These days the trend is to listen to music via the radio or (crappy) MP3 so the effects go mostly unnoticed.  However, a tipping point is now being reached where recordings are so loud they are actually harming the quality of the recording with audible annoyances.

Take Death Magnetic, an album recently released by Metallica.  The audio quality is so bad that it becomes an impossible listen.  The recording is highly compressed, brickwalled, distorted, clipped and lacks any dynamic range.  So much so, there’s now a petition for it to be remastered, and fans are forced to rip the version from Guitar Hero 3.

Album sales are down, single sales are up.  It’s a sign of another throw-away industry where punters have a relentless appetite for the new.  Along the way, those who enjoy their music for the longer term are penalised.

You can spend hours analyzing where it went wrong for Reading.  After last years amazing campaign (an 8th place finish), you have to wonder.  Even 24 hrs after relegation, I’m still gutted as a fan and you wonder “what if”.

So, here’s where I think it went wrong - perhaps this years premiership new boys can learn from this?

1. Lack of team spirit: last years team were on a high, very confident from promotion.  They were a consistent tight unit.  This year, after the loss of key players (Sidwell, Little, Sonko etc), the team was somehow disrupted.  The defense in particular was damaged.  You must build on a solid base.  Losing early games knocks your confidence, something that’s hard to regain.
2. Up-hill Run: sometimes you just meet opponents at the wrong time.  This year, it seemed Reading met their closest rivals when they were at their strongest.  Take Newcastle for example.  They were awful for most of the season, even in the relegation dog fight for a while, but of course, they met Reading after a revival of their own.  Basically, Reading failed to win the (also-rans) league within the (Premiership) league.
3. Lack of investment: this is the killer.  Since joining the Premiership, Reading have spent £5m (or, realistically nothing) on new players.   Reading were a Championship side punching above their weight in the Premiership.  Except, the Premiership doesn’t stand still, it gets tougher each year.  Eventually, a puffing team tires out.  Investment means continuous buying of quality players.  The players are everything (& the manager, of course).  Football is business, but it’s a black & white business.  Results are a clear reporting tool.

The big question now is…

Will Steve Coppell leave?

I don’t think any fan wants Steve Coppell to go.  He’s done a fantastic job.  But, if you think about it from Steve’s point of view, I suspect he feels he’s hit a ceiling.  The problem is that John Madeski (the owner), for whatever reason, does not/or can’t invest the required amount.  Madeski just doesn’t believe in the quantities of money being thrown around in the Premiership.  Steve Coppell is a great manager, but is he fulfilling his potential.  Does he want the battle of taking a side to the Premiership (again), or a fair battle in the Premiership?  I don’t know.  We all have to wait and see.

If Steve does leave, I fear for Reading.  It’ll be rebuild time, and no bounce back to the Premiership next year.

Really, Reading need a new investor.  Anyone know any billionaires?

Update 21/5/08: Coppell commits future to Reading - next question - will money be available to boost the squad? If so, the chances of returning to the promised land are good!

From mikedolbear.com.

This year Drummer Live has become part of the mega “London International Music Show”.  So, we now get Guitar Show, Drummer Live, Sound Recording & Technology and Unplugged all for the price of a single ticket.

Good value, but I fear it will be even less intimate than it already was.  ExCel, its home, doesn’t help.

Still, I have tickets - it’s hard to resist Derico Watson (Victor Wooten Band), Ray Luzier (Korn & Army Of Anyone), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chilli Peppers), Pete Ray Biggin (Mark Ronson), Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour), Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree), Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin & Foreigner)

My favourite UK event returns for its 10th year.  Features a full retail village and will include performances from:

TERRY BOZZIO / THOMAS LANG / STEVE WHITE / RUSS MILLER / KEITH HARRIS / JEREMY STACEY / MIKE TERRANA / CHRISS PENNIE / DOM FAMULARO

• Birmingham NEC Forum - Sat 13th July 2008
• Sheffield Megacentre - Tue 15th July 2008
• Northampton, Park Inn - Thu 17th July 2008
• Brentwood Centre - Sat 19th July 2008

Or, browse from the wider range they offer.

Drummers playing include Brian Bennet, Clem Cattini,  Bob Henrit, Ric Lee, Bobby Orr and Nigel Shipway.  Good raffle too.

Thursday 28th February at Rivermead, Reading, UK.

£15 a ticket (or £10 for students).

So you don’t give away the personal details of 25 million people again, try these simple tips:

1. select name, national_insurance_number from person
2. use the friggin’ internet to transfer the above result set

It’s not difficult and doesn’t cost a fortune to implement. I’ll code it for you.

http://www.spotswoodcustomcomputers.com/

http://www.aglassandahalffullproductions.com/ (thanks Karl for the link)

Video Transcript

We open on purple recording studio wall.

A title appears: A Glass and a Half Full Production.

We start listening to the first sounds of ‘In The Air Tonight’ by Phil Collins.

The camera slowly pans down as we hear the keyboard’s atmospheric intro. When we start listening to the first lyrics we spot a hairy thing in the edge of the frame. As the camera keeps panning, the mysterious figure gets revealed.

We realize that in front of us is a gorilla.It looks calmly to camera. Phil continues singing: ‘I can feel it coming in the air tonight.’

The massive Gorilla stares at us - concentrated.

We are almost sure that he knows we are filming him, but his eyes look through and beyond the lens. ‘I’ve been waiting for this moment for all of my life.’

The gorilla focuses back on the camera. All we see is neck and head . And hair.

The camera gently zooms out revealing the Gorilla’s surroundings. We see more of the studio.

And we discover a series of metallic things around him.

We realize that the Gorilla is sitting in front of a massive drum kit. One of those Eighties big kits with loads of things to hit. Loads of tom-toms, hi-hats, double bass drum, etc.

We know that the best drum solo in the whole history of rock - ever - is coming. The Gorilla knows it too.

The Gorilla hits the drums with passion and vigour. Elegance meets power. He’s phenomenal on the drums - feeling every beat.

The camera leaves the ape and his drum kit in the studio.

The screen fades to purple. We see a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar of chocolate appear above the words ‘A Glass and a half full of Joy’.