Dada Drummer Almanach

Dada Drummer Almanach explores themes around the evolving landscape of music, technology's impact on art, and societal shifts affecting community spaces. It critiques streaming platforms' economic models, highlights the importance of artist rights, and delves into the challenges of digital and live music realms. Environmental and subjective perceptions of sound also feature prominently.

Music Industry Challenges Artist Rights and Royalties Digital Technology in Art Streaming Platforms' Impact Live Music and Community Spaces Environmental Changes on Soundscapes Artistic Creation vs. AI Music and Social Movements Copyright and Legal Issues in Music Personal and Social Reflections

The hottest Substack posts of Dada Drummer Almanach

And their main takeaways

Be Your Own Algorithm

134 implied HN points β€’ 07 Feb 23
  1. Discover new music through album downloads in the current music landscape.
  2. Utilize platforms like Bandcamp to access a wide range of music choices and rarities.
  3. Create your own musical journey by exploring different genres and artists for a personalized listening experience.

On Tour!

67 implied HN points β€’ 22 Aug 23
🎢 Music Live Music Concerts Music Events
  1. The Dada Drummer Almanach is taking a break for a tour featuring shows in the UK, Iceland, and France.
  2. The author is excited to perform in London and Glasgow with friend Richard Youngs.
  3. The newsletter's continued support is appreciated, with paid subscriptions helping sustain the author's analog life.

On Tour!

81 implied HN points β€’ 02 May 23
🎢 Music Live Events Music recommendations
  1. The Dada Drummer Almanach is taking a break for a tour.
  2. Shows in Northeast US with Meg Baird collaboration.
  3. Importance of paid subscriptions for supporting the artist's analog life.
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Self Storage

57 implied HN points β€’ 30 May 23
πŸ“š Literature Fiction
  1. The story focuses on a situation of cruelty and vulnerability.
  2. The protagonist, K., experiences confusion and pain amidst this display of cruelty.
  3. The presence of specific characters adds depth and mystery to the narrative.

Power to the People

105 implied HN points β€’ 23 Aug 22
  1. Organizing in music is like herding cats, but bands form for shared ideas and experiences.
  2. Solidarity in music scenes mirrors the solidarity in labor movements, showing the power of unity.
  3. Musicians uniting across scenes due to streaming platforms' actions can lead to organizing for accountability and big changes.

Tears in Rain

101 implied HN points β€’ 21 Sep 21
  1. Fraud in the music industry can be widespread and manipulative.
  2. Switching to user-centric accounting can drastically affect streaming income for artists.
  3. Spotify and major labels may benefit from the current pro-rata accounting system, despite potential fraud.

Ed Sheeran's Vinyls

77 implied HN points β€’ 16 Nov 21
  1. Market share in the music industry is a zero-sum game.
  2. Physical media income for artists is at risk due to supply chain delays.
  3. For some artists, releasing vinyl is more about chart position and market dominance than financial gain.

Sale Is Unlawful

62 implied HN points β€’ 26 Oct 21
  1. The original CDs by Les Rallizes Denudes had high prices mainly for their collectability.
  2. The music of Les Rallizes Denudes was circulated mainly through piracy.
  3. Piracy allows the power of music to transcend its physical form and thrive in copies.

The Problem with Live Music

43 implied HN points β€’ 30 Nov 21
  1. Live music faces challenges due to COVID restrictions and limitations on indoor gatherings.
  2. The live music industry is heavily dominated by a few corporations, leading to a lack of diversity in shows and events.
  3. The trend towards large festivals controlled by major players like Live Nation and AEG is changing the economics and dynamics of live music.

Welcome to Dada Drummer Almanach

43 implied HN points β€’ 10 Sep 21
  1. The newsletter will cover a variety of music topics like new music, old music, and unique sounds.
  2. Topics will also include sounds from art exhibitions, books, and the author's garden.
  3. The author will be sharing thoughts that may lead to their next books and will also be serializing a novel taking place in a self-storage facility with a radio station.

On Berger's Ways of Seeing

33 implied HN points β€’ 04 Jan 22
  1. Berger's Ways of Seeing challenged the idea of images and the trustworthiness of authority.
  2. The democratization of criticism through mass media was a key concept in Berger's work.
  3. Although the TV broadcast of Ways of Seeing disappeared, the book remains a lasting and influential work.

