Something You Can Burn
Next To Me
Long, Long Road
Nothing Makes Me Happy

Hot on the heels of his April release of "Friendly Fire" comes the May release of the 9 song album "Hit and Run". There are standout tracks on each. From "Friendly Fire" here's Four-Leaf Clover and from "Hit and Run" here's Flowers

Read the first new entry in the storyboard contest A Scarecrow Dreams.

Media...DOUGLAS RUSHKOFF - Check out this fascinating lecture, then meet me at the forums to discuss.

Doug's site is at www.rushkoff.com

"Douglas Rushkoff is an author, teacher, and documentarian who focuses on the ways people, cultures, and institutions create, share, and influence each other's values. He sees "media" as the landscape where this interaction takes place, and "literacy" as the ability to participate consciously in it."

Music...I don't know much about Richard Buckner (yet), but I'm listening to him right now with a building sense of awe. His voice is adrift and anchored at the same time - he's sounds like Jay Farrar with warm blood, who tells his own stories and confesses his own sins instead of wrapping them in 6 layers of coalminers and moonshiners.

Writing... Friend of the People - this is not a new piece, and I hope its not timely.

Music...most of what you need to know about any artist can be found at

Music... Some gems I've discovered so far:

Ryan Adams - The Suicide Handbook - Is there no end to this guy's ability? Even his castoffs and B-sides are gems. This one can't be bought - its never been released commercially.

Patty Griffin - Living With Ghosts, 1000 Kisses, Impossible Dream - here's an artist I'm willing to invest in. I will be buying these projects. Please check her out.

Writing... add to the story A Scarecrow Dreams. Each month I will update the story with the best additions. Have fun!

Thinking... Would the production of music eventually cease if everyone was downloading instead of buying? Artists would still need a recording as a commercial for their performances, but they could no longer produce it with the hope selling the recorded product for a living. Just as shooting a video is a commercial for the CD, recording a CD will now be a commercial for the live performance. Will people spend on a live performance the money they saved on buying the music? Will it actually translate that directly?

How about a subscription service where you get a song every month? At the end of every year, you would be mailed a full color insert so that you could burn and store that year’s collection onto a CD.
What do you think? MAIL ME

Music...Elvis Costello's latest - The Delivery Man is fantastic. Elvis traveled to the American south to absorb the country and soul influences, and then he wrapped them up in his own formidable style to create what only Elvis Costello can.

Forums... The forums are just about ready to be unveiled!

Music... eBay is a wonderful thing... new in this week are Dar Williams - The Beauty of the Rain and The Old 97's - Drag it Up

Thinking......How can artists still make a profit selling music? You can charge for tracks, but the ease with which those tracks can be duplicated and shared with others who have not paid a fee makes this an unworkable scenario. Some will pay simply as a means of patronage to their favorite artists, but aslong as the listening public can download with impunity, they will do so. Why wouldn't they? A hardcore music fan can spend well over $600 a year on recorded music, and if they can get that music for free online, they will do so. If fans loved the rest of the package as much as they love the music, they would have already found a way to share and distribute that as well.
What do you think? MAIL ME

Music... new to the MK collection this week are the Ryan Adams classic - Heartbreaker and the new Steve Earle - The Revolution Starts... Now

Music... Bill Mallonee has a new album out called Dear Life... I have been writing and demo-ing (about 35 so far), but no new album yet... more recording next week.

Media...i've been reading a lot of McLuhan lately. Decades later, he is still the most ignored prophet of the 20th century.

Other stuff...what else; Read some Douglas Coupland... go to www.kidikarus.com...shop local, keep your community unique...