█
▓
▒
░
yewknee
+

An internet waystation.

it me - michael eades

👋 Hi, I'm Michael Eades; a long time Internet dweller, design dabbler, dangerously amateur developer, online social experimenter and frequent curator.

Currently working as VP of Product at Smarter Apps. I also keep the lights on at a boutique record label called yk records, a podcast network called We Own This Town and a t-shirt shop called Nashville Galaxy. Previously, I built things for Vimeo OTT, VHX, KNI and Spongebath Records.

This site is an archive of ephemera I find entertaining; tweets, videos, random links, galleries of images.

• — • • •

find me elsewhere

 

contact

Reach out via threads or good ole email if you have anything to discuss. I do my best to reply in a timely manner.

for the record: "yewknee" is a nonsensical word with no literal meaning but a unsurprisingly nerdy etymology. It is pronounced, "yoo • knee."

• — • • •

ongoing projects

yk Records →
started in 2009 as a conduit for music that friends had no plans on releasing. now it's a full fledged boutique label focused on releasing quality music from a variety of styles. you know, like a label does. Here's a sampler on Soundcloud and a different one on Spotify. Options.

We Own This Town →
Originally a Nashville area music blog, this site has grown into a full blown podcast network as of 2018. It's an attempt to bring together creative folks about a variety of interesting topics.

I host this show all about Nashville local music outside the expectations of the city. I'm biased but all the shows are good.

Nashville Galaxy →
An online t-shirt shop featuring beloved and defunct Nashville area businesses. Very niche audience on this one but I tend to think niche is good.

some noteworthy other things

Chris Gaines: The Podcast →
published along with co-host Ashley Spurgeon; a limited series podcast that takes an absurdly researched deep dive into the time that Garth Brooks took on a fictional personality named Chris Gaines.

Garth Brooks Chris Gaines Countdown →
to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the time Garth Brooks took on the fictional personality Chris Gaines and appeared on Saturday Night Live in character, I GIF'ed the entire episode. It's a lot of GIFs; please use them.

Whiskerino →
a social network built around communal beard growing for four months. yes, it was as weird as it sounds but equally fascinating and enjoyable.

Moustache May →
an offshoot of the beard growing contest mentioned above. equal amounts of oddball fun but only a month long.

Summer Mix Series →
before all music was streaming everywhere, Internet music fans would swap zip files of music. it was truly a strange and wonderful time.

• • • — • —

Merch Table

insert a Spotify playlist, get a Bandcamp playlist returned. Very convenient way to link up music and inspire folks to PAY for the tunes.
Dec 4th 2020, 3:57 PM

The Forgotten Openness Of The Closed World

Happy to announce that Coupler dropped a brand new EP today exclusive for Bandcamp Friday. The Forgotten Openness of the Closed World is the second in a triptych of releases exploring new and different styles. Where the previous EP, The Rhythm Method was a trio of "strictly bangers," this new release aims inwardly. To put it succinctly, it's an ambient release but like all of Coupler's music, it doesn't just hide in the background.
It's fair to call it a "quarantine record." While that's an obvious label for any music made in 2020, this record was created explicitly to reflect on on the quarantine and the benefit it may contain for self-reflection. The quote below, from Coupler creator Ryan Norris, is wonderfully insightful:
Time, it seems, is a word used to describe a spectrum of phenomena both elliptical and linear: the rotations and orbits of planets, the passing of seasons, tidal cycles, the expansion of the universe, the finite durations of our own lives and those around us. Perhaps the concept of time is frequently misapplied and our perceptions suffer as a result. Our minds and senses are filters through which we separate signal from noise. Can these filters be trusted?

In this age of quarantine it is inevitable that we each find our ways into our own inner worlds, either by happenstance or intention. Time has become both like a static cube and a flowing river. Lack of novelty robs us of the signposts of memory. Seasons pass, but nothing happens. We are trapped in an infinite present where movement and stasis blur. The outer world is shut off to us, that particular band of experience narrowed. But the inner world, The Closed World, is still available, lest we forget. The door is ajar, it beckons. We must open it, and breathe that sweet air again, at last.

