The First Time I Picked up a Guitar

The First Time You Play

When I was a kid, I was in a band as we all like to think we were, even if we couldn’t really play anything. With two classmates in tow, we played about once a week at my friend’place and made quite a lot of rather strange noises we thought was amazingmusic!! But we were enthusiastic and loved the idea of being “rock stars.”

We never really thought about concerts or anything serious, we just plodded along rehearsing in with our 10 watt amps when his went away and we were skipping class. We had no idea how tone deaf we were and I thought I could play anything, anytime, anywhere. I didn’t understand that I had to play some sort of scale or key!! I just played anything!!!

Eventually, we went to the year 10 leaver’s social at the local memorial hall. In those days, entertainment was always live. DJs didn’t really exist (yes, it was that long ago!) and so bands were hired.

The group that was performing was rather lame, playingtunes not really suited for a bunch of hormonally challenged 14 – 15 year old youths. In fact, they reminded me of the scene in the “American Pie” movie where the band is doing an awful version of “don’t you forget about me” and all the kids are bored.

Some friends at school knew my friends and I had a band and suggested we play. All of a sudden our ego disappeared and we got shy. We’re not ready we said. We just play for fun. Fright entered all of us and none of us wanted to go.

However, next thing we know, the “tough boys” who played football and were athletic heroes came over and told us we should play. We didn’t want too but they insisted. We said no. Then they say “get on stage or we are gonna punched ya heads in.” It appeared we didn’t have a choice.

So with the prospect of our heads being smashed heads and loss of any degree of cool we ever thought we had, we trundled toward the stage. Playing others people guitars, amps, and drums is akin to wearing some body else’s underwear- it just doesn’t fit right!!! But we got up there any way, ready to be booed off the stage and into the dark recesses of the hall. We played and the place went wild and with everybody dancing and yelling and smiling. We thought “hey this ain’t so bad” so we kept paying whatever we knew. Nobody, especially us, seemed to care. Everybody loved it. We kept going and going. The tough boys applauded and the girls smiled. My guitar solos still not in any scale or key but hey, there we were a real band on a real stage!! We were suddenly too cool for school and the “it” thing at school.

What we thought was torture turned out to be great and we ended up getting a gig with the other band. It was the start of a long musical career that still continues to this day.

Axebay is for guitar loves and provides a place for musicians to connect with each other. Visit the site at Axebay. There you can find a lot of information on guitars and guitar tuners.

Love Hina, Anime

Manga has contributed many great anime series to the anime genre. Love Hina is one of their many contributions to the anime genre. This series was written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu. This series was originally a comic and was first shown in the Weekly Shonen Magazine in October of 1998. The series was based around the daily life and adventures of a character named Keitaro Urashima. The character attempts to find a certain girl to whom he made a childhood promise to. The character is also on his way to enter Tokyo University.

The anime adaptation of this series was produced by Xebec and first aired in Japan from April of 2000 to September of 2000. After the series was completely aired, there was a bonus DVD follow up with two special episodes. The follow up also includes a three episode original video animation, which was titled Love Hina again. The series and special follow up episodes were released in North America by the Bandai Entertainment Company.

Later on, in 2007, Funimation Entertainment obtained the license to the series as well. There are also two novels that were based on Love Hina and these novels were written by two of the anime series screenwriters. These novels were first released in Japan. These novels have now been released in North America as well. The novels are a shonen comedy that are centered in the Kanagawa Prefecture. The novels are based on the lead character, Keitaro Urashima, as the comics were.

Major characters include Motoko, a strong swordswoman; Su, an inventor eats-a-lot girl from a country suspiciously like India; Shinobu, a shy Martha Stewart-in-training; Kitsune, a drunk slacker; Mutsumi, a silly fellow Tokyo U failure; Haruka, Keitaro’s aunt; Seta, Naru’s old tutor and some form of cross between James Bond and Indiana Jones; and Kanako, Keitaro’s “adopted sister.” There are also numerous other smaller characters. Kanako used to be in the notes too, but I realized that her entire presence was one of the only issues I had with the manga of Love Hina.

