RIM to block illegal download sites- Scapegoating at it’s best September 24, 2007
Posted by ashz in Asian Music Scene, General, Malaysian music scene, Music 2.0, downloads, mp3, music, music business, music piracy.3 comments
The music industry heads here wants the government to block internet users from accessing illegal download sites. Blaming the sites for the fall of CD sales in Malaysia.
“We are feeling the pinch from foreign websites offering illegal downloads to Malaysians,” said RIM chief executive officer Tan Ngiap Foo. (The Star, 21 September 2007)
The association has proposed to Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to look into this matter and they are currently preparing a list of potential sites that offer illegal downloads and plans to work closely in barring the sites, naming music.bluehyppo and bimbit.com as solutions to legal digital downloads.
According to Tan, nobody wants to buy CDs anymore, not even pirated CDs
Honestly…I think he must be out of his mind
My take:
1- Those illegal music sites that you were referring to, has got nothing to do with the plunge of CD sales
2- Digital music is the way to go, move on please
3- The more you weed them, the more they thrive from the free buzz, business case: When Russia decided to shut down AllofMp3, the site received more than a million hits in its final weeks
4- So are you saying that pirated CDs are one of Malaysia’s credible source of income for the music industry?
5- Why don’t we support more legal online retailers? Cut the dodgy MACP collections for a change
Pffft!
Don’t Panic! The pack that would save your sanity! September 21, 2007
Posted by ashz in General, Music 2.0, Rants, music business, startups.add a comment
As I was busting my brain looking for more marketing solutions for my band, I discovered a cool medium called Don’t panic!. I first heard about Don’t Panic from a good friend of mine a couple of months ago and according to her, these packs are very popular in the UK. Wait, you said packs? Yup, you heard me right, PACKS.
Basically a Don’t Panic pack is the new age advertising medium, an evolution from the hey days of photocopied flyers and uncool swag. A Don’t Panic pack is similar to what we lesser humans call a goodie bag, or swag bag. The packs are usually filled with flyers, posters, advertising paraphernalia and various product samples. If you are lucky, you might find underwear in those packs as well, and no, I’m not joking. The packs are always tastefully designed and each pack is an individual.
And so… I embarked on to meet the guys behind this project to dig their brains and get a clear picture of what the fuss was all about.
“Each pack is unique and has its own character, and we want to maintain the character of the packs by coming up with new designs and concept for each pack,” Says Yamin Shafie, The Head of Sales and Marketing for Don’t Panic!
“We started this project just recently in Malaysia and we acquired the rights for the brand to be marketed in Malaysia, we want something which is fresh to the Malaysian masses to experience and collect, it has been proven to be a very affective advertising and marketing tool for big and small brands alike,” He added
The graphical design of the packs features work from local artists and designers, a philosophy that according to Yamin, is a move to support local talent, and not only that, Indie bands get a discounted advertising/insertion rates if they were to promote themselves in the packs.
The packs are distributed to over 200 spots which includes clubs, bars, art galleries, universities and colleges, cafes, Fashion boutiques etc. The best part is that the list is constantly expanding and the take up rate is usually 98%. The packs are produced up to 20,000 per month and there are major plans to increase production…Phew! Not bad for a company that operates from a humble 2 storey house in Taman Tun.
Their client list ranges from Nike to Zouk and more companies are starting to jump on the bandwagon in promoting their products and events.
“I see this because Don’t Panic! hits the right demographics and target market for urban brands, they are starting to see the packs are becoming an urban lifestyle accessory”
The way I see it, Don’t Panic packs are becoming a life saver….
For more info, check out www.dontpaniconline.com
www.ukgmp3.co.uk- The answer to cutting edge UKG tracks without breaking your bank! September 14, 2007
Posted by ashz in Dj Gear, Music 2.0, dj, downloads, mp3, music, music business.3 comments
I’m excited, very…Why? because I just stumbled across a dedicated UK Garage MP3 store. Ah Finally! An online store which caters to a very niche genre. The site doesnt look that great but further exploring shows that this basic designed site is functional easy to browse. Labels are neatly listed on the left side and ala itunes tab makes exploring new sounds a breeze. My favorite sub genre is 4×4 or four to the floor or four by four, whichever you prefer, sounds more or less a housey version of the unmistakable skippy snare sound of 2-step garage….Well, at least through my personal interpretation of what 4×4 UK Garage is all about.
Labels such as Prolific recordings (Mj Cole’s label), Stereohype recordings and Riddler graces the categories, Juicy Joints and other labels with quality releases are covered. Gone are my days of illegal downloading! To be honest, there is not much offering of the freshest UKG cuts even on bigger MP3 stores such as DjDownload.com and not even one release under Beatport. Now this breaks my heart…Until this site which I just discovered recently from Duncan Powell’s website.
And a brief history of the site, which was nicked from the ‘About us’ section:
The site is owned and operated by Ultimate Dance Music Ltd and was launched in September 2007. Many of you will know us as UDM Records or www.udm.co.uk, an online & onland DJ Store based in Enfield, North London.
For those of you who dont know UDM, here’s a brief history. UDM has been trading as a DJ Equipment & Vinyl store since 1995 and has been at the forefront of Music & Hardware retailing, specialising in Leading brand DJ Equipment & Uk Garage & House Music.
From the owner [a dj since 1986] through to the staff [including DJ Kanga - sales manager & nu skool ukg dj] we have an extensive knowledge of UK Garage Music and through this webstore we will be bringing you not only the finest music, but un-released & exclusive ukg from the hottest producers on the planet - the biggest music makers & tastemakers the UKG scene has to offer!
Options for beatmakers to sell their music via the site is also apparent, this is really encouraging for bedroom producers to sell their tracks rather than just leaving your beats rotting in your hard drive.
Check out the site and lose yourselves!
Now I just have to save those extra pennies…..
6ixth sense is number 4 on the ERA.FM local chart! September 3, 2007
Posted by ashz in Asian Music Scene, General, Malaysian music scene, Mobile content, Music 2.0, downloads, mp3, music, music business, technopreneur.6 comments
I received an SMS from my boss last weekend. I was still groggy from the whole Malaysian Independence Day celebration, my head was still dizzy and good news is always welcome. Our project band 6ixth sense is at number 4 in the local charts now. I swear I can hear my boss screaming with joy on the other end. Unconvinced, I browsed the site and Lo! I was in tears. Our hard work is really really paying us off. In fact, further internet discoveries showed that the single has been receiving very positive feedback indeed. Oh by the way, look out for the video clip which shall be aired via Hotlink’s TV spot soon!
Crazy innit?
Notice that last week the song was at number 13 and shot straight up after the video clip was released in Youtube. My assumption is that users whom viewed the video clip were really into the song, thus, spreading the virus even further to their mates? Or perhaps our viral newsletters affect users in some way that it created alot of buzz? To be honest, I’m not entirely sure
Okay here are my action plans to boost up the song in the chart:
1- Send out more viral newsletters
2- Mention about this achievement in our weekly tabloid insertions
…And we shall see whether this goes as planned!
