the Long Tail

Andy Richter Controls the Universe

2006-03-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

Back in 2001, Fox Broadcasting developed a bad little habit of cancelling shows that I wanted to watch in favor of more American Idol. Inconsistant scheduling of several shows caused them to falter in the ratings, including Futurama, Greg the Bunny, the Tick, and the show that I'm writing about today, Andy Richter Controls the Universe.

Andy Richter was the former sidekick of Conan O'Brien. For a quick round of "I Never", I have to confess that I've never watched an episode of Conan O'Brien. Partly because I just can't stay up that late, partly because someone that I used to date told me not to bother watching if I hadn't been watching from the beginning. That didn't stop me from getting in on this show from the beginning.

When Andy left the Conan show, this was his first project, and I have to say that I am now sad that I never got to watch him on Conan. It was extremely funny, in a Drew Carey Show meets Family Guy kind of way. Andy played a technical writer working in Chicago, and the show followed him and a few of his office mates. While some of the stories were a little bizarre, most of the time, they were stories that I could relate to. The best feature of the show was the brief cutaways that happened when Andy would imagine situations going a particular way, usually in a way that would almost never happen in real life. These were fun to watch, and the sharp contrast they provided to real life always led to a laugh or two.

Each character on the show was richly detailed, and by the middle of the second season, you really felt you were getting to know them. You weren't as surprised when you saw the world through their eyes, to paraphrase the shows theme song. The entire cast was excellent, especially Paget Brewster (who you might remember as Kathy from Friends during season 4) who plays Andy's boss Jessica, and Jonathan Slavin who plays Andy's office mate, Byron (who also appeared on an episode of Friends). The scenes in Andy's imagination can be a little strange, but the cast is able to pull them off, and make them fun to watch. There are just too many good moments to go into any sort of detail.

The show went off the air in 2003 following a fill-in type run. When Andy Richter started to appear in the much less stellar show Quintuplets, I figured that this show would probably not be coming back. While I am aware that bootleg copies of the show are available on eBay, I'm still holding out hope for a legitimate DVD release. I know that this would be an instant classic in my house. Especially for the scene where Andy has wheels. (I kid you not!).

Little Plastic Trees

2006-02-20T22:23:00.000-05:00

I'm going to do something different today. Instead of reviewing a particular piece of media, I instead would like to highlight something that I'm seeing more and more of on the old Internets; it was something that was pointed out to me a couple of weeks ago, and since then, I've been unable to get them out of my head.

What I'm talking about are re-mixed (spoofed might actually be the correct term, but I'm going with remixed) movie trailers, especially the ones that put the movie into a completely different genre. Imagine Fight Club as a romantic comedy or Sleepless in Seattle as a stalker-horror movie, and you've got the idea.

None of the movie clips are doctored in any way, except to be completely taken out of context, with different voiceover and background music.

I'll leave you this time with some of the better trailer re-mixes that I've found.

1) the Terminator

2) the Shining

3) Fight Club

4) Big

5) Sleepless in Seattle

6) Say Anything

7) Taxi Driver

Note that some of these contain violent or raunchy content, just in case that concerns you. I'll post more as I happen to find them.

Mystery Men

2006-02-05T10:12:00.000-05:00

Back in the summer of 1999, a small movie was released that I thought had the potential to be a big hit. It was about a group of misfit super-heroes, and their journey to save the world. It was marketed as a parody of regular super-hero movies.

Upon seeing the movie, I realized that the movie and the characters in it took themselves way too seriously for this movie to be considered parody. Instead, what we have is a fable about underdogs rising to the occasion.

The story begins with Mr. Furious (Ben Stiller), the Shoveler (William H. Macy), and the Blue Raja (Hank Azaria) attempting to save a nursing home from an attack by the Red Eyes, a local gang of Hooligans. The situation soon escalates beyond their talents, and Champion City's resident super hero, Captain Amazing (Greg Kinnear), swoops in to save the day.

Later on, the insane super-villian Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush) is released from prison, who soon captures Captain Amazing, and begins hatching a plan to destroy Champion City. Sensing an opportunity to make a name for themselves, Mr. Furious, Shoveler, and Blue Raja hold a recruiting drive to fill out their ranks. However, the recruitment drive is a bust. They haven't even settled on a name for themselves, how can they can take on Casanova? It is at this moment that the legendary Sphinx shows up, to train them (and a couple of hangers on) in the art of being a super hero. Nothing they learn is anything new if you've ever read any sort of self-help books. Be yourself, believe in those around you, and have faith in what you're doing.

