MusicMaster Blog

Whether or not you’ve managed to catch Tokio Hotel’s track “Monsoon” on the airwaves or rocked out to it via plastic guitar in the new release of Guitar Hero World Tour, you may be in for a surprise. Tokio Hotel is a German band found in 2001 by 12 year old identical twins, singer Bill Kaulitz and guitarist Tom Kaulitz. The band also features drummer Gustav Shafer and bassist Georg Listing and is Europe’s answer to the Jonas Brothers. Bill’s prepubescent vocals and wild “hair band” looks, along with the band’s catchy tunes and suprisingly mature musicality has made them into a teen sensation in Germany, where they have sold nearly 5 million CDs and DVDs. Their first album, Schrei, was released in 2005 on Island Records and sold a half a million copies worldwide, while earning four top five singles in Germany and Austria. Two years later, the band released a second German album, Zimmer 483, along with an English album Scream. Together, the albums have sold over a million copies worldwide, charting in the top slots in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Canada before reaching the United States. Since then, the band has won best InterAct at the MTV Europe Music Awards and Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards, beating out such greats as Metallica and Linkin Park.

The first hit single known in the U.S. as “Monsoon” is titled “Durch den Monsun” on the band’s first album “Schrei.” The original version of the track can be found on the U.S. album release of “Scream” along with the contemporary English version of the song. Notably, the original track is several keys higher, suiting Kaulitz’ then pre-pubescent vocals. Kaulitz’ voice has since deepened, though the members of Tokio Hotel have maintained the boyishness which has given them icon status among teens worldwide. Singer Kaulitz has even been immortalized in wax at the Madame Tussauds Berlin. At 19 years old, he is the youngest person featured in this museum.

Tokio Hotel has since returned to their studio in Hamburg, Germany, where they are working on a new album set to be released in both German and English in March or April of next year. Eager fans, however, can anticipate a behind-the-scenes DVD release “Tokio Hotel TV – Caught On Camera” to be released before the holidays.

For more, visit the bands official website.

Music video of the original: Durch Den Monsum (“Monsoon”) by Tokio Hotel

As a new feature, we’d like to bring you a “secret single” from a recent album release – one of those great radio-worthy gems that hasn’t been mined yet for airplay, but really should be. For our first undiscovered potential hit, we’d like to consider a track from the long awaited ‘Glass Passenger’ album, just released by Jack’s Mannequin.

Some months ago, we brought you a teaser of the new Jack’s Mannequin album ‘The Glass Passenger.’ The album, which Alternative Press had called one of the most anticipated of the year, was finally released on September 30, 2008, and debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200.

Band frontrunner Andrew McMahon has infused his uniquely soulful style into the album’s tracks. In the three years it took McMahon to perfect the album, each song became richly layered with instrumentation and personalized with McMahon’s poetic and emotionally charged lyrics. A highlight on the album is the song “Caves,” which chronicles McMahon’s battle with cancer. With voice ranging from raw-power to near-tearful, he sings of his darkest hours and eventual salvation.

Prior to the album release, the band put out the first two singles on an EP called The Ghost Overground: “Bloodshot” and “The Resolution,” the latter of which peaked at number 1 on Billboards Hot Tracks. While the early EP release highlighted two tracks that could fit nicely into a mainstream radio playlist, we’d also like to take bets on “Spinning,” a track that boasts the sort of catchy chorus and dance-worthy beats that have Top 40 audiences turning up the volume, bouncing in the drivers seat and banging a rhythm on the steering wheel. Admit it, we’ve all been there haven’t we?

Check out the full-length ‘Spinning’ track below and tell us what you think!