This music is an attempt to both reconnect with that inner world, The Closed World, and to create something that points beyond it.
Get the record on Bandcamp and pre-save it on streaming services when it releases wide next Friday. But just get it into your life, it's a wonderful aid to these quiet times.
Dec 4th 2020, 6:31 AM

Isaac Asimov on the 'Cult of Ignorance'

from 1980 to 2020; the quote is powerful and apt.

There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge”.
Dec 1st 2020, 1:43 PM

The Downward Spiral (expanded Live DVD)

Thanks to the YouTube algorithm, I recently became aware of this Nine Inch Nails Downward Spiral Live "DVD". It's not officially sanctioned by the band and I've no idea how long it will stick around but it's an incredibly impressive compilation of mixed live footage and live audio to recreate The Downward Spiral and pretty much all of the b-sides from around that era.

There's also a Broken DVD, Pretty Hate Machine DVD, The Fragile DVD, Year Zero DVD and other massive compilations like every live cover.

I realize this is niche content but what is the Internet if not niche content?
Nov 30th 2020, 6:32 AM

Gremlins 2 Clarion Hotel TV Commercial 1990

a treat i was not aware of
Nov 28th 2020, 2:33 PM

The Alex Winter Interview - San Dimas Today

I help produce the Bill and Ted podcast San Dimas Today. For the first two seasons, my role was largely technical - helping them get episodes out into the world, making artwork, helping promote. They booked the guests and drove the topics.

With Season 3 - the first to be released in a world where a third Bill & Ted movie exists - they still drive the narrative but I stepped up my role with trying to book guests. I helped book Jonathan Leahy, the music producer on the third film, I managed to snag a long chat with William Sadler - the actor that plays Death - and I'm happy to report that, today, we launched an episode with Alex Winter.
It's a short conversation as Mr. Winter's time is hard to come by but they were able to talk about the history of the Bill & Ted films, the decade long development process of Face the Music and his upcoming Zappa documentary. It's a nice conversation.

Is it a humblebrag to be simply proud of something you helped do? Maybe. Either way, I am proud that I was able to land these interviews and help shepherd conversations around a topic that everyone involved is very passionate about.

There's still a bit more on the way. I hope you enjoy it.
Nov 25th 2020, 8:06 AM

Big Black Delta - Air Conditioned Dork

more of a short film than a music video. beautifully done.
Nov 25th 2020, 8:05 AM

All The People I Like And Those That Are Dead

Dustin makes a killer playlist
Nov 24th 2020, 6:44 AM

Frank LoCrasto - Sandbar

a soundtrack to a 2012 film by one of my faves. the one available track is top notch.
Nov 23rd 2020, 3:04 PM

Booting from a vinyl record

not surprised this is possible but am nerding out to see it in action
Nov 23rd 2020, 9:34 AM

The Sophtware Slump ..... on a wooden piano

a stripped down version of a classic.
Nov 20th 2020, 8:19 AM

Bandcamp Live

wonderful new feature from Bandcamp.
Nov 19th 2020, 9:10 AM

Tower Defense - In The City

Last week, yk records released the debut from Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection and this week I'm happy to announce the release of the second full-length LP from Tower Defense, In The City. Vibe wise the two records could not be more different but I'm hopeful that's a good thing.
The band makes absolutely bombastic rock n' roll with their double bass configuration but it's absolutely laden with harmonies and, on the second record especially, there's a ton of fun injected into the songs. I'm biased but it's absolutely delightful.

You can grab the digital or limited edition purple LP on Bandcamp, stream it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music or wherever else. It's 23 minutes of good time.
Nov 19th 2020, 7:32 AM

ViDL for Mac

based on youtube-dl but as a desktop app. lovely. via daring fireball.
Nov 17th 2020, 10:30 AM