Music has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I don’t want to go giving my age away (I’m funny like that!), but let’s just say that I am no longer in my twenties… Anyhow, that’s irrelevant (and I wish I’d never even mentioned my age to begin with now!); the fact of the matter is that I am old enough to remember buying albums on vinyl. And in many ways I really miss those ancient times…

Sure, the sound quality was obviously not on par with compact discs, but it certainly wasn’t crap either. In fact, as long as you took good care of your records (which any real music lover will do automatically) then there would never be any problem at all. However, owning an album isn’t merely about the quality of the sound, is it? There is far more to it all than that. And this is why I look back on the days of vinyl with such fondness.

Years ago, when we only had a choice of records or cassettes, it was all so much nicer. If you treated yourself to album in those days it always felt like it was money well spent. Not only did you have your record on the inside, but you’d also have a whopping great big sleeve (often featuring some truly cracking artwork) and (more often than not) a large sheet containing all of the lyrics.

But these days? Well, CD sized album covers are nowhere near as impressive and many compact discs will not even provide us with lyrics to the songs. And if they do, they are normally so small that we need a magnifying glass to decipher them!

Call me an old fuddy duddy if you like (even though I haven’t revealed my exact age!), but I still prefer to own my choons on record. I mean, some things are still alright once they have been miniaturised (such as office furniture London or flat screen televisions)… but some things are not (such as a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings or a pint of your favourite beer).

And now, of course, compact discs are becoming ‘old hat’! This is the twenty first century and it seems that MP3s are the way forwards… But that is all even worse because in the years ahead there will be no album covers or lyric sheets at all!!!

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Have you noticed how many bands will suddenly change their style completely simply to fit in with the present musical trend? They will start out sounding totally fresh and individual… and then become just the same as a hundred other groups (yawn). Obviously, it is crucial to evolve to some degree as a musical outfit, but there is a big difference between this and ‘selling out’. When a band does ‘turn to the dark side’ they are disappointing their fans and letting themselves down at the same time.

As a connoisseur of music, I am very much aware of bands doing this. And, to be honest, I find it extremely irritating. Because their debut album was so ground breaking, you will rush out to get their latest release without hearing it first… and end-up feeling thoroughly let down.

If you like your choons, then it is very important to be aware of the ‘selling out'factor. Music is just like any other area of life in this way. In fact, it is no different to us being vigilant in so many other areas; dodging the latest enigin scam, avoiding premium rate phone numbers or giving an adamant ‘NO!'to cold callers.

Of course, most bands who ‘sell out'are simply doing so for profit. After all, there is a lot more money to be made if you are churning out jolly jingles for the mainstream! But that is a real shame in itself because it is simply about choosing ‘wonga'over ‘art’. The whole point of creating music is that you are able to express yourself at the same time. And when money becomes more important than this… well, that really is a sad state of affairs!

So if any up and coming musicians are reading this post, please take note of what I say. Stay true to your fans and true to yourselves. Because it is all bound to pay-off in the long term!

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So I am an ardent fan of music but I still love to hear those old vinyl records from yester year. The problem is finding these records these days. What I have come to realize is that there are a lot of people like me who love to hear these records but do not know where to find them, especially online. Follow these simple tips to make a wise purchase so you won’t end up getting burned on what you thought was a great deal.

One great place to start is to buy on eBay and make sure that the seller can undoubtedly provide you a few feedbacks from previous costumers. If in any case there will be no reviews presented to you, be cautious. The product could be of poor quality since there is no fair grading scale done from both the buyer and the seller. Stick to sellers who have some reviews from buyers and go with the ones with the most.

If you choose to buy vinyl records from private websites this might be even riskier. Opt for those sites that are deemed reputable. Remember this is not a physical store where you can look at the record on a banner stand so you have to make certain they can deliver. Suggest your Google Marketplace or PayPal accounts to be the method of payments. PayPal has a dispute mechanism if any of its users are dissatisfied about a transaction.

Be sure to take check if the jacket has any damages such as warping signs and water damage. Before you buy vinyl, it makes a lot of sense to take it out of the jacket and sleeve to check for scratches.

Online retailers must provide a few useful private information such as contact number, e-mail and business address to the buyer. They must have a return policy also. The shipping procedure should not be taken for granted. Make sure of the safety and security of the purchased vinyl record.

