NOT MY SPACE

I got so sick of 'friend requests' in my email again I turned off the setting unless you know my 'second name' which anyway even if i could remember what 'second name' i originally put in I sure as hell can't find it in the settings now! These so called 'friend requests' are mostly from people or artists that have no relevance with what we do at Freenoise. And even as I write this there's a stupid ad at the side trying to catch my attention. Anyway, before I ditch this thing, here's the info again.

My Space - are they your friends?

Do you ever wonder why, when you click to 'Edit Profile' it doesn't work and instead you just get a page with an advert on...you click anything out of sheer desperation...so... Or why on the log in page your password is the very last thing to load after waiting aeons for a barrage of weighty adverts.... read what you should know about "myspace...". A shame but true, as cars are to towns, myspace is a threat to the internet. Koyaanisqatsi.

Rupert Murdoch bought out 'My Space' for $580 000 000 (million).

The Murdoch corp also owns Fox News (right wing fascist propoganda basically).

Your "personal" details are being used against you for marketing, national identity regimes and social manipulation Your "friends" are your fellow inmates in the corporate internet prison. You are living an illusion, a lie. You are not having "fun".

What is more it doesn't even fucking work 75% of the time (maintenance messages; poor scripts; unexpected error mesages; server overloads; time outs etc etc...) And "my friends"? A tiny percentage are people i really know and respect but the majority are dorks who i never want to meet and have no genuine interest in what I do. Has my mother got a myspace account? How about my closest friends? NO THEY HAVEN'T! So it falls flat on it's face a some kind of substitute for the real world, which let's face it is what it's trying to be! But if your real world includes competing to get the most friends then god help you. Consider the amount of marketing from my 'friends'. All of the 'event invites' are totally boring and way outside my tastes, for god's sake! Thanks a million 'mate'! Sure I won't be there... And the comments...face it - you get an automated email saying 'So and so has posted a comment about you' to find yet another abuse of this system from some unknown advertising their latest home made CD. Peferring to use it's messaging system instead of email (why? - the 'community' is more vibrant? - i don't think so). Why should I get to know local people through the internet rather than the natural way? I have researched and written about the huge psychological and sociological dangers of electronic media (forums / chatrooms / IRC etc. etc.); sure the internet is useful but 'Myspace' is one sign that things are out of control. You are turning into a jelly.

42 MILLION users and the site is less than 2 years old.

Advertising on every page - aimed specifically at you, and your "friends".

Cultural quicksand. Horrible timewasting. It's really not cool. It doesn't work.

Ditch Yourspace.

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Disclaimer: The following views are the PERSONAL opinions of Brent Eyestone and do not necessarily represent the official position of the label, bands and associates.

It is no secret that Magic Bullet Records has played a part in promoting the online networking site MySpace (recently purchased by media conglomerate Newscorp). We have run numerous promotions involving the site and have certainly sent many people to our MySpace band profiles, label profile, and so on and so forth. Prior to the purchase of MySpace by Newscorp, the premise of the site was that it would serve as "the great leveling agent" between major-label funded bands and hard-working independent bands worldwide.

We really liked this idea and supported it feet first as one of the first record labels to create a profile on MySpace. However, the promise of a level playing field quickly dissipated as MySpace began adopting many of the same practices that alienated independent artists via "business as usual." It wasn't long before random "featured artist"s gave way to paid placement. Yes, all of those bands on your splash page PAID to be there. Quite a bit, in fact.

And at first I was fine with this. Sure, the premise of the site had changed dramatically, but I kind of expected something like that to happen. What I DIDN'T expect to happen was the complete and utter conflict of interest that is MySpace Records (owned by Universal/Interscope - i.e. major labels). That's right, the number 1 networking site in the world is now trying to be a RECORD LABEL.

The problem?

Well, on the eve of the MySpace Records Vol. 1 CD compilation hitting stores, users of MySpace are being SPAMMED relentlessly in their inboxes, via pop-up ads, "featured" profiles, and even BRIBED into purchasing the CD in exchange for 4 additional profile pictures. What was once a networking site has become the marketing machine for a notably terrible record label (take a look at the lineup for their first release - Tila Tequila? Hollywood Undead?).

It's just a really unfortunate situation. I've been trying to figure out the pros and cons of deleting all of the accounts I built that relate to the label. The part that is so frustrating is the fact that by supporting and promoting this site for so long (and other labels/bands doing the same), we've all helped make it a relevant music site and unknowingly made a significant change to the way people look at bands and listen to music on the net. But what we've REALLY done is create the largest street team/mailing list in recorded history for Universal/Interscope - over 32,000,000 people, which is unprecedented.

What you can do to help:

1.) Understand that MySpace is NOT the cool, independent site it once was. It is now owned by one of the largest media conglomerates in the world (with ties to FOX News) and now a glorified mailing list/advertising medium for Universal/Interscope Records, the same people who brought you LIMP BIZKIT and SMASH MOUTH.
2.) When you receive MySpace Records spam in your MySpace inbox, please flag it for spam. If I were to send you an unsolicited Magic Bullet advertisement via MySpace, my account could be suspended on the spot. Why can MySpace Records get away with it? So just flag it - there's a little link above the message that will enable you to do that.
3.) Stop turning to MySpace for information on bands and record labels. Please get back in the habit of visiting individual band and label sites on the internet. There are also infinite messageboards where you can interact and discuss music in virtual online communities. You don't need MySpace to learn about, follow, and support new music.
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"Last few months I have been getting many invitation from friends to join Myspace , they like to be my friend or I have to be thier friend or however......
Just I take this space (www.damosuzuki.com) and let me tell you why I'm keeping away from Myspace.
Myspace is belongs to Mr.Rupert Murdoch and I've absolutely no interest to get into his media kingdom. He owns many newspapers, broadcasting and internet in UK, USA, Europe ,Asia....and off course his native Australia...almost around the world.
Layout of Myspace is just like cheap commercial of super market, boaring stuff . But, this is not the point....just I would like to say is that he is almost controlling this world. He supports Republic party in US that mean he can use his medium and support politic of his taste...worse he wash our brain. So, he has many influences in world politic as well. We are living or try to live in free world which is open for everybody.
Sorry to Myspace visitor among them are many friends of mine, I just avoid this part of Murdoch kingdom. I am anarchist and pacifist, I don't need his kingdom..........Above reason if you find something concern Damo Suzuki at Myspace , this is not my work and I am nothing to do with it and someone else is doing, please notice bin your mind, thank you."

-Damo Suzuki
(e-report Jun 07)

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Thanks for reading. For now I'll try and put up with the crap so I can warn folks from time to time check out the odd musician (yeah there's maybe 2% on my list that are worth checking out now and then.... But why you guys don't just stick to a normal website I've no idea - they are SO EASY to set up! Just get yourself an old copy of Dreamweaver, spend a day figuring it, buy your domain name and a bit of space out and you'll have true independance, that's what you want isn't it?

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