Self Storage

28 implied HN points β€’ 19 Oct 21
  1. A mysterious woman named Frieda visits a self-storage facility caretaker named K., leading to a surreal encounter and interaction.
  2. Music plays an intriguing role in K.'s experience, with unexpected songs and a hidden speaker adding to the surreal atmosphere.
  3. A puzzling situation unfolds as K. navigates strange occurrences and encounters at the self-storage facility, adding layers of mystery and intrigue.

Traveling for a Living

28 implied HN points β€’ 14 Sep 21
  1. Musicians heavily rely on touring to promote their recorded work.
  2. Traveling has become crucial for musicians to make a living in the music industry.
  3. Musical instruments and music itself adapt to the space they are allotted.

The Difficult Sixth or Seventh Album

24 implied HN points β€’ 14 Dec 21
  1. Recognize and appreciate mid-career albums of artists, like the sixth or seventh release, for their ambition and evolution.
  2. Artists like Haley Fohr challenge themselves and listeners with each release, pushing boundaries and creating unique experiences.
  3. Album '-io' showcases a blend of rock and art song, experimenting with structures and instrumentation, creating a bold and captivating musical journey.

Zeitgeist

24 implied HN points β€’ 28 Sep 21
  1. 1991 marked an important time in the music industry.
  2. The shift to CDs in 1991 led to changes in music consumption.
  3. Genres like classical, jazz, and world music saw a surge in popularity in 1991.

An Economic Argument for Piracy

19 implied HN points β€’ 02 Nov 21
  1. Piracy can contribute to industries based on digital intellectual property.
  2. Academic studies show a negative impact of piracy on sales, but there is no consensus on the exact degree of impact.
  3. Piracy helps determine the value of non-physical media in the digital age.

Where Do We Go From Here

14 implied HN points β€’ 21 Dec 21
  1. Advocacy and organizing for change in streaming royalties takes time and effort.
  2. UN report suggests a new streaming royalty directly paid to artists to properly compensate them.
  3. Existing systems like SoundExchange could be utilized to distribute new streaming royalties to artists.

Self Storage

14 implied HN points β€’ 07 Dec 21
  1. The main character, K., starts opening abandoned storage units in a self-storage facility filled with mysterious paintings.
  2. K. develops unique methods to detect signs of life and decides which units to open based on a ratio of occupancy and abandonment.
  3. A chance encounter with two men, Art and Jerry, disrupts K.'s routine at the storage facility.

Everything I Was Worried About Then, I Am More Worried About Now

9 implied HN points β€’ 28 Dec 21
  1. Online platforms are becoming more controlling and less chaotic, making it harder to escape corporate influence.
  2. The pandemic has pushed society further online, emphasizing the dominance of corporations in the virtual world.
  3. Individual actions feel less impactful now; collective action is crucial to address societal threats posed by misuse of capital and diseases.

Self Storage

9 implied HN points β€’ 23 Nov 21
  1. The building had a complex layout, making it easy to get lost inside
  2. Paintings on the walls helped the main character navigate and not feel lost
  3. The main character used a topographic map of Alaska as a key marker for orientation

Self Storage

9 implied HN points β€’ 09 Nov 21
  1. K. felt a strong pull towards a self-storage building and eventually moved in, despite practical reasons for the move.
  2. K. had an awkward encounter with his landlady who seemed to have forgotten about his apartment in the building.
  3. K. rescued discarded paintings from the storage facility's hallways and hung them up to give them new life.

Radio, Radio

9 implied HN points β€’ 12 Oct 21
  1. Radio broadcasts provide real-time communication and connection in a digital age.
  2. BBC Sounds and Radio Garden offer diverse and immersive radio experiences.
  3. Listening to BBC World Service expands perspectives and offers ad-free content.

Conceptual Music

9 implied HN points β€’ 05 Oct 21
  1. Maryanne Amacher's music is conceptual and goes beyond traditional recordings
  2. Amacher's work focuses on site-specific experiences, blending sound and environment
  3. She explores ways to provoke physical responses to sound, challenging traditional listening methods