The plot of this anime serious has interested many viewers since its first release in 1998. The main character, Keitaro Urashima, is searching for the girl that he made a childhood promise to, to enter Tokyo University with her. However, Keitaro has forgotten the girl’s name and is trying to find her via his acceptance into Tokyo University. The problem is that he has already failed the entrance exam two times. But, luck is on her side and she continues to reach her goals.

So, until he can pass the entrance exam, he becomes the manager of a family owned Hinata House. This set of apartments is now an all girls dorm. Of course, there is some initial controversy over Keitaro becoming the manager of these dorms. Most of the residents do not care for him, which makes his stay in Tokyo all the more complicated. Thankfully, he begins to win the girls’ trust and friendship. To find out about what happens in depth, you should check out this anime series right away.

Nathan Martyn is webmaster of Love Hina Wallpaper, a site dedicated to Love Hina desktop backgrounds and wallpaper.

How To Rent DVD Movies For Free

This is a guide to using DVD movie rental services to your advantage, eventually getting free rentals completely legitimately. This is not a fool-proof method and will require a little effort on your behalf, but it is well worth it if you are a movie lover.

Many online DVD rentals services offer a number of different subscription options. The option you choose will depend on how many movies you want to watch each month, though there is nearly always a free trials for testing out these packages to see if they are for you.

Enjoy Your Free Trial

In order to be able to rent free DVD movies you will need to sign up for a free trial at any of these online rental services. But before signing up, make sure that they have a scheme that gives you rewards (i.e. free rentals) for getting your friends to sign up with them as this is the main way in which you are going to get free DVD rentals.

Once you have signed up for the rentals service you can enjoy as many DVD movies as your free trial allows, simply returning them when you are finished. However, you should bear in mind that these free trials usually last a number of days or weeks so you will not be able to enjoy your DVDs for long before you start paying – unless you invite some friends to the service.

Start Signing Up Friends

Whilst it may sound easy getting your friends to sign up under your name so you can benefit from free rental months, it can sometimes be hard to find friends who would be interested. Here are some quick ideas for getting others to sign up using your link:

1) Your Facebook Account – You probably have links to many of your friends on here, so why not recommend to them that they sign up for the service. If you are enjoying your trial you can recommend it to them, and even come clean and say you will get free rentals if they use your link. Many of them may have already been thinking about signing up to an online rentals service anyway, so will be happy to click on your message.

2) Give It As A Gift – You can sign up on somebody else’s behalf (say a family member) and give them a few months paid on the rental service as a gift. This makes birthdays and Christmas easy, as well as a guaranteed sign-up under your link!

3) Write Reviews of the Service – If you have a blog or if you visit sites that hold online service reviews why not add one of your own? Write something about the service, state why online rentals are better than store rentals… anything that makes the service sound appealing to those that use it. If people click through and sign up from your link you will have yet more referrals and free months.

4) Write Movie Reviews – This is a great idea as you can do this as many times as you want for any movie you like. At the end of the review simply include a link as to where to rent it!

Getting friends or internet users to sign up to the service through your link is a great legitimate way to benefit from some free rentals of movies or documentaries. You will soon be able to watch as many as you like for nothing at all!

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Xbox Live Takes Online Gaming To New Heights

Online MMOs and RPGs like World of Warcraft and Warhammer have taken the world by storm, and now the Xbox 360 is offering gamers a new way to connect to the online community with Xbox Live. With Xbox Live gamers of the world unite on their couches to battle demons, race cars and fight bad guys, sharing the fun of online gaming without having to give up the fun of their favorite Xbox.

To thoroughly enjoy the full Xbox Live experience, the only thing Xbox fans need are an Xbox 360 and a high speed internet connection. Gamers simply connect their Xbox to their modem and they have instant access to hundreds of games and free demos, as well as a global community of players just like them with whom to share the excitement and thrill of ultimate destruction from the comfort of their living room.

