named Martha, not like Paul McCartney, for whom Martha was an old English Sheepdog! (Although I hear the irony isn't lost on JP!) And like Siouxsie, JP pulls this off rather well, in a camp sort of way. It is by no means a bad cover at all.

The next four tracks are typical JP offerings of cinematic backgrounds, laced with sporadic melodies and sampled vocals. 'Homicidal' is particularly like this. 'Minimal Wave' is particularly lovely, starting off with arpeggiated chords that fade into a suspenseful second half, with strings and pads kept chugging along with a super fast, almost monotone arpeggio. 'Music For Teenage Sex', far from being littered with musical innuendo towards the awkward fumblings of adolescent coital exploration, is a sparkling blend of synthetic tones and meanderings and a smattering of sounds created by Voyager as it span past Jupiter, no less.

The final piece is 'Ghost To Ghost', which sees JP re-arranging a piece by Giorgio Moroder from the soundtrack of "Midnight Express". Distinctively Moroder, but with a new feel to it.

Whilst JP retains the obvious inspiration of people like Karlheinz Stockhausen (to whom this album is dedicated) and other early electronic avant-garde pioneers, this offering feels more contemporary, more matured. It feels like JP has indulged himself in some musical fast food, but retained the silver service and best china of his experimental delivery and execution.

You can buy 'Spooky Action At A Distance' from CD Baby and Amazon, where it is also available as a download.

Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe: IT'S HERE!!

The waiting is over! This morning, my postman delivered 2 packages for me. One was the CD+DVD version of Depeche Mode's 'Sounds Of The Universe', the other was the Limited Deluxe Box Set of the same album :o)

And boy was it worth the wait.

I had already heard the album via legitimate streaming services and found the songs to be incredibly mature, sonically astounding and overall, a definite pinnacle of their recording history.

The box set, which is the most complete edition in terms of track count and other goodies (more on this later), gives us not only the 13 tracks from the standard release, but also 5 extra bonus tracks, all original works, plus a selection of remixes. That's 2 CD's worth, right there. CD 3 is full of demo's, not just from the SOTU sessions, but from way back in the 80's and 90's. Some proper gems in here. Disc 4 is a DVD that contains the 18 new original tracks from SOTU in glorious 5.1 Dolby & DTS as well as two full length documentaries, a shorter film and the promo video for 'Wrong'. Also included are 4 live studio session films where the band perform 4 songs live in the studio in one take.

Also included are two 84 page hardback books with lyrics and pictures by both Anton Corbijn and Ben Hillier/Daniel Miller, 2 enamel badges, two posters, 5 art cards, a panoramic studio picture and a certificate of authenticity.

All of this comes in a very sturdy box with foil decoration.

This is an incredibly well presented item that contains some amazing music. I have to say, the 5.1 mix is one of the best musical 5.1 mixes I have ever heard.

If you can't stretch to the £60 for this box, I heartily recommend the CD+DVD version which gives you the the album plus 5 bonus tracks, 5.1 mix, short film and 'Wrong' promo for approx £13.

Wendy & Lisa Vs Trevor Horn

The names above need little or no introduction.

Wendy & Lisa are a duo who first came to popular attention as part of Prince's band, The Revolution. Two incredibly gifted musicians who then went on to forge a career in their own name, not always quite escaping the shadow of Prince, but successful to a degree nonetheless. Most recently, they are known for their fantastic scoring of the hit TV show, "Heroes".

Trevor Horn is the uber producer that has probably made more hit records than any other producer in history. Working with acts as diverse as Frankie Goes To Hollywood to Leanne Rimes, Lisa Stansfield to Belle & Sebastian, Marc Almond to ABC, Pet Shop Boys to Seal, Yes to Simple Minds, TaTu to Dollar, and so many more. He's also a performer in his own right and one of the worlds most successful label owners.

So, wassup?

Well, let me give you some background. In the mid 90's Wendy & Lisa hooked up with Trevor to do some work, including the soundtrack to the film, "Toys", and to do some work with Seal. They also recorded some of their own material but this never saw the light of day. Further wranglings ensued, with rumours of Trevor (under the guise of his businesses ZTT/Perfect Songs) holding them down to a 7 year contract. To this day, their work on this album has never surfaced.