Technology has come a long way in the past half a century. Today, MusicMaster comes to you on a thin piece of plastic which contains all the instructions needed for your hardware to work it’s magic and bring you an interactive music programming environment. The programming language that we use to build MusicMaster gets translated into machine language that your microprocessor can understand. There, groups of binary numbers are manipulated. In binary language, 1’s and 0’s are the only letters of the alphabet, which when combined form words that physically change the circuitry of the computer to produce an effect. The process is quite complicated, but suffice it to say that “1” means a transistor should be on and “0” means off. An integrated circuit is made up of many transistors and working together, the combination of positive or negative electric pulse lead to things like Grand Theft Auto IV, Excel and – of course – MusicMaster.

But software wasn’t always so abstract. In fact, back in the days when NASA engineers were programming the guidance computers for the first flights to the moon, software was a new concept. And to carry software to the moon on Apollo, engineers turned not to plastic discs and integrated circuits, but to a textile mill and a group of elderly women who were expert weavers! The Apollo programs were contained in ropes that were packed full of thin wires running in or out of magnetic cores (pictured at right). If a wire went through a particular code, it represented a “1” in binary, while a wire that went around the core reprensented a “0.” Of course, a single wire could go through one core, skip two, go through one more, skip three, and so on. To build such a system, engineers essentially needed a weaving machine. At a texile manufacturing plant in Waltham, Massachusetts, older female workers – referred to as “little old ladies” or “LOLs” by the engineers, nimbly wove thousands of wires in and out of cores to create the ropes that made up the Apollo programs. To assist them, the United Shoe Machinery Company created a machine that held a rack of cores. The programmers inserted a paper tape with the code into a machine which controlled a needle eyehole which moved to the appropriate core given the instructions. The LOL would weave her wire through that core, and then the machine would reposition the cores so she could weave her wire back through the next appropriate core, and so on. Of course, this was not an easy process. It took many weeks to create the program ropes, and once they were done it was very hard to go back and make any changes in the code. Programmers had to be sure that their code was going to work for the mission, because up to four months prior to launch, no more changes could be made – no matter what.

Thankfully, it’s much easier to write and manipulate code for software today. Over the years, MusicMaster has changed to meet users’ needs in a changing world, and our users have enjoyed manipulating an interactive interface without needing to reweave wires. We’re not at an age yet where computers will understand casual human speech (“Computer, locate Mr. Spock”), but while we can say that programmers today must still dedicate time to learning the “ropes” of their programming language, it’s not in the literal sense of the word.

Today, on 08-08-08, the Olypmics began in Beijing, China. While millions around the world would tune in to watch the opening ceremony, viewers in China itself would fall victim to a last-minute government restrictions. Only those outdoor venues sanctioned by the government would broadcast the ceremony. This measure is only a part of a long-standing censorship in free media in China, sparked by fears that non-sanctioned or foreign reporters would broadcast anti-government content that would reach the ears of Chinese citizens and perhaps create dissidence. As a result of strict censorship, foreign correspondants in China have been hassled in the weeks leading up to the Olympics. Behind the Great Firewall of China, the government has taken back a promise to offer uncensored internet to foreign journalists in China, including blog-hosting sites used by both news corporations and individuals.

The censorship has incited a protest by a French group known as Radio Without Borders (or RSF for Radio Sans Frontieres). Using miniature antennas, RSF began a broadcast at 08:08 am local time in French, English and Mandarin, which was heard on 104.4 FM in different districts of Beijing. The twenty minute program featured RSF secretary general Robert Menard and several Chinese human rights activists urging the Chinese government to free imprisoned Chinese activists and private correspondants and stop jamming international frequencies. This program, according to the RSF, “is the first non-state radio station to have broadcast in China since the Communist Party took power in 1949. Only international Chinese-language radio stations broadcasting on the short wave would be able to break this news and information monopoly, but they are jammed by the authorities.”

RSF has planned protests throughout the Olympic ceremony and urges individuals on its website to cyber-demonstrate. RSF’s twenty minute broadcast may not have been enough to influence change, but it succeeded in it’s mission to be an embarassment to the Chinese government just 12 hours before the opening ceremony. The broadcast said: “It’s our way of saying to them: Despite everything you do, here are the voices of people you want to silence.”

