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Did you know there is a whole wealth of photography, music and video out there that you can legally use in presentations, websites, etc?
A non-profit organization called the Creative Commons devised a set of standard licenses that any content creator (e.g. photographer, artist, musician) can assign to their works. These licenses provide clear usage rights for each work released. These usage rights can run the gamut from the traditional copyright of "all rights reserved" to the public domain of "no rights reserved".
The Creative Commons has come to the forefront recently as the new whitehouse.gov website and several big-name musical artists like Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails have adopted CC licences for their content. For the content creator, CC licensing offers a finer granularity and clarity over the usage permissions they grant. Granting permission for people to freely share your creative work can greatly increase visibility (as a card carrying member, I can attest to this) as well as promote the sharing of ideas and art. For content consumers and creators or derivative works there are clear guidelines over how a licensed work maybe used and what credit must be given. For bloggers, podcasters and website managers this opens up a whole world of legally usable content. The photo sharing website, Flickr, now has an estimated over 100 million Creative Commons licensed photos that their users have uploaded and assigned various flavors of CC license. That's pretty massive, searchable, royalty-free library!
The following video explains some of the details of how Creative Commons licensing works.
If this interests you, I urge you to visit the Creative Commons website to fully understand the details of the various licenses.
I’m sitting here in the loft of a log cabin, high atop the Smoky Mountains. It is the night before we travel home from a 3-night “get away” mountains. This is the second time we’ve been to this very structure in the woods, and each time it has resulted in a great unleashing of musical output. Something about the purely natural surroundings and (admittedly) isolation from any distractions, is very conducive to letting the creativity soar.
In the past 2 days I’ve written 5 new pieces, each of which Christa has given the thumbs up. We’ve been working with a slightly new technique lately of approaching each new piece as a story, rather than a song. For each of the Smoky Mountain pieces, for example, Christa sat listening and describing the visuals that came to mind in text. With that description and a musical sketch in place, we can embark together on completing lyrics (if appropriate) and a more polished arrangement. It’s less about making a 3.5 minute pop song, and more about the story of the thing. I’m sure some will end up as 3.5 minute pop songs… some, perhaps not. These visual descriptions may or may not end up in the finished product, but they are great stepping stones to the next part of the journey.
Now, returning to “civilization” and routine, the task of keeping the distractions at bay is upon us. Stay tuned.
Happy New Year to all.
2008 has been an odd year indeed. An entire year passed by and there is little tangible to show for it. We performed just 2 shows and put our weekly podcast, “Tea with Hungry Lucy” on hold. Reflecting, as one does, on the past year, though, so much happened and so many lessons were learned.
Among them, we learned that “good enough” is anything but.
We learned that change is essential for growth.
We learned that transparency can be stressful, especially for introverts.
We learned to experiment without placing expectations on the results.
We learned that simplicity is often the most powerful and appropriate path forward.
We learned that “getting it wrong” is valuable and useful thing to do.
We learned to learn.
I know many of you patiently awaiting a new album. You will get one in 2009, you will also get back “Tea with Hungry Lucy”. We spent much of our time since pausing the podcast working on new songs, gradually easing them towards completion. We came within striking distance of a complete album. Many of these songs were good, but not great. These songs are now filed away somewhere and may or may not ever see the light of day. This took us quite a way back in the whole process, but everything we have ready, is truly some of our best work. This also means we still have quite a way to go. No one but Christa and I have heard these songs, and no one will until the album is complete.
So, with the lessons of 2008 behind us, we move forward. We are both very excited about 2009 and our current frame of mind/heart.
What can you expect from Hungry Lucy in 2009? Expect nothing. Expect everything.
Happy New Year to all.
“… the best way to predict the future is to invent it”
- Alan Kay, Pioneering Computer Scientist“Following a trend just means you’re always behind”
- Lydia Hutchinson, Editor, Performing Songwriter Magazine
War-N Harrison, from the band Hungry Lucy, speaks about his views and support of Creative Commons licensing.