Fast forward to today, when an article on Out.com features an interview with Wendy & Lisa. In this article, they made answers to the following questions:

You were dealing with [being lesbian] during the Reagan years when the AIDS crisis was exploding and the progressive attitude regarding gays started reversing. It must’ve been hard to contend with that while the music industry pushed you to be the next Mary Jane Girls.

Wendy and Lisa, nearly in unison: That’s exactly what they wanted.
Wendy: We couldn’t have been more opposite of that. We were just geeky musicians. We still are. We did a record 10, 11 years ago with Trevor Horn that was never released. We were hoping that we would have the next fucking Grace Jones “Slave to the Rhythm” extravaganza. We thought, “This is going to be genius! We’re going to be musician freaks and experiment.” And he, honest to god, wanted us to be the Spice Girls. My heart was broken.
Lisa: Not only that, but he was so homophobic. I hate to say it, but he wouldn’t even let us eat off of his silverware on Friday because he was Jewish. It turned into this nightmare. He and his wife, oh God, I don’t want to talk disparagingly about anybody, but it made us very uncomfortable.
Wendy: Our homosexuality became quite an issue for them.

That’s especially disturbing coming from the guy who produced Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Grace Jones and the Pet Shop Boys.

Wendy: And Marc Almond and ABC and t.A.T.u. You name it.
Lisa: He would come in and start talking, “Well, I asked my rabbi about homosexuality and my rabbi said it’s comparable to being born a mass murderer. You can be born a mass murderer, but if you practice mass murder it’s sinful.” I was like, “Okay, you can be born gay, but if you practice being gay, you might as well be a mass murderer?” Oh, thanks Trev. Let’s record this song now.

That's some SERIOUS accusations, right there.

It is hard to believe, given my knowledge of Trevor, and my knowledge of others who have worked with him, that this is in any way true. Of course, I wasn't in the room with the three of them (four if you include Jill Sinclair, Trevor's wife and business partner) when any of the alleged comments happened. I don't have anything against Wendy & Lisa either, given that I have been a fan of theirs since the early 80's. I also am not homophobic in ANY way. My best friend is lesbian. Many friends and work colleagues are gay or lesbian. Ask any one of them if I am homophobic and they will say no. So, before anyone gets up on the "gay bashing" high horse, I am not, never have been nor ever will be homophobic. I am a big fan of both Trevor and Wendy & Lisa but these accusations sadden me, probably not half as much as they must be saddening Trevor.

It just seems all too easy to shout "I'm being marginalised" whether you are LGBT, black, white, red, blue, pink, green, Muslim, Christian, Right wing, Left wing or whatever. This story was brought to my attention by a young lesbian follower of mine on Twitter. It seems that she has jumped on the wagon of defending her sexuality and those others who share the same preferences simply because one of her heroes has made a wild accusation in an interview and "it must be true because she said it in an interview". The fact that it was said in the safe arena of a gay website, where it's bound to whip a frenzy of unity and hate against Trevor means that the article in question is heavily biased anyway. Why does there have to be this militant attitude amongst groups like these? I mean, let's be real here... Gay people working in the entertainment industry??? OMG!!! Let's lock up the kids!!! ;o)

No one knows the facts of this particular case except Trevor, Jill, Wendy & Lisa and whoever else was in the studio at that time (engineer, etc) but to make such an accusation, they had better have solid proof and evidence or else I can see a major libel case being brought VERY soon. However, if this is indeed true and is admitted by Mr Horn and/or proven by others, then he has sunk way down in my estimation. Homophobia and the treatment of homosexual people in any way other than equal to everyone else is completely and utterly wrong and I condemn it in all it's forms.

Bit of an update

Nothing too specific in this post. Just wanted to update a couple of previous posts.

Firstly, there's the matter of the Akai MINIAK post where I went off on one about individuals spreading mis-information on the interwebs about things like the MINIAK, when they clearly lacked a) actual knowledge and use of the product and b) were clearly pumped up full of their own self importance.

