CD Reviews The Fixx & Foxy Shazam MWB Episode 101

This week Robert discusses the new album by The Fixx Beautiful Friction, and TJR talks about why Foxy Shazam are heir to Queen's throne with their new album The Church of Rock'n'Roll



Listen to more samples and get The Church of Rock and Roll here



listen to more samples and get Beautiful Friction here

American Idol: From banned to the Grammys

Hey everyone!

My song American Idol, and it's video, made the Grammy Nominating Ballot this year in the categories of:

For performance by TJR:
Record for the Year
Male Country Vocal

For Songwriting:
Song of Year and Country song AMERICAN IDOL
Kathy Barrett & Timothy John Ramirez, songwriters

For video:
Best Short Form Music Video

TJR
Best Country Song AMERICAN IDOL
Best Short form video

Some of you may remember that this is the video that was banned from Youtube for a short while due to Fremantle Media's claim of Copyright infringement.

First of all, I think it's cool that I made the Country category because I am NOT a country artist.....But wouldn't it be funny if I actually got nominated? (After all they did to try and shut me up).



A BRIEF TIMELINE

01/14/09  TJR premieres the video for his song "American Idol" On Youtube. The video uses clips from the TV show to parody the series and make it appear as if TJR is auditioning for the show.

01/17/09  In less than 4 days and after 20 thousand views, the video is pulled from youtube by request of Fremantle International Media claiming copyright infringement.

01/26/09  TJR premieres an alternate version of the video, replacing all the scenes used from the A.I. TV show with puppets. In less than four days this video is also pulled from Youtube at the request of Fremantle International claiming that this video (that uses none of their media) is violating their copyright. TJR's entire Youtube channel is also taken down.

TJR contacts the EFF (www.eff.org) for help. He files the paper work to contest Femantle's charge of copyright

02/19/09 A month later Youtube concludes that TJR's 2nd video is not a violation of copyright and restores his Youtube channel, & the alternate version of the video.

03/11/09  After a month of complete inaction on Femantle International's part to counter TJR's challenge, TJR 's original American Idol video is restored. Reactions to the video by A.I. fans range from outright hostility for daring to saying anything negative about their favorite show to kudos for calling them out on ageism.

09/21/09 TJR get's the news that his song and it's accompanying video has made the opening Gammy ballot for the 2010 Gammy Awards in the categories of: Record of the year, Song of the year, Best Country Song, & Best Short Form Music Video.

UPDATE: Well, I didn't get nominated, but it was vindicating to get Grammy Consideration (And I don't have the hype and power of National TV show to help me none either)

Take care everyone

The Case of the missing recording session

 

I actually did this recording session live in front of the camera and posted it on youtube. This last week I started to mull over the five different takes that I did and did something I don't normally do

I decided to I liked different elements from each take, so I started to cut and paste the elements I liked into one take. 

After I was done, I began to work on a different part of the song. 

I am not sure what happened, but later on I discovered (much to my shock), that all the work I pout on the keyboard solo was GONE! 

I don't know how it happend......It just happened. I couldn't undo it.

This session was largely ad-libbed. Once I came back to it, I had for the most part, forgotten what I had done. 

Luckily I had posted the footage on youtube. The next day I went and watched the above video over and over and relearned what I had recorded that day, and I recorded it again.

All I can say is thank goodness I video taped it.

Banned (Again) by American Idol

As most of you know, 2 weeks ago the music video for my song "American Idol" was taken down by Youtube by Fremantle International.

They took us down because we used clips from the TV show (many of them the same exact clips that hundred of other similar parodies on youtube are using too).

We re-shot the video and removed all their media.

We uploaded the new video and Youtube took it down almost immediately.

This was due to an automatic process that Youtube uses so we went through youtube's dispute process, and youtube put the video back up.

This was yesterday.

This morning youtube took the new video down and they SUSPENDED my youutbe channel all at the request of Fremantle media.

Yep, all the hard work that I put into my youtube channel is gone.

I have used none of their media in this new video. It is straight out parody.

Their objection to my video has nothing to do with copyright infringement. It had to do with the fact that I dared to speak critically about their show.

Banned By American Idol

I hope you got to see my American Idol video last week.....Because it has been banned!

I wish this was a joke.

Let me tell you what happened.

As you know, my song "American Idol" is critical of the show because it points out the fact that they do not  allow anyone over 29  to compete.

