So far I’ve tried 3 media servers:

• TVersity
• PS3 Media Server
• Windows Media Server

Based on my experiences since about 2007, here’s some pros and cons for each.

Windows Media Server pros:

• runs straight out of the box (whether you like it or not)
• requires very little setup or tweaking
• fairly reliable

Windows Media Player cons:

• often get ‘no title’ messages when looking for media (I think this is WMP indexing files, but I have disabled it for this reason)
• can’t play MKVs or other HD formats
• can’t convert video on the fly to a format friendly to your setup (e.g. HD to standard def)
• can’t configure when (or how, or how often) it indexes media

TVersity pros:

• It’s free
• Will convert media on the fly so it’s compatible with your streaming device (e.g. Xbox, Playstation)
• It’s lets you configure which directories you want to share out, on screen menus etc
• highly configurable, e.g. how often you want to index media
• lets you view your media by date added to system (very handy)
• can let you play internet services through your TV like Youtube and RSS
• It groups like directories into one. E.g. if you have 3 directories called ‘videos’, they all display on your Playstation as one ‘videos’

TVersity cons:

• seems to have issues on Windows 7 with Trend Micro Security (never had problems on Win XP)
• often have to the TVersity service (sometimes every day. I’m yet to find a fix to make it run always)
• It’s fiddly to get the HD support for MKV files working
• There are regular updates – to fix bugs!
• The indexing of media can take say 2-10 minutes. But I’ve been having dramas with it on Windows 7. Some videos it just doesn’t want to index.

PS3 media server pros:

• It just works!
• It’s free and very impressive
• Generates thumbnail images for all your videos
• It doesn’t index files. You simply view the directory structure of your computer and find the files you want to play
• you can configure menus
• Up and running in minutes

PS3 media server cons:

• Sony have NOTHING to do with it. It’s written by a very clever French bloke!
• It’s not updated often, but it is stable.
• It can’t convert on the fly
• I assume it only works with PS3s

All that said, I end up using PS3 Media Server all the time and occasionally TVersity for high def stuff. Although sometimes you wonder why not just have a computer in the living room. It would be much simpler… When all is said and done streaming is only starting to become a reality for the complete novice in 2010. Looking back on my uni days when I did PC setups and internet tuition, I still don’t think any of these media servers for all their merits are simple enough for the novice. There’s too much network setup, firewall configuration and just in depth PC nerd knowledge required. Ultimately, there needs to be a Playstation with Terabytes of storage that’s dead simple. But until then, pick your media server of choice and get out that manual.

A note about the Playstation as a media server

Regardless of the media server you’re connecting to, the Playstation 3 however is excellent. It lets you fast forward and rewind like DVDs which many media gates don’t offer. And with the Blu Ray player it’s the way to go. Even without ever buying a game, it’s pretty good. The only complaint is that the Bluetooth remote is far too sensitive. Knock any button on the remote and it turns the Playstation on. It gets annoying after a while! I wish I could say more for the XBox. But it’s so nerdy I can’t fathom ever using it!

Shane Smith.

Lately I’ve been addicted to the Vice Broadcasting Service (vbs.tv). Not only have they been responsible for epic movies like Heavy Metal in Baghdad, but they relentlessly travel the world showing you places you’d never thought you’d see in your life. I’m talking Liberia, the sewer kids of Colombia, heavy metal mobs on Aboriginal reservations; they literally know now bounds! It’s beyond gonzo journalism or ever war correspondence. They take you to places where war technically hasn’t stopped for 50 years like North Korea. Brining very nicely to the point of this blog: Shane Smith.

Somehow after years of working for a faceless corporate behemoth, I’ve found North Korea both bizarre and strangely intruiging. Perhaps all those bland grey office partitions have got me in the communist mind set. Whatever the reason, I found a Youtube video of Shane Smith going through North Korea as a clandestine filmmaker. I’m assuming that when he went through customs, he did not have to declare the watermelon sized balls he has on one of those arrivals forms.  It seems at no stage of this journey was there no sense of danger. Posing as tourists, at each corner their minders are warning them of the dangers of their actions.

The legend.

So after seeing the North Korea video a few times (it’s just that out there) and Smith’s trip to Liberia it got me thinking. OK so the guy has watermellon sized balls and thus pretty cool. Then he’s got these features of someone we know and love. So there’s no tell tale warts on the face, but the shortish beard and sideburns and long, greasy looking rock and roll hair. Is Shane the bastard child of Lemmy Kilmister? Quite possibly. After all if Vice is a rock and roll version of TV’s 60 minutes, it’s got to be a little close to the Motorhead ethos?! See for yourself with the photos above and below. For those of you not familiar with Kilmister’s work, Lemmy is Mr Heavy Metal. A title which should make him a complete egotistical douche a la Gene Simmons, but actually a complete gentleman and all round awesome bloke.

