Saturday 26 September 2009
The Frogs Take on Commercial Radio
Woopee, I avoided copyright restrictions enough to pass by the YouTube guards!
Friday 25 September 2009
And to think...
... I actually used to LIKE Lily Allen (well, as a person I’ve never been sure, but this recent saga will certainly affect my appreciation of her music).
So basically, some members of the FAC took a specific interest in how file sharers ought to be tackled. I’m fairly sure opinions on file sharing would have differed amongst the members, but they had one specific goal in mind: do not punish file sharers by suspending their Internet connections. To do so might turn them against the music industry. Seems fair enough to me.
So then, Ms Allen, in a rage of self-obsession, takes it upon herself to shout back at these folk, saying that piracy is not acceptable and people who file share should be punished. This is done somewhat haphazardly and crudely (she makes the unforgiveable mistake of confusing ‘stealing’ with ‘copyright infringement’), with only responses from the odd artist actually making any sense at all (and most of these were, like the FAC, not supporting file sharing but confessing that suspending Internet accounts is not the best form of punishment).
I’ll have to recall this to the best of my memory since she has now taken the blog down, but her argument centred around new artists that couldn’t be signed because people were ‘stealing’ their work, and moreover, the good kids at the record companies were losing jobs ‘because’ of Internet piracy. As others have pointed out, you can’t blame file sharing for a decline in music sales, because you can’t be sure that a downloaded file is the equivalent to one sale. And we are, moreover, in a recession that probably accounts for more money losses than file sharing does. Finally… is it just me that supposes one might be embarking on a career in music, not a business? Naturally, one needs to keep their head above water, but their priority ought to be getting their music heard.
That’s all I’m going to say about my view on file sharing. I don’t think any one person really knows exactly how it affects artists; record companies are clearly too obsessed with the money aspect and are spreading far too much propaganda to be trusted (‘stealing…’). What I do know is that Lily Allen is a moron. She eventually shut the blog down due to ‘abuse,’ which I detected no hint of. Quite the opposite, there were some very coherent comments on there… they just happened to argue against her. She didn’t bother to respond, then closed it down when she realised her game was up. Unbelievable. But it gets worse.
This woman then went and tried to convince people that her brief stint in blogging against file sharing had made a difference, and how she was now ‘passing the baton’ on to other artists. I feel sorry for whoever receives that mess of an argument to try and smooth out. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she said she wasn’t going to go to the FAC meeting because she didn’t want to detract from the issues at hand… what? That doesn’t make an ounce of sense. Why didn’t she just admit that she’d made a fool of herself in arguing some severely uninformed opinions against something that didn’t oppose her views in the first place?
Oh wait, she did go in the end. Radiohead guitarist deemed her ‘extremely brave.’ Please don’t feed the idiots.
So basically, some members of the FAC took a specific interest in how file sharers ought to be tackled. I’m fairly sure opinions on file sharing would have differed amongst the members, but they had one specific goal in mind: do not punish file sharers by suspending their Internet connections. To do so might turn them against the music industry. Seems fair enough to me.
So then, Ms Allen, in a rage of self-obsession, takes it upon herself to shout back at these folk, saying that piracy is not acceptable and people who file share should be punished. This is done somewhat haphazardly and crudely (she makes the unforgiveable mistake of confusing ‘stealing’ with ‘copyright infringement’), with only responses from the odd artist actually making any sense at all (and most of these were, like the FAC, not supporting file sharing but confessing that suspending Internet accounts is not the best form of punishment).
I’ll have to recall this to the best of my memory since she has now taken the blog down, but her argument centred around new artists that couldn’t be signed because people were ‘stealing’ their work, and moreover, the good kids at the record companies were losing jobs ‘because’ of Internet piracy. As others have pointed out, you can’t blame file sharing for a decline in music sales, because you can’t be sure that a downloaded file is the equivalent to one sale. And we are, moreover, in a recession that probably accounts for more money losses than file sharing does. Finally… is it just me that supposes one might be embarking on a career in music, not a business? Naturally, one needs to keep their head above water, but their priority ought to be getting their music heard.
