Sunday, June 07, 2009

In The Can

I was released from work Friday but I'm not panicking quite yet. The parting was on good terms and I have been told that I'd be called back once operations resumed later this summer, which takes a huge weight off of my mind. My widening job searches have been less than fruitless, they have been downright depressing- the Websites are chock-a-bloc with "$132 a Day Taking Surveys at Home", "Work From Your Own PC", " Now Hiring On-Line Psychologists" and similar grifting hucksterism, but damned few 'real' jobs are to be found -the kind that you get paid for doing, that is to say.

Note: If an electronically-delivered "job offer" includes a check-box asking you if you are interested in furthering your education or receiving vocational training, the "offer" is a scam. The "employer" wants your contact info, which will then be added to a huge mailing list that is re-sold to other spammers; for you, this means an in-box full of useless, possibly harmful spam to sort through...if it looks fishy, it is. Really.

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Unsolicited Plugs Department: Months ago, I received an email regarding a blog post I had written that passingly mentioned Jazz music- the email was from a music PR company that wanted to know if I would consider featuring one of their (Jazz) clients for my podcasts...I wrote back saying that I didn't play much Jazz, nor did I have a podcast, but I do have a radio program and I'd love to get my ears on some new music- my request was quickly granted and now a significant number of the new, 'under-known' artists that I feature have been introduced to me by the good folks at Ariel Publicity.

If you are a radio DJ or a podcaster, contact them and check out their service- you can find mp3s, bios, contacts and info on how to get more of what you need -all free! If I were still actively performing/recording, I'd be checking into that too.

I am also a big fan of Airplay Direct- if you are an indie radio DJ, I highly recommend signing up for their free service . It's a very user-friendly site that allows you to search using a wide range of criteria and the mp3 downloads are usually 320/kbs , which is as good as you can expect from an mp3. Again, if I were still writing/playing music, I'd want to be represented by AD.

Curiously, I was showing a fellow volunteer some of the CDs I recently received from [the services mentioned above] and he sneered at my new arrivals- "they have an agenda when they send you that shit", he declared.

"You mean beyond getting paid to promote bands?", I asked, "I mean, that's the whole point, right?"

"Exactly", he replied with cryptic smugness.

Then he departed, leaving me to wonder what the fuck he meant by "agenda".

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No disclosure required: I don't work for either one of the websites mentioned above, nor do I get paid for my radio work- but I do get easy access to great new music that I can share with my listeners:

The New Breakfast Snob, June 6, 2008:

Cafebar 401- The Trip We're On
Ross Phazor- Full Circle
Brian Stoltz- God, Guns and Money
Bob Dylan- Neighborhood Bully

Jennings- Doorway
Mary Jennings recorded her first CD as a way of dealing with the death of her mother. I can relate.
Stefanie Seskin- I Just Keep On

The Duhks- True Religion

XTC- Dear God
The banjo in 'True Religion' seamlessly cross-fades into the opening guitar notes of 'Dear God' and it's one of those perfect little moments that makes life worth living.

Peter Bayreuther-Wild Roses
Cary Grace- Undertow
Cary Grace might be my all-time favorite musician, ever. I say that based on one song (this one) and one photo (which features a synthesizer- a real synthesizer).

Bedtime Story- Little Magic Mushrooms
Nijole Sparklis-Parallel Universe
HuDost- Royal Mountain
Omar Alexander-Stolen From Me

Mythica- Don't Be
Clara Bellino- Potential Criminal
This is a deceptively biting song, told from the POV of a newly-naturalized U.S. citizen - "I now have the right to be a potential criminal".

The Old Haunts- Not Hopeless
AceNoface-Snakes
Anyone who can work Garry Kasparov and Indiana Jones into a pop song is OK in my book, Face or otherwise.

The Purrs- Loose Talk
Underwhelmed-Freak
Cursive- Retreat!
More sacrilege!

Shawn Farley- Lakewater
Spy For Hire- Motorcycle
Kelly Richey- I Want You

Lisa Bianco-Already Gone
Anoushka- Good Girl Gone Wild
Blue Number Nine- Dig My Hands

It was a rockin' show.

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Help! Is there any non-trial freeware that is not named Audacity and can do what plain old Cool Edit Pro can do? My Cool Edit is trapped on my old PC and I am seriously jonesing for FFT filters and tyrannical amplitude control. If you know what I mean, then you know what I mean. 'Nuff said.

7 comments:

billy pilgrim said...

sorry to hear about the job.

are they planning to assemble teams to count the illegals and homeless?

Allan said...

BP- Thanks.
Yes, they are. I'll probably get rehired to do that,since I did it in 2000...

yellowdoggranny said...

that sucks bites and blows


i got a phone call from my daughter friday..she got laid off from her job too. being laid off in san francisco must be scary.


im so sad for both of you..

Craig D said...

Well, I have six weeks left and am counting 'em down. The "real jobs" were nearly impossible to find two years ago and NOW? It's either become a HVAC technician or learn to drive the big rigs.

Can't help you with the non-Audacity quest, though that's what I've been using for the past few months.

AngelConradie said...

What on earth does he mean by "agenda"? They ask if you want to play some new music and they send you the CDs...
I am so sorry about your job, but I hope they call you back real soon.

Citymouse said...

gee Allan... sorry about the job. I think maybe you should consider starting your own internet radio station, getting ads, and getting paid that way.

the blogger formerly known as yinyang said...

I don't know what else to say except sucks about your job, but at least it's not permanent.