During my morning routine today (which consists of cursing the cat as I have to hop over her every 2 feet, peeing, making a pot of coffee, and reading my feeds) I caught a post from Ed at the Old Blue Bus that made me think. And agree.

It is sort of ironic that marketing companies, from larger music labels solicit me to post reviews and even just a link on my site. LTM isn’t huge, we’re not Pitchfork Media or Stereogum. I write LTM because I like to, and one of the main reasons I do it is to showcase music that I like or Damon likes and hope that someone else will like it too. LovetheMusic = SharetheMusic = everyone’s happy. The band, the fans, me, whoever.

On the other hand, I was recently sent a CD by a band that will remain unnamed. I told the guy who sent it to me I’d try to have something up on it within a week. He’s pretty good about the music he sends me; the bands he represents are all pretty worthy.

But, the particular band that will remain unnamed, upon listening, made my stomach churn. They’re AWFUL. I did not enjoy it AT ALL. So, I refuse to post anything on it. I’m not in the habit of listening to CDs and then bashing them on LTM. We’re not exactly a ‘review’ site, although our domain names belies it. I post music I like/love, and Damon does the same.

Also, it is pretty much bullshit that the RIAA and Clearchannel and whoever else monopolizes the music market allows major record labels to send CDs to me and Ed and whoever else, expecting reviews and links and support (for free, of course, they don’t pay us. At least not me. If I’m supposed to be getting money for this, send me an email) and then they turn around and bitch about the rampant availability of mp3s on the internet. And Ed also mentioned that he couldn’t post mp3s from the albums he discussed in his post because he wasn’t allowed to. Well, hello, Major Record Label, how do you expect someone to buy the CD without listening to some of it first? We’re way poorer than you and you expect us to drop 20 bucks because we can see the album cover and someones words saying its kinda good? Fuck you. You may be richer, but I’m sure you are NOT smarter than me. I wasn’t voted the Worst Company in America by the Consumerist (RIAA) and 80 percent of the population doesn’t wish me a painful death.

The reason why mp3 blogs like mine and Ed’s exist is to bypass all the commercial bullshit you hear on the radio 4 times in ONE hour. We are here so the little bands that the big guys think won’t sell 3 million records WILL sell 3 million records and actually deserve it. We’re here to promote GOOD music and not the bubblegum crap that people listen to because they’d rather not THINK about what they’re singing along to. That’s an article for another day, though.

Happy sailings on this fine Monday. Jam until the jammin’ is through.

Love,

Jen