Yesterday, my attention was drawn to the weekly podcast coming out of SonicState.com. In Show 124, Nick Batt and Dave Spiers made mention of the MINIAK and the ensuing commentary and referenced my article. To hear Dave Spiers, the man behind many great musical projects (KeyFax, Twiddly Bits, GForce Software) of which I have long ben a fan and admirer of, not only mention this blog, but appear to enjoy the content, was a real buzz. Here's the clip:



So that was really cool. I'll be joining in this weeks podcast via the chat room this afternoon at 4pm. Visit SonicState for more details.

I also recently passed my opinion on Prince and his new triple CD release, LotusFlow3r. I questioned the lack of official CD release outside of the US and the rather expensive alternative of signing up for his new website.
As I mentioned, many people were upset at this, and the fact that many online retailers here in the UK (HMV, Play, Amazon) seemed to be offering the album for price in the region of £30, when US customers can buy it exclusively from Target stores for $11.98.

Well, I noticed today that HMV have this little message on the LotusFlow3r page:

Prince
Do Not Stock: Legal Ban: Lotusflow3r (Lotusflower /Lotus Flower): 3cd

£29.99free uk delivery
list price £42.99 - Your saving £13.00

Availability: sorry this title is deleted

UNAVAILABLE

Legal ban? Uh oh. Looks like Prince has got his pack of lawyers busy again. Strange though as HMV Oxford St., London has plenty on it's shelves at £29.99...



I'm guessing they're imports, but am curious to know more on the "legal ban". And, more to the point, for those of us too financially strapped to spend $77 on membership to his site, are we likely to see LotusFlow3r, on sale in a retail outlet here in the UK (and the rest of the world for that matter) for a price similar to that being charged in the US?

That's all for now!

Oh, and next Saturday, 25th April, marks the 4th anniversary of the launch of the Failed Muso blog. Any suggestions on how I can (modestly) celebrate?

Spotify

When it comes to listening to music online for free, we've seen fads come and go, various sites do their best at blending music listening with social networking, online radio stations and various other projects. My first proper experience with online streaming of music for free was with Pandora. Now, if you live outside the US, that link will get you a big apology page as sadly the service is no longer available outside the US. The theory behind Pandora was to analyse listeners tastes and then provide a selection of music based on those tastes. It would study all users trends and this all contributed to what they called The Music Genome Project. All sounds hip and trendy, but it wasn't that great because you had to listen to what they suggested.

Since then, sites like Last.fm and Blip.fm have provided us with free access to music on demand but their web front end's are a bit slow IMHO, the track quality is questionable and their list of available tracks can be a bit limited. Don't get me wrong, I like what they do, but I never got into them because it just seemed a bit too much like hard work.

Recently however, there's a new kid on the block. Spotify. Strange name, but this could just be the future. It's a small downloadable application that uses the concept of peer to peer file sharing to ensure rapid delivery of the tunes, all of which are delivered in what many believe is a superior format to MP3, .OGG Vorbis q5. This streams at around 160kbps and does indeed sound VERY good.

It's fair to say that Spotify looks and behaves in a slightly similar way to iTunes, or should I say, it behaves like other iTunes-esque applications. However, it is extremely simple to use.



The most impressive thing about Spotify is the rapid delivery of the tunes. It's almost instantaneous. The quality is very noticable too. It does sound very good. Other very nice touches are the artist biographies, dynamic album reviews with cross linking and the flexible search feature. Album art is always there too, along with the ability to construct and share playlists. You can even collaborate on playlists with other Spotify users. Built in volume & transport controls include a handy Shuffle feature too. Tracks are also rated by popularity. Recent searches are also saved. And just like online radio, you can get Spotify to select music for you based on taste, style and era. You can queue tracks up or just flit around the library, looking for your own choices or following Spotify's suggestions.

You can even right click on tracks and select to buy them!

The speed and quality of Spotify is down to the way it delivers it's content. It uses a cache on your hard drive to improve bandwidth usage, resulting in that super quick start up time. How much of your HD is used is user configurable too. Spotify can also scrobble your tracks to your Last.fm account if you wish.