The heroes soon realize that they are the city's best hope for salvation. Instead of running away, and leaving Champion City to its doom, the heroes make preparations to take on their greatest challenge. They transform themselves into the heroes they've always imagined they could be, and for the first time, learn how to perform as a team, instead of individuals with a common interest.

I don't believe that its a great spoiler to say that our heroes are able to save the day. For those who want to see it, this movie has a great inspirational message about the power of a positive self-image and that anyone is capable of rising to the occasions that are thrown at them. It's not a super-hero parody. Instead, it's the essence of being a super-hero.

Indigo Prophecy

2006-01-30T19:23:00.000-05:00

One of the missions of the Long Tail is to bring items to your attention that you might have otherwise missed or overlooked. Possibly one of the best video games of the past year certainly qualifies.

If you're looking for something that goes deeper than the latest Madden or Halo, tells a fantastic, deep, and engaging story, and tries hard to be something different, you owe it to yourself to pick this up.

This is billed as an adventure game, and initially, I was put off by this billing. When someone says adventure game, I think of games such as King's Quest, Quest for Glory, Secret of Monkey Island, or any of the old Sierra or LucasArts games. These games certainly had their moments, but my strongest memories of these games is the unnaturally obscure things that you had to do in order to progress in the stories of these games. Maybe it was because I was between 12 and 15 at the time, but I couldn't come up with the strings of actions required to make the Rube Goldberg machines these games were start turning.

Indigo Prophecy is different. This is designed to be more of an interactive movie, and to the degree that that is a poisoned phrase as well, it succeeds as a first step to show what an interactive movie might look like. You're allowed to get into each characters head as the story progresses. These are not paper dolls either. Each character has a rich backstory which has an effect on the game's events.

I'll avoid plot spoilers for the time being. You start the game playing the part of Lucas Kane, who has just dropped the knife that he has used to murder a complete stranger in a restroom of a New York City diner. You will spend the game unravelling the conspiracy that led you to this point.

While the story does seem rushed at the end, this is a fantastic first effort from develop Quantic Dream, and I'm looking forward to their next effort.

Silvercrush - Stand

2006-01-22T18:49:00.000-05:00

One of the risks in trying music that you've never heard of is that it just might become a club with a very exclusive membership. As such, the band goes off the grid, leaving behind a single album for archeologists to discover and analyse, and come to conclusions about the lack of musical taste that existed in the early part of the twenty-first century.

The particular album that I'm talking about today was put out by a band from Salt Lake City, Utah, called Silvercrush. According to one of the remaining websites that reference this band, there was a bit of trajedy that made this album bittersweet. I won't discuss it here, because my purpose is to talk about the music.

It's nothing you haven't heard if you're a fan of bands like Collective Soul, matchbox twenty, Live, or Creed. What sets this band apart is a focus on melody, harmony, and inspiring and personal lyrics. I like just about every song on this album, but the songs "Stand", "Dance" and "Tommorrow" really stand out, as I find them really inspirational. Stand and Tommorrow both strike me as statements of faith that some higher power will continue to be there with you, so nothing in this world should be holding you down. Dance inspires me because it encourages a spirit of adventure that I think a lot of people miss out on, and I want to make sure that I keep dancing.

When I found this album in August of 2002, I enjoyed it immensely, partly because I detected a strong spiritual core to this album, which is true on a lot of my favorite albums. Perhaps it was this spiritual core that has led lead singer Steele Crosswhite to become involved in a church in Salt Lake City called the Rock. Perhaps it was this shift in priorities that led to the band just drifting apart. I hope, however, that Steele is inspired to get the band back together, because the world needs more music like this.

Lazyboy - TV

2006-01-15T17:36:00.000-05:00

Without hyperbole, I think that I can say that this is a one-of-a-kind album. It appears to be a project of some sort, and not a true artist, but here's hoping there's more where this came from.

What is "this" exactly? This is an album that at first seems easily dismissable, but gets into your head once you spend any amount of time with it. It seems like any other electonica album, but what sets this apart is the voiceover contained on each track, each centering on a particular theme, from love, society, choosing to have a positive attitude, or simply the facts of life. Each track is designed to be provocative, make you think, and possibly be a better person once all is said and done.