It is always kind of a milestone event when we run out of a pressing of one of our CDs. It allows to pause for a moment and marvel at the fact that all of you fabulous fans have enabled us to sell multiple thousands of copies of a CD (that still blows my mind). Typically that is quickly followed by a large outlying of cash, shortly followed by a shipment of a thousand CDs that look and sound identical to their predecessor. There is always the urge, though, to make a few tweaks to the new batch. Usually, we fall back on staying true to the original. When it came time to re-press our 2003 CD, "Glo", we gave in to that urge. So much has changed with the world and our beliefs since the last pressing that a change was in order. The new version of Glo not only reflects our musical and artistic vision, but also our belief that large heaps of plastic and coated paper are not such a great thing. Also gone are the "duplication punishable by death" statements. There is also the reality that we must be a little more cost-conscious when stocking up on a dying medium, the shiny disc.
The original version of Glo, was a double CD. The first disc being our original vision for the album, and the second being a set of re-imagined versions by some great artists such as Bloodwire, Chandeen, Claire Voyant, and The Dreamside among several others. All this was packed into a double plastic jewel case with an 8 page, glossy-coated booklet, which was then wrapped in yet more plastic.
The new version includes only the first disc enclosed in a 4 panel, recycled board wallet, printed with vegetable-based ink and no shrink wrap. We're pleased to say the only plastic is the disc itself. Fear not, the wonderful remixes and 8 page booklet are not lost. Anyone purchasing the Glo CD will receive a special website address where they can download all of the remixes and the original 8-page booklet. The audio files are available in 256kbps MP3, 256kbps OGG and FLAC formats. The booklet is available in PDF format. For those concerned about the audio quality of MP3s, FLAC is a lossless format, meaning a full-fidelity copy of the original CD files. Equally as important to us (and hopefully you) is the fact that Glo is now released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike license.
All that simply means is that everyone is free to share, copy, distribute, remix, display and perform the music as long you let people know that Hungry Lucy created the music and include a link back to www.hungrylucy.com. This license only extends to non-commercial uses of the music. If you're making money from it, just ask us first.
We first used Creative Commons licensing with our 2006 EP, "Before We Stand... We Crawl" and then with this year's "Teatime Sessions" release. As we release new material, as well as re-press each of our previous releases, we'll make sure each of those use the same Creative Commons license.
The brand-spanking new version of Glo is available now in the Hungry Lucy web store for just $11.00 USD.
It's hard for me to believe that Hungry Lucy turns 10 years old this month (Nov. 2008). Although our cover of Depeche Mode's "Blue Dress" kicked everything off earlier in 1998, November of that year marked the first time we put pen to paper and fingers to keyboard to create our first original song, "Bound in Blood". I remember getting up one morning and finding that Christa had left the lyrics with a little description of the "sound" for me. It was like a little present. Using that description as "instructions" I began to form the music. And Hungry Lucy was born!
We've sure come a long way since those days. Working in our own little bubbles was the way we both dealt with the very personal work of songwriting back then. The shear distance we've come was reinforced this past weekend when Christa and I (close to giving up completely) threw away several of the songs we had for the next release. Although this seems rash, it was just the catharsis we needed. Within a few hours of this decision, we had sat down together and created what is my current favorite song, "Pulse of the Earth". Gone are the attempts to emulate the artists we love and respect. Frankly, that was the problem with the songs we threw out. It can be tough to trust one's own instincts when you're creating something for which you know people are waiting. Casting all the expectation aside is what it takes, and where Hungry Lucy is headed (once more) as we go into our 11th year as a band. We've never been a normal band. We never will be... and that's OK. We are nothing more than husband and wife, creating the little pieces of art of which we can be proud.
Coinciding with our 10 year anniversary, we recently took a trip down memory lane for the excellent "Music for Midnight" podcast. Austin Beeman (our gracious host) did an excellent job of producing something that provides a lovely audio scrapbook of our past 10 years.
You can subscribe to Music for Midnight or listen directly to the Hungry Lucy - Feature. "In Their Own Words" (MP3 link).
Thank you Austin for shining a light on what we do!
In the absence of our podcast, "Tea with Hungry Lucy", I'll be writing more about the album's progress in the next few days. For those of you that have emailed, TWHL will be back... just not yet! For all the people that have emailed and commented with your supportive patience, we thank you. Something special is brewing and we'll share it with you all very soon!
That is all... as you were.
War-N
Over the past few months I have been wrestling a bit with my creative flow (with regards to music). This is nothing unusual for me. My musical output (and desire) always seems to ebb and flow. It has for many, many years. My usual method of dealing with this is to do something else for a while... to ignore the muse... make her beg for it! Without fail, that musical craving comes back with a vengeance in time. Since I don't make my living solely from music, I have that luxury. For the first time in my life, I'm grateful for not having music as my sole source of income.
