U2 Is Not Giving Away Free Music

It seems Twitter is on fire with the commotion about the deal between U2 and Apple's iTunes. First, I'd like to make it clear that I am a longtime U2 fan and I am an iTunes fan. 

I see people complaining that U2 put their new album in their iTunes accounts without their permission. U2 did not do this. This was a decision made by Apple and Apple put it into your iTunes account. 

I see people blasting U2 for giving away their music for free. U2 did not give you the music for free. They were paid $100 million by Apple for their music. Apple gave you the music for free and I feel certain that there is no clause in the terms and conditions for iTunes that says they will not ever give you any content free without your prior approval. Technology is changing in the way things are done. This may be what lies ahead, artists making deals with iTunes, Google's Music service, and maybe even Pandora. 

I understand some may not care for the music and struggled with removing it, but  I'm keeping my U2 Songs of Innocence album and very pleased Apple has given it to me in a simple method. 

Now we have Wired calling it a blunder, but I don't agree. An awakening maybe, but I know there ARE others out there that are enjoying the tunes same as me! 

I think people should listen to it at least once - maybe expand horizon - before discarding it! 

Do You Remember Your First Music Purchase and Do You Download Music?

I read an article earlier today titled "How we've paid for music from 1983 to today, in one gif" from VOX.COM link

I found it interesting it showed percentages of how music was purchased since 1983. I wondered when the first music CD came out and couldn't recall the year, so I took a look around the web and it seems October 1982 was when they were first commercially available, as was the CD Player.

So, then I posted on Facebook: 

"Who remembers their first vinyl purchase? Cassette purchase? CD purchase? Don't tell me you don't remember your first digital download purchase, unless you're still a virgin for that. I know some if you are tangible folk." That was soon followed up with my comment "Oops! I forgot about the 8-Track. My bad."

A few minutes later, a long time friend said she was a virgin, LOL.She has a daughter so I knew what she was saying. She's never purchased digital music. That started me thinking I don't hear a whole lot of people "talking" about purchasing downloadable music.  

I have purchased a good bit of digital music myself, and still have hundreds of CD's and plenty of various kinds of vinyl, and a few cassettes I need to give away to someone who still uses cassette players.

I wonder why people are reluctant to purchase and why people don't seem to get hyped about "just bought the new downloadable album by such and such." I guess it's because you can't pass it around the room like you used to do with vinyl album covers with art and info about it and CD with inserts? So, in part I don't think it's entirely the music people want to show off - like I do! - they want something to "show" what they got for their moolah.  

I reckon I may be more computer/gadget/online experienced than some of the people I know, but what's holding downloadable music purchases back? Is it people just don't get how to and would need training or assistance to be able to hear it once it was bought? I think it's a beautiful thing, less clutter, more portable across various devices. It's not going to be stolen, broken, or lost.

I wonder (I'm always wondering about something) what Google Play, iTunes, and Amazon Music think about this. 

Now, do you recall your music purchase firsts and are you a music download virgin?

What Songs Make You Want To Get Up And Shake Your Groove Thing?

I really, really believe everyone has at least ONE song that makes them want to get up and dance.

As James Brown put it, Get Up Offa That Thing!  What's yours?

A lot of songs do not have the same effect on everyone. What does it for you might not do it for the person next to you. One of my favorites, "American Woman", makes me want to jump up and dance and it doesn't matter if it's The Guess Who or Lenny Kravitz singing it.  There's something about that song that moves me. It's not simply the lyrics and the fact that I am an American woman, it's the guitar licks, the drums, the way all of the music comes together and has great rhythm to me. There's other songs as well and I've often wondered WHY? Is it the words, the vocals, the beat, or what? 

For example, there's the song "Royals", the Lorde version, that has me singing every time it comes on and my mother just shakes her head as she doesn't like it nearly as much as I do. So, I believe that might rule out genetics!

Songs trigger emotion. What is it about a song that motivates you to forget everything else around you and make you want to get up and move to the music? Is there a part of the brain that is stimulated to produce this effect? If so, apparently, we're not all wired the same. Every song doesn't "sing" to everyone in that way. But, then there are songs that light the fire in many people. Nearly every time I hear Queen's "We Will Rock You / We Are The Champions" anyone that is around will stop what they are doing and live in the moment of the song. Most will sing along and some do theatrics. I've witnessed that song affecting a lot of people across the years. It seems to be timeless. 

Although I believe lyrics and vocals play a great part in pulling the feeling of "jamming to the music" out of people, there are instrumentals that are powerful without words. Floyd Kramer's "Last Date" was an early one for me, then Herb Alpert's "Rise" and Joe Satriani's (almost anything he does) "Surfing With Alien" and Chuck Mangione's "Feels So Good". These songs have no words (Last Date actually does but I never heard them until years later) and yet the music has a pull like a magnet that makes you want to move. It doesn't seem to be just one instrument, although, I surmise a lot of people would say the saxophone would be the culprit. I believe it's any instrument. Piano, guitar, trumpet, Phil Collins' drums "In The Air Tonight" (who can sit still for that?) 

There was a recent heartwarming story in the news where a young girl was in an automobile accident, had a traumatic brain injury and made an incredible comeback. The family and hospital staff credited music played by Bruno Mars, her favorite singer, as the comeback catalyst. 