All in all, this is a remarkable application, even more so as it is FREE!! :o)

What's the catch, I hear you ask. Well, of course there's a catch, but it's so simple and unobtrusive. Adverts. Yup, the Spotify people have to make money, as do the artists whose songs you are playing. So, the free version of Spotify will feature adverts in the form of Flash banners in the application itself and also in audio form. Both appear infrequently and are totally sublime and inoffensive. The audio adverts are much like the 30 second affairs you hear on commercial radio and only play one at a time. Spotify say that as the service grows, the frequency of adverts may increase slightly, but not in a ridiculous fashion. You can of course buy a 24 hour ticket to get ad free service, or £9.99 per month for Spotify Premium, that gets you ad free and also exclusive access to various content, like forthcoming releases and suchlike.

Spotify, even though being around for 3 years, is still starting up, but it's making a big noise (forgive the pun) and is spreading rapidly. Currently, Spotify Free is only available in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the UK, France and Spain. It's only available in some contries by invite only as well. Spotify Premium is available in most countries now.

What I like about Spotify is that it removes the need for people to download stuff illegally, simply to try it out. Sure, it's not going to stamp out piracy single handedly, but it sure makes it more convenient to listen to music wherever and whenever, legally and free.

Sites are springing up all over the place, allowing Spotify users to share playlists with each other. One of my personal favourites (in fact, it's the only one I currently use) is ShareMyPlaylists.com which is a free and very convenient way of getting your lists out there. Users can rate them and leave comments too.

As you can probably tell, I'm a massive fan of Spotify. As soon as it gets bigger, I can see it making a massive impact on how we listen to music online on a global scale. I'd like to see little additions like it being able to feed to things like Twitter what you are currently listening to with a link to the track too, a bit like Blip.fm does. Or even a Facebook app to show your playlists and currently listened to tracks. There's plenty of scope for Spotify and I can see it happening very soon.

Check it out for yourself. There's nothing to lose!

Spotify.com

Oh, and here's a few of my playlists that I have shared on ShareMyPlaylists.com

Failed Muso's Best of The 80's

Failed Muso's Musical Homage to Ashes to Ashes Season 2

Failed Muso's All The Fun Of The Fairlight

Failed Muso's Electronic Influences

Failed Muso's Queens of British Pop

Failed Muso's Later...with Jools Holland Collection (10/04/09)

The power of the internet and the idiots that populate it

"With great power comes great responsibility"

Most recently used in the Spiderman movie, but often quoted elsewhere, this is a very accurate statement. The internet gives many individuals great power, but very few of them wield it responsibly.

I'll cut to the chase and explain why I'm using that quote. A few years back, Alesis, an American pro audio manufacturer of synths, mixers, recording equipment and other hi-tech music devices, released its first synthesizer workstation, the Alesis Fusion. It was a brave and bold move into a market place dominated by the big 3 keyboard manufacturers, Korg (Triton), Roland (Fantom) and Yamaha (Motif). These three manufacturers were long used to vying for the top spot and Alesis' move was questioned by many. They would have to bring something very new to the table besides a decent price point.

That was almost 4 years ago. Fusion ceased production last year. If you're lucky, it can be found lurking in the bargain section of retailers or going for reasonable prices on eBay. Alesis no longer make a synthesizer workstation.

So, as you can probably tell, it wasn't a truly successful venture. But why? Well, there are numerous reasons which could all be discussed at great length. I'll mention a few here though. Firstly, the market was already saturated with established brands with their inherently loyal followings. Then there was the almost non-existent marketing. Also, the Fusion didn't look the part. Its "retro-ish" exterior and layout broke from ingrained conventions. Then there was the functionality of the device. Its sequencer was linear, with no proper pattern based sequencing, much loved by many workstation users. The SATA port on the rear was never fully implemented. It took until v1.24 of the OS to get certain sync issues under control. Its presets were buried under a strange navigation system and the open nature of its internal architecture meant that many people got frustrated because they simply didn't understand how to load, organise and store new sounds. Oh, and the manual was shockingly poor. Early versions claimed to have a Vocoder (printed on the packaging) but that never came about.

