Stormcellar Band Home Page

Right so there I was, mid holiday season, trying a few things to get some more videos made because I like making videos.

I've got two version of 'like a stone' thanks to A. but I'm a bit Meh about them. I don't know.

I also had a wonderful moment of video fail when I forgot that areas of the US are under 15 foot of snow and we can't seek external footage over there right now. Oops. My Bad.

EB had to point that out to me.

D'oh.

I forgot because I'm sweltering in Sydney Summer.

It's hot down here.

I'd swap for the snow tho'.

Ay caramba.

Meanwhile - I'm not the only one who's been thinking of making things. Mr Wizard has the itch. No not that one (pun accidental but amusing). 

We still have songs paused in amber, mid production and, after a month of listening to lots of other music from lots of other people, I've got one of the new songs turning around in my head, looking for a way out. A good feeling.

We also have a chance to do a few more items for the 5D Project, not sure what to call it , 'Beyond 5D' (6D? 5E?). With a little luck, January could see a few releases.

Yes we're looking forward to 2018, yes 2017 has been a bumpy ride worldwide, yet I've got some love for 2017.

This has been 10 years in the stormcellar. 10 good years.

I wasn't intending to get all reflective in this post, maybe I'll do it in detailed last-post-for-the-year. I'm ok with repeating the good stuff.

This downtime since we shifted the US tour has been important. It has been personally rough for several of your friends in the stormcellar; we've lost family and friends this year, we've taken some hits.

2017 was another year of being there for one another. That counts. A lot. Helped me get through it.

We've released an album, made videos, travelled to places and played music together. We've been into the studio.

We've told the same stories over and over to one another. Rosie's endured Yet Another Bonnie Raitt Track as we drive (god i love that woman).

Yeah I'm getting all reflective so, enough. I'll post with a little more forethought for NYE. 

I'm going to look at the footage Ajay sent me one more time, maybe I can find a way to make it work, and there's still 24 hours before 2018 here.

Official Band Doggo Oskar says Seasons greetings from your friends in stormcellar, and a special woof-out to all our friends serving their country overseas.

We express our deepest sympathy to our Victorian cousins and the people of Melbourne.

When I can't get anything else happening, I can always try making a video.

When I can't make a video, I can always try writing.

When I can't write anything, I can always practice.

When I'm not in the mood for any of them, I can count stuff we've already done.

So I did. 

With a little kludging over my figures, it looks like we've made around 32 specific Music Videos for songs. The 5D project counts as 6 so there's that.

I've got concept scripts for a further 35 songs. At our current production rate of 3.2 per annum, and a output rate of 13 songs per annum, it will take me 10 years to complete the ones I have scripts for,  by which time, all things being equal, we'll have another 130 songs.

At a rate of 3.5 videoclip ideas per 10 songs, this means that we'll then need another 10 years on top of that to finish the next batch.

This maths relies on some assumptions that maybe faulty, however in the context of the new societal/cultural norms of the age in which I write, bending maths to fit one's preferred narrative is perfectly acceptable.

Youtube as The New Radio & Yet More of The Attention Wars

Mac has been sending me stuff from Youtube stars. 

I agree with the idea that Youtube is the new radio, that video is the new audio, that orange is the new bl...no hang on.

I've blogged here before about The Attention Wars (LIKE ME!! SUBSCRIBEEE!!!!!! VALIDATE MEEEE!) Oh my stars.

Just this week Facebook announced they are now 'de-prioritising' messages that ask for LIKES!! SUBSCRIBEE!!! 

Makes sense. It's annoying.

How long before Youtube follows suit?

Oops.Too late, they've already been 'demonetizing' (taking away advertising revenue) from Channels or Uploaders who had figured out ways to make money from Youtube that Youtube allowed for a while, but doesn't like now.

Doesn't affect us because we were never using Youtube like that.  

Youtube was only ever a repository for the videos we make. Facebook was (and I say was) a social media tool for engagement. Ditto twitter etc. If we want to say something in particular, we can do it right here.

Between them, they have inadvertently (?) created 10 years worth of LOOK AT MEEEEE culture....which they now want to change.

Because it's annoying.

And they helped make it that way.

Ironic, no?

(EDIT - Unintended Meta Irony - up on the LHS of page - links to subscribe, twitter, FB. That was as much as I was prepared to do and where I once thought it wasnt enough, I now wonder if it's too much. I'm so conflicted.)

This comes to mind whenI think about making the next lot of videos.

We make what we can, when we can, with what we got.

If we were following the 'best practise' of the last 10 years, we would have been Yet Another LOOKATMEEE and that's not what we're into.

We barely send out newsletters. 

Now, as the Web Giants consolidate, they've decided that a more Genteel approach is warranted. Well bully for them, say I.

What do you say, St. Frank?

I agree. Let's concentrate on making stuff rather than begging for attention.

Hi Sliders.

Carl, our Golden Roadie and I did a quick 2 weeks in Vietnam.

A picture tells a thousand words, here's 14000 words.