There were two tracks that I especially enjoyed, "Inhale Positivity" about the importance of having a positive attitude, and "Desiderata" about the importance of having inner peace, and how to achieve it. However, to call these two the best tracks on this album really means something, as the entire album is outstanding. It's unlike anything else out there, which is unfortunate. Image how different the world would be if there was more like this, and that it was taken to heart.

Buy Lazyboy - TV from Amazon

Radford - Sleepwalker

2006-01-12T21:53:00.000-05:00

This album came out of nowhere, made a little noise, and seems to have gone back to whence it came with little evidence it was ever here. Which is unfortanate, because this album was really special if you were lucky enough to find it.

When I first encountered it, it was in the famous clearance section of Amoeba Music in San Francisco. I found a lot of good music that unfortunatley was about to be sent to the Island of Lost Music.

Because Radford was in the process of going off the grid when I found this album, information about them has been hard to find. Today, its well nigh impossible. Even the web site listed on this album appears to be in use by an unrelated business.

A little bit about this album. It combines thought-provoking lyrics with a less synth-oriented 80's style new wave. My favorite songs include the lead off song "Therapy(I don't Need You)", "Out of the Dark", and "Fake a Smile." The album title even seems a little ironic. The Sleepwalker here seems to be struggling to wake up and join the world. Themes like resonate with me, because I've had episodes where I've felt out of touch, and almost asleep to the world around me.

This band had potential, and I'm sorry that they probably won't get an opportunity to go any farther. Without the ability to know what they're up to now, I'll just have this album and their previous album. If you happen to find this album, feel free to give it a good home. You just might be presently suprised.

My Date With Drew

2006-01-08T18:14:00.000-05:00

Any student of American History can tell you that we wouldn't be where we are today as a society if it wasn't for those who dared to have a dream and follow it, no matter what those around them would say. Brian Herzlinger's dream doesn't have that kind of scope, but he might inspire someone else who does.

If you haven't heard about this movie yet, filmmaker Brian Herzlinger has had a crush on Drew Barrymore ever since he was 10 years old, and this movie is a document of his journey to finally realize his dream of going on a date with her, with all of the pain and joy that that involves.

In the process of realizing his dream, he taps into something uniquely inspiring that you can't realize until you see this movie for yourself. Everyone has dreams about rising above their station in life, even if only for a moment. This is simply one man's journey to reach that goal. It just happens to be a date with a uniquely beatiful actress; someone else's dream might be different.

Following one's dream is rarely an easy or fun thing to do, and this movie does not hide this fact. Which makes it all the more real; the false starts, along with those who provide inspiration along the way are familiar to anyone who's embarked on the long journey of following a dream. There are a few laughs along the way, but it's hard to not give into hopelessness when the reality of the situation becomes a wolf at the door.

It is because of those universal truths that those who deride Brian Herzlinger as a stalker completely miss the point; he himself said that if Drew said no, that would have been the end of it. Instead, this movie is a chronicle of one man's journey to follow his dream, and see where it takes him. To that end, everyone who's ever had a dream will find something to relate to in this movie.

Buy My Date with Drew from Amazon.

Glovebox

2006-01-05T19:12:00.000-05:00

I found out about this from a cool podcast called the Sounds in my Head. The song that was played was called "In the End," which is a happy little song about the end of summer, but wanting to hang on to the good memories. I instantly fell in love with the song, although I first heard it in the run up to a harsh Michigan winter.

The album is not sold in stores, oddly enough, so I had to order it. When it finally arrived for me to pickup, I played it immediatley, and it instantly rose to the top of my 2005 music purhases, which also saw fantastic albums from Carbon Leaf, New Order, and Ringside, among others.

The remainder of the album was also filled with happy little tunes, including Superstar, Human Condition, Serendipity, and my personal favorite, Warmin' Up, which made a good theme song for my New Year's Resolutions.

Who should buy this album? Anyone who likes music in the style of the eighties New Wave craze. This certainly has a good beat, and is easy to dance to.

(Buy From Amazon)

the Killers - Hot Fuss

2004-11-14T11:30:00.000-05:00

With the attention that the Killers have been getting lately, I initially believed that they didn't need my help, such as it is. The glowing reviews from Rolling Stone, Blender, and airplay on several radio stations, not to mention record stores around the nation can do so much more to help this band get the attention that they deserve. I thought about it, and then decided that its still important to do my part. Who knows what could make the difference?

