OKGo’s new single: This Too Shall Pass. You cannot view this video on YouTube if you are in SA and various other countries. You also cannot embed the YouTube version of the video as the record labels don’t earn cash per play if the video is embedded.
OK Go – This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.
Read the open letter from OKGo for more info on the whole situation with the Label and YouTube.
The Dirty Skirts, Rolling Like Thunder. Rocking.
Please reblog this, tweet it, post it to your facebooks, myspaces, email it around and get the word across. Cassette is the only band that spoke up about anything relevant and important such as the elections coming up in a few days. Lets allow Red Jumpsuit Apparatus to hear our voices.
Thanks to Matt I have the official Coke Zero Fest press release:
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Coca-Cola Zero Fest 2009 is finally here this weekend. Thousands of fans are expected on Friday, 10 April at the beautiful Riversands Farm in Fourways Jo’burg, and the picturesque Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West on Monday, 13 April to enjoy a full day of high octane rock. Heavy weight artists OASIS, SNOW PATROL, PANIC AT THE DISCO, DIRTY SKIRTS, ZEBRA AND GIRAFFE, CASSETTE, FOTO NA DANS, aKING and ONE DAY REMAINS are going to give fans just what they have been waiting for-a rock spectacular with no compromise!!BIG Concerts, the organisers of Coca-Cola Zero Fest 2009, regrettably announce the cancellation of Bullet for My Valentine and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus who were scheduled to perform at the festival this weekend. Both bands, who have concluded performance agreements with the promoter and have received payment in lieu of their performance, decided at the last minute to withdraw on their commitments to Coca-Cola Zero Fest 2009. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus cited personnel changes, which impacted on their ability to perform at the Coca-Cola Zero fest, while Bullet for my Valentine cited studio commitments so they can complete their new studio album.
BIG Concerts CEO, Attie Van Wyk said, “We are absolutely devastated by the cancellation of these two bands. Not only have they not fulfilled their agreements with us, but they have let their South African fans down in the biggest possible manner. And all at the last minute, leaving us in an unfortunate position of not being able to find suitable replacements at such short notice.”
Zayd Abrahams, Coca-Cola™ Strategic Marketing Manager, said: “Coca-Cola Zero is disappointed by the withdrawal of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Bullet for My Valentine; we are however looking forward to the awesome performances from Oasis, Snow Patrol, and Panic! At the Disco and some of the best home brewed talent. All concert experiences that have been planned are going ahead and consumers can still expect a world-class production. “Bullet For my Valentine apologised to their fans in South Africa. Matt Tuck says: “We’re absolutely gutted to have to cancel these shows, we were proper looking forward to it, but we are really getting stuck in with writing new songs and we have a busy schedule to get everything prepared for recording the new album ‐ which we are all really excited about!”
Fans have an added bonus this weekend, OASIS, SNOW PATROL and PANIC AT THE DISCO will play extended performances at Coca-Cola Zero Fest. The Fest has loads to offer this weekend – Big Sound, Bold Artists, Zero Heroes, Mist Angels, Chill Zones, Guitar Heroes and Zero Zones.
Below is an email that I received on Monday in my capacity as SA Rocks Editor/Owner. Read it first and then I’ll go in to my reasons for liking the way it is structured (albeit coincidentally).
Hi Editor,
You won’t know me – I’m a big reader of 2Oceansvibe and was referred by a link there.
Anyway, I’m going to take a flyer here – just drop a little bait and hope for a bite…
I’m a music producer at the moment, studied at UCT and now living in Johannesburg trying to hit the big time. My record label has recently signed our first artist, a guy by the name of Timothy Moloi and are busy in studio recording his debut album. In the mean time, though, we decided to record a couple of live videos of him doing some covers of cool and interesting songs. Basically it’s just a way for us to get word out, create as much of a buzz as we can. We’ve had an incredible response to them so far and I thought I would share the videos with you:
www.youtube.com/user/TimothyMoloi
Now, I’m sure that you must have MANY people pawning their wares to you, but as a blogger (and in particuler, a South African one), you undoubtedly act as one of the tastemakers of our generation and I figured it would be worth a shot to see if you would like any of the videos. My favorite is the One Republic cover (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4fiPe4U_Ow&feature=channel_page), but feel free to have a browse around and prove me wrong! All the artists on the videos are South African – hope you’re impressed!
I’m not too sure what to say from here, man. I won’t beat around the bush – obviously it would be in my best interest for you to actually cover us on your blog and for that I would be incredibly grateful, but if not, a simple personal reply would be fantastic – another viewpoint to see what we’re doing right!
Look forward to hearing from you!
Let me break down the above email in to sections/reasons why I was taken by it and responded immediately.
The email references 2oceansvibe, I know I have a link in Seth’s sidebar and therefore know (or feel) a little bit of legitimacy from the email’s author.
The author openly admits that he is taking a chance. He isn’t being too presumptuous and assuming that I will obviously respond and act. There are no orders coming from the email, there are hopes and requests.
James (the author of the email) clearly went and read SA Rocks. He knew that I liked local music, liked to help promote local artists and liked to support an underdog. So he appealed to these attributes with: “My record label has recently signed our first artist, a guy by the name of Timothy Moloi and are busy in studio recording his debut album.”
Multimedia and new media content are integral to my world, it’s how I make my living and how I interact with people. So it’s a good thing James didn’t tell me that he hated the internet and would never release any of Timothy’s music online for the world to swipe. In fact, he did the opposite. He sent me links to a YouTube video of Timothy vocalising the hell out of a song I knew “Apologize” by One Republic. He had dropped the bait in my lake and I was not only staring at it, listening to it but chewing on it as hard as I could.
The crème de la crème, my ego. James played the game perfectly by stating the following: “Now, I’m sure that you must have MANY people pawning their wares to you, but as a blogger (and in particuler, a South African one), you undoubtedly act as one of the tastemakers of our generation and I figured it would be worth a shot to see if you would like any of the videos.”
How could any self-indulgent blogger possibly say no to a line like that? James got my, hook, link and sinker.
Do not linger, do not be verbose, do not become pedestrian and cliched. Write what you want to write, get it out, close it down and end the email. Do not linger. I hate it when I have to sift through ten paragraphs of shit to get to the point of the pitch. Say what you want and leave me alone.
And here I sit blogging about James and Timothy and will be meeting with them very soon to see how I can help them in any capacity I can think of.
James, well played. And to anyone who is trying to pitch to bloggers that might be reading this, take note: A good pitch will be responded to immediately and will have the bloggers commitment from the word Go.