Xbox fans who choose to take advantage of Xbox Live have two membership levels to choose from. The silver level membership is available at no cost and allows players to download content from the Xbox Live Marketplace, share their gamer profile and achievements with other users and chat with their friends while they’re online. For casual gamers who want to be able to share the excitement of their favorite video games but don’t really care about multi-player events the silver option is perfect, offering the chance for gamers to build an online community without having to pay an extra fee out of pocket.

For video game lovers who are serious about taking their online community to new heights, Xbox Live also offers a gold level membership at a reasonable price that offers all of the advantages of the silver membership along with the ability to play multi-player games online, create parties and join games with their friends. For gamers who loved the raiding option of World of Warcraft and want to carry the fun over to their 360, the gold membership is the online gaming solution they’ve been waiting for.

Of course, Xbox Live isn’t just for hard core gamers. It’s not even just for video games! If you’re the type of person who just never found their way into the video game mania that’s sweeping the nation, you can still benefit from becoming a member of Xbox Live. Through the Xbox Live community members can watch movies, TV shows and additional, exclusive media content created especially for Xbox Live members, and Netflix fans can watch streaming movies on their Xbox 360. The diverse options available for Xbox Live means that no matter who you are or how serious you are about your video games, the Xbox Live community has something to offer you.

Online gaming has risen dramatically in popularity and exposure in recent years, and Xbox Live is taking that concept to new heights by bringing the fun and freedom of being part of an online community of gamers off of the computer and onto the Xbox 360. Who knows where it’s going to go next?

Ray Subs is a PR consultant working with InstantLiveCodes.com. Visit them on the web at www.InstantLiveCodes.com.

Xbox Live Subscriptions Made Simple

Are you looking into Xbox Live subscriptions but slightly confused by the multitude of choices people are throwing at you? It should be simple, right? You sign on the dotted line, give someone your credit card information, and the next thing you know you’re knee deep in the wide international community of gamers and Xbox fans that make up the Xbox Live community. You never knew you were going to need a dictionary to wade through all of your choices.

Here’s a quick look at the options that are available to you as a new member of Xbox Live:

1) Silver membership. Anyone who purchases Xbox Live subscriptions first has to be a silver member. Silver membership is an orientation into the world of Xbox Live. When you sign up for a silver membership you’ll be able to create an avatar to represent yourself online, chat with people all over the world, create a profile showing your gaming prowess and download games and movies from the Xbox Live Arcade and/or Marketplace.

2) Gold membership. Gold membership is the next step up and offers you everything that silver does (plus a few things it doesn’t). With gold membership you can capitalize on one of the most truly unique features of Xbox Live subscriptions, and the reason they and many other online gaming experiences have become so remarkably popular-multiplayer gaming.

For the dedicated gamers out there no further information is required. When you share a multiplayer gaming experience with other people who have purchased gold Xbox Live subscriptions you have the chance to go up against or join forces with some of the most talented players in the world in games like Halo 2, Street Fighter, Ghost Recon 2 and Star Wars Battlefront II (so much better than the original).

3) Xbox Live Codes. The codes you need to sign up for Gold Xbox Live subscriptions. Your Xbox Live code is what will officially move you up in the world of Xbox gaming and make you a permanent part of the Xbox Live community.

4) Free Xbox Live Subscriptions. You’ve probably heard a lot about Xbox Live subscriptions. Guess what? It’s all true…well, most of it anyway. There are numerous places online you can go to obtain Xbox Live codes for free, but most of them aren’t for permanent membership. What they are are a temporary gateway to the Utopia of Xbox Live that allow you all the privileges of gold membership without having to pay an extra penny out of pocket. At the end of a month, six months or even a year you upgrade your temporary membership to a regular one and become a permanent member of the Xbox Live online community.

