Blog Topic: Media Matters

Homedrone: Stipe 'Thrilled' that Jay-Z Copied R.E.M. Lyrics

By Blake Aued | July 17, 2013 1:12pm

That's Michael Stipe in the spotlight, talking about Jay-Z using his lyrics.

The R.E.M. frontman talked about Hova quoting from "Losing My Religion" in a recent interview with the British music magazine NME.

Read More...
Culture Briefs: New York Times Profiles Athens' 'Downtown Renaissance'

By Gabe Vodicka | July 12, 2013 10:34am

Photo Credit: The New York Times

The World Famous

In the slim chance it's not the only thing on your Facebook timeline right now, we thought we'd alert you to this new New York Times travel feature titled, "In Athens, Ga., a Downtown Renaissance."

The six-frame slideshow cites several local businesses—including The World Famous, Community and The Branded Butcher—as evidence of Athens' cultural uprising. The town "feels like your favorite, secret neighborhood, where iconic locales dovetail with new and resurrected music spaces, boutiques, lounges and restaurants," reads the intro.

Read More...
In the Loop: Superintendent Rules in Favor of Challenged Book

By Blake Aued | July 8, 2013 3:02pm

After the Clarke County Board of Education ordered him to review his initial decision last month, Superintendent Philip Lanoue has again overruled objections that And the Earth Did Not Devour Him contains too much profanity for middle school students.

Read More...
Culture Briefs: The 10 Worst 'Best of 2013 (So Far)' Lists of 2013 (So Far)

By Gabe Vodicka | July 3, 2013 11:54am

10. Time, "The Best TV Shows of 2013 (So Far)"

Literally just a list of show titles with photographs. No critical analysis at all. The epitome of lazy listmaking.

9. Stereogum, "Stereogum's Top 25 Albums of 2013 So Far"

The Strokes over Yo La Tengo? Yeah, right. Call me when you're ready to get serious, Stereogum.

8. Spin, "The 40 Best Albums of 2013 So Far"

TL;DR.

Read More...
Homedrone: Stream New Trav Williams Album, Gideon's Army Trailer

By Gabe Vodicka | June 27, 2013 2:17pm

Photo Credit: HBO

Trav Williams

Below, watch the trailer for Gideon's Army, an HBO documentary directed by filmmaker Dawn Porter. The film follows the stories of three Southern public defenders striving to make a difference against intimidating odds. The film's title is a reference to the 1963 Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright, which ensured legal representation for indigent clients.

Read More...
Homedrone: Is David Lowery's Crankiness Counterproductive?

By Gabe Vodicka | June 27, 2013 3:22pm

Photo Credit: Jason Thrasher

David Lowery

Local guy, MBUS lecturer and Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven frontman David Lowery is no stranger to causing controversy as a result of his stance on artist rights in the digital age. On Monday, he unleashed another epic screed on his Trichordist blog, where he posted a screenshot that he claimed showed the amount of royalties he received from various Internet radio outlets last quarter. Of specific note was the payment he received from tech giant Pandora, which awarded Lowery a grand total of $16.89 in songwriting royalties for over 1 million plays of Cracker's hit 1992 song "Low."

In addition to noting that he also receives a separate performance royalty for "Low" (which is "higher but also what I would regard as unsustainable," he wrote), Lowery went on to explain:

Read More...
In the Loop: Flagpole Named AAN Awards Finalist

By Gabe Vodicka | May 23, 2013 10:54am

Pete McCommons

The Association of Alternative Newsmedia has announced the finalists for the 2013 AAN Awards, and Flagpole has been named a finalist in the "Column: Circulation Under 50,000" category.

Read More...
Culture Briefs: Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! Live Cinecast was Okay

By Sydney Slotkin | May 9, 2013 12:30pm

Last week's live cinecast of the NPR game show Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!, seen locally at Beechwood Stadium 11, was the latest edition of the curious trend of watching radio. This American Life has broadcasted the taping of its show, and popular NPR variety shows A Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage and even Wait, Wait sell plenty of tickets to a studio or amphitheater audience. However, the difference between participating in the taping of a radio show and watching it remotely is large enough that these live cinecasts might not become the lucrative novelty they at first seem.

Read More...
Homedrone: Daily Beast: UGA an 'Overlooked College,' Athens Apparently Has Some Sort of Music Scene

By Gabe Vodicka | February 28, 2013 11:05am

Earlier this week content farm legitimate news site The Daily Beast posted a list called "Amazing But Overlooked: 25 Colleges You Haven't Considered But Should" that succeeded in suckering me into linking to it (and yeah, I realize that makes me a weak person unfit for Internet). Among the schools listed was the University of Georgia, whose "overlooked merit" was Athens' "music scene." Reads the blurb:

The intense music curriculums of Berklee, Juilliard, and Curtis Institute may have merit, but Athens should be a beacon for students interested in a thriving live music scene outside the classroom. Home to the 40 Watt Club, the Melting Point, and the Georgia Theatre, Athens is known as one of the best places to catch live music in the country. The list of big-name bands that started on its stages is long, including REM, Drive-by Truckers, Indigo Girls, and Of Montreal. “What’s cool about the music scene here it that it’s so varied,” said Hilary Butschek, arts editor for the university’s paper, The Red & Black. “A lot of local band members say they came here because of the music scene.”

Read More...