Where have I been all these months? With my head in a hole obviously.

My colleague Zef alerted me to the joys of www.last.fm - and what a joyous day it was. It's a music site that matches the music you like to other similar artists then lets you play the full versions of those artists songs. As well as that you can sync your i-Pod or i-Tunes library with lastFM and it will recommend other artists (and play their music to you) based on your most played tunes. Brilliant.  

Fleet Foxes performed last night at the SFBH here in Wellington. I like their music. I type their name into last.fm and a plethora of sound-a-like bands and artists present themselves to me. I found The Dodos (who are playing at the SFBH on Friday) and the odd-looking singer-songwriter William Fitzsimmons (pictured).

I’m officially in heaven.

This site is a perfect example of how making music available in it’s entirety can lead to sales for that artist. After hearing the ‘matches’ with the artists I currently like I’m sorely tempted, when finances allow, to purchase the real disks of these artists.

Unlike Warners, who have extracted their artists off YouTube, the artists and distributors on LastFM realise that this is a new way of establishing a following.

Thank goodness for that.