Decibel, featured in the French publication “ici Londres”
The November 2012 issue of French magazine ici Londres features an article about Decibel, and our very own co-founder Gregory Kris. Entitled “Decibel, provider of data for the music industry”, the piece begins with the mention of some key points in Gregory Kris’ career as a successful entrepreneur, including the encounter with Evan Stein, which [...]
Six Degrees of Separation: Sinead O’Connor to Mark O’Connor
Sinead O’Connor released her 5th studio album in 2000, titled Faith and Courage… …13 years earlier George Michael topped the US Billboard Hot 100 Charts for several weeks with the single Faith. The homonymous album was partially recorded at the Puk Studios in Denmark like… …Depeche Mode’s 1990 album Violator. Martin Gore, co-founder of the band, is [...]
Introducing our new music researcher, Helene Zannou
What brings you to Decibel? Love of music and the desire to share this with people. Are you involved in the music industry outside of this internship? I’m a musician. What was the first record/CD/music you ever bought? I think that was Celine Dion. What’s the last record/CD/music you bought? Ayo, Joyful. What are some [...]
‘What A Wonderful World This Would Be’
The fact that every digital music service is developing in what music industry writer Eliot Van Buskirk describes as its own “data silo” is a problem for music fans, artists and music industry, alike. As a music fan, for instance, if you decide you want to switch from using Spotify to another streaming music service, [...]
Introducing our new music researcher, Mazzie
What brings you to Decibel, Mazzie? I’m a music fanatic and Decibel seemed like the ideal place to start an internship. Are you involved in the music industry outside of this internship? I produce electronic music from Garage to Hip Hop, I am also currently working on releasing my own instrumental EP which I hope [...]
Introducing our new music researcher, Angela Cataluddi
Angela, what brings you to Decibel? A deep interest for music Are you involved in the music industry outside of this internship? I am a musician What was the first music you ever bought? Celin Dion ‘Falling into you’ What’s the last music you bought? G.F.Handel -’Giulio Cesare in Egitto’ What are some of your [...]
Decibel Team’s Fantasy Bands: Toby Burton
Jim Morrison (The Doors) – Vocals I realise now as an older bloke that Jim Morrison was a bit of an arsehole, at least when he wasn’t being charming, and definitely when he was drunk; but as a teenager he was my rock god. And I still believe the range of his vocal styles are [...]
Meet Our New Music Researcher: Rory Stoyel
What brings you to Decibel, Rory? My love of all things music Are you involved in the music industry outside of this internship? I’m a musician What was the first record/CD/music you ever bought? Spice Girls What’s the last record/CD/music you bought? Mini Mansions What are some of your favourite musicians/bands/acts? Anything with Josh Homme [...]
Decibel Best Xmas Songs: Steve Nolan’s Top Ten
10. Wham! – Last Christmas This 80s pop classic has been released by Wham! alone 4 times, and covered by all and sundry; nearly everybody has had a go at it. And I mean everyone; Whigfield, Billie, children’s annoyance the Crazy Frog and even Euro-pop health hazard Cascada. With the dawn of the download the [...]
Decibel’s Best Xmas Songs: Frankie Goes To Hollywood, The Krypts & 14 Carat Grapefruit
Last night, I caught one of those TV ads for a Christmas compilation CD: ‘Best Xmas CD Ever!’ – or something like that. What struck me is how it seemed to contain all the same songs that the last ‘Best Xmas CD Ever!’ had on it: Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid; Merry [...]
Please nominate us for a Crunchies Award for best international startup
The Crunchies Awards: the 5th annual celebration of startups and technology Please follow this link to nominate Decibel for Best International Startup in the Crunchies, which recognises and celebrates the most compelling startups and internet and technology innovations of the year – you know we deserve it! And why not get your friends to nominate [...]
Decibel’s Best of 2011: Turbowolf and support, live at The Garage, London
David Keevill @ABrashOutsider: Turbowolf, The James Cleaver Quintet & Hawkeyes at Upstairs at the HMV Garage (22 November 2011) My best musical experience of 2011 was definitely Turbowolf, The James Cleaver Quintet and Hawkeyes at the HMV Garage. It was a roiling, sweaty mish-mash of groovability and furious moshing that resulted in me being deaf [...]
Decibel’s Best of 2011: WU LYF
Toby Burton (@RockTilYouDrop): Band of the Year: WU LYF (World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation) WU LYF totally lived up to the hype about them in 2011, hype that usually turns me right off a band. The young four-piece hail from Manchester, but have so far underplayed their association with the city’s musical heritage. They have shunned [...]
Decibel’s Best of 2011: Willy Moon, Redtenbacher’s Funkestra & Richard Thompson
John McGee (@johnny_bottles): Willy Moon Not so much my best of 2011 as my tip for 2012. Willy Moon’s got the moves, he’s got the razor-sharp suit and he’s got the voice, but despite the fact that he hasn’t even performed live yet he already has music critics in a flurry. The Guardian has described [...]
Decibel’s Best of 2011: John Cage Night and Crystal Stilts
Paul Kilbey (@paulkilbey): John Cage Night, 13 September 2011, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre This amazing concert featured leading Cage ensemble Apartment House, and complemented the visual exhibition John Cage: Every Day is a Good Day, also at the Southbank Centre, completing a year-long tour at the time. It featured the famous ‘silent’ piece 4’33’’ and [...]
Do you remember the first time? Our first gigs.
We all remember our first gig – some of us, better than others. For many of us it is the first time we are allowed to go to a concert, and for others it means being accompanied by mum and/or dad. Some of us are a little embarrassed by our first concert, and others of us proudly [...]
Children of The Damned
Last week was Punk Week at Decibel. In the lead up to the Damned’s 35 Anniversary gig at the Roundhouse in North London, thanks to our friend and writer John Hitchcock, we were able to run a serialised ‘Story of Punk‘, which was very cool. Thanks again, John! And if you followed our #PunkWeek hashtag [...]
The Story of Punk: Protopunk
By the late 70s punk was inevitable, but it owed its distinctive sound and attitude to the influence of a number of (primarily American) bands, many of whom went on to build the American punk scene that in turn inspired the British punk scene. The earliest of these protopunk bands were the MC5. Their far-left [...]
Decibel Team’s Top Tens: Toby Burton’s Top Ten Cover Versions:
(Click here to listen to the accompanying Spotify playlist, including the originals. ‘Baker Street’ by Foo Fighters, can be heard here) Walk On By – The Stranglers: This is a 1978 cover of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song, made famous by Dionne Warwick. With its ‘Light My Fire’-style extended keyboard and guitar solo, this is [...]
The Angry Corner: The trouble with music genres and ‘London Calling’ by the Clash
Kurtz: Are my methods unsound? Willard: I don’t see any method at all, sir. (Apocalypse Now, 1979) I despise jewel cases. So when I ran out of room to store another CD on the shelves in the living room at home, I had the excuse I was looking for to finally liberate my CDs from [...]
Music Metadata, Laura Marling, Decibel and The Damned
I’ve just started at Decibel, so I don’t know much about music metadata systems, not yet – but I know what I like. And what I like is: information about the music I buy and listen to. Lots of it. I like to make musical connections. I like my enjoyment of a musician or band, [...]