That’s all I’m going to say about my view on file sharing. I don’t think any one person really knows exactly how it affects artists; record companies are clearly too obsessed with the money aspect and are spreading far too much propaganda to be trusted (‘stealing…’). What I do know is that Lily Allen is a moron. She eventually shut the blog down due to ‘abuse,’ which I detected no hint of. Quite the opposite, there were some very coherent comments on there… they just happened to argue against her. She didn’t bother to respond, then closed it down when she realised her game was up. Unbelievable. But it gets worse.
This woman then went and tried to convince people that her brief stint in blogging against file sharing had made a difference, and how she was now ‘passing the baton’ on to other artists. I feel sorry for whoever receives that mess of an argument to try and smooth out. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she said she wasn’t going to go to the FAC meeting because she didn’t want to detract from the issues at hand… what? That doesn’t make an ounce of sense. Why didn’t she just admit that she’d made a fool of herself in arguing some severely uninformed opinions against something that didn’t oppose her views in the first place?
Oh wait, she did go in the end. Radiohead guitarist deemed her ‘extremely brave.’ Please don’t feed the idiots.
Saturday 1 August 2009
Sunday 14 June 2009
The Frogs have a Shindig
Slightly different one this time. Lots of fun to make, but yet another kick in the shins as YouTube reject the upload, again. Was to be expected I guess, but never mind. Good ol' Facebook. They also have their own page now:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Frogs/88809044341?ref=ts
Thursday 4 June 2009
Kokairu doesn't get it, but didn't need to go to a completely different website to tell you that
So I joined Twitter a few days ago, and I’m almost ashamed to admit to it. Just the word makes me cringe for some reason. Given how elitist its users seemed to be, I was expecting something a little more sophisticated. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate and admire its usability, but having added some friends and some celebrities (the latter was what attracted it to me in the first place), I think the reason it seems to have such an elitist status is because it deludes its users into thinking they actually have anything important and/or interesting to say. Not a massive fan of Jono Ross, but added him, thinking there might be the odd funny thing to read here and there. Here are his latest updates:
"Morning all. Remarkably beautiful day down south. I wake to birdsong and the sound of myself sneezing ! Have a lovely day if you can."
"Morning ! beautiful day though I've finally succumbed to hay fever. My sympaties to fellow sufferers ! Pass the zirtek."
"Morning everyone. Am of to school with the kids then home for Japanese lesson. Have been lazy and not studied. Ah well, too sunny for stress."
I mean, who the fuck cares? This stuff’s too mundane even for Heat magazine. And I wonder if anyone DOES care about what other people write on this pointless site; are its users on there simply to write about themselves, before indulging in a certain fondness for the scent of their own gas expulsions?
I shall summarise this bullshit in an equation:
Twitter: T
Facebook status updates: F
Social pressures not to update your status TOO often (you’ve got a life, innit): S
Acceptability to update your status as much as you like (because you’re updating your status ‘on the go’ … you’re a REALLY busy and important individual, after all, who is blessing other users with a cheap and cheerful update on your deceptively meaningful lifestyle while you have 5 measly seconds to spare): A
Viruses, hackers, bots, idiots etc, which will become more predominant on T in good time, as its popularity grows, as seen on MySpace and Facebook before it: V
T=F - S - V + A
Monday 25 May 2009
Saturday 21 March 2009
The Simpsons: Where did it all go Wrong?
Let's face it. Take The Simpsons at its peak and it was simply unbeatable. I hear a lot of shit these days regarding Family Guy, and how it is superior to the former. But without The Simpsons, I really don't think Family Guy would exist; for one, the Griffins do somewhat deliberately mirror their yellow cousins. For another, The Simpsons brought animation to primetime TV and re-established the idea that "it's OK for adults to like cartoons." And thus the foundations were laid for the likes of the aforementioned, Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill, South Park, etc.