Without a doubt, this is the best album that I've picked up this year. With a name like the Killers, I expected either a heavy metal band, or a hip-hop group, not the new wave influenced rock and roll singalong that I find so enjoyable.

Pair up enerjetic sounds with interesting lyrics, and you've got a great album, one that just keeps getting better and better. Don't buy this album for any particular songs. Just buy it for the entire package. Buy it now, so that we can enjoy more later.

They Might Be Giants - Flood

2004-10-29T23:30:00.001-04:00

In many ways, had this album never been made, this page would probably not exist. I'll leave to you to decide if that would be a good or a bad thing. This album introduced me to the joy that could be had by veering just a little bit off of the mainstream.

It was a simpler time, back in 1991, when I discovered two songs that still rank today near the top of my all-time favorite list; "Istanbul, not Constantinople," and "Particle Man." It was a Friday morning that started just like any other, but Tiny Toon Adventures did something a little different, and presented a show full of music videos starring the Tiny Toons. The first two changed my life forever, or at least the parts of it that were set to music.

If you're familiar with the Giants, you already know that they're like nobody else out there. If you've never heard of them, that's all you need to know. Let them take you on a musical journey to see what you've been missing, what music can really be. Equal parts charm, quirk, and a helping of thought make this an album you don't just listen to, but an album you experience.

Stage

2004-10-25T17:32:00.000-04:00

Part of the fun of keeping this blog active is finding the music in my collection that is both a little on the obscure side, but also finding a CD that has a story behind the original acquisition. Whether its a story of where I found it, who I met in the process, or just the impact that it had on me, a little bit of drama makes the album memorable.

This album, however, has no drama surrounding it. I was simply browsing the music racks at Best Buy, and this happened to catch my eye. The song titles intrigued me, and the price was right. I didn't care for it at first (a common theme throughout this series) but it didn't repulse me, so it had a chance to grow on me.

As far as the songs that intrigued me, including "The World Has Come Between Us," "I Will Be Something," "I Know Where You Are," and "the Scientist's Canvas." They all contain a certain amount of teenage and adult angst that most can relate to, acknowledging the difficulties of relationships, maintaining a postive outlook in today's world when others try to bring you down, and what happens when people part unexpectedly. They have a sound that rests somewhere between Pearl Jam and Linkin Park, but certainly distinctive and worth a listen. If you feel like giving it a try, I recommend it. Let's it's post-grunge sounds give you a kindred spirit, if only for an hour.

MrNorth - Lifesize

2004-10-21T17:44:00.000-04:00

So there I was, at Amoeba Music in San Francisco. I really wasn't looking for anything in particular, just looking for stuff that I couldn't get in Detroit. In addition to finding some amazing stuff, I have a new gold standard that all record stores I go to will be judged by.

One of the CDs that I found was by a then unknown band called MrNorth. It was in the clearance section, but as near as I could tell, this hadn't been out that long. In my old order, the clearance section is typically reserved for stuff that had been out forever that wasn't otherwise going to move, or an album that was excessively overhyped that landed with a thud. I'm not sure how this was marketed in California, but here in Michigan, I had never heard of this band before.

My favorites songs here were "Let Me In," a song imploring a would-be lover to give life a chance; "Start From A" although I can't put my finger on it. My favorite track is the title track, which to me makes me think about the difference between the life we imagined as a child, the life we feel that's punishing us when we're down, and the life we actually have when we see clearly, and how reality is usually in the middle of our idealistic and pessimistic peaks and valleys.

If you live in New York, MrNorth is currently performing every Saturday at a place called Tailor's Hall. If you can make it, be sure to tell me how they're doing.

Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace

2004-10-19T19:56:00.000-04:00

Every so often a movie comes along that you really enjoy, but you feel like some sort of a freak for it. You might have a variety of reasons, but ultimatley, you feel dirty for enjoying the movie as much as you did. Well, I'm breaking out of that shame spiral, and I'll announce publicly that I really enjoyed Star Wars Episode I.

For the life of me, I still don't understand why so people disliked this movie. Those that I have asked seem unable to give me a coherant answer. Of course, people have the right to like or dislike any movie they choose to. However, I have yet to hear a rational explanation for disliking this that doesn't ultimatley sound like "It's not like the other Star Wars movies."