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I guess most of us think of a celebrity lifestyle and imagine it’s one long, mad whirl of parties, premières and social functions. Working out with their personal trainer, spending hours in the beauty parlour and selecting their clothes with a minute attention to detail; and that’s just the men! And then there is the celebrity’s “day job”, the thing that they’re actually famous for. OK, in some cases this isn’t immediately apparent, but sportsmen have to train, actors have to make movies and musicians need to tour. Doesn’t leave a lot of time for the rich and famous to enjoy their hobbies.

Lots of celebrities do have some intriguing and unusual hobbies, and many of them take their pastimes pretty seriously. Aside from people like presenter and writer Victoria Coren, who took her interest in poker and made a career out of it, most celebs keep their slightly geeky interests hidden from the paparazzi and their adoring fans. For example, who knew that pop pixie Kylie Minogue was a big backgammon fan? The Aussie singer reportedly takes backgammon sets on tour with her and has taught the dancers in her show the game so she always has someone to play against!

Ageing rocker Rod Stewart may often be seen at Celtic football matches, but he also has an extensive model railway collection at home, Kate Moss spent months mastering juggling and the original wild man of rock, Bill Wyman has settled down to stamp collecting in his semi-retirement. But even these surprisingly mundane activities pale in comparison with some of the weird and wonderful hobbies some stars enjoy to help them relax after a hard day looking fabulous and making millions of dollars. When Simon Cowell isn’t destroying the dreams of young talentless Americans, he likes to climb trees and spy on his neighbours. Seriously. Even that seems pretty normal when you find out that Johnny Depp relaxes by playing with dolls or that Claudia Schiffer has a collection of cockroaches. Don’t seem quite so cool now, do they?

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Have you ever found that when you go to a festival, the bands you were really psyched to see let you down a little bit, and the bands you had never heard of can electrify, entertain and amaze? At a recent festival I was looking forward to seeing headliners Fleet Foxes, Iron and Wine, and Explosions in the Sky. It would be unfair to suggest that any of them fell flat, but none compared to the amazing Bellowhead, who had previously somehow passed me by. Bellowhead are an 8-10 piece folk group, with outstandingly talented musicians - a trombonist, a trumpeter, a saxophonist who’s party trick was playing two saxophones at the same time, with more skill and aplomb that most people would ever manage playing one instrument. They also have a melodeon player - similar to an accordion but with different keys - and violinists, mandolin players, vocalists and I’m sure a few more besides. Not to mention the skill of all band members at percussion, and of course the lead singer, who had a Richard E Grant air about him. Fleet Foxes were fun, but they were a few leagues below Bellowhead in getting the crowd up and dancing. What we look for at a festival, or indeed any live gig, is real charisma on stage, and this doesn’t just mean talking between acts - nobody wants to hear about your various English teaching jobs if they don’t involve a witty anecdote of some sort. In fact you don’t even need to say that much - you just need to let the crowd know that you guys are having a great time on stage, and that is exactly where Bellowhead hit the nail, well, on the head.

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I was negotiating with my red diesel suppliers when I came to know that Amy Winehouse was no more. There are certain persons who stay in the limelight by simply creating more and more controversies. On the other hand, there are some persons who stay in the limelight because of their talent but invariably end up becoming a controversial person as well. Amy Winehouse belonged to the latter category.

Many friends refused to express regret at the news. According to them, this was something that was bound to happen considering the reckless lifestyle that Amy Winehouse lived. Well, there is something evil about the age 27 years. More than one famous artist has died at this age. The funny thing is that singers of different generations chose this age to end their troubled journeys.

There is obviously going to be an increase of interest in the music that Amy Winehouse created. People may analyze their music in a lenient manner now that she is no longer around. However, the thing with Amy was that there was no need to be lenient when doing a critical analysis of her performance. She was a singer par excellence and that is one thing that is never going to change.

The life of Amy Winehouse is a lesson for other celebrities to maintain a grounded approach at all times. To be misunderstood despite having a lot of talent is always going to create complications. Sadly, Amy has become another victim to the uncompromising and cruel world of arts.