Every time I hear Flo Rida and Nelly Furtado's "Jump" I want to get up and either exercise or dance.  Linkin Park's "Numb" is another one. 

What songs have this type of motivation for you?  Do you know why?  Can you pinpoint it to an element in the song? An instrument? A lyric? What is your trigger and why do you think it has the effect it does?

I think music plays a critical part in this world. Live entertainment is the best form, but even recorded music does a body good. Mind and body. Our being is being nourished with music.

Get out and support your local musicians. They need it. We need it. Feel free to share here your local bands you think are exceptional. We may not all love the same genres or even the same songs within a genre, but somebody somewhere is bound to love it! Others just may expand their horizons!


----crane_maiden----

What's Your Earliest Memory of Music & What Makes Your Soul Feel Good?

I know music makes my soul feel good.  How about you?  What does music mean to you and what's your earliest recollection where you feel it was a significant part of your life?  I know my life would have been different back then and would be today if there were no music.  

One of my earliest recollections of music being an important part of my life when I was about 3 or 4 years old.  I had a Fisher Price toy that played Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.  It was an early transistor radio if you ask me.  It was so cute and portable with it's wide durable plastic strap and had a big button on the front that played the tune when you turned it clockwise. 

I had it hanging on a tree branch (which was probably more like a small bush) listening to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, the only song it played.  Our family was moving that day.  The way I remember it is I asked if we were coming back and my parents said yes.  I thought I would just leave it hanging on that tree branch until I came back, not fully getting the concept of "moving" and freaked when I realized we weren't going back for me to get it.  My parents said they went back for it and it was gone. How tragic.  

I remember listening to Three Dog Knights's "Joy To The World" and Seals and Croft's "Summer Breeze" as my brother and I were in the station wagon waiting for my mother to buy groceries.  Yes, times have changed.  

I remember getting a transistor radio. I was never going to let it out my sight.  I ruled the world back then.  I could listen to whatever music I wanted to when I found something good on the right AM channel.  I used to listen to static (white noise it's called today) as I slowly turned the dial trying to pick up a far away station that would be playing something I liked that wasn't in hot rotation at the local radio stations.

I remember my moms records.  33's and 45's.  Loving the album cover art and reading everything there was to read.  I used to know who was on what label and could identify a label just from colors and designs.  The music experience was a little different back then and I enjoyed every minute of it.  Her taste ranged from The Platters and The Drifters to Leo Sayer and Elton John.  I loved them all.  Two things that stick out was that I loved Neil Diamond songs and wanted to be a back up singer in his band.  Every kid wanted to be a singer, right, but a back up singer?  Yeah, I was strange.  But then there were the times I wanted to be on the stage with The Supremes.  I was devastated to learn they were having a "Farewell Concert" and so happy my mother bought the Farewell Concert album.  I knew every line to every song and was proud that I could speak every word they said with them in between songs.  I had it memorized.  I'm not sure I could do that today and don't know of too many albums these days where there's that much talking in between songs.

So, music makes a difference in a life.  Whether it's singing or listening to Kumbayah, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or You Make Me Feel Like Dancing (Leo Sayer) or whatever was present in your formative years.  Music makes memories and takes you back to those times when you hear them later, even years later.

I love many kinds of music.  Classic rock has a special place in my heart and I also enjoy trance, blue grass, country, pop, classical, and spiritual music. 

Feel free to comment and share what music you grew up with or what holds special meaning to you.  

I believe in promoting good local music.  Would love to hear who is your favorite singer / band to listen to in your area.  Links and even videos if available.  One of my favorite things is putting video on my projector and when it's concert video it's amazing and so much fun.  There's a lot of undiscovered talent out there waiting to be heard.  They need people like you and me to reach others and make their souls feel good, too.

Here's my very favorite for the Charlotte, NC area.  I've seen them twice in the past couple of months and I am hooked!  They gave a powerful performance both times.  The first time I saw them they were the opening band.  I just kept thinking something is wrong here, they should be the Main Attraction!  I feel so strongly about it I've tweeted Jimmy Fallon twice asking for him to put them on his show.  I figured that was more efficient than having my people call his people.  Cut to the chase.  Still waiting on that to materialize!  Don't laugh at me, stranger things have happened... but we won't go in to that right now.  You probably wouldn't believe me even if I told you.  

Here's a link where you'll find a playlist of three amazing songs, two of theirs and a cover of a popular Blackberry Smoke song... Vocals, Lead and Bass Guitars, Drums, and Sax... a wonderful blend of music to make your soul feel good....

>>>>>>> Click here:  MICHAEL TRACY  <<<<<<<<<

*Live performance video debut* Michael Tracy & his band performing his brand new unreleased song, "Shorelines".http://michael-tracy.com Video produced by WestArtVideo
Performed at The Evening Muse in Charlotte, NC on 7-26-2014
Performers: Boo English-Lead Guitar; Joey Huffman-Keys; Roey Haviv-Bass; Loren Bates-Drums; Jeremy Adams-Sax


Mention you heard of them here - if it's true - and make them feel good getting some local support!!  I believe it's well deserved.

Music - does a body (and soul) good.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

----crane_maiden----