Only two thirds of that title is actually in any way applicable to what I’m writing right here, but after spending two days on a course hosted at the headquarters of the BPI, I am now edjumacated to the extent that the original title “Education, The BPI and Politics” would have had zero clicks, and understandably so.  I wouldn’t read that shit when there’s a whole internet full of Princess Diana 9/11 conspiracy knife crime celebrity oops out there.

Au contraire, Mr Coombs, it’s all about the keywords.

I was on the course due to a fortunate circumstance of being a competition winner merely by having a band profile on the Tunited website which gained me a place on this two day extravaganza.  Over the two days, me, some other artists, some small label runners and the generally confused witnessed numerous presentations and Q&A sessions from a plethora of people with varying involvement in the music industry.

I had only skim read the itinerary, so was quite surprised that to kick off day two was a presentation on piracy from the chief executive of the BPI, Geoff Taylor.  I have nothing against this person per-se, until he was introduced I would not have recognised him for toffee, but over the course of approximately thirty minutes, we heard about the lobbying of the BPI to re-educate the people of the UK to the effects of piracy.  The room hung onto each word as such fanciful comparisons to copyright infringement on music downloads were compared to downloading child pornography and the current methods the BPI are imposing in order to justify their existence.

Piracy of music as a general concept is essentially a lost battle.  This pandora’s box has long been open with the ease of which to copy music, share and distribute it en mass being easier than ever, and since the huge publicity given to it by organisations like the BPI, now the userbase downloading music is also bigger and wider reaching than it ever previously was.  Disregarding the specific argument about the pros and cons of piracy across the media (video, images, literature etc.), the BPI have no jurisdiction outside of our proud little island.  For every pathetic parade declaring victory at shutting down Piratebay, it’s only hours before it’s thousands of torrent files are hosted elsewhere ready to seed again and there’s nothing the BPI can do about it.

As there’s nothing this organisation can do about the source of the problem, instead they focus on what they can within the boundaries of the UK.  Targetting ISPs, attacking search engines, fucking over individuals and putting a huge dependence on the Digital Economy Bill which was shoehorned in during the dying bill approval wash up of the doomed Labour government.  My apologies to Mr Taylor for questioning him over clause 17, I was unaware that it’s ridiculousness had been amended.  Essentially, these guys justify their existence by attacking the message service as it’s all they can shake their stick at and have to be seen to be being proactive else people may lose their jobs!

The positive arguments for net neutrality didn’t go down well at all as there was no question in Geoff’s mind that Google not removing each and every download link on their website to potentially copyright infringing material was comparable to them ignoring the discovery of child pornography within their links.  Some people have written and said some pretty nasty things about me online before, maybe I could use the BPI to get Google to remove these as copyright infringements also?  Nah, there’s no way that system would or could be abused, I’m pretty sure only about 4 people use Google a day.

Unfortunately for some, the music industry as it once was will never be that way again.  It needs to adapt to survive and many aspects of it already have.  Art and specifically music was created before it’s rise and will continue to as long as people exist.  Obviously as an artist there are negative aspects of making music during an era of instability with many artists questioning how they can make a living from what they do, but these things should be embraced as opportunities with those involved searching for the new methodologies instead of using their legal fist in a nostalgic attempt to make things return to the way they once were.  Closing the stable doors after the horse has bolted, as they say.

I’d like to point out that these are all my opinions, not a collective opinion of the band.

We were supposed to spend the day working on our incredible set for this Saturday at Scala, Kings Cross (believe me, it’s awe inspiring) but then Jim got all rock n roll on us and phoned at 16:00 saying “Oh man, I’m so rock n roll, check me out and my rock n roll lifestyle, I’ve just gotten up” or something to that effect.

In the meantime, Luke and I were all like SEVENTY TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE of productivity and got so much stuff done that this one guy knocked on my door and was like “I can feel the productivity seeping out from under your door, it’s incredible, like nothing I’ve ever experienced before”.

You know who that guy was?  BLACK FRANCIS from the past traveled to the future.  Take that M Night Shyamalan!

Anyway, so as we’d been so productive, we thought we’d make a quick video too (Luke was spending ages sorting out a vocoder part and I was bored) which can now be viewed on the Youtubes RIGHT HERE.

So other than that, remember to buy your tickets for next Saturday’s gig right here as we’ve sold through our first two allocated batches already and LOVE SELLING THINGS TO YOU PEOPLE.  IT GIVES JIM THE RAGING HORN AS HE IS A SEX CRIMINAL.  We hate drummers though, fascists.

Thanks Fokka, glad to have moved you enough to cause a reaction!  Read his insights here.

Happy new year!

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS news

That’s totally like me shouting the word “News” in a cave. Nick Cave. Ouch.