There are a few things that are wrong with this picture though. Note the scarf Shane’s wearrning which is totally un-metal. Oh and in his profile, he admits to signing the Bloc Party to his label. Even if he is Lemmy’s bastard son, he would still be hung at dawn for that in my book. At the very least, daddy Kilmister should give his kid a hiding for it! Anyway check out Motorhead and Vice TV for youself. Make your own mind up.

Hairy rock and roll geeks representin'

Some weeks in podcasting are just gold. Michael Butler, the rock and roll geek in his aptly named Rock and Roll Geek show interviews Nardwuar the Human Serviette this week. These two guys are great rock nerds that have been doing podcasts for quite some time. Well Nardwuar has since before podcasts on college radio for decades!

But first let’s talk about the relative newbie. For a few months now I’ve been catching the RNR Geek Show through iTunes. Michael Butler [host] is a ‘have bass will travel’ kind of professional muso that focuses most of his efforts on podcasting these days. He’s played in bands such as Exodus and now plays in Jetboy amongst many others. Each week he puts out about an hour long podcast on anything from classic, commercially ignored rock albums to his favorite recipes. If nothing else, he’s very easy to listen to and extremely consistent. As a bass player, his insights into the recording of classic albums makes for good geek listening too.

Nardwuar is the master of a bizarre, kind of take-the-piss-and-run style of interviewing. Yet true to his bizarre roots, the quality of his research is often flawless, often flabbergasting the interviewee. He’s an icon in his native British Columbia, Canada and a veteran of plaid clothing! Since 1987, there’s no one that Nardwuar hasn’t interviewed – well no one that matters anyway. From getting dangerously close to offending a still young Henry Rollins, to blindsiding President Gorbachev in a passe press conference. He’s driven several interviewers to take unusual and often confrontation actions, including has been porn mogul Al Goldstein, has been Skid Row rocker Sebastian Bach and Alice Cooper. Along the way, he’s befriended Jello Biafra, Josh Homme and Joey Shithead from DOA to name a few and gotten himself beaten up by Sonic Youth!

In short there’s no one in this world quite as out there as Nardwuar, and this is one of very few times I’ve heard him as the subject of an interview. He still speaks slightly in character (perhaps he’s become the character) but also topically about his music, past experiences and how he earns a crust.

Despite not being through Mr Butler’s preferred feedback channels, I’d like to thank you very much for the Nardwuar interview. I share your admiration for the guy and he’s definitely a bona fide rock geek god. Definitely one of your better ones, a real surprise and a real treat. Keep it up. For the love of god, check it out!

ITunes users can find the interview by searching the iTunes store for ”. Otherwise find it on the Rock and Roll Geek Show web site. And don’t forget to check out the masses of interviews at Nardwuar.com! Doot-do-da-doot-do…Doot-do.

Angry tells some great stories about anything and everything from hanging out with Slash on Sunset Strip whilst recording his solo album, to taking the piss out of Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil. To be honest, I was really nicely surprised to see that the Rosie Tatts and Angry as lead singer, DO get the recognition they deserve stateside. Especially when so many Americans hear with shock and awe that AC/DC aren’t from the US! Yup, they cut their teeth in good old Australia.

Unfortunately you have to give a black mark to the CMS boys though. Although Rose Tattoo are clearly well known in US metal circles, they weren’t aware of Angry Anderson the media celebrity. It might come as a surprise to some non Aussies to find that Angry has done heaps for various charities. In one current affairs show at least a decade ago, he used his cebebrity and clout to get a K-Mart store to ‘donate’ $25000 worth of toys on the spot. By donate I mean walking into the store with cameras and taking them. No one says no to Angry! And this week just past, he got his boat race on a bush fire telethon quicker than you can say ‘tits up’ – which he in fact did!

So when Chris and Neely took the piss asking if he was mortified when Steve Irwin died, Angry more than likely would’ve known Irwin through his TV work. If not quite well. Anyways thanks to the CMS guys for interviewing Angry. It was a great surprise and a real treat. Next you have to really cover all bases and interview Turbonegro from Norway! Or the Iraqi metal band that just got refugee status in New Jersey Acrassicauda.

P.S. this interview is available by Podcast or several other options on their website theclassicmetailshow.com

But what could Tommy Chong possibly bring to the mix? Well thanks to him and the guys at Hippie Motors, clearly banking on his celebrity, he has quite simply the only cool Prius in the world. It might not go any faster, but it’s lowered, tinted and it just doesn’t get any blacker. It’s like it’s had emotherapy or something.

At one point, Tommy reckons that he had hydraulic low rider suspension, but had it removed because the ride quality was hideously bad. The interior is bespoke too. One thing’s for sure, if I had to drive a contrived eco celebmobile it would be this one. Thankfully, I think only Tommy can get away with it.

