So, that’s it then. The end of 2009.
Looking back over the notes, this was a pretty good year, and since I’ve blogged a fair bit of it (though with some significant gaps – must watch that in 2010), I thought I’d do a quick wrap-up of some of the highlights.
But let’s start with a lowlight.
I’ve been giving a lot of thought to New Year Resolutions for 2010, and of course, I came up with a lot of the usual stuff. I also came up with some stuff that was less usual, but not the sort of thing I wanted to spend a whole year doing.
For instance, in 2010, I would like to go without wheat, dairy, gluten, sugar, yeast, alcohol, caffeine and meat. But not for a whole year – and quite probably not all at the same time.
I’d also like to do some fun, cultural stuff and make resolutions about that sort of thing – more meals with friends, more movies, more books, etc.
But I didn’t want to make any of the usual New Year’s Resolutions – partly because it’s a bit boring, but also because I’m reluctant to commit myself to 365 days worth of something I’m not really going to stick at. A short burst would be okay – or perhaps a high-intensity kickstart into a more sensible habit.
And so I’ve come up with a plan. And it’s just as daft a plan as my one about photographing everything I eat and drink for a year which, incidentally, I’m still doing. People are going to roll their eyes at this plan, just as they do about the food one – but I’m getting used to that.
Krause celebrates her pre-release album promo
I spent the day at the offices of New Music Labs in Groningen. The morning was spent catching up with emails and phone calls, but by lunchtime, there was a steady stream of visitors bearing problems, questions and gifts.
Krause (above), who has a record deal with Sony, came to chat. I’ve consulted with her in the past, and she gave me a copy of the CD promo she’s managed to produce so far under that contract.
We had a lot of good ideas, and came up with some ways in which she could develop her online strategy, and I’m going to be working with her through More Canals to handle that side of things.
Lykle, Marco and Niels in Leeuwarden
Spent most of yesterday in the city of Leeuwarden, meeting with students and other interested parties at the Academie Voor Popcultuur, where Niels Aalberts, Marco Raaphorst and I talked as a group and with individuals throughout the afternoon.
Niels is an independent A&R/Manager who represents Kyteman (amazingly popular trumpeter who leads a hip hop orchestra in the Netherlands) and Marco is a composer, Creative Commons activist and sound designer for Propellerhead. Both are well-known music industry bloggers in Holland.
The session was really great, though of course, everyone had to speak in English because my Dutch extends to about four general purpose phrases, which wouldn’t have been very helpful at all.
Clutch and I went to the Isle of Jura over the long weekend on a bit of a adventure. All the details are over at the Dubber & Clutch blog, complete with videos and interviews, tasting notes and stories. But I thought you might be interested in some holiday snaps.
They look quite good if you ‘full screen’ them. It’s the little button with arrows on it on the bottom right that appears after you press play.
Clutch and I are off to Jura for the weekend. We’ve been invited to the launch of some new whiskies by the only distillery on the island.
We’re blogging it and posting video at the Dubber and Clutch website, as well as updating via Twitter (@twhisky), if you’re interested…
I'm the Director of MTF Labs, a Senior Researcher at the Industry Commons Foundation, advisor to ArtEO and founder of New Music Strategies.
I'm an author of books about technology, culture, music and radio. I'm also an award-winning broadcaster and filmmaker, a public speaker and lecturer, record producer and festival director. I am closely following developments in emerging technologies and the cultures and ethics surrounding them, and my projects typically focus on issues of justice, inclusion, and sustainability.
Most of my work involves surrounding myself with incredibly smart and talented people who would have no other reason to ever be in the same room as each other. That's when amazing things happen.
I tend to talk a lot about music (often jazz-adjacent and particularly on vinyl, but also playlists and mixtapes). I'm enthusiastic about food and cooking, the intersection of art and science, new technologies, vintage technologies, education, social progress, silence, innovation, narrative, data commons, culture, sound art and the spoken word. This blog will continue to reflect those diverse and shifting enthusiasms. I may also digress.
I'm from Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand, I have Scottish ancestry, I've spent a decade in the south of Birmingham UK, and another in a forest in the north of Sweden.
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