Now here's a debate sparked off by an article on the bbc news website about Iggy Pop selling car insurance. About artists loosing their integrity by endorsing products or having their music used to advertise products. I agree personally with Bill Hicks "If you do an advert then you are off the artistic register forever", but would i say the same thing if i was offered a vast amount of money? yes i would because i earn my money in a full time job so i can take a stance like this and be not be tempted by such offers. So in my job when i am having a bad day, i can always know why i am putting up with it.

So what about friends that prefer to earn from their music, in this tough world how are they supposed to earn a living when music pays very little? Some have come to the conclusion that adverts are the way forward but to me its devaluing your music, its turning your emotions and skills translated into music into just some background noise to sell a product. I guess part of this is deciding as an artist how you see your music and what value you place upon it.

Another issue may have nothing to do with money at all but exposure. The money isnt always that much but if your music appears on a car advert just think how many people will see the advert and hear the music. How many people will chase up and find out what music that is.

So everyone out there let me know my thoughts, and when you hear a zainetica track being used to advertise a rather evil bank you can rip me to shreads as a extreme hypocrite, but i don't think that will happen. Personally I believe what Barcelona football club have done regarding a shirt sponsor is the way forward, no sponsor for years and finally they have UNICEF on their shirt.

Sometimes i feel extremely selfish wanting to just make music, when many just have to put up with the hand they are dealt. But why should i just put up with a system that hasnt been built for me. I sit at work doing something interesting and rewarding which is good, but then i put my headphones on to concentrate and listen to music, then all i want to do is be at home in my studio creating music, surrounded by sound and beats.

Thats all i want to do, just create music, i know i can do it as i have had stuff released, some people see me as a musician so i guess i could call myself one. But it feels like to spend a few hours making music i have to steal that time like a criminal. It actually gets to the stage where i feel ill with loss, the same feeling that i get when i think of those that are no longer here. It also means that i am not working to my full potential and therefore not rewarding those that put their faith in me, those people that run record labels are not getting the best of me, and if i can't do that then i should just stop making music.

My new release "Soul Paradox" is out on rednetic recordings. To me this is special album as its a collection of tracks i have saved for my own label. All tracks i make have an emotional attachment to me, these ones have an even stronger bond. After five years of releasing quality music from many great artists on rednetic i finally get to release something of mine on the label.

The problem is that now the stakes are far higher, with the first release i had nothing to compare my music to, now however there are many musicians and friends who i have to be equal to or maybe even better than :-), just so that i don't feel like i am letting the side down and giving myself an easy ride, no nepotism thankyou.

Anyway listen to the previews on rednetic.net and go grab a copy of the digital version as 320 kbps mp3s or a limited edition digipak.

And yes rednetic is always open to demos, however one good way for me to listen to music is to check out the new london Glitchnight event, where we will be having a listening session for new elctronica as part of each evening. Mint from Boltfish and I can then scrap over the best demos in a fight to the death for the best tunes. Luckily our tastes are a little different so the most you will probably get is a minor scuffle but you never know. Depends how well behaved electronica artists are after a few pints. So come down to Glitchnight at the Vibe bar on Bricklane on the 25th August (Bank Holiday Monday) and enjoy an evening of chilled music, great sofas and beer.

Also check out the rednetic site for a load of other events happing in August featuring rednetic artists.

thanksMark | Zainetica

I never seem to have time to make music anymore, thats the trouble with running a record label.  I am organising gigs or releases, sorting out pr etc or playing gigs and working in a fulltime job and trying to have a social life.  Its not that easy.  It feels like i have to steal a few hours away and try to make a track in that time.  I also dont get to bed until about 3, which cant be good as i feel like a zombie half the time and have to get up at 8 for work.  So zainetica is not dead just very tired and needs time in the studio with out being bothered.  I am sure it will happen but i am not sure when.  I actually want to spend some proper time on the music i make.  Everything is done too quickly. Last year was tough, my dad had a stroke so i spent alot of time in hospital with him and my mum was in hospital as well so xmas got delayed, nothing is made easy.  Life seems to be something put in the way of studio time.

All i want is to sit somewhere with a laptop and headphones with a nice view and make cool sounds, thats it.  Not wealth, or a big house, definetly not a car or even a family.  I did this once but got hauled back into reality.

Now am sitting in an office in london bored out my brain, watching my life disappear before me, with joy division on the headphones - which seems quite apt actually.

While the new zainetica site is being redesigned it makes sense to use myspace as much as i can.

I have 2 new releases out soon.  Firstly "Theres No Answers" on new label Oto Aka.  Its their first release and a label to look out for in the future.  So thanks Dave.

The other release is a companion album to the first release on Enpeg. Weightless City.  This release also on Enpeg is London while the other was Nelson in New Zealand.  They are my impressions of the two cities.  While Nelson was light and new, sunny and free from history with architecture of wood and little stone, london is rainy and overcast,  heavy with history and stone buildings.  A grey city, full of brooding energy.  The new album is "Overcast City".

Also on the horizon is an EP out on my label Rednetic later this year.  So Zainetica is back, although now if i do gigs it will mainly be under my cyan341 name.

Thats all for now

ok that wasnt the first post but the second

the first post on this blog i think, well i am working on new material for a few labels and trying to sort out music on rednetic. We are just about to release the inigo kennedy CD on the 14th August which i am very much looking forward to. More later if this works

I should be doing other stuff but i seem to be arsing about on mypace for far too long, it also gives me a chance to see who else is doing the same as opposed to being at church or tescos or whatever the hell we are supposed to be doing on sunday these days.  I think i should be listening to demos but i need some burning spear or something similar, actually i think i really should be filling in forms and doing stuff that has nothing to do with music.  I know i shouldnt be writing about what i should be doing instead of doing it.

Arfan (Vizier of Damascus) and I will be playing some tunes on 28th Feb at the Social in london at 5 little portland street.

Does anyone want to host the live set i did at ginglik recently? I have burnt it onto CD for a few people but i think it should go online somewhere.