Somewhere between 6 and 8am each weekday morning, nearly all of us are stumbling through a morning routine. The lucky ones among us are able to hop out of bed with enviable vigor to enjoy a quick workout and a bowl of Wheaties. The rest of us spend some time exercising our right to “snooze” and then perform some acrobatic combination of getting dressed, brushing teeth, and eating breakfast all while walking out to the car. As we pull out into the highway, however, the great majority of us then face the daunting task of the morning commute – and the even greater challenge of choosing a radio morning show that will have us walking into work wide-awake and well-informed. But for as many cars as there are pouring through the intersection through which we’d like to turn left, there are just as many preferences for the perfect morning show. How can a radio station tailor its morning content to deliver a fresh angle that’ll satisfy the majority of the jam?

Here at MusicMaster, we wanted to find out what the word was on the streets. We surveyed individuals aged 18 to 60 and simply asked them what they like and don’t like about their morning show of choice. Here’s what they had to say…

– 37.5% of them noted that they wished their morning show featured more music. One individual pointed out: “I listen to FM radio. If I wanted a lot of talk I would switch to an AM talk morning show.” Some of these respondents noted that while they do enjoy what the morning personalities have to offer, they would like to hear a few more songs in a row, rather than – as one put it – “all about what their kids did last night.”

– To that point, 50% noted that they did not like it when the morning radio personalities went on about their personal lives. While these topics can add to the liveliness and humor of the program, many of the listeners found that if they did not relate, they weren’t all that interested.

– Another 50% said they listen to the morning show specifically to hear news, weather and traffic. Some of these replied that they prefer news topics that are of general pop culture appeal or are offbeat, to give them “something to talk about with coworkers during lunch.” While half of these respondents specifically listened to an AM news talk radio stations, the other half listened to FM radio. Yet many of these FM listeners noted that by listening to this brand of news, their “IQ lowers by several points” based on the topics covered and the comedic slant.

– Despite this, 37.5% wrote that they do appreciate the humor of the radio personalities. Some preferred it in small doses mixed in with the meat and potatoes, while others tuned into their morning station specifically for the humor. One listener wrote: “their conversation (however pointless it may be) keeps me engaged and awake during my drowsy commute” while another wrote: “I want something that will keep me up to date on news, sports, weather, traffic, and celebrities, but in a way that really gets me pumped for the day ahead.”

In general, it seems that listeners who prefer hard core news will tune in to that brand of station, while the listeners who turn to their favorite FM stations – top 40, country, rock, urban, or whatever the case may be – are divided on whether or not they want talk or music. But nearly all of the listeners who got their news or entertainment from the personalities’ discussions wished that this talk covered topics of broader interest and in a manner that was witty and engaging, rather than mindless and repetitive. After all, with triple Venti lattes churning in the stomachs of stressed out nine-to-fivers, it’s not hard to find inane conversation and incessant guffaws to cause a bit of morning sickness.

As a style of music, Dixie is a form of jazz that developed in New Orleans in the early 20th century and spread to Chicago and New York City in the 1910’s. The style featured brass bands marches, ragtime, blues, and polyphonic improvisation of horns over a rhythm section featuring piano, guitar, drums, banjo, bass or tuba. With one instrument, typically a horn, playing variations on a melody, a ‘front line’ of other instruments would improvise around that melody. Standards from the Dixieland collection include “Basin Street Blues” and “When the Saints Go Marching In” and the work of Louis Armstrong’s All-Stars.

However, Dixie is also a cultural region of the southern U.S, typically including the eleven southern states that seceded from the Union to form the Confederacy in the time of the Civil War (South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee). This area, in the minds of those living there, is the traditional “Old South.”