Luminescence

The EP is in the big bad world, so you can stop reading all about how it’s almost finished. Ha! It’s available from more places than I even know, I keep finding new ones. Some of those include Amazon, iTunes, Indiestore, Amie Street and a bunch of others like Napster and Myspace Music and Rhapsody too. If that’s not enough for you then I HATE YOU. If it is then we can still be friends. Those who like their music physically can buy the CD too. It’s well class and has a bunch of thank yous in the liner notes to the people who’ve helped us along the way. If your name is on that list, you can OFFISHULLEE ask for a hug next time you see one of us and not only receive it, but it can last as long as YOU want it to. Amazing. You have to instigate the end of the hug otherwise, we’ll just live our lives like conjoined twins. Sexy conjoined twins. How niche!

Totally Enormous Gig On Saturday @ 93 Feet East

We are so collectively excited about Saturdays gig supporting Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs that we smear ourselves with baby oil hourly in order to distract us from the impending joy. Smooth. It’s gonna be so good, that we thought we’d get some quotes from famous people because you bloodsuckers love celebrities, dunnewe?

Graham Gooch: “Awes”.

Charlie Brooker: “Wick”.

Flavaadit Gambatron: “You don’t even know who I am”.

Get your tickets for cheaperer here at wegottickets.com else you run the risk of not getting in and looking like a total fool. No hug for you. We advise males to turn up topless and buy one of our t-shirts when they arrive so they can look better than their friends. We would advise this to both genders but we made a mistake and didn’t get any female t-shirts printed. Our bad. We will soon though, yeah?

People writing things about us

I could rewrite all the nice things we’ve had written about us lately here, but I’m not a man that believes in effort duplication. Also, my love has got no money, he’s got his strong beliefs. It’s all on our website at http://www.neonhighwire.com alongside incredible insights into popular culture from everyone but Jim. Not that Jim’s taking some sort of rebellious stance against posting anything up there, it’s just Jim. Jim Jim Jim. Jimmer. Jim.

Top ten albums of the last decade

Those who can’t get enough of lists may have noticed our top ten albums of the decade lists on the website in the run up to NYE. As usual, Steve’s is best. Aaaaah, where’s your comeback now Jim? Exactly, it’s physically impossible for you to come back because I’m typing this on a keyboard. WIN!

Read Jimlist here.

Read Lukelist here.

Read Stevelist (am best) here.

You know your favourite part of the email is the list of upcoming shows, don’t even try to deny it:

Saturday 16th January 2010

THE PLAYGROUND (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Nova, Citadels, Dan Mckie, Andy Boph, Neon Highwire, Fish Don’t Dance DJs, Marc Ustari, Miss Miranda- Burlesque, Adam Analogue, 3 Sh!t DJs & Straightola)

93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

Tickets; Facebook; Last.FM

Friday 12th February 2010

No Fiction (Raven Beats Crow & Neon Highwire)

Power’s Acoustic Room, 332 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn, London, NW6 2QN

Facebook; Last.FM

Wednesday 17th March 2010

Glasswerk (Artefacts For Space Travel & Neon Highwire & TBC)

93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

Facebook; Last.FM

Friday 16th April 2010

Glasswerk (Neon Highwire & TBC)

Rhythm Factory, Ground Floor, 16-18 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1EW

Facebook; Last.FM

I can’t believe no-one saw us,

Steve.

http://www.neonhighwire.com

http://www.myspace.com/neonhighwire

http://www.facebook.com/neonhighwire

http://twitter.com/neonhighwire

http://last.fm/music/neon+highwire

The Mars Volta – Deloused In The Comatorium

Death From Above 1979 – You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine

Justice – Cross

Hot Chip – The Warning

Errors – It’s Not Something But It Is Like Whatever

Foals – Antidotes

65 Days of Static – The Fall Of Math

System of a Down – Toxicity

Queens of the Stone Age – Songs For The Deaf

Aereogramme – A Story In White

I realised that basically you could do two types of list – one with those albums you worshiped most at the time and couldn’t stop playing, and one with those that you still love today and prove to have shaped how you think and feel about music. As I guess no-one including me is interested in what I thought five years ago, this list is what I think is greatest after all has been and gone in the last decade…..therefore no Hundred Reasons….!

1. Queens of the Stone Age – Rated R

2. Subtle – For Hero: For Fool

3. Meet Me in St. Louis – Variations on Swing

4. Radiohead – Hail to the Thief

5. Shadow Dancer – Golden Traxe

6. Mogwai – Happy Songs for Happy People

7. 65daysofstatic – The Fall of Math

8. Soulwax – Any Minute Now

9. Digitalism – Idealism

10. Death From Above 1979 – You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine

Reserve List – Sonic Youth / Tool / Boys Noize

Over the next three days, we’re each going to be publishing our favourite albums of the last ten years.  This is my list.

Death From Above 1979 – You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine (2004)

Why? – Elephant Eyelash (2005)

Future Of The Left – Curses (2007)

Ted Leo / Pharmacists – Hearts Of Oak (2003)

Spoon – Kill The Moonlight (2002)

Menomena – I Am The Fun Blame Monster! (2003)

Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (2007)

Postal Service – Give Up (2003)

Hot Chip – The Warning (2006)

The Mae Shi – Hllyh (2008)

I wrote an article for Musosguide (fantastic website, just had a redesign) which you can read here: http://bit.ly/neonmuseart