Weeding your way through the plethora of choices available for joining the world of Xbox Live doesn’t have to be difficult. Just check out the options for Xbox Live subscriptions and decide which one is right for you. There’s no chance it won’t be worth it.

Ray Subs is a public relations specialist working with InstantLiveCodes.com. To check out their website, visit www.InstantLiveCodes.com.

Tips For Finding a Local Music School in Your Community

There are many advantages to involving your child in music. Participation in music can lead to increased creative thinking, better math skills, and greater interest in the performing arts. In addition, nurturing your child’s musical talents will teach him or her of your support and will boost your child’s confidence. Music involvement also encourages discipline.

When it comes time for your child to apply to colleges, having a history of music education will improve their chances for admission to their desired school. Music gives kids many advantages.

Music schools are also a great way to expand your own creative world. Many schools accept adult students, and you might find that taking classes at a local music school is the perfect way to add some creative spark to your life.

However, finding a good music school isn’t always an easy task. Music schools do not always advertise like other organizations. How can you find a music school in your community?

Look Online

Doing a search for local music schools may turn up several great candidates, especially if you live in a metropolitan area. When you’ve found a list of local music schools in your area, do a search for each specific school. You might be surprised by the reviews you find from other parents and students, and this information can help in your decision.

Online searches for music schools have many advantages, but one possible disadvantage is that not all music schools advertise online or have a web page. It’s becoming increasingly likely that more music schools will have an online presence, but you might miss out on a great one if you limit your research to the Internet.

Check with Your University

Universities and community colleges often offer music programs. Call the music department of your local college and ask if they offer any kind of music education for children or adults. Often, the educators at these schools are top notch.

If your local college or university does not have a music program available, ask if they can recommend any specific music schools in the area. Since members of the music department staff at these schools have many professional connections, they might be able to offer some great insight on where to look for a great music school.

Ask Your Child’s Teacher for a Recommendation

Your child’s music teacher is a great resource when it comes to finding a music school, especially one that specializes in teaching music to children. If you are looking for a music school for your child, his or her teacher will also have special insight into which type of school might best address your specific needs.

Even if you are looking for a music school for yourself, your child’s music teacher is probably well connected in the music community in your area. He or she may have some great ideas on where you can go for your musical education.

Advantages of a Local Music School

Finding a local music school provides many advantages, including the following:

- A music school that is local means that you spend less time commuting between your home and music school. You can use this extra time to practice your music lessons.

- A local music school also means you save on the price of traveling between the music school and your residence. High fuel costs will not add to the price of your lessons.

- Enrolling in a local music school can provide you with great local social connections.

- When you attend a local music school, you are supporting your local economy and the creative arts scene.

Quality piano lessons Mississauga and music lessons Mississauga offered at one of the most innovative and recognized music schools in North America. A Music school that offers the ideal educational experience.

Loverboy Keeps it Rocking

Loverboy is a Canadian rock group that formed in 1980 in Calgary, Alberta. Throughout the 1980s, Loverboy became one the best-selling rock bands in North America, rolling out numerous hit songs in both Canada and the United States. It produced four multi-platinum albums and sold millions of records. Loverboy was at first rejected by many U.S. labels before finally signing on with Columbia Records Canada, thereupon recording their first album on March 20, 1980 with lead vocalist Mike Reno, Paul Dean as guitarist, Scott Smith as bassist, Doug Johnson on keyboards, and Matt Frenette on drums. Loverboy’s hit singles, such as “Turn Me Loose,” and “Working for the Weekend,” are now part of the rock canon, and can still be heard on many classic rock radio stations across the United States and Canada.

Loverboy was born out of ordinary circumstances. It all got its start in Calgary when Mike Reeno (formerly of the band Moxy) was introduced to Paul Dean (formerly of the band Streetheart) at the Refinery Night Club. Dean was rehearsing a new band in a warehouse with a friend of Reno’s, and Mike had stopped by to jam. Reno and dean wrote songs together over the next several weeks on guitar and drums. At the same time, Doug Johnson,working with another band at the time, joined in, and Loverboy was born.

