Whoa! Wait a minute! We’ve been getting lots of messages and emails asking why we haven’t tackled the Kanye West douchebag moment at MTV’s VMAs. It’s News right? Come on Music-Is-Life, why are you ignoring this great music related story, are you guys in league with him? Are you guys showing favoritism? (these are some of the emails we got)… Well the reason were not posting about this is because it was something that we do not feel embraces what Music-Is-Life is all about. Not to mention that every other new media outlet from RollingStone to Billboard to even the CNN have covered the blow up. We want to help the underdog excel. I mean where else will you get a post about where to record a demo, or which mixing software is good. Well definitely not on Rollingstone Magazine, Billboard.com or even CNN.com.

We believe in the music revolution and we believed in Kayne back in the day when he was the new artist trying to mix of the current music scene, but we don’t believe in someone now that will diss other artists nor speak when they only want to hear their own mouth move. In a way he has become irrelevant to the cause. The sad thing is that we all know that Kanye has a problem speaking his mind before he thinks right? And with that being known, is it really a surprise that Kanye did what he did? We don’t think so. In his growing irrelevancy, he has become bitter at the machine, the same machine that he wanted to be part of so that he could become successful. Whateva.

For those that just need another dose of this video, here you have it. We wont be posting about this again.

[OOPS looks like they are claiming copyright infringement of the video so you wont see it here]

So you have a band. You’ve written a few songs. You posted a video of one of your performances from your cell on YouTube. You’ve even played a gig or 2 or 50 at a local bar. What’s next? Sit on you Ass? Wait for a music Ex to come knocking at your door? No Man! Get up and get a demo. We all know that no one will come to your house and sign you. You have to do it all for your self. So at some point you will need to start thinking about recording a professional demo. That is, getting all your bandmates together, all your songs that you’ve polished and even your gear in one place where a professional can record one or more tracks for you.

One such location is Jackpot! Recording Studio in Portland Or. We like to follow kick ass bands and one such band is Gossip. They actually used Jackpot! studios to do some recording so if they did it, Jackpot! must be good. A few other artists that have graced Jackpot! Studios are Eddie Vedder, The Decemberists, R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Spoon and The Shins in the past 13 years. Straight from their website to your eyes, “Since 1997 Jackpot! has worked with many talented, well-known artists and provided the local music community with a comfortable and affordable place to make records.” All and all Jackpot! is a good place to start.

Here is a list of positives to using Jackpot!
-Over-the-top assortment of gear
-New 48 channel Rupert Neve Designs 5088 console
- 24 and 16-track 2″ analog tape decks,
-An MCI 1/4″ 2-track mixdown deck,
- Pro Tools HD2 Accel with 32 ins and 40 outs via Apogee converters,
-Vintage EMT plate reverb
- Upright grand piano,
- Over 31 channels of boutique mic preamps
- Over 29 channels of outboard equalization,
- Over 20 channels of compression

And to keep the session flowing their location is at SE 50th and Division, near Trade Up Music, Stumptown Coffee, Petite Provence’s French bakery, North Bar, The Blue Pig Cafe, Bete-Lukas, numerous other restaurants and a handy Plaid Pantry market across the street.

Many artists have fallen in love with Jackpot!, here is a testimonial by one legendary rocker:
“We went to Jackpot! Studio; that’s where we did the Baseball Project record. It just felt like a really comfortable, easy studio. I liked the sound. The room was big enough for drums, but it wasn’t a huge room. I’ve been looking for a tighter sound. It just seemed like a great studio.”
-Peter Buck, R.E.M., courtesy of Pitchfork

We like sharing with the community goodness and resources that will help make the journey into music majesty easier. And we also like to build that community that will be all inclusive. With this in mind, we wanted to post some resource information for bands in the Portland Oregon area that will be helpful in their journey. Think of this as Music-Is-Life having your back.

This series and others will be, of course, on going and will branch out into other cities. We aren’t endorsing any one resource, but offering options. As with anything, do your own research to find the best option for your needs. We wanted to give you a helping hand if you will, a starting place.

Here are some pictures that will jump you to locations on their website.

*All images courtesy of Jackpot! Recording Studio

Guess who is back after a long (we say too long) hiatus? Living Colour that’s who! For those of you that don’t know, Living Colour was one of the premier Black Rock bands to grace us with their music. I mean even Rolling Stone Magazine honored them with the title of Black-Funk-Metal Pioneers”. Can we all say “Cult of Personality? Well we can after we view this video!

Living Colour will be performing one of their new songs at an up coming show in Seattle. More than likely they will play many songs from their new album “The Chair in the Doorway” which is to be released on September 15, 2009. We are also hoping that anyone that goes to the show also gets to hear some of their older works too. Not that the new stuff wont rock, but song like Cult of Personality and Love Rears Its Ugly Head both still rock. Living Colour will be playing Studio Seven which “is one of Seattle’s premiere rock clubs” as self described on their website. As a positive side note for those up and coming artists in the Seattle area,
Studio Seven also provides services to local musicians, including:
• Practice studios at low, monthly rates
• Recording facilities
• Highly skilled and reputable instrument technician

But back to Living Colour…They started out back in 1984 in New York. Spent some ups and downs doing the band thing and then like all bands, ended up on the break up to make up crazy train. For about 5 years they were separated and then back in 2000 they became officially “reunited” And we here at Music-Is-Life are actually happy. They were always a bit political and that revolution spirit is what makes them different from their peers. Not that we are condoning a revolution but… hey yea we are…a music revolution!