Music with a Message: Songs for Tibet – The Art of Peace

As you may have read recently, a benefit album has been released supporting the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan independence movement. This led to the blocking of access to iTunes stores by China – those with credit cards from other jurisdictions such as the United States are usually able to purchase music from the iTunes store in that jurisdiction despite being located in China.

The album, Songs for Tibet – The Art of Peace, has sold 10,000 copies in just a few days and serves as an excellent example of the use of music for a political purpose as well as highlighting the impact of censorship on free speech.

The album was released on 5th August digitally with the CD becoming available early last week. Funds from the project are to be used to assist the Art of Peace Foundation. Athletes in Beijing were invited to download the album free of charge with forty downloads reported prior to the imposition of censorship by the Chinese Government.

I will be featuring this album on my radio program next week and the tracks include:

Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek 2
Sting – Send Your Love (Art of Peace Mix)
Alanis Morrissette - Versions Of Violence (Recorded n Dressing Room In Cologne, Germany)
John Mayer – Belief
Regina Spektor – Better
Moby - We Are All Made Of Stars (2008)
Damien Rice & The Cheshire Project - Making Noise
Vanessa Carlton - More Than This (Campfire Take)
Duncan Sheik - Nothing Fades (Kosen Rufu Version)
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Where Are You Going? (Live In Barcelona)
Suzanne Vega - Song Of Sand (Great City Version)
Garbage - All The Good In This Life
Rush - Hope (Live for The Art of Peace)
Jonatha Brooke - Madonna On The Curb (Peace Mix)
Joan Armatrading - In These Times (The Concord Mix)
Teitur - All My Mistakes (Featuring Tarira)
Jackson Browne - Alive In The World
Ben Harper- Better Way (Live in Six-Fours-les-Plage)
Rupert Hine -The Heart Of The Matter (Underlying Mix)
Underworld - To Heal (and Restore Broken Bodies)

Further Reading
The Art of Peace Foundation <http://www.artofpeacefoundation.org/index.php> at 24 August 2008

Digital Music News, Great Firewall Growls: China Blocks iTunes Access (21 August 2008) <http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/082008itunes> at 22 August 2008

The Age, iTunes blocked in China after protest stunt (21 August 2008) <http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/itunes-blocked-in-china-after-protest-stunt/2008/08/20/1219262358153.html> at 22 August 2008

Digital Music News, Will the Ban Boost Sales? Tibet Album Pushes Past 10,000 (22 August 2008) <http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/082108tibet> at 24 August 2008

Guardian.co.uk, China blocks iTunes music store (21 August 2008) <http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/21/china.blocks.itunes> at 24 August 2008

Music with a Message

As promised, this week on Music with a Message, I will be featuring the Concerts for Climate Change CD – while some of this music is not inherently political, it was used in a political way:

Madonna - Hey You
Foo Fighters – Times Like These
The Police – Driven to Tears
John Mayer – Gravity
Roger Waters – Another Brick in the Wall Part II
Linkin Park – Bleed it Out
Keane – Bedshaped
Bon Jovi - Dead or Alive
James Blunt – Wiseman
Chris Cornell – Black Hole in the Sun
Lenny Kravitz – Are You Gonna Go My Way
Beastie Boys – Intergalactic
KT Tunstall – I Suddenly See
Corinne Bailey Rae & John Legend – Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
Damien Rice & David Gray – Que Sera Sera

Following this I will be playing a few tracks which speak of environmental issues and concerns:

John Butler Trio - Treat Yo Mama
David Byrne – (Nothing But) Flowers
Bjork – Earth Intruders
Jamiroquai – Emergency on Planet Earth
Country Joe McDonald – Save the Whales!
Bruce Cockburn – If a Tree Falls
Tracy Chapman – Rape of the World
Ben Harper – With My Own Two Hands
The Pixies – Monkey Gone to Heaven
Joni Mitchell – Big Yellow Taxi
Julian Lennon – Saltwater
Michael Jackson – Earth Song
Ben Harper – Better Way

The Evolution of Culture: Is Political Music Still Being Heard?

Updated: Here is the draft of a presentation I will be giving in the coming weeks. I discuss the nature of political music, the institutional developments and constraints on its production and reception and some strategies that could be employed to maximise its potential for social change.

