Catnip polarises America!

The hubris of my last post is worthy of a Greek tragedy. After reading the frankly hilarious Catnip video reviews on iTunes US, I have started to wonder whether I really meant what I said. How could anyone get so angry about something as harmless and fun as Catnip? I can't help but think that the more vitriolic reviews say more about the reviewer than the video itself.

But all this did set me thinking. Don't the reviews make for an interesting snapshot of America? They could even be seen as a microcosm of a completely polarised country evinced in the November 4th presidential election (which is also my birthday weirdly enough).

I'm not suggesting that everyone who got hot under the collar is a McCain supporter, or that all the wonderful and beautiful people who valiantly defended my work are Obamaheads, after all many of the reviewers are probably not old enough to vote. But the reaction to Catnip has shown in an unusual and unexpected way 2 sides of an amazing and bewildering country, and make me realise why I both love and fear the United States.

I spend a fair amount of time there, and literally everyone I have encountered in any meaningful way is both open minded and intelligent. I think Stephen Fry puts it excellently in his podcast (Episode 2 - Bored Of The Dance) where he rails against the rampant anti Americanism that is rife here in Europe. Especially the ridiculous and offensive idea that Americans have no sense of irony. But whilst in the US, I do spend all my time in the cities, particularly San Francisco, which I know can't be viewed as representative. But can any single place or point of view be representative of such a multi-faceted country, especially one as divided as the USA?

Anyway, despite these ruminations I am left a little shellshocked, and have kept sane remembering (and completely twisting) the words of an early eminent American president:

"You can't please all of the people all of the time, or please some of the people all of the time or even please all of the people some of the time. You can however please yourself."

This is probably an unfashionable thing to say but...

As someone who's been writing and releasing music for nearly 14 years (crikey!), these are exciting times indeed. Not particularly good times, but most definitely exciting. The way that music is now distributed has fundamentally changed and there are many unforseen consequences and opportunities as a result of this seismic shift, some good some bad.

The digital behemoth that is iTunes is too often seen as simply a necessary evil by artists and labels, but given that someone was going to do it, I am broadly pretty positive about the way iTunes operates.

I'm not going to rehearse the familiar arguments about how much they pay the artists/labels for the music, how they are a virtual monopoly on digital music, or about how they're hastening the end of the album as a format for releasing music. But in my experience so far they have a healthy regard for music which isn't necessarily the most commercial (my music video Catnip has been chosen as the music video of the week for the front page of iTunes US and available for a free download - plug plug), and what's more on a personal level its the details about the site that I'm starting to dig.

The user reviews are something both frightening and exhilarating for me as an artist, as until now no one has really been able to tell me what the genuine punter - who isn't my mum - thinks about my work. Journo reviews are one thing, but reading these early customer reviews of Songs Without Words on iTunes USA (I particularly love the "strange and retarded" one - isn't that a compliment?) has given me an invaluable insight into what Joe Plumber thinks of my work. This can only be a good thing for me as an artist.

Ok, user reviews are not just as iTunes idea, but the way they are so front and centre of the iTunes shopping experience is excellent. Power to the people! Or to Steve Jobs! Or just maybe both.

Look what I saw in HMV on Oxford Street today

Made my week - especially as there was only 1 copy left! Can'y help thinking that was more to do with the amazing Drunkpark artwork though...

If you want to see whether you agree with HMV you check it on iTunes here!

Episode 2 of Catnip Cartoon up on Beatportal

The second part of my Catnip cartoon is now up exclusively on Beatportal!

If you thought the first part was good have a butchers at this...

Mondayclub TV

I've put up my Kyte TV channel in the sidebar. If you want to see what's been going on in Mondayworld, I'll be regularly updating it with video of my travels, studio sessions and other random bits and pieces.

And if you click the "Get And Share" button you can embed it into wherever you want, and it will automatically update the player with the new shows as they come up.

Promo DJ mix (again)

I just realised that the promo period for the DJDownload mix I did for Sonar has ended, so I've uploaded it it here:

Mike Monday's Sonar Mix

Mike Monday - I Am Plankton (Om) *
Tommy Four Seven - Eat Me - Mike Monday Remix (Brique Rouge)
Mike Monday - The 11 11 - Original Club Mix (Om) *
Mike Monday - I Am Plankton - Mikes Swim For It The Jellyfish Are Coming Dub Mix (Om) *
Tomski & Fredboy - Do The Tartelet - Mike Monday Remix (Tartelet)
Mike Monday - The Unanswered Question (Om) *
Worthy - Mummer - Mike Monday Remix (Katabatic)
Mike Monday - Salieri Complex - Extended Club Mix (Om) *
Mike Monday - Stargirl - Exclusive Sonar Remix (Om) *

taken from the forthcoming album on Om Records "Songs Without Words pt 1"

Weatherall Makes My Day

Whilst cleaning the house this morning, I decided to get a much needed musical fix from Andrew Weatherall.

I'm a big fan of the Get The Curse podcasts, as they get some great DJ mixes up, but this was the first time I'd had a chance to listen to the Andrew Weatherall - Rotters Golf Club one from early June.

When I was putting some serious elbow grease into waxing my kitchen table, at about 27mins in I was pleasantly surprised to hear a recent remix I did of Falko Brocksieper's 'Lament' come in.

Particularly ironic as one of the main reasons I was checking it out was to get some inspiration for the long list of remixes I'm about to embark on...

Glade Festival 08

The start of the rest of my life

I've just finished my second album "Songs Without Words Part 1", and am coming to terms with having a life again. I've spent the last 9 months holed up alone in the studio, and am now wondering what's next. Its been a difficult birth...

So I now have an opportunity to start this blog, which I hope will give an insight into what makes someone who writes and performs their own tunes tick. I'll be posting new tracks, videos, mixes as well as taking a camera on the road with me to put up anything that I find interesting, annoying or ridiculous.

Here's a link to a 30 minute DJ mix I did for the Om and DJDownload Sonar event. It's a sneak peek at some club remixes of tracks from the album as well as some of my recent remixes. Be quick as its only available to download free until 17th July:

Mike Monday's Free Exclusive Sonar Mix

Mike Monday - I Am Plankton (Om) *
Tommy Four Seven - Eat Me - Mike Monday Remix (Brique Rouge)
Mike Monday - The 11 11 - Original Club Mix (Om) *
Mike Monday - I Am Plankton - Mikes Swim For It The Jellyfish Are Coming Dub Mix (Om) *
Tomski & Fredboy - Do The Tartelet - Mike Monday Remix (Tartelet)
Mike Monday - The Unanswered Question (Om) *
Worthy - Mummer - Mike Monday Remix (Katabatic)
Mike Monday - Salieri Complex - Extended Club Mix (Om) *
Mike Monday - Stargirl - Exclusive Sonar Remix (Om) *

taken from the forthcoming album on Om Records "Songs Without Words pt 1"