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...

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...

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!

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.

Let's make sure we never forget this moment.

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...

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....

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.

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…👇🏻

Essential reading. Make time for it. open.substack.com/pub/littledo...

Here's a sentence I never saw myself typing today: that new Hawkwind album is magnificent. Absolutely loving it. album.link/gb/i/1799083...

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...

Think you don't need an official artist website in 2025? Think again...

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

God I love this clip. The comments are great too.

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/

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.

Christ that London date sounds ferocious. SEE YOU THERE!

I didn't realise there was a new Kutmah album out. Well worth a listen: album.link/s/5XOWrqMPiN...

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!

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....

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.

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...

Jesus christ can we just stop using Spotify already... If you're a user, switch to something else. If you're an artist, just pull your music. Fuck it all off. We can (and have to) do better than this FFS.

New @wrongtom.bsky.social ? Don't mind if I do! rongorongorongo.bandcamp.com/album/someth...

If like me you're "quite the fan" of this gentleman's work then do give @bugpressure.bsky.social a follow. Great to have you on here fella!

Wonderful half hour BBC documentary on DJ Derek from 1994. Great Bristol pub footage and wonderful records, too. Lovely little film. youtu.be/SkI38PHAv6M?...

I'm amazed that federal workers haven't just called a general strike at this point. Not a great reflection on US employment law either.

I remain baffled as to why the UK Gov wants to aid US tech companies and assist in building this increasingly bleak techno-utopianist world that seems only to benefit Big Tech. And a Labour Gov were the last people I'd expect this of. Shame on them all.

Looking the look of this; basically Android but entirely Google-free.

I have found my new favourite sport.

This is definitely a problem, but solving it is really complex and that's the part I worry about here. Just highlighting the issue isn't enough; we need to find workable solutions.

Lovely to see These New Puritans popping up in @thequietus.com Portal this week. I worked on the album in question and never forget this email from Sam (then the intern at the label) about Elton John getting in touch to thank them for sending him a copy of the TNP album. 😂

Man Qobuz's whole interface is such a breath of fresh air. It's almost absurd that I'm praising it because it *just* focuses on the music, but after the hot UX mess that is Spotify, this is a clean, clear, conducive app to use and I fucking love it.

I've said it before but I'll say it again: Stefan Betke AKA Pole's mastering work is absolutely peerless. The bass on releases like The Bug and Ghost Dubs are a work of art unto themselves. The man's a genius.

Relatable.

I've published a proposal of sorts for the music industry, outlining the case for a centralised fan data platform that is open and de-coupled from any Big Tech platform or other tech service. We badly need this as an industry now. Read on below...

Whilst the focus here is an OnlyFans creator, I can't help but feel that this is just what social media is slowly doing to most of us, but younger generations especially. All very bleak.

@eamonn-forde.bsky.social couldn't NOT send you this. YOU'RE WELCOME

I still have some free promo copies of my Last Sane Man up for grabs if anyone fancies a copy. Just email [email protected] with Last Sane Man as the subject and it'll reply in a few mins with your unique promo code to get the whole EP on @bandcamp.com for nada. Go go!

"A new paper from researchers at Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University finds that as humans increasingly rely on generative AI in their work, they use less critical thinking, which can “result in the deterioration of cognitive faculties that ought to be preserved.”" GREAT JOB EVERYONE.

This is your genuine chance to shape the future of live music in the UK. It takes 15 minutes of your time, but it's Sunday. You could do it with one eye on the telly, or while you get a coffee, or in between the two halves of the match, or while you wait for the band to come on. musicfansvoice.uk

TEN'SHUN! I've setup a promo bot to give away 50 copies of my Last Sane Man EP over on Bandcamp. To get a unique code that'll get you the whole EP for free, just email [email protected] with Last Sane Man as the subject of your email. You'll then get a promo code mailed back. Enjoy!!