Keep in mind that this is a work in progress.

Power point presentation with audio – warning large file
(this file has been updated)

Power point presentation without audio (see notes view)

Bibliography (word document)

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Music with a Message

Here is the play list for this weeks radio program. In the process of preparing this I have had the opportunity to reflect on the difficulties in transposing an academic exercise into a practice. On a cognitive level I try to link the songs together in themes but from a listening perspective it can be difficult to get them in an order that also allows the styles of music to complement each other.

I am trying not to swap from rap to contemporary and back again – James Brown directly after Public Enemy just doesn’t work on a pleasure level... but then again I’m not sure Billy Bragg should come straight after either... (I am spending many an hour having these types of thoughts). I have resigned myself to doing the best with what I have and accepting that I can’t always have a smooth transition.

Those that have been listening might also be interested to know that the added complication is that I have to burn my music to two discs (due to file size) and as some songs are protected (GRRRR) I can only play the discs on the station’s computer – this means that I have to have another song in the middle on CD that doesn’t disturb the flow too much to give me time to change the discs over. I have tried burning MP3 discs by ripping the music back into iTunes but a) it takes forever and b) the loss of quality is not good for public performance.

I have analysed my legal position with respect to burning the music and there are a number of overlapping exceptions under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) that would apply including personal use (s109A), educational purpose (s103C) and reproduction for the purpose of broadcasting (s107). This combination of sections reflects the different uses I wish to make of the music I am purchasing.

Changes were made to the Copyright Act at the end of 2006 to enable personal use – under the law as it previously stood I would have been entitled to make the copies for the purposes of broadcasting, would have been in an uncertain legal situation when making the copies for study purposes (arguably it is not necessary for me to burn any extra copies seeing as I have the originals) but would not have been allowed to play the discs at home for my own pleasure.

Whilst I do like many of the songs I am playing there are some that I would never personally choose to play and a few which do not reflect my personal views. My favourite from this list is The Herd’s 77% - they speak the truth! (Whilst the song is about immigration policy, I particularly like the line ‘Australian SAS troops are in danger of breaking the laws of piracy’ – now wouldn’t that lend itself to a mashup relating to copyright law). LANGUAGE WARNING...

Explicit language is also a tendency of many political songs and last week I was thinking of putting them all together and telling people not to listen for the first hour if it bothers them.Ironically enough the first of these was Ice T's Freedom of Speech which refers to the censoring of explicit language. I ended up spreading them out a little more and have saved some of the songs for weeks to come.

The last song on this list - The Impressions, People Get Ready - to my mind also serves as an example of the difficulties in defining political music. Listening to it, it seems to be a song about religion and faith but it was on a compliation CD of protest music. Perhaps it was used in a context that I am not familiar with. Its not the first song I would use as an example of this type of expression.

On another note altogether, I am excited because I have just ordered the ‘Rock the Net’ compilation CD from the Future of Music Coalition – as soon as that arrives I hope to feature it as an example of the use of music for political purposes. I have also recently won two eBay bids – the first is the four disc DVD set of the Live Aid concert and a two DVD and one CD set of the Concerts for Climate Change which I also hope to use in coming weeks.

Neville Brothers, My Blood
Josh White, Free and Equal Blues
The Freedom Singers, Which Side Are You On? Civil Rights Version
Big Bill Broozny, Black, Brown and White
Bruce Springsteen, American Skin (41 Shots)
Public Enemy, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
The Crack Emcee, Red, White & Blue
Jackson Browne, For America
The Clash, I’m So Bored with the USA
Anne Feeney, Rebuild America/Keep Hope Alive
James Brown, Peace in the World
Billy Bragg, Like Soldiers Do
Billy Bragg, Between the Wars
Neville Brothers, Wake Up

Hilltop Hoods, Obese Lowlifes Restrung
The Herd, The King is Dead
The Herd, 77%
Midnight Oil, Truganini
Yothu Yindi, Treaty
Our Home Our Land, Respect for Eddie Mabo
Our Home Our Land, From Little Things Big Things Grow
Our Home Our Land, This Land’s Worth More than Silver and Gold
Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi
The Pixies, Monkey Gone to Heaven
Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On
Curtis Mayfield, If There’s a Hell Below We’re All Going to Go
Amos Lee, Shout Out Loud
The Impressions, People Get Ready

The Future of the Internet & How to Stop It

Yesterday I finished reading Jonathan Zittrain’s book The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It.