The unofficial anthem of the Confederacy during the Civil War was known as “Dixie” or “Dixie’s Land” and was written in 1859 by composer Daniel D. Emmett, who was actually from the North. Though this was the first official use of the name Dixie, the origin of the word is found elsewhere. There are, in fact, three popular theories:

1. The term refers to currency that was privately issued from banks in Louisiana. The ten dollar notes were labeled “Dix” from the French word for ten, and known as Dixie’s by the English speaking residents in and around New Orleans. The Cajun-speaking parts of Louisiana came to be known as “Dixieland” with the term later encompassing the entire South.

2. The word might also refer to Mr. Dixy, a perhaps mythical slave owner on Manhattan Island, where slavery was legal until 1827. As Dixy was so kind to his slaves, they longed to go back to “Dixy’s Land” upon being freed. This term, reflected in Emmett’s tune “Dixie’s Land” came to refer to a mythic place of happiness and material wealth. Whether or not Emmett brought the term to the south with his ballad or if it was already established is a matter of debate.

3.Some others believe that the term came from the Mason-Dixon line, a territorial boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania that divided the United States into the northern and southern states. Though it was established in the 1760’s, it became the demarcation between free states and slave states in 1820.

Whether you live in the south or have simply passed through, and whether you collect Dixieland Jazz or simply can hum a few bars of “When the Saints Go Marching In,” you’ve been exposed to this historically rich cultural bouquet. Whichever of the above theories is correct, we find it interesting to reflect on the history of the term. Which do you think holds the most weight?

If the push for online radio content and next year’s introduction of digital radio has got you anticipating big change, you’re in company with Paul Thompson, founder and CEO of DMG Radio Australia. Feeling that these events have created a “natural watershed to retire” the 65-year old CEO of DMG Radio Australia plans to step down to a non-executive chairman role in October, leaving control of the business to managing director Cathy O’Conner. Mr. Thompson states, “As radio transforms itself into a multi-platform medium, Cathy will be a CEO who ensures DMG’s leadership role in this evolution.” In keeping with the evolution, DMG is currently investing in digital media properties and creating a team responsible for providing content through station websites, including interactive advertisements and online promotions. DMG is also looking forward to the January 1, 2009 introduction of digital radio, which will allow broadcasts in higher-quality supplemented by content such as scrolling images and text.

Mr. Thompson’s legacy includes building two national radio broadcasting networks, first as the founding CEO of the Austereo Group, which he managed for 15 years before it was sold to the Village Roadshow. In 1996, Mr. Thompson was approached by the British Daily Mail & General Trust Group (DMG) and asked to consolidate regional radio stations to form DMG Radio Australia, which was later sold for $193.5 million to the Macquarie Media Group (MMG). In 2002, Mr. Thompson was one of two inaugural inductees into the Commercial Radio Australia Hall of Fame.

DMG Radio Australia has established eight FM and one AM stations in Australia, including the Nova music stations in Syndney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth – top FM stations among the 18 to 39 crowd, Star 104.5 on the Central Coast, the Vega stations in Syndney and Melbourne – aimed at the 40+ baby boomer crowd, and Adelaide’s number one talk station FIVEaa – DMG’s first purchase. In the time since its inception, DMG has invested around $550 million in Metropolitan licenses and currently employs over 500 people. DMG’s impact on Australian radio includes innovative strategies, such as increasing the impact of advertising by never playing more than two ads in a row. In addition, Mr. Thompson has aimed to counter the “standard” feel of radio by directing his programmers to play untested music in a broader variety, placing wildly differing genres back to back and eliminating the kind of radio that DMG stated “unfairly pigeonholed” its listeners.

Countrypolitan, also known as the Nashville sound, is a genre of country music that came about in the late 50’s in America. The style was characterized by crooning vocals, smooth strings, layers of keyboards and guitars, and backing vocal choirs. Whether or not you’ve heard the term “countrypolitan” used before, the style was created to bring country music to the mainstream. When Chet Atkins was asked to define the style, he jingled the change in his pocket and said, “It’s the sound of money.” The genre accomplished it goals by bringing pop elements to country music, replacing honky tonk as a dominant theme and favoring a wider audience. The movement was led by Chet Atkins, who headed the country division of RCA records. Countrypolitan music, officially termed in the late 60’s, frequently crossed over to pop radio but also dominated the country charts through the 70s and 80s.

