Category Archives: Thinking About Media

On Staying Out of the Comments in 2023

I’m taking a few seconds right now to consider how my social media habits have changed over this past year. Of course they’ve changed, because the discourse on pretty much all of the major social platforms has been changing. You … Continue reading

Posted in The Internet, Thinking About Media | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Quick Layman’s Explainer of Specifically How Elon Musk Is Actively Tanking Twitter’s Business Model Right Now

It’s been a pretty wild couple weeks in the ad-supported digital media business, and unlike most of what happens in this business, they’re things I can actually talk about outside of work without risking putting anyone to sleep. There are … Continue reading

Posted in Social Issues, The Internet, Thinking About Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Cassettes Rule if You’re in a Band

Out here in 2022, we’re about 15 years into the ostensible Cassette Revolution* – well past the point where it could reasonably be considered a “revolution.” Tapes are just part of what we’re doing now, as a culture, or whatever. … Continue reading

Posted in Arts and Culture, The Internet, Thinking About Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bad Advice Musicians Hear, Part 5: Does “Getting Signed” Change Everything?

It’s a slow Thursday night at your neighborhood rock club, and you’ve just stepped offstage after an admittedly killer set by your Promising Local Band. You’re trying to suss whether that’s just your ego talking or if you’ve actually managed … Continue reading

Posted in Arts and Culture, Bad Advice Musicians Hear, Thinking About Media | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bad Advice Musicians Hear, Part 3: Can a PR Rep Fast-Track You to Fame?

Today, we’re going to get into this not-so-great piece of advice: If you hire a PR rep, you’ll fast-track your band’s rise through the ranks. When I was about 21, I asked an acquaintance of mine who was already in … Continue reading

Posted in Arts and Culture, Bad Advice Musicians Hear, Thinking About Media | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Thing About the Mountain Analogy

I spent my late teens and half of my 20s as a serial monomaniac. I wanted to be a professional musician. I wanted to publish books of fiction and poetry. Basically, I wanted to be an “artist,” and I really … Continue reading

Posted in Arts and Culture, Thinking About Media | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Why I Don’t Click Article Links on Facebook (or Post Them Either)

As easy as it would be to start this post with “Facebook is in the news…,” it wouldn’t be a terribly helpful intro. Facebook is always in the news. And almost everything Facebook is in the news for is bad. … Continue reading

Posted in The Internet, Thinking About Media | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s Brian LaRue, the Blog: The Relaunch

All right, so I took a six-year break from this blog, but now I’m back.  Man, a lot can happen in six years. In mid-2015, I was living in a converted warehouse, throwing rock shows. I hadn’t met my partner … Continue reading

Posted in The Internet, Thinking About Media | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Three Alt-Weeklies, My Own Salad Days and One Long Goodbye to Them All

This morning, the final editions of the three alt-weekly newspapers that serve Connecticut — the New Haven Advocate, Hartford Advocate and Fairfield County Weekly — all hit newsstands. The Hartford Advocate, which I discovered on the floor of my high … Continue reading

Posted in Arts and Culture, The Internet, Thinking About Media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

I FIGURED OUT THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

I GOT it. FINALLY. It’s so SIMPLE. All of my problems are solved.

Posted in Arts and Culture, Social Issues, The Internet, Thinking About Media | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment