The fifth season of Nashville Galaxy designs is now available. Twelve new shirts paying tribute to Nashville locations that have closed but hold a special place in people's hearts. If you're an outsider, Blue Sky Court may feel meaningless but if you grew up here, you know the deal. The audience is niche but we like it that way!

Every time we launch one of these seasons I end up doing a ton of research on every location to learn more about it, write it up on the product description and gather historic visual materials to be used in marketing later. It's a blast. If you do not have a Newspapers.com subscription, I can't recommend it enough. Not a phrase I thought I'd ever say but there it is.

Follow @nashvillegalaxy on IG for updates. Gonna be fun to promote these!

My feathers still feel pretty ruffled from the recent Bandcamp transition. I don't even work there but letting so many staffers go, impacting so many people of color disproportionately and basically shuttering the Union does not leave a good taste in the mouth. Despite that, I am trying to be optimistic that the future of Bandcamp is much the same as it ever was - a destination for purchasing music that has some community features and a reliable editorial arm.

However, that doesn't mean I'm not also looking at alternatives. At VHX we always told filmmakers that ubiquity was the key to success - be everywhere. I still believe that. So, here's a few platforms I've had my eyes on recently that maybe you'll find interesting. The TLDR of it all is that nothing is anywhere close to Bandcamp in terms of feature maturity but features aren't important if your platform is headed six feet under. Anyway, here we go.

• AmpWall - very early stages platform being built by Chris Grigg and John McKinney; two self-described metalheads out of New York that is established as a Public Benefit Company. They've got a working profile page and that's about all I know. This only started in September 2023, so there's actually quite a bit of growth for such a short period. I recommend joining their mailing list as they've sent out a number of surveys to help inform where they are headed.
• Sone / Tone - this is a platform / protocol being led by Kevin Duquette; whom you may know from Top Shelf Records and calling out Bandcamp for trying to union bust. I'm in their Discord and find that there are plenty of smart people in there discussing interesting problems. To be transparent, I can't figure out why there are two names - are they the same service? Different pieces of the same service? I've no idea. Additionally, there's a foundational usage of blockchain at the core of this endeavor and that gives me pause. It's not NFTs or similar grifts as far as I can tell but it's still a curious aspect to keep in mind.
• nina - out of all the options I've seen so far, this is the most mature. It's got album pages, flexible "hubs" to host labels & blogs, bonus material, allows for following and very easy uploading. I even made a yk Records Hub and tossed two records on the service to see how it worked. It was all quite smooth! I believe this platform also uses the blockchain - both to note ownership of a given release and to store the actual audio. Solana is at it's core, which is a "proof-of-stake" blockchain, so the environmental impact is nill. I'm hesitant about anything involving blockchain but they also allow for regular ole credit card transactions, so it's seems somewhat flexible.
• Ampled - I'd like to also note this "co-op for musicians" endeavor that looks very promising but has announced they are closing in 2023. Bummer!

So far, that's about the extend of my research. I know there are more. Hit me up via email (yewknee at gmail dot com) if you have anymore you think I should check out.

The one and only album from Mama Zu has been announced for pre-order. Quilt Floor will be released in February of 2024.

The album is a collaboration between Lindwood Regensburg and Jessi Zazu. Way back in 2006, Zazu was a founding member of Those Darlins, an alt-country outfit that evolved into a full blast rock band over their decade together. Linwood officially joined the band around 2011 and was a constant collaborator through their last two albums. Sadly, Zazu passed away from cancer far too young in 2017; she was only 28.

I heard about these recordings at that time but assumed they were not to see the light of day since six years had passed. I am happy to be wrong and excited to hear more from Zazu's musical mind.

You may have seen a How It's Made: Vinyl Records, a process that starts be cutting into a lacquer disc from a master audio recording, which then becomes a stamper through electroplating process, which then molds vinyl blobs into LPs.

What boggles my mind about the process is that the lacquers are only made by one company; Public Record Company / MDC in Japan. There used to be a second company- called Apollo/Transco - but it was destroyed in a fire in 2020. The idea that one company supplies the entire planet with the raw materials for creating vinyl records is truly mind boggling.

There are alternative ways to make a vinyl record that do not involve a lacquer but those processes are not as widespread nor as high in fidelity for all kinds of recordings.

Regardless, enjoy this pleasant manufacturing video of the lacquers being made at PBR / MDC. Soothing.

Don't let anyone tell you that the web isn't fun anymore. You have to look a little harder for it and you have to be willing to make time for it now but it's out there. Evidence: Nailstudio; an interactive site where you paint the hands and nails like a color by numbers. For fun. That's it. Enjoy!

Brought to you by YASLY, Tamara Chu and inspired by Susan Kare.

I've no idea if Sarah Sherman actually sent this audition tape to SNL to secure her place in the cast but it's a blast to watch regardless of reality. Enjoy.

I've become a regular listener to Blank Check with Griffin and David, a rather enjoyable film podcast. They've been covering the works of David Fincher recently and touched on The Social Network, citing Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's score as particularly crucial to the impact of the film (the score did win an Oscar after all!). From there, the algorithms took notice of my interests and recommended I check out this clip of Reznor using the Swarmatron, an electronic device that is featured heavily in the score. It's eerie and entirely unique.

Of course, that led to a deeper dive into the Swarmatron. Turns out it is a handmade device by the company Dewanatron, two cousins with the last name Dewan and an affinity for creating instruments. This introductory video walks you through the Swarmatron, their history, their passion for the craft and some other devices. I particularly enjoy the Dual Primate Console; a synthesizer that requires two primates to operate successfully.

I love how the founders appear very buttoned up and serious about their craft but there's so much humor and delight running through everything. This interview with Leon Dewan demonstrating the Swarmatron at a convention is excellent evidence of that.

As intended, the Internet provides links upon links through subjects you knew nothing about but can be delighted by what you find on the other side. Hope you continue further with the Swarmatron.

Back in April I heard about the upcoming "AI Pin" - a new device that integrates into your life similar to how Google Glass or Apple Watch do but in an entirely new form factor. I said back then that it looks like a Star Trek communicator badge and I stand by that.

Now, the device has been announced. It's been developed by a company called hu.ma.ne, which includes a bunch of ex-Apple folks. It costs $699 and has a $24/mo subscription fee. Not cheap but I could also see it being a lot more expensive.

The announcement and demo video has a bizarre tone. It's very calm, almost comatose, but that lack of flashiness shows the device working in real time. This isn't a proposal, this is the device actually listening to the wearer, fetching information and returning answers in real time. It does feel a bit stilted but I think there's an upside to that vibe.

I love the form factor. It's not a watch, it's not a pair of glasses, it's just a badge you wear. Refreshingly new. Okay, it's a brooch but it's still a nice new approach. I also love the Light Interactions that project on to your hand. Will that be visible in daylight? I've no idea but it's innovative in a way that I must respect.

The unfortunate part of this thing is calling it the "AI Pin." The name feels like it's leaning into buzzwords. Why not call it The Badge? Or PinPal? I'm spitballing here but so much "artificial intelligence" is just a piece of software searching your email - it's not really what people think of as "AI."

I digress. Wearable and pervasive tech is an inevitability and they seem to be doing a good job of tackling the privacy issues that come with it. Overall, I find the device quite intriguing and applaud them for the innovations they're bringing. Can't wait to encounter one in person and keep up with various developments.

If you have not watched the OpenAI DevDay Keynote, I suggest you carve out 45 minutes soon and do so. The whole AI landscape is moving incredibly quickly and it's pretty fascinating to watch. Unlike the blockchain exploits of recent years, the AI explosion feels much more relevant and far less like snake oil. There are flaws and concerns but, on the whole, it feels more positive.