Early artists such as Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline paved the way for the Nashville sound, but as the style evolved to become even more pop-like to compete with the Bakersfield sound, artists such as Tammy Wynette, Glen Campbell, Charlie Rich and Charley Pride guided its course. A split in country music formed: country listeners supported the Bakersfield and outlaw country artists, while Countrypolitan artists introduced their version of country music to the pop crowd.

Recognizable country tracks such as “I Fall To Pieces” by Patsy Cline (1961), “The End of the World” by Skeeter Davis (1963) and “Make the World Go Away” by Eddy Arnold (1965) dominated during the days of the Nashville sound. Later music, officially termed Countrypolitan, included “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis Presley (1969), “(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden” by Lynn Andrerson (1971), and “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell (1975) as well as tracks by Charley Pride, Charley Rich, Conway Twitty and Ronnie Milsap. A group of backing musicians known as the “Nashville A-Team” personified the versatility of the Countrypolitan style, incorporating pop and jazz into their recordings. With an assortment of talented members such as Hank Garland, Floyd Cramer, Bob Moore, and Boots Randolph, this group performed backing instrumentation for Elvis Presley, Eddy Arnold, Chet Atkins, and many others.

While few artists of today can call themselves classically Countrypolitan, the music itself is finding its way to live on. In 1999, a group of industry leaders met at South by Southwest (a behemoth of a music convention in Austin, Texas), and discussed the promotion of a style of country music called Americana. This genre would give country music a way to showcase traditional music on the airwaves, bypassing the increasing shift by most country stations towards the more contemporary style mainstream listeners demand. What was once the ‘new school’ style of country has been overtaken by its own philosophy. Today’s country music is becoming even more pop-oriented, with artists such as Jewel, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Swift being featured on both pop and country stations. Today’s split between country pop and Americana has turned the tables on Countrypolitan fans, and those who once demanded modernization are now chanting “out with the new, and in with the old!”

This weekend, Disney’s original movie “Camp Rock” debuted to 8.9 million total viewers, becoming the network’s number 2 most-watched original movie debut, second only to High School Musical 2. The film, which features musical performances from the Jonas Brothers, drew 3.5 million kids age 6-11 and 3.4 tweens age 9-14, which, according to Disney, outnumbered the recent American Idol season premiere and finale on Fox. Starring Joe Jonas as astray rock god Shane Grey and Demi Lovato as the talented yet uncertain Mitchie, “Camp Rock” tells the story of talented teens fighting for stardom at a prestigious summer camp for wannabe rockers. Musical numbers include the cast performance of “We Rock,” as well as the Jonas Brothers’ “Play My Music.” Leads Joe Jonas and Lovato share the film’s musical motif “This Is Me” in a duo remniscent of High School Musical’s “Breaking Free” (performed by Zac Efron with Andrew Seeley and Vanessa Anne Hudgens). In February 2006, “Breaking Free” leapt from it’s #86 Billboard Top 100 debut to #4 and spent 54 weeks on the charts. After the immediate success of “Camp Rock,” we anticipate “This Is Me” becoming the next tweeniepop chart-stomper.

Also in the outlook for upcoming hits is the Jonas Brothers’ new single, “Burnin’ Up” from their soon-to-be-released CD “A Little Bit Longer.” At the end of the film, the ‘Jobros’ premiered the music video for “Burnin’ Up,” which also features David Carradine and Disney star Selena Gomez. The album, to be released on August 12, 2008, will be the third for Nick, Kevin and Joe Jonas. “Burnin’ Up” was officially released to radio stations on June 20.