But, on the positive side, it offered 4 types of very powerful synthesis (Virtual Analog, FM, Physical Modelling and Sampling). All the other workstations out there only offered one of those as standard (sampling, mainly playback) and the others as additional paid for options. Its VA engine is extremely powerful, as is its FM engine. Sample wise, it has the benefit of actually being able to sample out of the box (unlike most of the others) and, with a little help from a small piece of free software, can import a number of other very popular formats. It's a veritable sonic powerhouse and it retailed for significantly less than everything else in its league. It had a built in 40 or 80GB hard drive, it had on board 8 track hard disk audio recording via 8 external inputs, plus 32 tracks of MIDI. Powerful layer mix functions, ADAT and S/PDIF outs, big rotary knobs and a powerful modulation matrix, excellent quality key beds in 61 semi-weighted and 88 fully weighted versions. The hard drives also allowed for storage of an almost infinite number of sounds.

But, sadly, it failed. It sold enough to cover costs and give a satisfactory return on investment, but it didn't set the world alight.

However, there was one REALLY big reason that Fusion failed to get a foothold. And that was the power of the internet and the idiots that populate it.

Even before Fusion made it into retailers, the forums and boards of the internet had started to fill up with posts and comments slating the Fusion. Virtually all were posted by fan boys of the big 3 (some even opined that these were direct employees of the big 3 themselves), and virtually all had not even seen or heard a Fusion! It was slated for its looks, its pedigree, its spec and its price. "Too cheap", "Looks like something from the set of Buck Rodgers", "No USB MIDI", "No Pattern Sequencing", "Alesis aren't even Japanese, so how can it be good?", and so on. Of course, Alesis shot themselves in the foot too. Poor marketing, silly little bugs, unimplemented promised features, poor choice of sample converter developer, clunky navigation of presets, and the like.

But the real damage was done by the power of the internet and the idiots that populate it. That is a provable fact. Sure, Alesis could've done things differently, but there is a vast amount of Fusion owners who use it completely and produce excellent results with it and from it. The fact that second hand eBay examples are still selling for good sums of money show the high regard it commands from those that ACTUALLY used it. The overwhelming majority of its online detractors never even got to be in the same room as a Fusion, yet still felt more than capable of writing page after page of error ridden bile about something they had no knowledge of. Because the Internet allows them to do so. It allows all of us to do so. It allows me to do this too.

So, why am I telling you the sad history of a short lived and much maligned keyboard?

Quite simply, it is happening again and I want to nip it in the bud. I want to call out the ignoramuses and challenge their idiocy and inaccuracies before they have a similar effect on a new product. The product in question is the Akai MINIAK. Launched only this week at Frankfurt MusikMesse (and launched late as the device got caught up in customs and only made it to the show for the last day or two), it has already been singled out by some self proclaimed "expert" as being the final nail in the coffin of Akai & Alesis. The offender, an individual who goes under the moniker of "SubAnalog" (he fails to give his real name anywhere) has posted comments on his and other sites, slating the MINIAK, but sadly his comments are riddled with inaccuracies and mistakes, as well as poor spelling, grammar and punctuation.

His own personal review (or attack) can be read here

For example, when referring to the MINIAK's built in vocoder and its obvious similarities between it and the Alesis Ion & Micron synths:

The ION did NOT have a vocoder and I don't think the Micron did either. It was a resonant filter. I called up the engineers at Alesis and they admitted that it was NOT a vocoder plus they also confesses that most fo the claims on the product sheet were wrong.

This mini(h)a(c)k is the freakin ION sound library. WTF - that was the worst synth I ever had BAR none

Follow up - for the record - NOT a vocoder. Looked over some specs and photos - that is a "tricked out" filter. There is NO carrier, you can hear the weakness, thus not a vocoder.

Same weak sauce as the ION. If you have never used a vocoder (I suspect Aleseis is in that category) you can be duped

Well, actually, the Ion DID have a vocoder, a 40 band one, just like the MINIAK, as did the Micron.

Another glaring mistake in this one man attack on Alesis:

Alesis specializes in:

Low ethics in their business practices (look at the mixer line and compare to Mackie. Case in point Mackie Onyx and Alesis Xenyx - hacks? - compare the specs and then theink “Why would you call it Xenyx?)

Alesis do not produce the Xenyx range of mixers. They are made by Behringer. Alesis produce the MultiMix range. No doubt, he hates Behringer too!

Apparently, he also possesses the power of prophecy when referring to the MINIAK:

I told my audio friends over a year ago that this will be the demise of Akai.

All quotes above are taken directly from his posts, with all spelling, punctuation and grammar left the way he posted it.