This is an excellent text with a lot of detail and which tells a very troubling story about the way technology and society are heading.

He starts with an outline of the history of the internet and how the conditions at that time enabled it to develop as an open network and the benefits that have arisen particularly through amateur coding. He then goes on to discuss the notion of generativity, and the rise in security related incidents as a trigger for the move to closed networks and tethered devices . In the last section of the book he uses this background to then discuss the solutions that need to be developed and implemented in order to ensure that innovation and progress can be achieved into the future whilst maintaining a reasonable level of security.

He suggests that a ‘lockdown of PCs and a corresponding rise of tethered appliances will eliminate what today we take for granted: a world where mainstream technology can be influenced, even revolutionized, out of left field.’ [at pg5]

Zittrain defines generativity as ‘a system’s capacity to produce unanticipated changes through unfiltered contributions from broad and varied audiences’ and suggests that there are three fundamental principles that must be kept in mind:

1. Our information technology system functions best with generative technology at its core
2. Generativity instigates a pattern both within and beyond the technological layers of the information technology ecosystem
3. Proponents of generative systems ignore the drawbacks attendant to generativity at their peril because these systems are not inherently self sustaining [at pg 64 - 67]

In assessing the generative capacity of technology there are five areas of consideration – how extensively a system or technology leverages a set of possible tasks, how well it can be adapted to a range of tasks, how easily new contributors can master it, how accessible it is to those ready and able to build on it, and how transferable changes are to others - particularly non experts. [at pg 71]

Generativity on one layer enhances generativity on other layers with the two central benefits being that which is derived from unexpected development and the inclusion of the public at large. The flow on effect from the technical layers is an open and vibrant content and social layer with culture, political, social, economic and literary pursuits all enhanced by an open and innovative environment. [at pg 74-80 & 93]

The impact of closed networks and tethered devices could be catastrophic with the enablement of perfect regulation. This includes contingent services whereby functionality is changed without users consent or at the request of a court. He suggests that attempts at regulating the internet have been less than perfect to date because the end points remain open. If this were allowed to change, content could be deleted, surveillance would be enabled, fair use will be lost, regulation will become cheaper and more convenient, and unlike the legal system, the effects would be immediate. [pg 101 – 122]

He urges readers to acknowledge that while there are immediate and short term threats posed by open networks, these also give rise to long term benefits. [pg 126]

Stopping the rise of closed devices and PCs requires: Some locks and enabling a level of security in which most can function without constant threat; new technologies, particularly those which allow enhanced community participation in reviewing and evaluating code; social norms supporting innovation, and multiple gatekeepers rather than just a handful of very powerful and profit driven commercial entities.

Zittrain sees the need for maintaining distributed control, unlimited bandwidth, the development of peer systems for rating content (Herdict as one example), individual liability for harm done on the internet rather than forced changes to technology, the need to provide consumer protection for closed software and networks including a ‘right of portability of data’, neutrality of the internet, an opening of devices to allow for third party applications, enhancement of privacy protections, and clarification of uncertainties with respect to intellectual property law (both copyright and patents) as being fundamental areas in which more can be done to ensure generativity is maintained. [at pg 5 & 159-172]

While I am not from a technology background (user not developer) I found this book both educational and interesting. I found the level of detail both (awe)inspiring and at times overwhelming and needed to summarise and take notes as I went – I would like to see a much shorter version for the people that he is trying to convert. Education of the general public is the central underlying purpose of the book and while it is an excellent text I'm not convinced he can do that without making the message much simpler.

While I think many people are moving to tethered devices more out of a desire for portability at the moment than because of security threats the consequences are the same.

I read this for pleasure as I openly acknowledge that I am not on the technical layer of the internet and am more concerned with the content and social layers, but I still got a lot out of it and would highly recommend it to others – but take your time with it – you cannot read this in a few days. It is available for free downloading on his website but I suggest purchasing as it is too long to read online, printing it will be much the same price and this is a book you will want to keep.

