Archive for 2010
August 31, 2010
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Clearing up the noise
By Ash in Random 
There’s been so much noise this year that it’s now come to the point when I’ve got to take a break from the music in order to concentrate on personal and creative endeavours. Writing about artists I respect or care about gets tiresome when all I seem to end up doing is providing content that generally goes unappreciated. That’s not to say the sites that run my words are under-subscribed, or that the editors of those sites are anything but supportive, or that those artists aren’t deserving of support, but I’m not making a living as a writer and I’m under no illusions about that.
Though the benefits once outweighed the drawbacks, they no longer do. In fact, benefits like free festival tickets and CDs are a pain now. I frequently don’t care for the CDs PR companies send and hassle me about, and most festivals these days aren’t for me. It seems ungrateful, yes, but I think there are better ways to spend my time than trekking or trawling over something I do not, and will not enjoy. There are more writers more committed to music than myself, and I know where to find their work (and it is work that I hugely admire).
I’m not saying this is the end of music reviews etc for me, but – as of September 30th – I need some time away from the noisome digital world to spend more time furthering creative process.
If there is anyone reading this and you are a regular visitor, then thank you for taking the time to read this.
August 24, 2010
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Beck’s Vier and the massive fuck up.
By Ash in Random
How wrong is this?
When a beer company approaches you and offers up two free pint glasses featuring limited edition ‘artwork inspired by music’ (and some badges), start seeing red. You may remember some of Beck’s’ earlier campaigns such as getting up and coming artists to produce art for their bottles, or perhaps Damien Hirst’s tiresome thirsty work for the German brewer.
Regardless, this campaign is about beer and art inspired by music.
August 23, 2010
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QOTSA – Rated RX
By Ash in Musical Murmurings
This is not a review. This is a memory.
I was 25 and living in Birmingham. Billy called me up and said, “Ash. We’ve got a spare ticket for the Academy tonight. Queens Of The Stone Age are playing.”
I’d no idea who they were, but Billy was a good friend of mine, and this was a free night out. When you’re an aspiring, failing musician in Birmingham – this is no bad offer.