We filmed a funny video that used used clips from American Idol to make it look like my performance of the song was being judged on the show.

We premiered the video on Tuesday 02/14/09

On Friday 02/16/09  we broke over 20 thousand views

On Saturday morning 02/17/09  We  found out that that the video had

been pulled from youtube at the request of Fremantle International (the company that owns the American Idol TV show).

They claimed copyright infringement because we used clips from their show in our video.

We felt that the use of those clips falls under the legal category of "fair use" which allows usage of copyrighted  material for satire and parody.

For more info on the standards of fair use please click here

If you go to youtube you will find thousands of American Idol parodies. A good number of those parodies use clips from the show too.

So why aren't those clips removed from youtube also?

Maybe it's because none of those parodies where being critical of the show.

Maybe it's because my song points out an uncomfortable  fact about the show,  that American Idol doesn't want to talk about and wants to avoid any kind of public discussion about it.

American Idol is an entertaining show, but I personally think it's wrong and terribly "Un-American" for them to bar anyone who has the talent to compete just on the basis of their age.

In my opinion you might as well exclude anyone for race, religion or anything else, because it's the same thing.

Which is why until last year, I never watched the show and encouraged people avoid watching it.

SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

I need to speak to some individuals of the Lawerly persuasion.

I could fight this legally, but the money (at least thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands) to hire an attorney is not an option to someone of my means.

But there are other ways I can fight this. And that is what I am looking into now.

My American Idol

Next week I premiere my music video for my song "American Idol".

The song will go on sale at CD baby.com and then Amazon and itunes as a digital single.

Here is a look at the art for the single



 

I actually went through a lot of trouble to look really really grimy for this photo.

I didn't shave for days, I didn't wash my hair, Kathy and I created a goop out of mustard and peanut butter (and some other stuff that I can't remember) and smeared it on my shirt and pants.

What's funny, is that very little of that effort showed up in the photo. I guess I should have worn a plain white T shirt, but I didn't have any plain white T's,  and I used clothes that I didn't mind ruining.

What A Wonderful World is out!

My rendition of the Louis Armstrong classic “What A Wonderful World” is now available as a digital single.

Right now you can get it on CD Baby.com

 


I feel like a proud parent.

Look Ma! I'm on the radio!

The  radio play keeps coming in.

This time I found out that 100.1 FM KRUU (The voice of Fairfield) played my cover of "Hey Ya" (From my CD Another Roll Of The Dice) during the Eden's Hour show hosted by Erin Skipper.

Check out the show here

http://www.kruufm.com/edens-hour-playlist-2008-9-6

Thanks Erin!   :)

MORE RADIO PLAY IS GOOD

I just got word that Big Al's Rock & Roll Diner will be playing my music this Sunday (08/25) and next Wednesday (08/28).

Check out the show

Wednesday Nights 6-9 PM Eastern & Sunday Afternoons 3-6 PM Eastern

Here is the link: 
http://www.radiohotrocks.net/

And his myspace is here:
http://www.myspace.com/bigalhrr

Thanks Big Al for helping to spread the word

"Look Ma, I'm on the The Single of The Day"

My song (and video) "Jesus Loves You - Everyone Else Thinks you're an a**hole", was featured on Jody Whitesides "Single of the day" Blog page. 

Here is a brief excerpt: 

"Leave it to a rockin’ blues player to come up with a fun little ditty to express what so many people can think but won’t stand up and wipe out. I think it would be wise to do multiple versions of the song. TJR could pick out specific politicians or other people or groups to pinpoint the whole thing about being an asshole". 

Read the entire post here: http://www.singleoftheday.com/2008/07/28/r-u-loved/

If you want to discover new music. The Single of the day is a must bookmark. Each day features a new song (along with Mr Whiteside's commentary on the song) with links to show your support by purchasing the song on line.  

Thanks Jody!

MORE AMERICAN IDOL PRESS FOR TJR

My song "American Idol" got a write up in Orange County's biggest paper. Check it out here http://www.ocregister.com/articles/byrnes-songs-stars-2037202-fallen-band

Scroll down to the column entitled "Orange Slices". This is very cool.

TJR Featured in the OC Register

Last weekend the Orange County Register did a story on me. I was interviewed regarding my involvement with Niel Young's Living With War Ablum. Here's a link to the online version of the article