Leave it to Linus Akesson, 8-bit music maker extraordinaire and creator of other retrofitted instruments such as the Sixtyforgan and Qwertuoso to create an electronic accordion with two Commodore 64 computers, floppy disks, and duct tape: The Commodordion!
Writing about the Commodordion is like dancing about architecture — the best way to understand it is to watch Linus’ video below:
According to iGroove’s recent study (original German version here, English interpretation here), a musician or band can expect to get paid 0.3¢ to 0.5¢ per Spotify stream, which means that they’d need somewhere between 200 to 333 streams of one of their songs to make a single dollar. Music may be what musicians make, but unless you’ve made it big, it doesn’t pay the bills.
Want to really support your favorite act, especially if they’re small? Go to their shows, see the live, and buy their merchandise. When you see artists live, you not only get a one-of-a-kind experience, but you also support them in the most effective way possible. Most of the money from tickets and merch goes directly to the artists, rather than the “middlemen” — the record labels, distributors, or streaming services.
Last night, I had a dream where Armageddon, a 1979 song by Vancouver-based band Prism — a song I haven’t even thought about in a very long time — featured prominently. If you grew up in Canada in the early 1980s and listened to FM rock station, you’ll recognize the tune as soon as you hear the horns playing the opening march. If you’re not from that place or time, prepare to be rocked:
It’s an over-the-top number, clocking in at a few seconds under 8 minutes, but it doesn’t feel like an 8-minute drag. In fact, if you didn’t pay too close attention to the fact that it’s a song about nuclear annihilation, you might think it was the perfect tune for driving down the highway with volume cranked and the top down — and it is! It’s catchy orchestral classic rock that would fit in perfectly in a set with the Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, and Queen.
I will admit to once owning this button and proudly wearing it on a denim jacket:
I’ve used Armageddon as an example song to teach people how to play by ear. Even if you’ve never heard the song before, it’s catchy enough that you want to learn it, and just complex enough to give you a little challenge. (In case you’re wondering, the intro, outro, and chorus are in the key of E, and the verses are in B.)
I’m definitely adding this to my “having beers on the front porch” playlist.
So I just found out that this is a thing…
For more, see PlayMusicOnThePorchDay.com.
Tony Pierce reminded me that two formative parts of my youth entered the world on this day…
42 years ago, on July 25th, 1980, one of the greatest albums of all time came out: AC/DC’s Back in Black, the band’s first album after the death of original vocalist Bon Scott. Brian Johnson debuted as the vocalist on this album, and it ended up being the third best-selling album of all time.
Brian Johnson now lives a 90-minute drive south of me in Sarasota.
Also released on this day 42 years ago: Caddyshack!
So now you know two elements that warped my youth.
I rather like the encouraging message printed on the side of the box for the microphone stand I ordered (it holds two mics — one for voice, and one for the accordion!).
If you were a local in Kingston, Ontario, Canada in the ’80s and ’90s and enjoyed a pint (or more) of Guinness, chances are you saw Gerry O’Kane play a couple of sets of traditional Irish tunes, along with some of his originals.
I love live music as well as dark and rich beers served in cosy pubs, so I managed to catch Gerry during my first year at Crazy Go Nuts University, at a then-new pub called The Toucan. A couple of years later, I’d live in an apartment above that very same pub, which was near another pub called The Wellington, and Gerry played both places often.
Sooner or later, if you were a student at Crazy Go Nuts University and had any semblance of a life, you’d end up at a Gerry O’Kane show, where you’d learn to shout “Macintyre!” at the appropriate moments of The Old Dun Cow…
Later on, when I graduated and moved back to Toronto, I was still able to catch him when he came to town and played at places like The Monarch:
I learned a lot watching Gerry: how to read and banter with the audience, handle the usual cock-ups that will happen during a live musical performance, and of course, I also got a feel for what made traditional Irish music distinct.
It’s largely because of Gerry that I’m familiar enough with the Irish folk repertoire that I can passably back up Irish trad bands when called upon to do, as I’ve done a handful of times, including a couple of numbers with The Jackdaws:
Gerry suffered a stroke in late January, and he passed away earlier this week. Requiescat in pace, Gerry, and thank you for all the music.
More about Gerry O’Kane