The past few months, this cycle feels very different to me. I have fallen prey to the FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) that the brain of a creative person likes to dish out from time to time. "Am I all dried up?" "Is it all over now?" Of course, I know this is not the case. It never is. In muddling through all this, however, I think I have finally put my finger on my problem. Yes, it is MY problem... no one else's. As Hungry Lucy, we have been podcasting now for a couple of years. We talk about what we're doing creatively, what we're working on, what to expect next. We're being transparent and inviting people into our process. It's been great for us personally, and for Hungry Lucy, at least while the music is flowing. I think it's back firing on me at the moment though. These days, each week (or lately, each fortnight) I get a little panic in my gut before we record the podcast. "What have I done this week?" "What can I tell people I'm working on?" The podcast, for me, has become a constant reminder that my musical flow is more of a trickle at the moment. I never get to that point of focusing on something else until "the muse" revisits. I equate this (in my warped mind) to a sleep disorder (which I also have) that prevents one from ever getting into the required stage of sleep to fully get what they need from the process. The podcast has become my "creative apnea". As much as we want to share with you all, it cannot come at the expense of the music. I hope you'll agree with me on this. So, as a remedy, we won't be producing Tea with Hungry Lucy for a while. Know that when we do come back, we'll have lots to share. I hope you're still here when we do. Thanks for being here for us as we aim to be for you.
Much love,
Holy Hell it's hot in here! Where's my watermelon? This episode brings many different topics to the table. One of which is the new Hungry Lucy release, "The Teatime Sessions"!! Get one now for fear of embarrassment! War-N found an interesting article about Introvert vs. Extrovert. Don't be mean to the "innie's"! OPM for both HL members was the disc "Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace" featuring many a talented musician. CB comes out of the fashion closet and embraces the girl within by outwardly browsing through the pages of British Vogue. A long-time love that she's kept hidden for all the wrong reasons. Who knew??
A note of great importance is the Bloodwire show in San Francisco, CA on August 30th at Julie's Supper Club. We truly wish we could be there! I hear they are performing many new tunes. How lovely!!!
Other rants and ramblings within this podcast fully represent the members of Hungry Lucy. We are absolutely responsible for topics mentioned on this podcast. Life is worth nothing if you don't stand up for what you believe in! To hear/see more blog-type postings from each individual member go here for War-N and here for Christa Belle. You may even learn how to make a killer Chocolate Cake!
Until next time... be more expressive!
DOWNLOAD the episode #121 MP3
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Christa Belle dancing for David Lynch! (thanks Tyim)
By popular demand, we are making "The Teatime Sessions" available via digital music channels. The release is already online at, Amazon MP3 Store, Napster, Rhapsody and Lala. iTunes (Worldwide) and eMusic will follow in the coming weeks (if they aren't already there).
The Teatime Sessions is a collection of 9 live recordings made during the Tea with Hungry Lucy podcast over the past year and a half. These are nicely mixed & mastered versions of the original recordings and sound much better than the low quality podcast MP3.
TRACKLIST:
- we won’t go (#66, mar 25, 2007)
- good girl (#98, jan 13, 2008)
- love vigilantes* (#115, may 25, 2008)
- open window (#57, jan 14, 2007)
- rebirth (#93, nov 11, 2007)
- shine (#113, apr 27, 2008)
- softly (#118, jul 6, 2008)
- stay (#116, jun 18, 2008)
- to kill a king (#110, apr 7, 2008)
all songs by c belle/w harrison except * originally by new order
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License
In episode 120 of Tea with Hungry Lucy, Christa and War-N give us all the juicy details of their recent show with Thoushaltnot at The Dock in Cincinnati. War-N talks about keeping himself to himself, and then feels he's contradicted himself. Christa raises an interesting issue whether it's better to coexist with people of differing views or group together with like-minded people. That got War-N thinking far too hard. What are your thoughts on the matter? Christa also speaks indirectly to Anji Bee of Lovespirals regarding the song "Storm" and a shared experience.
Other People's Music for this week include:
- Kerli
- James Blunt
- Stripmall Architecture (new project from former Halou members)
Folks in San Francisco, don't miss Stripmall Architecture @ Cafe du Nord on Aug. 13th
Which song shall we play on the next podcast?
DOWNLOAD the episode #120 MP3
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