Regardless of your viewership of that particular video, you should read this Ben Thompson piece entitled The OpenAI Keynote which serves as a summary of the event, some of the important announcements and, more importantly, an inspection on the return of the keynote generally speaking. It also speaks a good deal about consumer behavior and makes some light predictions on where OpenAI is headed. It's smart, informative and measured - excellent traits all around.

This piece over on Dazed Digital about some recently unearthed Polaroids from Hackers is from 2020 but it's new to me! It's focused on the fashion of the film; specifically how Roger K Burton put together the costumes. I was quite pleased to learn that Wigstock was an influence on Burton's choices, as well as the more obvious influences of Club Kids and classic British punks. Great read.

A professor at the University of Chicago created a new tool called "Nightshade" which functions as a poison pill for generative AI when scraping your images for training data. The idea is that by injecting a special set of pixels and invisible data into an image you could cause an AI to misinterpret your image, thus saving it from being used correctly for training.

I've looked over research preview and agree with the idea of the tool - it'd be nice for artists to be able to opt-in or out of training data - but I'm not convinced this would actually work.

My skepticism aside, it's a topic worth pondering in more depth. Obviously AI is skirting a lot of copyright issues and potentially hurting a lot of artists in a myriad of ways. That's not to say it's a black and white issue - AI is beneficial as well - but this is an area that is a brave new world. How can we train these machines to be useful but also provide credit to those created the foundation? I fear the answer may be "legislation" (of which I am even more skeptical) but we'll just have to wait and see.

Given that this was posted to YouTube some twelve years ago and the show is from thirty-three years ago, this is probably a bit of old news but, hey, it's new to me! I was just randomly served this Nine Inch Nails show from 1990, recorded in full glorious VHS quality. If you've ever seen the official video for "Head Like a Hole," the vibe of this show will feel familiar - lots of tape and detritus everywhere, plenty of flopping about and more dreadlocks than you can count. I say all of that affectionately.

Hope you enjoy as much as I do.

2023 has been a slow year for my long running Nashville music podcast, We Own This Town: Music. Lots of work obligations and not enough spare time to actually compile, record, edit and release new episodes. It happens but I was hellbent on getting out the annual Halloween episode.. and I'm happy to report, I did!

Dark Delights is a two hour mix of Halloween songs all from Nashville artists. The first hour is a bit more upbeat and "jovial," while the second hour dives deep into darker and more atmospheric soundscapes. I'm quite happy with how it turned out.

Even if you have no interest in listening to a Halloween mix, please listen to the first 2 minutes of the episode as I introduce it as "Michael Bleeds." It's an intro that I look forward to writing and performing every year because it's absolutely idiotic but oh so fun. I think you'll enjoy.

A friend recently steered me towards The Head Hurts but the Heart Knows the Truth; the debut album by a band called Headache. It's full of trip hop vibes and extremely reminiscent of that one Primitive Radio Gods song from 1996; minus the BB King sample and actual singing. It's mostly a laid back record filled with compelling lyrics delivered in a very British manner.

The Bandcamp page cites the credits for the record as:

Produced & mixed by Vegyn, all lyrics written by Francis Hornsby Clark.

The record label version of the same page contains a bit more interesting insight (emphasis mine):

Produced & mixed by Vegyn, all lyrics written by Francis Hornsby Clark, and performed by AI. Artwork by Cali DeWitt.

Those very British vocals are, in fact, not a human at all but a facsimile of a human. It's a very clever use of text-to-speech and a pretty believable implementation. If you didn't know, you probably wouldn't notice.

From the guy that brought you Absurd Trolley Problems, comes Internet Artifacts - a virtual museum of historical Internet ephemera. If you've ever wanted a walk down memory lane starting from ARPANET and going all the way through the iPhone, this is for you. Heck, even if that's not something you think you've ever wanted, I bet it is! Give it a whirl!

via waxy, of course.