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It’s fascinating to see Katy Perry’s rise to international stardom, as her first successful mainstream album “One of the Boys” was launched in the year 2008. Since then, she has gone from strength to strength and delivered top hits. Her 2010 album titled “Teenage Dream” includes hit songs such as “Teenage Dream”, “California gurls” “E.T.” and “Firework”. She has also lent her voice to animated movie soundtracks and made guest appearances on popular American television shows.

Katy’s gig in London is expected to have her sing all her chart topping hits (including Hot n Cold, an older song), as well as show off her live and perky style of pop music. She is also known to change costumes many times in a gig! Her colourful and unconventional dressing style as well as stage presence endears her to the audience.

Katy has a special affinity for the London audience now, because of her British husband Russell Brand. Her popularity in the United Kingdom was a major factor in her becoming a guest judge on the United Kingdom’s X Factor musical reality show in June 2010. She was called again to the show to perform her hit song “Firework”. She has also stated that she feels that England is her second home.

Check out websites like Ticketmaster and Gigantic to easily reserve your place now for Katy’s gigs, as it is expected that tickets will be sold out very soon. The tickets are quite conveniently priced and do not cost more than a week’s buy of diesel Portsmouth. So start booking your tickets now!

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It does not matter which part of the world you live in, live music has a huge pull all over the world. Whenever there are live concerts, people with different tastes converge to enjoy it to the fullest. There are times when it is not possible to get an entry in an auditorium or stadium to be a part of the performance due to presence of huge crowd. This is especially the case when the performance is that of a famous personality or a star.

Marketing of the upcoming live shows plays a very important role in bringing in the audience. Live music performances are marketed in different ways and one of the most popular means of marketing it is email marketing. This is used to reach out to a large number of people through the Internet and ensure that word is spread about a certain event. Other popular methods are by publishing about the event in the local newspapers and magazines and by advertising on the television. Although some of these methods are expensive, but the expense is a part of the total budget of the show.

Social networking sites also work wonders in advertising these shows. Posts about the shows and sharing information about the live event in social networking communities can help a lot in sharing words about the event.

Enjoying a music performance live is a totally different experience as compared to watching that in a television or DVD. That is what along with a successful marketing campaign make live performances usually a hit. Advanced planning can ensure that you get tickets for the event of your choice and be a part of the rocking crowd.

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Tricked you! This is not actually going to be a blog post about hardcore, which is probably the one kind of music that I would actually say I hate. Hate is a strong word that I don’t usually like to use, but I can’t help feeling that the world would be a better place without both the music and the kind of people who listen to it. Usually I’d be willing to attend any live event and give it a chance. But not hardcore. No way. I’d rather spend the night talking about cars for sale in Lebanon than go to a hardcore club.
The title of my blog is actually ripped off from the most recent Mogwai album, ’Hardcore will never die, but you will’. It seems like an odd title for an album by a band that have been variously described as post-rock if you’re a fan or shoe gazing by people who are not so keen. Apparently Stuart Braithwaite, one of the band’s guitarists, overheard some ned (a Glaswegian chav) saying that to a shopkeeper who refused to sell him alcohol and thought it would make a great title for an album. Even if it makes little sense.
As an aside, Stuart Braithwaite used to DJ at the Edinburgh indie club that I went to on a Friday night. I used to regularly get quite drunk and harangue him until he played Meatloaf for me, even though we both new that it would clear the dance floor. I always had a soft spot for both him and his band because of that…

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I was lucky to once go on a tour with a big group of Irish musicians. I was sent by a beverage company to review every single night of the tour, and to upload the review to social media websites. Of course, it was clear that there was little about the job that required much effort. The reviews took 20 minutes write, and I usually did them when I was half cut, having enjoyed the gig. The gigs were always raucous affairs, and there was always plenty to write about. The bands took turns to play, but for the final band’s performance you could be sure that everyone who had played in the night would eventually be up on stage to help with a few songs and generally make the performance one for everyone to remember.

It goes without saying that Irish musicians drink a lot. And the fact that it was sponsored by a beverage company who was providing free drinks to all the artists and entourage, and myself, made the whole experience more enjoyable. Drinking with them in bars before the show was fun as they’d recount old touring stories, and make crazy bets. One of these was that whoever got the least applause that night would have to throw themselves in the freezing lock the following morning. It was a hilarious sight. It would have been worth all the time spent investing with Galvan Research just to be able to go along, but I actually got paid to do it, and I’ll never have such a great job again.

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