To help meet Canadian content laws, Loverboy signed on with Columbia Records Canada. On March 20, 1980, Loverboy went into thee studio with producer Bruce Fairbairn and engineer Bob Rock and recorded their first self-titled album.

An enormous hit over that summer, Loverboy sold over 700,000 records in Canada alone. Obviously realizing that Loverboy had something going on, Columbia Records of the United States decided to sign the band for a release in the U.S. Loverboy’s album made its American debut in November 1980 and went on to sell two million copies. Massive touring followed that year, with Loverboy putting on over 200 shows with bands such as Cheap Trick, ZZ Top, Kansas, and Def Leppard.

“Get Lucky,” Loverboy’s follow-up album was released that year, perfectly timed when the band was opening for Journey, containing the hit tracks “Working for the Weekend” and “When It’s Over.” This was Loverboy’s best selling album in the U.S., hitting the #7 slot on the Billboard album charts and selling over four million copies. The luck kept up that year again, with Loverboy receiving five Juno Awards, Canada’s highest award in music, in one year; this record still stands today. Loverboy would go on to receive three more Junos, raising the total to eight, the most received by a single group or individual.

Since those early triumphs, Loverboy has made other conquests. In 1984, Loverboy recorded the United States Team theme for the Olympics, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop You Now.” “Lovin’ Every Minute of It,” Loverboy’s fourth album, was released in 1985, with its title single “This Could Be The Night,” becoming their first U.S. Billboard top 10 hit.

Loverboy had one breakup in 1988 due to the departure of Doug Johnson and creative differences between Dean and Reno. The group briefly reunited in 1989 to promote the band itself (with Valentino Dominelli on keyboards in Johnson’s place), but broke up again at the tour’s end. Loverboy reunited again in 1991.

2005, Loverboy celebrated 25 years together, and began to perform in selected cities to commemorate this milestone.

In 2006, twenty-five years after its release, “Get Lucky” was remastered and re-released with several previously unreleased songs, including the original demo of “Working for the Weekend.”

Loverboy continues to tour throughout the United States, and the band will be inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame during the 2009 Juno Awards.

For more information on Calgary, visit http://www.calgarymicroblog.com and http://www.microblogcanada.com.

Berlin Philharmonic

Voted in 2006 by a group of ten European media outlets as number three on a list of “top ten European Orchestras,” after the Vienna Philharmonic and the Royal Concert , the Berlin Philharmonic (in German: Die Berliner Philharmoniker”) has held a prominent place in the German capital’s musical and cultural life. The Berlin Philharmonic’s primary concert venue is the Philharmonie, located in the Kulturforum area of the city. Simon Rattle has been the Berlin Philharmonic’s principal conductor since 2002. Subsidized by the city of Berlin in partnership with the Deutsche Bank, the Berlin Philharmonic also supports several chamber music ensembles.

Founded by 54 musicians in the spring of 1882 under the name “Fr?here Bilsesche Kapelle” (literal translation: “Former Bilse’s Band”) in 1882, the players formed a breakaway group after conductor Benjamin Bilse announced plans to take the band on a fourth class train to Warsaw for a concert. Under the financial management of Hermann Wolff in 1887, the orchestra was reorganized and given its current name. Ludwig Brenner became the Berlin Philharmonic’s first conductor; in 1887 Hans von B?low, one of the most respected conductors in the world, joined, thereby establishing the orchestra’s reputation. The Berliners subsequently engaged a string of other esteemed composers/conductors such as Hans Richter, Felix von Weingartner, Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, Johannes Brahms, and Edvard Grieg.

In 1985, Arthur Nikisch became chief conductor, then was succeeded by Wilhelm

F?rtw?ngler. After F?rtw?ngler fled to Switzerland in 1945, Leo Borchard became chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic; however, this arrangement lasted only a few months when Borchard was accidentally shot and killed by American forces occupying Berlin. Sergiu Celibidache then took up the baton as chief conductor from 1945 to 1952.

