Now add to the mix the Performing Rights Society, the UK organisation collecting money on behalf of the music industry. Whom seem to stop at nothing to ensure that their bosses get every last penny of money out of small businesses, charities, play schools and childrens community centers listening to music while they work. While it can be argued that such places as clubs and pubs receive commercial benefit from playing music, indeed within night clubs that is the entire idea and as such these businesses can absorb licensing fees as a legitimate business expense.

However the PRS has become ever more aggressive with its task of collecting money for its bosses, to the point that it has now begun demanding money from Children’s Community Centers just so the children can watch a dvd, money the playgroups cant afford being that many are a non-profit or charity group with little to no income kept going by devoted volunteers. Even worse, the PRS have gone after anyone who plays the radio within an earshot of the general public. This has lead to 61 year-old mechanic Paul Wilson, who has worked alone at his garage for 23 years since he was 15 being forced to now work in silence. Saying in a recent interview that:

When I was first contacted by the PRS I thought somebody was having a laugh with me.

This is indeed no laughing matter, the PRS in their infinitive wisdom have even targeted carol singers, whom now can be forced into handing over thousands of pounds just for the freedom to sing. Which in itself is counter-productive as their singing to raise funds may only collect a few hundred pounds for charity a far cry from the amounts the PRS is demanding them pay in the first instance.

You hear reports of this going on all the time over in the States, but it has become widely accepted within British discussionary circles that America has become neo-conservative with a government that is a) not affraid of its people and b) working against its peoples interests to further the demands by industury. It is ludicrous to think that these kind of “mafia-like” techniques are being used within the walls of Great Britain by an organisation whom make it clear that all they care about is one thing – money, and that they show an amoral ideology in how they get that money.

While the British Police are fighting their case against the PRS for demanding money we in Britain can breath a sigh of relief knowing that our own legal system hasn’t gone completely bonkers, however if the case is won in favour of the PRS then please feel free to riot in the streets and show your anger at the racketeering tatics of the PRS by breaking some stuff, preferably theirs.

I end this discussion/rant with the following end note to give you something more to think about within this debate: the radio broadcasters pay the PRS a pile of cash in liscensing fees so that they may advertise the PRS’s clients work to the public. So when the PRS then go to that public demanding extra money for listening to said radio broadcasts is this not double dipping? Could this be desperation on the music industries part due to their other water holes and cash cows drying up? Or is this just further proof to how evil an empire the music industry has become to the point that they are happy to destroy familys and communities for that extra pound in their accounts?

Source Story: Copyright Cops Target Kids’ Schools and Community Centers.

Now, like most of the rest of the world, I have been listening to this song a LOT. Not exactly on purpose, as I hadn’t acquired it until today, but because it is SO popular and therefore played on the radio once every 3 hours or so and I spend a LOT of my time in my room listening to the radio. It’s inevitable, really…

I love the song. It’s happy and cheerful and I don’t exactly get it… it’s just a fun and awesome song. However, this was made better when I saw the video to it. I didn’t expect him to be so cute – his voice is very misleading!
I love the way he wrinkles his nose up in the humming parts of the song…it’s just so cute. Adorable, infact. Now to teach my boyfriend this trick – I’m sure he’ll be happy to oblige! Enjoy :3

Brett mentioned that she had been interviewed this morning on BBC 6Music however as RealPlayer doesn’t install under x64 platforms and as the BBC are RealPlayers little bitch, I can’t hear it myself, if anyone could send me a recording of it I would love you forever.

In my haste yesterday morning I totally forgot to mention that Only Son opened the night at Wolverhampton singing a good selection of songs. I really liked his songs and if I had the money on me at the time I would have bought his album. I was expecting it to be available online, however it seems that it is only available in the states. Jack Dishel the guy behind Only Son is really down to earth with his fan base and will get back in touch if you message him.

So yeah, just a little update only thing that is almost as cool is the fact that it has snowed – although this does mean it is cold which is by all means shit.

Photo Credit: (Taken from Myspace) Toronto 2006 – photo by John Collucci

So the amazing week continues, I went to see the exceedingly talented and beautiful Regina Spektor play in Wolverhampton with the sex god that is Joey. I must say if I had a job right now (something that I am working towards) I would have bought every single T-shirt and album this woman has released! That is how much I love her and her music, I am still buzzing from the gig and it ended a good few hours ago, I am sure I shall still be buzzing this time next week!

If you get the chance definitely go see her live, it is a heart stoppingly good event, well worth any money to see!

The new Apple iPhone was announced yesterday at the keynote presentation at MacWorld 2007, ending much speculation and putting an end to many many rumours that had been circulated throughout the internet! Want to read more? Here are a couple sites I've found useful for reading up on this long awaited new, excluding the Apple site itself (all sites will open in a new window)

Engadget
Gizmodo

I might be bothered to find other sites to put up here another time, but those two do quite well between themselves I think…

Feel free to just google "Apple iPhone Macworld 2007" and you get 4,990,000 results… not too bad really!

Personally I think it's beautiful… I might have to marry one. Only a few complaints so far. Firstly, the US is complaining about their choice of service provider/network. Secondly, it's not out over there til June. Thirdly, we won't get it here in the UK until around christmas… so my father will have to wait another year to replace his poor ol' Nokia

“Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’97:

Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they’ve faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts. Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and, in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75^th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They’re your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you’ll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair or by the time you’re 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.”

Author: Mary Schmich (USA)
First published: July 1, 1997
Copyright: Herald Tribune

And I’d give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be
And I don’t want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cause sooner or later it’s over
I just don’t want to miss you tonight

And I don’t want the world to see me
Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And you can’t fight the tears that ain’t coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything seems like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know your alive

And I don’t want the world to see me
Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I don’t want the world to see me
Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am

All these songs I feature have meaning in my life. I only really listen to music that reflects what I’m thinking and how I’m feeling.

If you'd be my star id be your sky
You could hide underneath me and come at night
When I turn jet black and you show off your light
I live to let you shine
I live to let you shine
But you can skyrocket away from me and never come back if you find another galaxy Far from here with more room to fly just leave me your star dust to remember you by.

If you'd be my boat ill be your sea
A depth of pure blue just to procureiocity
Ebbing and flowing an pushed by a brease.
I live to make you free
I live to make you free.
But you can set sail to the west if you want to and pass the horizon til I cant even see You, far from here where the beaches are white.
Just leave me your wake to remember you by.

If you'd be my star id be your sky
You could hide underneath me and come at night
When I turn jet black and you show off your light
I live to let you shine
I live to let you shine
But you can skyrocket away from me and never come back if you find another galaxy Far from here with more room to fly just leave me your star dust to remember you by.

Star dust to remember you by.

Lyrics: Gregory and the Hawk

I like the music that this band have produced, and as I find more bands I shall keep you updated and link to more free music to download.