Music Fans And The Internet Converge And Flourish

By Madison Lockwood

Virtually all established music artists maintain web sites – or their record company does it for them. Some use them as a personal connection for fans, by providing periodic blog entries. It’s a tool to sell a few CDs from past years, announce show dates and provide some connection for the fans. There are also hardcore fan sites, especially for veteran bands like the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, who have assembled twenty five or thirty years worth of fans. True also for musicians who have been gone for a long time; you can find many sites for Elvis and others for ground breaking rockers like Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly.

Many of the newer acts maintain web sites, but virtually all of the emerging musicians who are aggressive use multiple resources on the web. The biggest online phenomenon in the music business has been the emergence of MySpace and, to a lesser extent, other social networking sites such as Pandora and Pure Volume. For some bands, MySpace has supplanted the need for a personal website.

By the end of 2005 more than 600,000 bands were using MySpace to upload songs and videos, announce shows, promote albums and interact with fans. The reason? There are 50 million potential fans on MySpace, and many of them use the site to search for new music as well as established acts. MySpace has acted on the remarkable marriage of music, listeners and their web site by starting a record label.

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Established acts like Nine Inch Nails and Madonna, Wheezer and Depeche Mode have previewed albums and videos on the site, prior to releasing them. MySpace Music is a prime convergence point for bands and fans. The lead singer for Dashboard Confessional believes that MySpace is what drove the band’s success, leading to their record contract.

What sets MySpace and similar sites such as Pure Volume apart from the web presence of established music powers like MTV.com and Rollingstone.com is the inclusiveness inherent in a social networking site. All artists are welcome on MySpace, from Christian rockers to death metal thrashers. Also important is the format: everything on the site is linked to something else. Click on a user’s image and you’re sent to a profile featuring pictures, blogs, personal interests and links to cyber pals and bands. Keep clicking and you’re sent to more profiles and search results.

The regional rock act Coppermine out of Brooklyn is an example of the promotional power of MySpace. Jonathan Buck, guitarist and lead singer of the group says his band’s profile on MySpace has drawn nearly 300,000 visitors. The band can instantly distribute messages and news to more than 115,000 MySpace users who have added Coppermine as a ‘friend’ on their profile. With that network in place, Coppermine no longer has to devote time and money to flooding radio stations with CDs or plastering concert posters around town.

Record labels understand that the Internet is the most effective promotional and communications device out there. Radio is more constrained; formats are fewer and the consolidation in the radio industry has reduced airplay to safe, established acts. When’s the last time you saw a video on MTV, or at least a complete one? The Internet and its social networking sites have become the source of choice for both music and music videos for millions of fans.

About the Author: Madison Lockwood is a customer relations associate, specializing in small business development, for Apollo Hosting. Apollo Hosting provides

website hosting

, ecommerce hosting, vps hosting, and web design services to a wide range of customers.

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isnare.com

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Top Utility Knives Cut Like A Machete And Chop Like An Axe With The Woodsmans Pal

The Woodsman’s Pal is a 100% USA-made machete that will provide a lifetime of service. The knife, designed by a woodsman, can tackle tasks such as pruning, chopping, splitting wood, clearing brush and blazing trails despite its convenient, compact size. The Woodman’s Pal is not a new knife style-it’s been time-tested since 1941, military-issued from World War II all the way through Desert Storm. Once you try the Woodsman’s Pal, you may find it replaces all other utility knives you may own!

Lightweight (23 oz) and compact (17″ long), the Woodsman’s Pal serves as an extension of your arm. The length approximates that of the human forearm from elbow to knuckle, allowing you to tackle tough outdoors tasks as well as precision cutting, unlike most other utility knives. Split wood easily with the Woodsman’s Pal, or use the precision angle for skinning. The beveled edge is designed to cut through a tree limb 1½ inches in diameter with a single sweep. The Woodsman’s Pal features a hook that’s designed to grab, pull and cut brush, vines and more-simply sweep the knife back and forth to clear a trail. The knife also features an unsharpened toe for injury protection.

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The Woodsman’s Pal is available in four varieties-Woodsman’s Pal Classic, Woodsman’s Pal Premium, Woodsman’s Pal Compact and Woodsman’s Pal Long Reach. The classic model is 10.5″ long; 16.5″ overall with a 6″ ash wooden handle. The premium model-the military model-features a leather grip with a hand guard that’s welded to the tang. The design of the Woodsman’s Pal handle allows you to easily shift the knife from hand to hand, without losing any maneuverability. The Woodsman’s Pal Compact weighs 23 oz and is 14.5″ long, making it extra compact and convenient for backpackers and Scouts. It features the same leather grip and steel hand guard as the Woodsman’s Pal Premium model. The Woodsman’s Pal Long Reach features a 22″ long handle, but only weighs 14 oz. It’s perfect for cutting through leafy vegetation, rather than heavy-duty brush and vines like the other Woodsman’s Pal models. The longer handle allows for increased leverage while chopping. All varieties feature high carbon steel blades that provide maximum flexibility in both warm and cold weather.

The Woodsman’s Pal does all the work of most utility knives, but also works well to trim branches, clear trails, chop wood and more. When it comes to more detailed work like whittling sticks into points, shaving bark or splitting wood, the Woodsman’s Pal outperforms other machetes and utility knives. If you’re looking for a compact, well-built, all-in-one knife, add the Woodsman’s Pal to your collection of outdoor gear.

Article Source: sooperarticles.com/home-improvement-articles/kitchen-improvements-articles/top-utility-knives-cut-like-machete-chop-like-axe-woodsmans-pal-321156.html

About Author:

Christen Ronchetti is a freelance writer for Pro Tool Industries, a family owned and operated business located in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.We offer utility knives and handcrafted tools make one-by-one with care by our skilled artisans. Shop in-store or online for the Woodmans Pal, utility knives and more!Visit Protoolindustries.com.Author: Christen R