F?rtw?ngler returned in the same year and conducted the orchestra until his death in 1954.

With the ascendance to the conductor’s podium of the glamorous, dynamic and controversial (due to allegations surrounding his possible membership in the Nazi party) Herbert von Karajan in 1955, the Berlin Philharmonic entered a period of tremendous activity, marked by a vast number of recordings and world tours. Herbert von Karajan resigned in April 1989, only months before his death.

After von Karajan, Claudio Abbado became principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, expanding the orchestra’s repertoire beyond the classical and romantic warhorses and moving it into the works of the modern 20th century. Abbado stepped down in 2002.

During the post-unification period, the Berlin Philharmonic had to contend with financial problems resulting from budgetary stress in the city of Berlin.

Simon Rattle was elected as chief conductor in 1999 by the Berlin Philharmonic’s musicians. Rattle made it a condition of his contract that the Berlin Philharmonic become a self-governing public foundation, with the power to make its own artistic and financial decisions. This in turn involved a change in the state law, approved in 2001, thereby allowing Mr. Rattle to join the organization in 2002. Initially, Mr. Rattle’s contract with the orchestra was through 2012; however, in 2008 the Berlin Philharmonic voted in favor of retaining him as their chief conductor.

For more information on Berlin, Germany visit http://www.berlinmicroblog.com and http://www.germanymicroblog.com.

Music: What Makes Austria Tick

Among its many important contributions, music has constituted an important element of Austria’s and, particularly, Vienna’s, cultural life. Vienna has been and continues to be an important center of musical innovation. It is impossible to think about and discuss Austria without giving serious consideration to its long and profound musical presence in the history of Western music.

Vienna’s position as a cultural center took hold in the early 1500s, with focus centered around instruments such as the lute. By the 18th and 19th centuries, composers were drawn to Vienna thanks in large measure to the patronage of the Habsburgs, and made Vienna the European capital of classical music. Vienna’s greatest musical “sons,” such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791) Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827), and Johann Strauss II (1825 – 1899), became associated with the city. During the Baroque period, Slavic and Hungarian folk forms influenced Austrian music.

Classical Music

The 18th century, one of the highpoints of classical music, brought Vienna to the forefront of this genre. Three composers in particular created and developed powerful and innovative musical genres: Beethoven and his symphonies, concertantes, chamber music, piano sonatas, operas, and choral music; Mozart, also through similar forms, developed a balance between melody and form; and Franz Joseph Haydn, through the invention of the string quartet and sonata form.

By the latter part of the 18th century, the harpsichord, long the instrument of choice, was replaced by the pianoforte, or simply, the piano. String ensembles and vocal music also grew, while the burgeoning middle-class became more aware of and interested in music through the philosophies of the Enlightenment. In 1842, Otto Nicolai of the Imperial Opera House, announced the creation of what would become the Vienna Philharmonic.

During this period, a division between popular compositions for entertainment and “serious” art music began. At first, the division was less pronounced, with most composers, such as Franz Schubert, and Joseph Strauss, writing in both camps.

But it is with Strauss where a clear departure to popular music takes shape, making Strauss the most celebrated composer of the era, and indeed the first popular Austrian musician. His “Tales of the Vienna Woods” and “Vienna Waltzes” have become staples of the Western musical canon. By the mid- to late 19th century, other composers, such as Gustav Mahler, Anton Bruckner, and Richard Wagner, hailing from either Vienna or closely associated with the city, continue to make Vienna the unrivaled center of Austria’s musical life. Later musical geniuses, particularly Arnold Sch?nberg, Richard Strauss, Anton von Webern, and Alban Berg, perpetuate Austria’s stronghold on classical music.