I felt it necessary to appreciate the show and what it has achieved before I go on to slate the state it is in now. Yes, the first 9 series were something comedy could be proud of. It observed the typical American family incredibly well, and created some very original and somewhat classic characters. And I think the reason it worked so well was because the humour was incredibly simple, yet very effective. I think the ultimate example of this would have to be an early episode from the first series: "There's No Disgrace Like Home," in which Homer observes at his company picnic that all the other families seem to uphold a much healthier dynamic than the Simpsons do - and thus attempts to go about fixing it by consulting a family therapist. It didn't try to be anything too clever, it just focused on jokes that could be universally appreciated and ensured they were delivered and timed effectively. A lot of people find the first series very hard work to watch now (the animation, characters and voices have evolved so much since then that it's difficult to take seriously), but I still enjoy it immensely. Of course, series 4 deserves the biggest round of applause for "Marge vs. the Monorail" alone.
It is a crying shame that its prime was so short-lived in retrospect to how long it's actually been going. I've touched on some message boards, and the opinion that it went downhill somewhere after series 9 (1998) seems to be upheld fairly unanimously. That's over 10 years of supposed declining quality. I have to admit that what I've seen of the later series is quite patchy. I watch it on Channel 4 from time-to-time, and I think they've caught up to somewhere around 2003/2004. Obviously, I saw the movie, and my other half has also recently enlisted my company in watching the latest episodes. However, I think what I've seen is enough to state that it leaves a lot to be desired. Take the most recent episode that actually had its premiere in the UK: "In the Name of Grandfather." The plotline of this episode was of the "Simpsons Go To..." category in the "we're really running out of ideas" saga. I can see why new locations would be an appealing prospect to the writers, but these episodes consist of nothing but done-to-death stereotypes and "look here's a famous landmark lol" jokes. I'd also rather watch Big Brother and listen to Katy Perry simultaneously than re-watch any of the other episodes from series 20, too.
But what was it about the show that changed? Did the same jokes become old? Did they run out of ideas? Was it simply not possible to keep up the good standard for more than a decade? I'm of the opinion that it is a mixture of the lot. Firstly, yes, the character-based jokes in particular have become somewhat tiring. Homer is bald, fat, and stupid - we get it. Marge is over-caring, under-appreciated, and nags a lot - we get it. Bart is stupid, rebellious and owns a skateboard - we get it. Lisa is ethical and intelligent - we get it. Maggie sucks a dummy... yes, we get it. And given the title of the show, there is some pressure for the plot to surround at least one of the five characters... 434 fucking times over. And yes, there are some decent and well-loved background characters, too, but unfortunately they've succumbed to the same fate.
Secondly, did they run out of ideas? Yes, every one of the new episodes I've watched seems to contain a plot somewhat similar to ones I've seen before. That, or the plot is completely inane and unbelievable, detracting from the fact that to some extent the show needs to reflect the realities of family life. Surely the more outrageous storylines could be saved for Futurama?
Was it simply not possible for the show to keep up to a good standard for 20 years? Given the restrictions the show placed upon itself, I'd say the declining quality was inevitable. Yes, they may have killed off Maude Flanders and Patty Bouvier did come out of the closet, but as a general rule nothing within The Simpsons may change for more than one episode. I admire the show for that mentality; however, it does not justify why they continue to make new episodes (and people continue to watch it). Incidentally, the fact that it is now in high definition does not count. Personally, I don't watch the show for high quality animation.
It really is tragic that The Simpsons has become its own worst enemy, but I do personally try to recall the great episodes when asked if I like the show or not. It clearly is important for any series to quit while it's ahead.