Of course, its not like the other Star Wars movies. Those were made in the late 70's - early 80's. Technology and storytelling techniques have changed since then. I didn't waste my time being concerned with how much it "felt" like the old Star Wars movies. Instead, I took it for it was. The untold story of how Annakin Skywalker became Darth Vader; how he went from a precocious little boy to the eventual face of fear throughout the Empire. This was only intended to be part one of a three part story, with the next three parts showing his eventual redemption.

Some thought that the underlying story of a trade dispute was a little weak. Perhaps, but I saw it as a rather innocuous beginning to the saga of Annakin Skywalker, and gave the two Jedi a legitimate reason to be on Tatooine. I saw it as a way emphasize the lowly beginning of the man who would become Darth Vader.

Some disliked the movie because of Jar Jar Binks, and how annoying he was. I will concede that I didn't really like Jar Jar either. I thought he was loud and obnoxious, and clearly was designed to pander to a teenage audience that probably didn't appreciate it. However, he was also played as a buffoon, and this characterization was used brilliantly in Episode Two.

Some also said that they didn't like the way that Anakin was played in this movie. Saying things like "Yippee," hugging his mother, showing his fear when it came time to leave her. I counter that if Anakin didn't do these things, I would have been freaked out. He wasn't acting like Darth Vader yet because he wasn't Darth Vader yet. He was acting like the eight year old boy he was.

My hope here is that if you've decided to dislike the Phantom Menace for these or any other reasons, that you re-evaluate your opinion. Maybe you'll change your mind, maybe you won't, but I thank you for letting me make my case. The Phantom Menace is like any other movie; some will like, some won't.

Atticus Fault

2004-10-18T20:58:00.000-04:00

I had high hopes for this album eventually finding its audience. Despite the fact that folks at the local record store that I bought this from thought that this sounded like Oasis or the Couting Crows, I had hopes that word of mouth would get around. I thoroughly enjoyed this entire album, and when I found this in mid 2002, I was surprised they still made albums like this anymore.

Alas, this ecstasy was to be short-lived. Apparently, nothing was learned from the echolyn debacle, and this album languished in obscurity until the band broke up. I still hold out hope that they might reform, but I realize that its a long shot. Until then, I'll keep this album in frequent rotation, especially focusing on the standout tracks "Soundtrack," "My First Trip to Mars," "Mary Mother," and "Once Around the Sun."

echolyn - As the World

2004-10-18T20:42:00.000-04:00

Back in 1995, I had a fascination with the band Rush that was unusual for someone my age. I used them as a jumping off point to find other music that was in their vein. One of the bands that I discovered was a band from Pennsylvania named echolyn. When the opportunity arose, I promised myself that I would pick it up and give it a listen. Then, I went to a Best Buy in Green Bay, Wisconsin, yadda, yadda, yadda...

While the album didn't jump at me at first, it gradually grew on me. I liked it enough that I was able to give it a chance. Eventually, this became (and still is) one of my favorite albums. The favored songs included "As the World," a tribute to true individualism, but a acknowledgement of the challenges that go with it, "How Long I Have Waited," just a song in praise of perseverance, "One for the Show" the conclusion of a string of four songs that tell a story that can also stand on its own. "Never the Same" might have been written for someone who died, but it helped me get over someone who had just drifted away from me. "A Habit Worth Forming" was there for me when I tried to make changes to my life for the better.

Unfortunatley, echolyn broke up just before I bought this album, due the some tensions that arose as a result from the way the album was handled by Sony records. I believe that this album could have been a hit had it been promoted more enthusiastically by Sony, but I'm over it now. Echolyn has since reformed, but in my opinion the new albums don't compare to As the World. Be that as it may, I'll always have this album. It's a fine substitute.

Birthday Girl

2004-10-17T19:37:00.000-04:00

The fact that this movie reportedly sat on the shelves for two years, and then rushed in and out of theaters in Early 2002 probably didn't inspire a lot of confidence that this was worth watching. However, the concept intrigued me; a lonely bank clerk arranges for a mail-order bride named Nadia from Russia, and things seem to go all right at first. Then hilarity ensues...

The hilarity in this case are Nadia's "relatives" who arrive on the scene to carry out the second half of their plan. The plot turns into an elaborate extortion scheme, and the three of them force the lonely man to rob the bank that he works for. Then, another complication arises, and Nadia is left out of the plan. She reunites with John, and now that both of them are in quite the pickle, they agree to work together to rob the robbers. The plan is successful, but John realizes that he would be a wanted man if he were to return; with nowhere else to go, he agrees to accompany Nadia (who had revealed her real name to be Sophia) back to Russia, with admittedly uncertain prospects.

