Comments for Searching for a Unifying Theme http://bashford.wordpress.com Leadership, photography, and anything else that crosses my mind... Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:13:22 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Will Apple Finally Kill the Radio Star? by Adrian Bashford http://bashford.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/will-apple-finally-kill-the-radio-star/#comment-463 Adrian Bashford Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:13:22 +0000 http://bashford.wordpress.com/?p=462#comment-463 Thanks Mark, Your comments as well as a few on Facebook from Dave reminded me of a few services that actually showed a lot of promise, but have since disappointed. Pandora, Last.fm & other internet radio stations that use smart algorithms to guess what things you might like are awesome. In particular, I liked Last.fm's ability to dig up obscure stuff I could try. Unfortunately, our Canadian market seems to be locked out of some of these sites by copyright issues. I just went back and had a look at Last.fm and I see the subscription is only $3 (USD) a month!! Based on that I think I will give it another try. Perhaps Apple doesn't have the lock on this I thought! I am also giving 'MusicIP' mixer a try as a 'Genius' alternative. So far I am not a big fan of the GUI, but it did seem to spend a lot of time analyzing my library, so we will see how smart it is. Hype Machine looks very interesting. Thanks for your comments, both on the blog and off! A. Thanks Mark,

Your comments as well as a few on Facebook from Dave reminded me of a few services that actually showed a lot of promise, but have since disappointed.

Pandora, Last.fm & other internet radio stations that use smart algorithms to guess what things you might like are awesome. In particular, I liked Last.fm’s ability to dig up obscure stuff I could try. Unfortunately, our Canadian market seems to be locked out of some of these sites by copyright issues.

I just went back and had a look at Last.fm and I see the subscription is only $3 (USD) a month!! Based on that I think I will give it another try. Perhaps Apple doesn’t have the lock on this I thought!

I am also giving ‘MusicIP’ mixer a try as a ‘Genius’ alternative. So far I am not a big fan of the GUI, but it did seem to spend a lot of time analyzing my library, so we will see how smart it is.

Hype Machine looks very interesting.

Thanks for your comments, both on the blog and off!

A.

]]> Comment on Will Apple Finally Kill the Radio Star? by Mark A. McCutcheon http://bashford.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/will-apple-finally-kill-the-radio-star/#comment-462 Mark A. McCutcheon Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:18:05 +0000 http://bashford.wordpress.com/?p=462#comment-462 This is a great topic. It's worth keeping in mind that broadcast radio operated -- as did most media -- under conditions of content scarcity that vanished with the Internet, especially its 2.0 iteration. That is, there may not be quantifiably more music out there -- but it's vastly easier to find way more of it. I haven't tried iTunes Genius yet. From your report it looks like its algorithm works like those of custom online radio stations, like Last.fm. As for the aspersions you cast on iTunes' catalogue and frequent suggestions, I would not at all bet surprised if down the line iTunes gets busted for some kind of payola deal. In my browsing and shopping at iTunes, I have found they do represent fringe and niche artists and sounds -- but only to a certain point. It also has holes in its major-label inventory too, by the way. I personally like iTunes radio stations and other online radio stations, but there's still a bewildering choice of those. Instead, may I pass on a different kind of tip for music hunting, if Genius feels too synthetic or unconvinving: individual music fan blogs. Again, an overwhelming infinitude of these, but tracking through the aggregations at Hype Machine, you can find specific music blogs that are run by actual humans with tastes that resonate with yours, and never mind the Al Gore Rhythm. This is a great topic. It’s worth keeping in mind that broadcast radio operated — as did most media — under conditions of content scarcity that vanished with the Internet, especially its 2.0 iteration. That is, there may not be quantifiably more music out there — but it’s vastly easier to find way more of it.
I haven’t tried iTunes Genius yet. From your report it looks like its algorithm works like those of custom online radio stations, like Last.fm. As for the aspersions you cast on iTunes’ catalogue and frequent suggestions, I would not at all bet surprised if down the line iTunes gets busted for some kind of payola deal. In my browsing and shopping at iTunes, I have found they do represent fringe and niche artists and sounds — but only to a certain point. It also has holes in its major-label inventory too, by the way.
I personally like iTunes radio stations and other online radio stations, but there’s still a bewildering choice of those. Instead, may I pass on a different kind of tip for music hunting, if Genius feels too synthetic or unconvinving: individual music fan blogs. Again, an overwhelming infinitude of these, but tracking through the aggregations at Hype Machine, you can find specific music blogs that are run by actual humans with tastes that resonate with yours, and never mind the Al Gore Rhythm.

]]> Comment on Is Muse’s Chris Wolstenholme Really Jeremy Piven?? by Adrian Bashford http://bashford.wordpress.com/2009/02/21/is-muses-chris-wolstenholme-really-jeremy-piven/#comment-461 Adrian Bashford Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:30:44 +0000 http://bashford.wordpress.com/?p=404#comment-461 Wow... just looked at the stats on this post today... Piven's soy-milk man boobs are making him much more popular on the internet today. This guy is the king of lame press coverage. Wow… just looked at the stats on this post today… Piven’s soy-milk man boobs are making him much more popular on the internet today. This guy is the king of lame press coverage.

]]> Comment on Is Muse’s Chris Wolstenholme Really Jeremy Piven?? by Adrian Bashford http://bashford.wordpress.com/2009/02/21/is-muses-chris-wolstenholme-really-jeremy-piven/#comment-460 Adrian Bashford Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:08:19 +0000 http://bashford.wordpress.com/?p=404#comment-460 I actually like this theory better: http://thatsthewayithappened.wordpress.com/2006/07/27/jeremy-piven-actually-two-midgets-stacked-up/ I actually like this theory better: http://thatsthewayithappened.wordpress.com/2006/07/27/jeremy-piven-actually-two-midgets-stacked-up/

]]> Comment on About Adrian by Tom and Cheryl White http://bashford.wordpress.com/about/#comment-455 Tom and Cheryl White Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:53:47 +0000 #comment-455 Congratulations on your wedding! It has been great visiting with you ad Lori here at the Champlain Hotel. What a delight you two are! Give a wave at our cruise ship as we sail away! Congratulations on your wedding! It has been great visiting with you ad Lori here at the Champlain Hotel. What a delight you two are! Give a wave at our cruise ship as we sail away!

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