Info Dump

So what did y’all think of Episode #2? It’s refreshing to see a sequel that’s better than the original. And it’s only gonna get better from here. We’re in the final planning stages for our next two episodes as we speak so stay tuned to www.thesideshowpodcast.com for more information about our upcoming shows. Also, if you haven’t done it already, check us out on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @SIDESHOWPodcast. We say a lot of funny/stupid/outlandish/awesome shit over there. Which reminds me…

Episode #2 featured an unusually insightful discussion from The SIDESHOWers about all the recent controversy over music streaming services and copyrights. After finally discovering the Interwebs last month, Randy Blythe and Mark Hunter took to Twitter with a vengeance, spouting off about…well, pretty much everything. Mostly though, they responded to this summer’s news about a bunch of heavy metal labels pulling out of Spotify, the latest controversial hotness sweeping the music industry.

Brian, Nick, and yours truly had a LOT to say about this and we barely even scratched the surface in Episode #2. It’s an ongoing topic we’ll continue to explore since it affects us directly both as podcasters and music fans. If you want to hear where the three of us stand on the debate, check out Episode #2. Before that though, educate yourself by checking out these links to get a better grasp on this sprawling debate:

Metal labels leave Spotify
http://www.metalinsider.net/digital-media/century-media-pulls-repertoire-from-spotify
http://www.metalinsider.net/digital-media/metal-blade-records-remove-entire-catalog-from-spotify
http://www.metalinsider.net/digital-media/prosthetic-records-pull-out-of-spotify

Spotify and its users/supporters respond
http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/091911spotifydefends
http://www.metalinsider.net/digital-media/spotify-defends-payout-structure
http://www.metalinsider.net/digital-media/exclusive-earache-records-responds-to-spotify-press-release
http://www.metalsucks.net/2011/08/08/century-media-pulls-out-of-spotify-buries-heads-in-the-sand/

The battle begins…
http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=10180&IdCompany=3
http://www.metalsucks.net/2011/08/09/century-media-responds-to-spotify-uproar-vince-responds-to-century-media/
http://www.metalsucks.net/2011/08/10/century-media-responds-again-the-spotify-debate-rages-on/
http://www.theprp.com/2011/10/01/news/metal-blade-ceofounder-brian-slagel-speaks-on-the-current-state-of-the-music-industry/

Important related information
http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/091311artistmakes

Then Randy Blythe arrived to the party…
http://www.theprp.com/2011/09/19/news/lamb-of-gods-randy-blythe-speaks-on-illegal-downloading-and-the-state-of-the-music-industry/
http://www.theprp.com/2011/10/18/news/lamb-of-gods-randy-blythe-speaks-on-the-internets-role-in-the-bands-early-days/

…and brought some friends.
http://www.theprp.com/2011/09/21/news/the-dillinger-escape-plans-greg-puciato-on-the-state-of-the-music-industry/ (More on this specifically in Episode #3)
http://www.gregpuciato.com/post/4506566952
http://www.metalinsider.net/power-tweet/metal-blade-record%E2%80%99s-brian-slagel-responds-to-chimaira%E2%80%99s-mark-hunter-about-spotify
http://www.metalinsider.net/interviews/chimaira%E2%80%99s-mark-hunter-discusses-his-twitter-outburst-the-%E2%80%9Cmisconception%E2%80%9D-of-the-music-industry (One of the best interviews you’ll read all year outside of www.officiallyayuppie and www.takeoverthegame.com)
http://www.metalinsider.net/lets-get-real-with-jeff-paulick/lets-get-real-with-jeff-paulicklets-get-real-with-jeff-paulick-727-how-awesome-is-spotify-you-ask
http://www.metalinsider.net/lets-get-real-with-jeff-paulick/let%E2%80%99s-get-real-with-jeff-paulick-810-breaking-down-century-media%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cspotify%E2%80%9D-press-release
http://www.metalinsider.net/lets-get-real-with-jeff-paulick/let%e2%80%99s-get-real-with-jeff-paulick-920-time-to-catch-up

As you can see, after you follow us (@SIDESHOWPodcast!), you should probably head over to @lambvox (Blythe), @chimairamark (figure it out for yourself), and @GregPuciato (duh). Two of the three also have their own blogs–http://randonesia.tumblr.com/ (apparently 140 characters couldn’t contain Randy’s full indignation) and http://www.gregpuciato.com/ (blogging since before it was cool). Whether you like social media or not, you can’t deny its influence or ability to connect fans directly to musicians they would never otherwise never get the chance to meet, much less speak with.

Again, to hear where The SIDESHOW stands in all of this, download Episode #2 on iTunes or listen to it right here at www.thesideshowpodcast.com. It promises to be just the first of many discussions about the changing landscape of music. And Randy too. Apparently, he hates Brian. Find out why in Episode #3, coming to a computer near you THIS SUNDAY!

HUGE thanks to our friends at Digital Music News, Metal Insider, The PRP, and MetalSucks for compiling all these articles, making sense of everything, and pretty much doing all the legwork on this so we didn’t have.

— the ROCK(jock)