<![CDATA[Off The Record - Features]]>Sat, 20 Aug 2011 18:04:39 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Return of the Vinyl]]>Wed, 11 May 2011 13:01:15 -0800http://www.offtherecordmusicblog.com/4/post/2011/05/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit1.htmlBy Brendan Harte Gilsenan

In downtown Harrisonburg on the second floor above Oasis Art Gallery sits a Jerry Garcia lookalike in a cluttered room. He wears a red tie-dye shirt that reads, “Cosmic Debris – A Real Record Shop.” More than 25,000 used records cover the tables in this small rented office space. Although Steve Cape only opened Cosmic Debris in Harrisonburg a year ago, he has been selling used vinyl for the past 26 years.

During that time, he saw the sales of vinyl decrease with the introduction of the CD. However, he noticed a rejuvenated interest once digital music caused people to feel too distanced from the product. While CD sales have continually slumped during the last decade, vinyl has been seeing resurgence. According to Billboard, the format saw a 14 percent increase in sales from 2009 to 2010.
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]]><![CDATA[Absolutely No Brown M&M's]]>Sun, 08 May 2011 20:59:33 -0800http://www.offtherecordmusicblog.com/4/post/2011/05/absolutely-no-brown-mms.htmlBy Brendan Harte Gilsenan

Absolutely no brown M&M’s. Van Halen was notorious for making this request during the 1980s. For every concert they performed, there was a laundry list of demands.

From the quirky to the bizarre, unique requests are made all the time by artists performing at shows. Over the years James Madison University has hosted numerous musicians, and the University Program Board has been no stranger to these tendencies.
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Appears in the May issue of JMU's music magazine, Off The Record
]]><![CDATA[Where Are They Now?: Mike Corbett]]>Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:27:58 -0800http://www.offtherecordmusicblog.com/4/post/2011/04/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit.htmlBy Brendan Harte Gilsenan

“Once Guns N’ Roses is done you guys can sound check.” Excuse me? Did you he Guns N’ Roses?

In early 2010 Mike Corbett and the rest of Midnight Spin found themselves unexpectedly sharing the bill with ‘the most dangerous band in the world’ (or at least Axl Rose’s current version of it). At first the band was pissed that their sound check for a show at the former CBGB was pushed back. But once they found out why… “We were like, ‘Holy Shit!’” says Corbett, an ’06 JMU alum.
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Appears in the April issue of JMU's music magazine, Off The Record
]]><![CDATA[Izzy Stradlin: Life On His Own]]>Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:41:23 -0800http://www.offtherecordmusicblog.com/4/post/2011/01/izzy-stradlin-life-on-his-own.htmlPicture
By Brendan Harte Gilsenan

Izzy Stradlin found fame with the biggest, and most dangerous band of the 1980’s and the early 90’s. As a founding member of Guns N’ Roses he toured the world, sold millions of records, and wreaked havoc upon countless hotel rooms. However, at the height of the band’s career, Stradlin suddenly quit in late 1991. The fame, and all the baggage that came with it, was something that Izzy never truly wanted at all.
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]]><![CDATA[Springfest Music Hits Obstacles]]>Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:08:02 -0800http://www.offtherecordmusicblog.com/4/post/2010/04/springfest-music-hits-obstacles.htmlPicture
Pictured: Mike Lehman (yellow hat), Matt Sullivan ('zombie' t-shirt)
By Brendan Harte Gilsenan

The past three years senior Mike Lehman has performed at the James Madison University (JMU) Springfest in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The scene is nothing new to him. For this year’s event, Lehman adopted the privilege and responsibility of determining and booking which bands were to perform at the outdoor party. Without the backing of the University, Lehman tackled the challenge of organizing the festivity’s live acts all on his own.

Springfest, which took place for the fourth annual year, is unaffiliated with James Madison University. Located off-campus at apartment complexes, this alumni-weekend block party is organized and staged by students determined not to see the tradition fade.

With an increase in interest by bands wanting to perform, and last minute location changes, planning the music for this year’s annual Springfest became a much larger task than it previously had been.
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]]><![CDATA[Why I Don’t Trust Hipsters: An Opinionated Analysis On People’s Perception of Music]]>Sun, 10 Jan 2010 23:42:17 -0800http://www.offtherecordmusicblog.com/4/post/2010/01/why-i-dont-trust-hipsters-an-opinionated-analysis-on-peoples-perception-of-music.htmlBy Brendan Harte Gilsenan

Sophomore year of high school a strange thing occurred. The social system of the student body shifted, and people who never would have been caught dead making eye contact in middle school were now finding common ground. I firmly believe this shift can be credited to classic rock.

What prompted the change was the introduction of 60’s and 70’s music to a portion of the “popular” girls in my grade. This, although never said aloud, yet visually obvious, made these girls feel cool. They would soon be seen sporting their Janis Joplin t-shirts through the hallway, and their Jimi Hendrix button covered school bags. However, it wasn’t really the music that these girls liked. It was the concept of the music that captured their attention. Sure, they thoroughly convinced themselves that they were diehard classic rock fans, but what they really enjoyed was neither the music, nor the musicians. To them, Jim Morrison wasn’t their savior. But thinking he was their savior is what made them feel cool. They liked being perceived as music intellectuals. Even if they won’t admit it, or even realize it, they weren’t into music. They were into the idea of being into music.
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]]><![CDATA[The Enemy Of My Generation: How Paying For Music Has Made Me An Outcast Among My Peers]]>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:37:10 -0800http://www.offtherecordmusicblog.com/4/post/2009/11/the-enemy-of-my-generation-how-paying-for-music-has-made-me-an-outcast-among-my-peers.html By Brendan Harte Gilsenan

I am the enemy of my generation. I am one in a responsible minority during an irresponsible time. Many of my peers do not comprehend my views, nor care to understand. I am one of the select few, among millions of teenagers, who still loyally purchase music.

Growing up, my brother was a much more casual music fan than I, although he still appreciated it very much. Owning an actual CD, jewel case and all, was much more important to me than it was to him. When I bought new albums I often let him upload the tracks to his computer. However, I eventually realized how much I was spending on the music that my brother was receiving for free.  Having to save my hard earned money for each album, I saw how my brother was profiting from my many hours of shoveling driveways or mowing lawns.

The story has been told many times. Beginning with the Napster boom in the late 1990’s teens have been faced with a difficult question: Why pay for what we can get for free? Many feel there is no need to. Although this view has been labeled to my generation as a whole, I remain among a seemingly minority that understands the ethics and economics behind stealing music.
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