This movie carries a theme about the lengths that some of us will go to find someone to love. Some people meet and fall for the girl next door; some meet their love in the local supermarket; some have to go to other lengths. I don't believe that one method is inherantly better than any other, but the fact is that the more extreme methods carry that much additional risk, which is another point made here. As the movie ends, John's future with Sophia is uncertain, but we are left hopeful that perhaps Sophia can put her past behind her, as John does seem to genuinely care for her.

This movie was the first to make me appreciate Nicole Kidman. I had seen her in a couple of other movies but she never really stuck in my head. It hasn't exactly made me want to see anything else that she's done, but I now understand what some people see in her.

Venice - Welcome to the Rest of Your Life

2004-10-14T20:04:00.000-04:00

The band's name is Venice, named for their hometown of Venice, California. That was also where I happened to discover this album last August in a used bin at a place called Benway Music. (I don't remember what street they're on, but I do remember that they were near Venice Beach).

If I'm going to try out a CD from a band I've never heard of, I have two guidelines that I try to follow: 1) It has to cost less than $12, and b) the copyright date must be in the current year or the prior year. The copyright date on the album was back in 2002, which put in just outside of the second guideline. However, I still had a strong feeling about this, so I decided to give it a try anyway.

Obviously, I was impressed, or you'd be reading something else here right about now. I was especially fond of "Not Down Anymore", "Sweet Aloha", "Blue Paint", "Unbreakable Heart", and "Most of Us." It was nice to hear an album that went of its way to paint a picture of optimism that is missing in society today, not just in music, but in media in general.

This album is barely listed in Amazon.com, and seems to be out of print. If you happen to find this, it comes highly recommended. I count myself fortunate to have found this, and took their invitation to the Rest of My Life.

Robbie Williams - Swing When You're Winning

2004-10-13T22:26:00.000-04:00

I'm surprised this album was never released in the U.S., especially as it full of songs that were popular in another era of American music. Sure, Robbie is British, but he does possess some musical talent that make this worthy of a listen.

Some of the standout tracks here include "Mack the Knife", "Something Stupid" (featured in the sadly underrated Birthday Girl), "It was a Very Good Year", and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head." Most of this album was new to me, and it was a nice change from my usual musical choices.

Based on the title alone, some probably thought that this a cynical attempt to cash in on America's brief fascination with Swing Music in the late '90s. While I won't deny that went into the inspiration, the result was fascinating, and didn't come across like a cheap cash-in, IMHO.

Robbie Williams - Escapology

2004-10-13T21:27:00.000-04:00

Somewhere along the way, I heard a story about a man and his monkey. It was a slightly comical, slightly sad story about a man swept up in events that he hadn't anticipated when he picked up the monkey as his hitchhiker. After some research, I found the song again, and lo and behold, I had a new appreciation for the boy band refugee Robbie Williams.

In case you're wondering, Robbie's musical career started with a British boy band known as Take That. They may not have been a boy band in the traditional sense, but they were still labeled as such. It must have burned Robbie up, and he eventually seperated from that, and was able to break out as a solo artist.

While it's true for all of his solo albums to a certain extent, Escapology was actually a fairly deep album with a lot of emotional moments. In addition to the song "Me and My Monkey", the other standouts include "Monsoon", "Sexed Up", "Love Somebody", and possibly one of the best songs I've ever heard by anybody, "Feel." Perhaps its just because it seems like a perfect way to describe my state of mind over the past couple of years, perhaps just because the emotion was captured in the recording so well it send chills up my spine, or just because I can't resist singing along, this makes the entire album worth the price of admission.

Come for the Monkey, stay for the emotional content...

Welcome to the Long Tail

2004-10-13T19:56:00.000-04:00

A short time ago, I commented on an article from Wired about the movement of media industries (including Music, Movies, and Books) away from the current hit-driven mentality, to one where a work of art doesn't have to move 4 Trillion copies to make a profit. Since then, I've envisioned many more entries following that theme.

To that end, I decided to create a whole new page dedicated to highlighting Music, Movies, Video Games, and Books from the lower end of the demand curve, with an occasional hit thrown in, just because I think that its that cool.