Both Cheech and Chong were recently interviewed on the Jonesy’s Jukebox podcast. In the hour and a bit interview, Tommy talks for a few minutes about the beast amongst other things! We can all only hope that when we’re in our seventies, we can be as cool as Tommy. Maybe then I can pimp my mum’s four cylinder Magna.

Dave's not here man. He's locked in the trunk.

It's been a great year to discover podcasts. Here are some of the best.

Hey y’all. Podcasts just rock. It’s pure, concentrated radio magic without waiting all day for the one cool program. Often it’s all the stuff you’d love to hear on radio that’s just far too out there to broadcast any time of day. As much as iTunes is rigid and inflexible, it’s by far the easiest way to get into podcasting. So use the iTunes keywords to search the iTunes store for these podcasts and subscribe.

1. Jonesy’s jukebox. Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols makes LA bearable. Not only does he keep the septics real, but he brings in a steady stream of English expats in Hollywood and special guest hosts. His Jukebox Jury episodes about anything and everything are not to be missed. Oh and for good measure, there’s regular jams with top shelf musos from Sweet to E from the Eels.

Itunes keywords: jonesy’s jukebox (comes up as Indie 103.1 FM podcasts) | Jonesy’s web site

2. Joe Strummer’s London Calling. Joe was possibly the coolest eccentric punk rock warlord that ever lived. During his brief tenure as a BBC host, he covered the world of music several times over. In this series the music is relived and rock legends and former mates alike remenisce their memories of Joe. A truly memorable, albeit finite podcast.

iTunes keywords: joe strummer – london calling

3. The Classic Metal Show. Neely and Chris are like the jaded, seen it all Seinfelds of metal. They dissect, antagonise and generally take the piss out of everything metal and ofter the poor schmucks who dial in. By and large, it’s hilarious and always topical. I for one am a big fan. If you lived cock rock and hair metal just long enough to laugh, this is for you.

iTunes keywords: the classic metal show | the CMS web site

4. Nardwuar the Human Serviette. Nardwuar will probably be the first and last podcast I will ever listen to. No one comes close to Nard’ in just plain weird, eclectic coolness. As Josh Homme describes him he’s rockin’ the plaid on plaid on plaid and has breath that smells like the arse of an apple, but no one does an interview as left of field and crazy as Nardwuar does. Sadly not available on iTunes because he got his XML wrong!

iTunes: not available | RSS feed | Nardwuar’s web site

5. On the Real with Chuck D – Air America Radio. Now is a great time to listen to Chuck D. Yes the Chuck D from public enemy. With Obama being elected, he’s got plenty to say and ain’t backward in coming forward about saying it. This is talkback, political radio without the suck.

iTunes keywords: on the real chuck D | web site

6. Keith and the Girl. Sure each episode starts with a Jewish prayer but they don’t finish on a pious note. This podcast is updated daily and is pure New York sleaze with a Yiddish tinge. Keith and the Girl are a married couple and very little of their life is left out. A great place to start is the extensive best of as they literally have hundreds of episodes. If you get really bored at work and just want to hear sexy ranting, bring on the Keith and the Girl

iTunes keywords: keith and the girl | KATG web site

Now one thing I’ll say is that it’s easy to go Gene bashing. But Ace is usually put on a pederstool. Anyway in the indulgent eighties, it turns out old Ace tried his hand at some lame ass dance material of his own. Why would anyone pay for precious producer time, a recording studio and all that reel to reel tape to not release anything? It beggars belief. It’s kind of disco that was too late for disco, with Ace’s guitar licks all over it.

Then there’s the ‘I like my dolls’ song, which has to be the peak of cocaine addiction if nothing else. Very strange indeed. But it’s mainly boxy bass patterns played on an eighties synthesiser that’s not rock, dance or anywhere near hip hop, but sadly trying to be all three.

You can hear the CMS boys take the piss out of it track by track. A great podcast by the way too boys. I found it on iTunes and thought it may be a tad nostalgic. But it’s objective, a tad cynical and very now. If someone still rocks, they rock. If not they put their snakeskin boot in! Rawk \m/.

If you really are into self aural mutilation, apparently you can find the Ace Frehley demos here. But slash your wrists and rub salt in your wounds instead. It more fashionable with the emos of today and marginally less painful.

I like it because in a funny kind of way, Jonesy has become the ultimate anti-punk. He’s no a chap in his fifties that sounds posh and very typically English old bean. But that is more or less circumstantial. He’s friggin’ awesome. Also because every podcast is a little bit impromptu, especially when there’s the odd Jam. There are some regular guests like his Pistols band mate, drummer Paul Cook.

Let’s get one thing straight though. Sometimes he really shit talks and it would probably drive some people crazy. One really good example the other day was when Russel Brand (of Forgetting Sarah Marshall fame) talked for about 10 minutes about the clock on the wall. With all the music cut out (I think if they play more than 30 seconds they have to pay additional royalties) some shows are shorter than others.

