Darren Hemmings
@mrtrick.bsky.social
I run Motive Unknown. Music maker. Gardener. Failed meditator. I also write the Network Notes newsletter: https://networknotes.motiveunknown.com
Great non-profit site created by @mrtrick.bsky.social – provides companion guides to music books, listing every song/album mentioned, in the order of appearance in the book. The page on David Toop's Ocean of Sound is my favourite so far. www.soundtrackthepage.com/ocean/index....
Ocean of Sound — David Toop — Soundtrack The Page
Every record David Toop names in Ocean of Sound, chapter by chapter, in the order he names them, plus his full discography.
soundtrackthepage.com
As rumours continue that a well-known indie is potentially heading for a sale to a major, I wrote a few thoughts on indie sales in general, and how we're going to see more and more of it. Read on below...
🔵 Is a legendary, globally-known indie about to sell up to a major?
Rumours abound... but there's a point here most are missing
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
I wrote a few thoughts about how we now need action more than just words if we are to prevent the majors swallowing the music industry whole. But there are companies out there bringing options, and so there are options. It's not all bad, I promise!! Read on below...
🔵 Want to take on the majors? Stop talking, start acting.
The only way to take on the majors is by out-manoeuvering them - and some companies are starting that fight.
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
I wrote a few words about how the Universal/Downtown situation is getting personal, but that it really misses one pretty fundamental point. Read on below!
🔵 Universal/Downtown gets personal, but it all misses the point
Irrespective of who wins, nobody is working to raise the value of music itself
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
This didn't come as a shock; more of an "I knew it!" kind of sentiment, but hats off to London Centric for confirming what I think Londoners sensed was the case.
The real 5G conspiracy: How Londoners are being lied to about their phone signal
Plus: We reveal how much the capital's councils actually make from festivals in their parks.
open.substack.com
Inspired by a JonWayne video I watched, I wrote a few words about how we in the music industry might be focusing on the wrong places to build audiences that might actually drive sales and revenue. Dive in below...
🔵 Reviewing the "time spent to money earned" ratio for artists
Is time being spent in all the wrong places?
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
The turns of phrase in this AC/DC piece elevate it to high art. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Someone give this piece ALL THE AWARDS. I shall share two examples....
Three Album Run: How Rock Music Never Bettered AC/DC's Powerage, Highway To Hell & Back In Black | The Quietus
The Beatles? The Stones? Led Zeppelin? Please... when it comes to rock, no one comes close to these three consecutive AC/DC albums
thequietus.com
A rare exclusive today, detailing how NTS has taken out a loan with Universal that, if defaulted on, will see the major taking ownership of the entire NTS business: properties, IP, the lot. Not a great development for the indie music landscape.
🔵 Exclusive: Universal tightens its grip around NTS Radio
Another grim development in the indie landscape
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
I wrote a few thoughts about how I feel Universal is, if anything, battling to remain relevant amid changing times and a fundamental shift in where the power sits in the music space - that is, solely with the artists. More below…👇🏻
🔵 Universal isn't winning. It's panicking.
Don't believe the hype: the biggest major is far from sitting pretty
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
Here's a sentence I never saw myself typing today: that new Hawkwind album is magnificent. Absolutely loving it. album.link/gb/i/1799083...
album.link
I wrote a few words about the music industry and AI. And whilst I think some people would rather stick a fork in their eye than read another post about AI, I'd argue that this piece is recognising that, and calling for a bit of calm amid the constant doom-mongering. Read on below...
🔵 Finding calm amid the AI insanity
Why this might not prove as bad as people think...
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
Think you don't need an official artist website in 2025? Think again...
🔵 AI is reinforcing the need for artist websites
Why managing your artists' narrative is more important than ever
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
These people sound like AWESOME fun to be around. Proper "tell me you fall for every TikTok trend going without actually saying so" vibes. Anyways, BRB: just off o 'biohack' myself into relaxation with 4 pints of Moretti. #OKthanks
Good uses of AI? OK - how about having it create an image of Brian Blessed as an 80s rapper? You're welcome.
