The Rising Tied album cover. Image from Machine Shop and Warner Bros. Records. "In order to achieve 'flow,' 'magic,' 'the zone,' we start by being common and ordinary and workmanlike." -Steven Pressfield The Rising Tied is the first and only studio album of Fort Minor, the hip-hop project of Linkin Park emcee Mike Shinoda. It … Continue reading The Rising Tied
Tag: writing
Believe Me
Mike Shinoda and Tak performing in the music video for "Believe Me." Image from Machine Shop and Warner Bros. Records. "Nothing ends nicely, that's why it ends." -Tom Cruise The second (or third?) single from Fort Minor's The Rising Tied was "Believe Me." The track features not only Ryu and Tak from Styles of Beyond, … Continue reading Believe Me
Goodbye for Now
Katy Perry performing with P.O.D. onstage. Image from YouTube. "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." -Seneca "Goodbye for Now" was the lead single off P.O.D.'s underrated gem of an album, Testify. Released in late 2005, it received some decent airplay, and was the band's most successful single since "Youth of the Nation." … Continue reading Goodbye for Now
Falling
Staind, from left to right: Mike Mushok, Jon Wysocki, Aaron Lewis, and Johnny April. Image from MusicRadar. "Not to feel exasperated, or defeated or despondent because your days aren't packed with wise and moral actions. But to get back up when you fail, to celebrate behaving like a human -- however imperfectly -- and fully … Continue reading Falling
Helix
Photo by Line 6. I got a Line 6 Helix recently, something I swore I would never do. It's lighter, cheaper and far less maintenance than a tube amp, so of course I would. If I were a touring musician, I'd probably get the Rack version. The generations of musicians that are just finding their … Continue reading Helix
Making It in the Political Blogosphere
Making It in the Political Blogosphere: The World's Top Political Bloggers Share the Secrets to Success by Tanni Haas Lutterworth Press (8 November 2011) Amazon Making It in the Political Blogosphere is a simple, concise introduction to blogging as a political practice, and what motivates political bloggers. Tanni Haas focused on twenty high-profile figures in … Continue reading Making It in the Political Blogosphere
The Gawker Guide to Conquering All Media
The Gawker Guide to Conquering All Media by Gawker Media Atria Books (2 October 2007) Amazon Gawker Media was an independent media company and blog network, spanning several sites. Founded in 2002, it was the largest independent media organisation in the world, prior to its bankruptcy in 2016. The Gawker Guide to Conquering All Media … Continue reading The Gawker Guide to Conquering All Media
Between Fact and Fiction
Between Fact and Fiction: The Problem of Journalism by Edward J. Epstein Vintage (12 October 1975) Amazon Edward J. Epstein always did an excellent job at explaining the business structure behind the news, and Between Fact and Fiction definitely lives up to this. The text focuses on the negative relationship between journalism and truth. Between … Continue reading Between Fact and Fiction
News from Nowhere
News from Nowhere: Television and the News by Edward J. Epstein Fodor's Travel Publications (12 March 1974) Amazon I am a big fan of Edward J. Epstein's work, News from Nowhere being chief among them. No media-literacy reading list could be complete without at least a couple of his books. Those who have read Trust … Continue reading News from Nowhere
Bennett’s New York Herald and the Rise of the Popular Press
Bennett's New York Herald and the Rise of the Popular Press by James L. Crouthamel Syracuse University Press (30 September 2018) Amazon James Gorden Bennett's New York Herald was NY's first cheap, popular, mass-circulation paper, and in this text, James L. Crouthamel examines the ways in which it covered the news. It's not a comprehensive … Continue reading Bennett’s New York Herald and the Rise of the Popular Press