Folk music

The flip-side of Austria’s musical record is its long and strong folk music tradition. The l?ndler, as the name suggests, is the music of the countryside, the land, the peasantry. The l?ndler, a folk dance in ? time, was popular in Austria, as well as in south Germany and German Switzerland at the end of the 18th century. It is a couples’ dance, featured by strong hopping and stamping. At times, it was purely instrumental, and at others had a vocal part, which sometimes included yodeling. With the popularity of dancehalls in 19th century Europe, the l?ndler adopted a quicker pace and more elegance; men shed the hobnail boots original to the dance and donned more graceful footwear. It is believed that the dance evolved into the waltz.

Yodeling: Mountain music

Maybe it’s the Alps that have something to do with it. In fact it does: Yodeling is a type of throat singing that developed in the famed mountain range. In Austria, it was called juchizn, and featured the use of both non-lexical syllables and yells, which were used to communicate across the mountains. Yodels usually begin with a single voice melody, then joined by several more voices. The presence of an echo is vital for producing a correct sound.

For more information on Austria, visit http://www.austriamicroblog.com and http://www.slovakiamicroblog.com.

Back in Time With Counter Clock Records

As we all enjoy the vinyl record revival, there is another aspect to this phenomenon that sometimes gets overlooked: the forgotten 45 rpm records from years past. Sure, there are some mainstream artists, punk rockers and indie musicians who have found this audio medium to their liking, it is a marvelous way to not only give their fans what they want (the music), but also create a collectible as well.

Another medium from the past has gone through some major changes in recent years. Remember when AM radio dominated the air waves? And then another format in the 70’s added even more alternatives for music lovers -FM radio. Now we have satellite radio and another inventive medium, the Internet radio station.

One Internet radio station in particular has been able to combine the aforementioned 45 rpm records and the Internet to form Counter Clock Radio (http://www.live365.com/stations/counter_clock?play) and Counter Clock Records (http://stores.ebay.com/Counter-Clock-Records). The business is the brainchild of the wife and husband team of Jane and Norm Geddis of Mission Viejo, California who have developed a ‘play what we find’ programming style that is very unique and allows their listeners an eclectic array of music genres to listen to. I had the opportunity to speak with the developers of this novel concept, let’s learn more about Counter Clock Records and Counter Clock Radio:

Obviously you have a love for vinyl- what is it about records that make them so appealing to you?

Norm: “They’re round, like wheels. It’s by far the best use of man’s first invention. CD’s never felt quite the same. Downloads are radio plus labor. I’m a decade past being impressed with myself for getting software to work after an evening playing around with my computer.”

Jane: “I like the built-in nostalgia value of vinyl - whether it’s a 1964 Top 40 one-hit wonder or a super rare Private Press Psych LP. It felt like a part of me died and was buried when CD’s became the standard. With downloads, it’s like the moss has grown over the headstones.”

How long have you been online/ selling on ebay and what are your thoughts about the fee changes and the overall operations of this online giant?

Norm: “We started Counter-Clock Records in July of ‘07. Or rather, I started selling on eBay about that time, just 45’s that I was done loving on, and then both us created the store and glued these other parts (blog and radio station) to it.”

“As far as those changes everyone talks about, I came into the middle of that and, speaking just for me, I’m a part of Counter-Clock Records. eBay is just the venue, the shopping center where our store is located. No matter where one has their store, there’s not a merchant on this planet, or likely any other, who isn’t complaining about the rents. It’s not a complaint I’m going to pass along to my customers.”

When did you decide to go ‘online’ with the Live365 radio station?

Norm: “The station has been running since March of ‘07 which was several months before we opened the store.”

What kind of fan base do you have, what kind of records/music do you play?

Jane: “Our base is our customers who have found our station. The station is very close to exactly how we want it to be, with short music news segments and trivia, so now we have something unique and something we’re proud of. It’s time to let everyone know. We play what we find. I call the programming style Accidental Nostalgia.”