More information

Jonathan Zittrain, The Future of the Internet and How to Stop it (2008) <http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300124872?ie=UTF8&tag=jonatzittr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0300124872> at 12 August 2008

Jonathan Zittrain, The Future of the Internet and How to Stop it Website (2008) <http://futureoftheinternet.org/> at 12 August 2008

Draft: Philosophical Basis of Thesis

I have recently drafted the first chapter to my thesis which largely describes the theoretical basis for my project. As you can see there are web of interwoven theories which can be categorised into three streams – those which create positive community conditions, those which establish a negative community and those which contribute to what a refer to as a balanced community.

It is a work in progress and already I recognise that some of the expression is a little less than elegant and that I may need to do some more research in some areas. Since writing this (July) I have thought to add an overriding section which discusses cultural theory and the relationship between expression and society (imagine it sitting at the top of my chart if you will).

Sally

Chapter 1 Draft SHawkins 140708.doc

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Future of Music: Rock the Net

The Future of Music Coalition – a non profit organisation representing musicians and lobbying for musicians rights in the digital age (as opposed to copyright owners rights which are usually held by another entity such as a record label) – have recently released their Rock the Net compilation CD.

The disc features tracks from artists such as Wilco, Bright Eyes, Aimee Mann, The Wrens, They Might Be Giants and others. The CD is part of their campaign for net neutrality – ensuring that independent artists are given a level playing field by preventing the prioritising of internet traffic in favour of major label artists.

They write:

Network neutrality -- or Net Neutrality -- is the principle that preserves a free and open Internet. Net neutrality ensures that all users can access the content, or run the applications and devices of their choice.

Rock the Net is a nationwide coalition of musicians and labels that support net neutrality. We come together at this critical time to demonstrate to Congress and the FCC the music community's broad support for this principle. As musicians and entrepreneurs, we understand the importance of treating all websites equally -- from the busiest online music store to the smallest blog. We urge Congress to support network neutrality.

The CD is available from iTunes, eMusic, Amazon (both as a CD and mp3s) and Rhapsody.

More Information
Future of Music Coalition, Rock the Net <http://www.futureofmusic.org/rockthenet/> at 7 August 2008

So much for access to culture

As you know I have been researching protest music for the past few weeks and being located in a regional area this has not always been easy given the lack of independent music retailers. I have often had to resort to iTunes to get tracks. One thing that has become very obvious is the incompleteness of the iTunes catalogue.

Today I thought I would provide you with a brief list of some of the music I have been unable to access on iTunes:

Beastie Boys, In a World Gone Mad...
Bob Dylan, Chimes of Freedom
Bob Dylan, Political World
Billy Brag, The Price of Oil
Jonathan Brooks, War
Zack de la Rocha/DJ Shadow, March of Death
Luka Bloom, I Am Not at War With Anyone
Paula Cole, My Hero, Mr. President!
Lenny Kravitz, We Want Peace
KRS ONE, Illegal Business
KRS ONE, Who Protects Us from You
KRS ONE, Stop the Violence
Ani DiFranco, Not a Pretty Girl
Ani DiFranco, Face Up and Sing
Ani DiFranco, Lost Womans Song
Grateful Dead, Throwing Stones
Joan Baez, Silent Running
Dead Prez, They Schools
Midnight Oil – can not purchase any of their songs at all

These are just the songs I have started to keep track of – there were many more that I simply searched for and failed to find, and probably many more yet to come. Of course many independent and local artists are not available either. Some of these songs may be available on iTunes stores in other jurisdictions but for one reason or another have not been licensed to the Australian iTunes store.

When the Australian iTunes store launched in 2005 it had a meagre 1 million songs in its catalogue – while this has increased since this time, recent estimates of the US iTunes store catalogue suggest Americans can access 8 million tracks.

Often quoted as one of the reasons why people resort to file sharing, incomplete catalogues do a disservice to the public, musicians and industry as a whole. The beauty of file sharing is that any person with access to the network can upload their music meaning that many different variations of any song can be available to others.

While the EU looks to introduce a licensing scheme that overcomes many of the issues with respect to digital music store catalogues in that region, what really needs to be in place is a global licensing mechanism ensuring songs are available to all digital music stores quickly and easily (and the removal of all DRM). This would be the next best thing to the licensing of file sharing itself.

