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Great minds do, indeed, think alike.

Stock image juggernaut Getty Images (which also offers ‘indie’ stock music through their acquisition of Pump Audio last year) has introduced an web-based search engine that finds license-ready images and production music based on your mood, called Moodstream.

Seems like a great idea. Just sayin’… [ms]

In response to the news that Iran has made rap illegal, Koch Records founder Michael Koch has announced that a benefit single will be recorded featuring the Koch stable of stars.

Wish I’d Thought Of That, (Part 94!)

I will admit that every blue moon Dreighton Pickner sees an inspired idea out there in adland that makes me stop, smack myself on the head and say “Jeez Louise, Ol’ Boy! You shoulda thought of that one!” The NOID from Dominos Pizza? What a fantastic character! (Notice how part of his name is derived from “Annoyed” but they never say so? Genius!) Or how about that campaign for Six Flags with the dancing old man who gets everybody to go ride the teacups?

As has been previously noted, I have a borderline-unhealthy predilection towards toy instruments. I scour thrift stores, search Ebay obsessively, and hit up Craigslist every day.

However, since my wife and I bought our first house, the pile of farthings available for vintage Casiotone purchases has dwindled to nothing.

Luckily, there is a man that I can live vicariously through. His name is Eric, he lives in Germany, and he has what I consider to be the coolest collection of vintage electronic noise-makers in the world. Not the most extensive, mind you, but undoubtedly the coolest. Sometimes, when I’m looking longingly up at the stars, I wonder it he’s looking up at the same stars (or rather, the blue sky where the stars are going to be in 8 hours). In a totally platonic, “hug-you-and-hit-you” sort of way.

Bill Wyman absolutely nails it with his Moby Quotient - The Art of Selling Out.

Using the criteria Disconnect, Sacredness, Origins, Reputation, Wealth and Time he offers a definitive formula for determining if an artist has, indeed, sold out.

Of course, I still maintain :

It’s easy to say you’ll never sell out when no one’s making any offers.

And we’re on record with an opinion of Moby’s recent offerings.

Full story at the Washington Post. Thanks, Hypebot. [dh]

There’s not much to say, really… just enjoy. [dh]

For some reason my initial visit to Coudal.com is burned into the browser history of my brain. It may be due to the fact that the person who introduced me to the website/firm/brand, Jon Mueller, is someone I like and respect (his intro was something akin to “click around and try to tell me what they do”). But I suspect it has more to do with the fact that long after my first foray into the world of Coudal they’ve consistently delivered a fun (and occasionally quite useful) experience in a crowded online world.

Recently, in conjunction with Portland’s Draplin Design Co., they’ve launched their latest ‘CP Thing’, Field Notes.

3, 48-page, 3.5″ X 5.5″ notebooks (and a couple of surprises… a pencil, a pen, and a Fleet Vehicle Identification Symbol System sticker).

A simple idea, brilliantly executed. And not only an extension of their brand, but the type of item that somehow captures the imagination of those of us who enjoy ideas that are sublime in their detail and thorough in their implementation.

When produced with such passion, a brand becomes music.

It’s a level of detail that we strive for every day here at Burst Labs and The Burst Collective… whether it’s recording low-bitrate samples for our vintage video game soundtrack collection (Degenerate Gamer), hiring legit mullet-sporting lead guitarists for our tribute to 80s hairbands (Blind Allegiance), or recording members of Johnny Cash’s band for our vintage gospel songs (Southern Fried Gospel)… we hope to inject an authentic and genuine passion for the tiniest of details in each of our productions.

So, anyway, yup… we ordered a set of Field Notes. They arrived yesterday.

I’ve spent the better part of an hour today grabbing photos, uploading files, typing this post. What is it about certain brands that elicits passionate cult followings?

Check out the pic of the Field Notes pen sitting in our compressor rack. No, it doesn’t have any practical purpose. Just thought it looked kinda cool.

I do have actual plans for my Field Notes set, to be sure. I delivered one of them to Studio A at Burst HQ for us to use in documenting our recording sessions. The grid paper printed on the pages will come in quite handy for studio layout details, and the mini ruler along the edge of the back cover will help us measure tight microphone placements that we may need to repeat for a client someday :

The second book is headed for my car (along with the Fleet Identification sticker), where I’ll record business travel mileage.

Of course, as a songwriter and producer I’ll be keeping the third Field Notes by my side at all times, ready to jot down details of a pre-alarm-clock dream or an inspired lyric or melody.

I’ll have to grab another 3-pack for shoddy sketches (Practical Application no. 5), big ideas/insights (no. 11), and my last will and testament (no. 30), all great ideas included inside the back cover.

Keep up the inspiring work, guys! [dh]

Jay Smooth over at Illdoctrine.com talks about the real loser in the Kanye West/50 Cent showdown this week (Psst… I’ll give you a hint… it’s not Kanye or 50) :

Unfortunately, Kanye sold 437,000 of “Graduation” on day one, with 50 selling 310,000 of “Curtis.” Looks like the industry might be back hittin’ the pipe by this weekend.

Quick side note - Jay’s video blogs are always entertaining, do yourself a favor and sign up for his RSS feed. [ms]

There’s a fun article at Earvolution on the best fictional bands of all time.

Even though we’re big Spinal Tap fans, we’ll admit we’re pretty stoked about who beat them out for the number one spot on the list :

[dh]

This feels a bit like Spinal Tap + American Idol + The Office.

I hope the full movie is as good as the trailer - check out Great World Of Sound :