I felt it necessary to appreciate the show and what it has achieved before I go on to slate the state it is in now. Yes, the first 9 series were something comedy could be proud of. It observed the typical American family incredibly well, and created some very original and somewhat classic characters. And I think the reason it worked so well was because the humour was incredibly simple, yet very effective. I think the ultimate example of this would have to be an early episode from the first series: "There's No Disgrace Like Home," in which Homer observes at his company picnic that all the other families seem to uphold a much healthier dynamic than the Simpsons do - and thus attempts to go about fixing it by consulting a family therapist. It didn't try to be anything too clever, it just focused on jokes that could be universally appreciated and ensured they were delivered and timed effectively. A lot of people find the first series very hard work to watch now (the animation, characters and voices have evolved so much since then that it's difficult to take seriously), but I still enjoy it immensely. Of course, series 4 deserves the biggest round of applause for "Marge vs. the Monorail" alone.
It is a crying shame that its prime was so short-lived in retrospect to how long it's actually been going. I've touched on some message boards, and the opinion that it went downhill somewhere after series 9 (1998) seems to be upheld fairly unanimously. That's over 10 years of supposed declining quality. I have to admit that what I've seen of the later series is quite patchy. I watch it on Channel 4 from time-to-time, and I think they've caught up to somewhere around 2003/2004. Obviously, I saw the movie, and my other half has also recently enlisted my company in watching the latest episodes. However, I think what I've seen is enough to state that it leaves a lot to be desired. Take the most recent episode that actually had its premiere in the UK: "In the Name of Grandfather." The plotline of this episode was of the "Simpsons Go To..." category in the "we're really running out of ideas" saga. I can see why new locations would be an appealing prospect to the writers, but these episodes consist of nothing but done-to-death stereotypes and "look here's a famous landmark lol" jokes. I'd also rather watch Big Brother and listen to Katy Perry simultaneously than re-watch any of the other episodes from series 20, too.
But what was it about the show that changed? Did the same jokes become old? Did they run out of ideas? Was it simply not possible to keep up the good standard for more than a decade? I'm of the opinion that it is a mixture of the lot. Firstly, yes, the character-based jokes in particular have become somewhat tiring. Homer is bald, fat, and stupid - we get it. Marge is over-caring, under-appreciated, and nags a lot - we get it. Bart is stupid, rebellious and owns a skateboard - we get it. Lisa is ethical and intelligent - we get it. Maggie sucks a dummy... yes, we get it. And given the title of the show, there is some pressure for the plot to surround at least one of the five characters... 434 fucking times over. And yes, there are some decent and well-loved background characters, too, but unfortunately they've succumbed to the same fate.
Secondly, did they run out of ideas? Yes, every one of the new episodes I've watched seems to contain a plot somewhat similar to ones I've seen before. That, or the plot is completely inane and unbelievable, detracting from the fact that to some extent the show needs to reflect the realities of family life. Surely the more outrageous storylines could be saved for Futurama?
Was it simply not possible for the show to keep up to a good standard for 20 years? Given the restrictions the show placed upon itself, I'd say the declining quality was inevitable. Yes, they may have killed off Maude Flanders and Patty Bouvier did come out of the closet, but as a general rule nothing within The Simpsons may change for more than one episode. I admire the show for that mentality; however, it does not justify why they continue to make new episodes (and people continue to watch it). Incidentally, the fact that it is now in high definition does not count. Personally, I don't watch the show for high quality animation.
It really is tragic that The Simpsons has become its own worst enemy, but I do personally try to recall the great episodes when asked if I like the show or not. It clearly is important for any series to quit while it's ahead.
Wednesday 18 March 2009
Oh Dear God, It's Happening Again...
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?fl=529902136947#/group.php?gid=74571831419&ref=nf
People are so unbelievably retarded.
People are so unbelievably retarded.
Saturday 14 February 2009
Sunday 8 February 2009
The Frogs Interpret Casablanca
I'm pleased with this one, it's my favourite of the lot. Unfortunately, YouTube won't accept it unless I change the audio on it (very annoying), so it's on Facebook until I figure something else out.
Friday 9 January 2009
Leon Jackson - Creative
Poor kid. He was written off before he even had a chance - if this had been his first single, I think people would've paid more attention to him.
Anyways, just a quick note to talk about how awesome this song is as I have nothing to bitch about today.
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