If for no other reason, listen because it shows something better than Hannah Montana is coming out of America. Anyway here is a link to all Episodes of Jonesy’s Jukebox. Or if you happen to be in LA, tune in at twelve bells…

The relaxed and apparently well hung Steve Jones in the studio. Probably talking about his affection for bubble butts.

For better or for worse, when Cam and the Eat It boys resumed their awesome Sunday show, the Plonk boys lost their gig. RRR couldn’t find any air time for them. But they did think there was enough merit in doing a podcast – thank god!

This is a one hour show and it looks like it will be a monthly podcast. Production quality is a bit naff, but the content is all great stuff. Three panelists talking all aspects of viticulture, tasting, the wine glut, vintages, regions, varietals, food matchings, you name it. The favourite is WWWW, or Wanky Wine Word of the Week! Each week they endeavour to demystify a new listeners wanky vinofile term.

If you don’t know RRR, trust me this is cool community radio. So think young, laid back, totally non commercial and funky. Not old men with overalls and beards talking about things they found in their shed. Well worth a listen. Subscribe to the plonk podcast, or listen to the first episode.

Initially I was mistaken for thinking that this guy was some Canadian prime time personality. But he appears to have worked for a college radio station CITR for at least 10 years. On Nardwuar’s Youtube page, you’ll find a bunch of short sub 5 minutes interviews. But the on full podcasts of his radio shows, he plays some of the most bizarre flea market stuff you’ve ever heard. From promotional records for record manufacturing companies, to advertising jingles of the 1960s. It’s often said but seldom true, Nardwuar is eclecticist in extremis! This eclecticism stretches out to his interviewees, ranging from emo, to hair metal, gangster rappers to pop to the prime minister of Canada.

If you’re talking qualities though, he’s not just a whiny guy in a polyester suit. There’s also a strength of character in Nardwuar, not just celebrity that’s not always found in his subjects. Often interviews take a turn for the worst but he holds it together so well. Some subjects (especially major label punk rockers who sell their music for shampoo commercials) really don’t get it and react pretty badly. Even the dorky looking guy in glasses from Blur repeatedly bullied him until walking out of the interview. Albeit it seemed to be taking the piss, just a little rough. Nevertheless, he always takes retorts and shoves in his stride and keeps plugging away at his subject till he gets his interview.

In his interview with Nirvana, Courtney Love (accompanying Kurt) said “you sooo want to create a scene around yourself don’t you?”. It was like water off a duck’s back. Alice Cooper didn’t do so favourably. When Nardwuar kepy shouting down the phone ‘hey stoopid’ the minders came on the line and hung up. Sebastian Bach formerly of Skid Row once stole his plaid hat causing psandemonium amongst Canadian college students to get it back.

Once he even managed to unravel the usual good guy Henry Rollins. In 1998 he got particularly short with him over his petty questions (it really does depend on the celebrity and personality of his interviewee) and gave him the ultimatum of one more question. Nardwuar dropped the minutia and the hysteria a bit, but stayed true to himself. Nardwuar responded to him with a choice of 5 incredibly well researched ones.  It turned the whole interview around to the point that Rollins ‘got it’ and walked away happy.

What makes a Nardwuar interview truly entertaining though is what the English call ‘taking the piss’, something truly rare in a North American talent. In other words, he brings them down to their human level. Porno magnate Al Goldstein came across as the absolute prick he makes himself out to be. Gene Simmons didn’t go much better (not that he came off bad, he just came across as the upper class, Israeli businessman he really is). So you guessed it, there’s no human side to some people! Yet it’s supposedly scary guys ones like metal bands (Cradle of Filth, Motorhead and Megadeth) or punk bands (like the Rancid, the Damned and the Sex Pistols) really respond to it and give far more of themselves away than they normally would do in an interview.

He even has the versatility to make Kelly Osborne and Franz Ferdinand briefly entertaining! But someone of this manic and eclectic nature is always going to be unpredictable.  I guess you never know which way a Nardwuar interview is going to go. It could be two minutes or an hour. Some great piss takers like Blur and Rob Zombie really have pulled one over Nardwuar. In the aftorementioned Blur interview, the band members stripped off glasses and hat to expose the real Nardwuar, exclaiming ’see we really like this guy!’ It’s a true battle of wits. However, Nardwuar will usually spin it so both interviewer and subject come out on top. How perfectly Canadian!

If you’ve read this far, check out his web page. A word of warning, his extensive interview libraries are addictive and sadly just not updated often enough. Leaving on a good note though, as he would close off ‘keep on rocking in the free world Nardwuar and do-doo-da-do-doo. Do-doo.’ Interviews are seldom this entertaining. Ba Boom!