Further Reading
Digital Music News, Commission: Let the Pan-European Licensing Begin... (16 July 2008) <http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/071608eu> at 18 July 2008

Guardian, EU to introduce new music rights system despite lobby (15 July 2008) <http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jul/15/digitalmusic.digitalmedia> at 18 July 2008

SiliconValley/Associated Press, EU musicians oppose Europe-wide online royalties; outcome could affect iTunes (3 July 2008) <http://www.siliconvalley.com/news/ci_9776215?nclick_check=1> 9 July 2008

Digital Music News, The iTunes Store: Five Years, Five Billion Song Downloads (20 June 2008) <http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/061908itunes> at 26 June 2008

Apple, Apple Launches iTunes Music Store in Australia (25 October 2005) <http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/oct/25itms.html> at 7 August 2008

Defining and Describing protest music

As I mentioned recently I have been researching literature about protest music and how it can best be described and defined.

Predominantly political music can be identified by its lyrics and/or its use.

Lyrics which speak of events, moments in history and concepts and which more often than not educate, empower and encourage people to take some kind of action, are more readily identifiable as political music. Using this analysis, basic categories include:

1. Music that has either a direct or indirect intention of protesting or complaining against exploitation or oppression
2. Music that concerns aspirations for a better life or a more just society
3. Topical music, including satire of politicians, landlords and capitalists
4. Music concerning political philosophical themes and ethical ideals
5. Songs used for political campaigns for either parties or movements
6. Music which commemorates past and present popular struggles
7. Tributes to heroes and martyrs in the popular cause
8. Music which expresses international solidarity of the working class
9. Music which comments on industrial conditions and the role of trade unions
10. Music that protests against racial and sexual stereotyping
11. Songs which appeal for environmental sustainability and the adoption of renewable sources.

Another way of categorising political music is to look at its use or effect rather than its intention. This includes a sociological – anthropological analysis of the context in which the music is received, and includes:

1. Music that describes social issues and produces emotional responses
2. Music which solicits or arouses support for a movement
3. Music that reinforces the value structure of a group of individuals
4. Music that creates social cohesion, solidarity and morale
5. Music that recruits new members
6. Music that provokes action and solutions to social problems
7. Music that consoles and counteracts despair when social change that is hoped for is not forthcoming.

While these categories typically overlap, my task at the moment is to find examples of each of these and to describe the context in which they have been created and used. Protest music takes two forms - the anthem which serves a holistic motivating purpose and the narrative which tells a story.

Further reading
Ed. James Lull, ‘Popular Music As Communication’ (1987) 39-41

Music with a Message

Here are some of the songs I will be playing on my radio program this weekend. As you can see there are both a range of topics and styles. I have been interested to read about the differences between anthems and narratives – most of the songs I have played to date have been anthems but this week I have added a few narratives in.

Narratives are songs which tell a story, advocating for political change, they describe injustice through specific examples. One such song from this list is Bob Dylan’s song about the Boxer, Hurricane, who was targeted by the police because of his colour and found guilty of committing a triple murder. The decision was later challenged and eventually the charges were dropped.

Ice T, Freedom of Speech
Tom Robinson Band, Glad to Be Gay
Peter Tosh, Legalise It
Peter Tosh, Fight Apartheid
Stevie Wonder, Its Wrong (Apartheid)
Simple Minds, Mandela Day
Bob Dylan, Hurricane
Talib Kweli, The Proud
Madness, Waiting for the Ghost Train
Hilltop Hoods, Stopping All Stations
David Dondero, Pre-lnvasion Jitters
Red Gum, I was only 19
A Perfect Circle, Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drum
Country Joe & The Fish, I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag
Donovan, Universal Soldier
System of a Down, Boom!
Jimi Hendrix, Star Spangled Banner
Morrissey, America Is Not The World
John Mellencamp, To Washington
Billy Bragg, Bush War Blues
Pink, Mr President
Barry McGuire, Eve of Destruction
Sarah McLaughlin, World on Fire
Michael Jackson, Heal The World
Eurythmics, Peace is Just a Word
James Brown, Peace in the World

Further Reading
Wikipedia, Hurricane (song) (30 July 2008) <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_(song)> at 6 August 2008