Investigating deeper on to his website yields some scary stuff. Not scary like "shit your pants" scary, more scary like "two people actually had sex and gave birth to this retard" scary:

Yeah, I am rather a prick about this gear. My bio warns you, and here I am again doing the same. I just want to level the data here. So here’s some stuff to lessen the blow.

First, I am wrong sometimes. I read things incorrectly, use it wrong, make a poor call, and so on. I will admit when I am wrong. Sh!t, google caches all this crap, so erasing my idiocy does little good.

Next, if I am wrong - let me know. I will put a considerable amount of time into researching your claim. If you are wrong and I am certain I will let you know. Go ahead and rock that whois information, you will be sitting by a PO Box for a long while trying to fight with me. I live in Colorado and the gun laws are pretty liberal here, so there may not be a fight, only a blood stain.

Also, this little gem:

I have called too many manufacturers out on sh!t and you are a bunch of losers. Alesis - 2x I called you out and you ran with your tail between your legs. Each of those 2 times I fired off a long list of LIES you called “features”. All bullsh!t. 100%. Dean (the old rep) hated me for what I told him when I beta tested the Alesis Andromeda - it was and still is a piece of shit. I was only truthful and not willing to be caught up on the smokescreen.

Ever notice how I have no reviews of current Moog synths? That is because they are so riddled with weaknesses and overwhelming stupidity I don’t even want to waste my time (the little Phatty is the least annoying of the lot and over prices by about $800)

His bio reads like the ramblings of an under achieving egotist with overwhelming delusions of grandeur.

He seems to have feelings of utter contempt and hatred for all things Alesis (and Akai, being guilty by association) although it's not clear why. Maybe he got blown out by an Alesis employee when he came on to them too strong, or he could be a disgruntled ex-employee (watch out for this gun toting freak turning up in Rhode Island soon!)

Either way, his ill-informed, uneducated, ignorant, wholly inaccurate and laughable comments will be seen by those who actually know what they're talking about as a whole heap of venom ridden bullshit. Just check the comments after his slating of the MINIAK at SonicState. His subsequent silence speaks volumes. I was also made aware of a response made to his post on his own site about the MINIAK which attacked his crapulent diatribe that never made it past SubAnalog's moderation. So this guy can dish it out, but cannot take it. Hardly the basis for building credibility in the field.

Sadly though, there will be a bunch of people who will read this and believe it all to be true, and worse still, believe that the writer actually knows what he is talking about, which he clearly doesn't.

So why have I made such a lengthy post about this myself? Am I an Akai/Alesis fan boy? No. Am I an Akai/Alesis Employee? No. Do I own Akai/Alesis gear? Yes. Do I own gear manufactured by many other companies? Yes. Am I paid to write this? No. Do I have a personal grudge against the afore-mentioned individual? No. Do I believe in freedom of speech? Yes. Do I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion? Yes, so long as it is an informed and educated one.

This guy is an utter fool and idiot. I personally won't stand up and defend the MINIAK for two reasons. One, it is an inanimate object that does not need defending. Two, I haven't used it and therefore cannot comment on whether it is good or bad. If I get my hands on one, I will be sure to let you know. If I like it I will say so. If I dislike it, I will also say so. But until then, I will reserve judgement. What I am attacking here, is the ability of one fool to propagate mis-information and bullshit and pass it off as considered and valid opinion. Many will smell it a mile away and treat it with the utter contempt it deserves, but many will read it and take it as gospel. And the knock on effects of this tiny (and it really is tiny) ripple could be significant. I am not being dramatic when I say that livelihoods are what may be at stake.

I urge you to be individual, free thinking people. Try things out for yourself. Listen to the good and bad and make your own mind up. And when you see such vitriolic tirades like his, smell the rat that it is and cave its head in with a shovel! ;o)

UPDATE:
Well, it would appear I have some very esteemed supporters on this issue, namely Nick Batt of SonicState.com and the mighty Dave Spiers, the man behind GForce (makers of fine software instruments such as MTron Pro, Minimonsta, Oddity, impOSCar, VSM, etc).

Check out the clip that mentions this subject below...



© Sonicstate.com. Reproduced by kind permission of Nick Batt, Sonicstate.com

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