My readers love the “Top 5 vinyl record sales” feature each week. How long have you been doing this? Have you noticed any specific patterns- what sells the best (and who) and what is the most expensive record that you have ever documented on the list?

Norm: “I began the blog about the same time I started the radio station. The “store” so to speak began when I put a few records up on my eBay account in July of last year.”

“The most expensive record I’ve documented was the White Album that sold last week for $30k, which is saying a lot for vinyl collectibles in this economy. Unfortunately I flubbed that one and it got left off that week’s list. The seller had listed it in “Music Memorabilia” and I keep my eyes on the “Record” category. I also didn’t keep an eye on your blog that week, Robert, or I would have caught it - the problem of selling records and writing about them during the holiday season. So I did a mea culpa entry on that one so it makes it on the Record Store Day year-end list.”

I love listening to the station- your format and genres of music are very eclectic. Where do you get the music and how do you decide what you want to play?

Jane: “We buy collections from individuals, closed record stores, from eBay as well. Mostly the 45’s speak to me. By that I mean that when I look through a stack of records I sense what’s interesting, unusual, weird . . . just enjoyable. Norm has an encyclopedia of music history in his head, but if we just went on that alone we’d sound like tons of other stations. So clairvoyance plays its part.”

Do you have any plans to add DJ’s to the mix?

Jane: “A podcast is in the works. But it may not happen unless the Earth starts spinning slower.”

What are the future plans for the station and Counter Clock Records?

Norm: “Next year is going to be about more of everything. We have lots of inventory to love on and get out there to the world. The backbone of vinyl records is the community record store. The Internet cannot deliver that. Counter Clock Records is something to come home to, but not to replace the chill up your spine dirty tile smell of your record store.”

What do you think of the ‘vinyl revival’ and where do you see vinyl in the next ten years?

Jane: “I think the vinyl revival is great! I also think it was inevitable. Tens of millions of us who love vinyl are either retiring or have more time on our hands, and whether you have a little or a lot of money, there’s something for everyone. Plus, it seems that even though they’re not buying “our music,” young adults and teens are discovering that there is something more to vinyl than the downloads. And getting squeezed in the middle are CD’s. It seemed only a matter of time before these two groups converged and the music market opened up to let us back in.”

Norm: “I’m not a money guru and this isn’t investment advice. However, as my grandmother used to say during tough times, “there’ll always be somebody with money.” And, like during the seventies and early nineties, traditional investments are not attractive. Comic book values skyrocketed in the seventies, as with sports cards in the early nineties. I think it’s about to be vinyl’s day in the sun.”

Do you have a Top Ten list of your favorite 45’s and or favorite recording artists?

Jane: “I’ll do artists-Etta James, Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, The Band, Bill Monroe, Renaissance, Mazzy Star, Opal, Joan Armatrading, CSNY.”

Norm: “45’s for me- Mixed Feelings “Sha La La”/”Love Will Find A Way,” Moody Blues “Go Now”/”Lose Your Money,” Small Faces “Itchycoo Park”/”I’m Only Dreaming,” Sandi Sheldon “You’re Gonna Make Me Love You”/”Baby You’re Mine,” Pink Floyd “Point Me At The Sky”/”Careful With That Axe Eugene,” Olivia Tremor Control “California Demise” EP, Hedgehoppers Anonymous “It’s Good News Week”/”Afraid Of Love,” Barbara Lewis “Baby I’m Yours”/”I Say Love,” Denny Laine “It’s So Easy”/Listen To Me”/”I’m Looking For Someone To Love,” The Intruders “Every Day Is A Holiday”/”Old Love” and probably a hundred others.”

So, if you are looking for some great old obscure rock and roll, one-hit wonders and soulful R&B, drop by Counter Clock Radio and Counter Clock Records and give them a spin. Your ears will love what you hear.

Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates www.collectingvinylrecords.com, where you can pick up a copy of his ebook called “The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting.” Have your vinyl records appraised at www.vinylrecordapprasials.com

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