I have long held a theory that the quality of Ministry's albums has risen and fallen in direct correlation to the shittiness of whoever the US president is. So it's not a shock at all to see that their new one is a belter, LOL
Driving Him Nuts: Squirrely Years Revisited Is Ministry's Best Album In Decades – | The Quietus
Al Jourgensen has finally gotten over hatred for his early music and subtly reworked it... into Ministry's best LP in years
thequietus.com
God I love this clip. The comments are great too.
FANTAZIA 15th MAY 1992 UK RAVING MORNING GURN TIME LOL
YouTube video by H4NDCRAFTED
youtube.com
Man this free acid/303 synth from Crow Hill is far too much fun. In no time at all you're laying off mad sqwonking acieeeed action and it's bloody marvellous thecrowhillcompany.com/vaults/
Vaults
FREE Virtual Instrument for anyone who treasures sound
thecrowhillcompany.com
Goddamn - did the London date sell out already @bugpressure.bsky.social? Went to grab my tix and everywhere seems to have sold out! Congrats on that - not so good for me though LOL!
This is the common theme through my interviews with bands, like @aplaceforowls.bsky.social, @lasfindelmundo.bsky.social, @casperskulls.bsky.social and more. Great bands, playing their hearts out and trying to build communities around their music.
Today's Network Notes looks at the lack of subcultures, and how building local scenes - both online and off - could be the key to really creating groundswells of interest again at a time where paths to audiences feels weirder and harder than ever for emerging artists.
🔵 We need subcultures and scenes back - both online and off
Why small communities could be the key to breaking future scenes and talent
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
Christ that London date sounds ferocious. SEE YOU THERE!
@bugpressure.bsky.social · last yr.Upcoming The Bug presents 'Machine' tour dates for the 1st half of 2025... No mcs for these shows, strictly rhythm, bass and noise..😉 🔊🔥
I didn't realise there was a new Kutmah album out. Well worth a listen: album.link/s/5XOWrqMPiN...
Sacred Conversations by Kutmah
Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.
album.link
Listen back to yesterday’s Soho Radio special in which @mrtrick.bsky.social and I shone a spotlight on the interconnected careers of 3 musical outlaws, Roberta Flack, Eugene McDaniels and Les McCann www.mixcloud.com/sohoradio/wr...
Tune in, on now!
wrongtom@wrongtom.bsky.social · last yr.Tune into Soho Radio at 6pm GMT to catch @mrtrick.bsky.social and I playing records from the intersecting careers of Roberta Flack, Eugene McDaniels and Les McCann and marvel as we get sidetracked along the way discussing everything from Superman III to De La Soul's xmas record sohoradiolondon.com
Tune into Soho Radio tomorrow from 6 til 8pm GMT when I'll be chatting with my old radio compadre @mrtrick.bsky.social while we delve into the interconnecting catalogues of 3 musical outlaws, Roberta Flack, Eugene McDaniels and Les McCann sohoradiolondon.com
I fed over 900 comments on a BBC article about Spotify's payouts into ChatGPT, asking it to perform some sentiment analysis to get a snapshot of how people feel about the platform in 2025. The results are certainly telling....
🔵 Spotify payouts: what Joe Public thinks
I fed 900+ comments into ChatGPT to run a sentiment analysis, and the results are... telling.
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
It's a sign of changing times that I'm seeing about 99 negative comments for every positive one on this Spotify article - and there's over 800 comments.
Spotify pays $10bn to music industry as debate over royalties continues
The figures come as debate continues about how much money artists and songwriters receive in royalties.
bbc.co.uk
The latest Network Notes just went up, this time looking at this rumoured Spotify AI remixing feature that will let users (apparently) remix songs on the platform and share to social media. Who benefits? Arguably not the artists...
🔵 Unpicking Spotify's rumoured AI remixing feature
How this next step might just be the straw that breaks the camel's back
networknotes.motiveunknown.com
