Ben Walker

Hyperbole and a Half: Depression Part Two

Fri, 10 May 2013 01:53:33 +0100

Hyperbole and a Half: Depression Part Two:

Just one of the best things on the internet.

Rewind! The Cassette is Back. « Bandcamp Blog

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:45:01 +0100

Rewind! The Cassette is Back. « Bandcamp Blog:

There’s an ethos to cassette tapes that’s a little more Zen and a little less about obsessive collecting. Above all it seems to be about enjoying the music and remaining low-key.

A great post about cassettes. I’m loving cassettes at the moment. Tape tape tape. Yes.

candysaysit: Candy’s on tour… Looks like we’ve got loads...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:49:06 +0100

candysaysit:

Candy’s on tour…

Looks like we’ve got loads of gigs. Awesome!

25th Hour (2002) - IMDb

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:53:15 +0100

25th Hour (2002) - IMDb:

FILM!

Here's The Thing: Thom Yorke

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 20:20:41 +0100

Here's The Thing: Thom Yorke:

Just listened to this great interview with Thom Yorke. It made me like him a lot more than the last 20 years of not hearing him speak did. Seems like a nice guy.

candysaysit: Favourite Flavour — Candy Says (live) (by...

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:33:38 +0100

candysaysit:

Favourite Flavour — Candy Says (live) (by candysaysit)

This is from our Wilmington Arms show in London last week. It was such a fun room to play. If you weren’t there, just whack this up to full screen 1080p, turn the volume up and pretend you were.

The audio was recorded on Narco’s Zoom H4 held up towards the back of the room and it sounds amazing! I’d happily play the Wilmington Arms again if it sounds that good, and Salvador the sound guy made life very easy for us on stage too.

Todd Snider - Money, Compliments, Publicity — HI54LOFI

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:01:28 +0000

Todd Snider - Money, Compliments, Publicity — HI54LOFI:

Great song. I may just have to steal it and play it down at the Jamboree…

CASH Music: Knowledge is power.

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:22:33 +0000

CASH Music: Knowledge is power. :

cashmusic:

We’re ready to announce the next phase of our mission: EDUCATION.

The long term goal of CASH Music is not just to build open source tools for artists, but also teach them how to use these tools, help them navigate the ever-changing music business, and create a community of like minded thinkers…

This sounds like another thoroughly good idea from the CASH Music people.

Xiph.Org Video Presentations: Digital Show & Tell

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:33:41 +0000

Xiph.Org Video Presentations: Digital Show & Tell:

The second video from Xiph.Org explores multiple facets of digital audio signals and how they really behave in the real world. Sampling, quantization, dither, band-limiting, and vintage bench equipment all in one video!

This is an absolute must-watch for anyone interested in digital audio by the clever chap who explained why 24/192 downloads make no sense. Science, people! SCIENCE!

Becks in Geoff’s human cage, Ben pulling (by...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:43:32 +0000

Becks in Geoff’s human cage, Ben pulling (by candysaysit)

The shoot for the new Candy Says video was all fun, but I think the tractor really upped the stakes.

You can now throw Bandcamp links into Tumblr and it will embed...

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:43:52 +0000

You can now throw Bandcamp links into Tumblr and it will embed the track (with artwork and everything). This is the dawn of a new and wonderful age.

guardianmusic: BILL DRUMMOND ON SINGLES VERSUS ALBUMS This has...

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:23:52 +0000

guardianmusic:

BILL DRUMMOND ON SINGLES VERSUS ALBUMS

This has appeared on the KLF man’s website, www.penkilnburn.com. He’s still got it. CS

WE LOVE YOU DRUMMOND.

Shugo Tokumaru “Katachi” (by Kijek /...

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:16:00 +0000

Shugo Tokumaru “Katachi” (by Kijek / Adamski)

Serious stop motion. Wow.

I woke up early this morning to give an interview for Talk Radio...

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:11:45 +0000

I woke up early this morning to give an interview for Talk Radio Europe (an English language radio station in Spain). It was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s birthday on Monday and the producer had found my Hugh song. I couldn’t make the interview on Monday, so I did it this morning instead.

It’s great when someone has actually done their research! Hannah asked me about my songs, Little Fish, Candy Says and F**k The Radio, as well as playing When I’m A Hundred And Two and Oxford. Hopefully that means I’m famous in Spain now. That’s how it works, right?

Check out Hannah’s show Wake Up With Hannah on Talk Radio Europe.

"Happy viewing … if you can get your hands on the movie or TV show you want to watch."

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:23:00 +0000

“Happy viewing … if you can get your hands on the movie or TV show you want to watch.”

-
So here’s the memo, though it all should go without saying at this late stage:

National boundaries have been eroding for decades, and haven’t existed for 15 years in the realm where most media consumers get their information. Don’t window by geography.

In-home viewing quality rivals that of theaters, so why not try selling first-run product into our homes much sooner? Charge us for timely access, not for sticky floors and toxic popcorn.

Don’t make us be detectives to find your show. Amazon vs. Netflix is their battle to fight. License everywhere. The most valuable asset is an addicted audience that can find its fix. Ubiquity is good.

Your product is infinitely replicable and shareable. Senseless windowing invites piracy. Piracy is not primarily about free content; it is about content living where the users live.

Editorial: Media ‘release windows’ are increasingly archaic, futile and hostile (via @matthewbbolton)

It’s funny that the US is finally on the receiving end of annoying international release schedules (Downton Abbey aired in the UK first, with ensuing #spoilers), but these closing points actually articulate the problems with regional restriction (for films, TV, music, ebooks) well.

Little Fish become Candy Says – Laura Kidd’s photos on Flickr

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 09:03:57 +0000

Little Fish become Candy Says – Laura Kidd’s photos on Flickr:

Cool photos from upstairs at the first ever Candy Says gig.

"This year I almost didn’t go totally broke, which for a freelance writer/whatever is pretty good..."

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 18:55:32 +0000

“This year I almost didn’t go totally broke, which for a freelance writer/whatever is pretty good going, or so I’m told. I spent a month having a long-overdue love affair with the place I grew up. I swam. I went to weddings. I started a PhD. And so on. But for some reason the thing I think of, immediately and exclusively, when I think of what I did this year, is ‘write a book’, I guess because this is a thing I’ve wanted to do for awhile (well, forever, really). And then I did it and people kept looking at me funny when we spoke, like, why aren’t you more excited about this?. And I looked back blankly, because I didn’t know what the appropriate facial expression for “I don’t know why I’m not more outwardly excited about this; but also I’m more excited than it’s possible to convey” was.”

- That time I wrote a book – Miranda Ward

Why our food is making us fat | The Guardian

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 10:17:49 +0000

Why our food is making us fat | The Guardian:

Good article. The answer: the food industry is killing us with sugar.

Ben by Garrettc on Flickr.Playing as the spaceship takes off.

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:28:28 +0000

Ben by Garrettc on Flickr.

Playing as the spaceship takes off.

New and Hot Video: A Silent Film Follows a Starlet's Heartbreak in 'Harbour Lights' - Premiere | Rolling Stone

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:48:46 +0000

New and Hot Video: A Silent Film Follows a Starlet's Heartbreak in 'Harbour Lights' - Premiere | Rolling Stone:

I can’t figure out how to embed it without half the video being cut off, but look! – it’s my rock star brother on Rolling Stone.