VikkiChowney

Sometimes, passion for a brand outweighs everything; disappointing service, a poor experience or simply a bad product. 

I'm in love with the Hype Machine for instance, which I use every day to stream music and find new tracks or artists, straight from the site. Though I've been an avid evangelist of the site for years, I have - up till now - never received a response.

A bit of context first. Every January, the blog aggregator picks the best artists, albums and singles from the previous year and releases them bit by bit over the course of the month. A countdown to the cream of the crop if you will.

This time last year, I listened to it almost non-stop. It was presented as a list, and I could skip tracks or repeat as desired.

But this year, Hype has decided to combine the zeitgeist with its radio brand, presenting it as three hour-long shows with a somewhat irritating DJ talking over the music. None of which are full tracks I might add, only clips.

I was fairly gutted about this, as I'd been looking forward to the finding out which tunes had made it. I vented online, and received a response from one of the founders saying that Hype would take my thoughts into consideration (at least he tried).

Has this changed how I feel about the brand? Not really. Because of the strength of my feeling towards Hype, upon finding that the zeitgeist wasn't what I expected, I simply went back to my normal behaviour. This meant using the 'Loved Songs' list to hear my favourite tracks. I've done the same since, and I still recommend it just as highly.

When passion outweighs everything else, there's a risk that brands can get complacent. Apple has the market sewn up, and a sense of over-confidence in its product that means that any promotion around new products seems almost arrogant. Yes, having a fantastic product is half the battle, but where's the line? Does this make brands like Hype and Apple unstoppable? Who knows, I just want my zeitgeist back.

The last of my non-tech related posts of late, so bear with me as I return to Lovebox Weekender for a second day of festivities.

You can also watch the full interview with Bombay Bicycle Club (whose namesake I actually found while wandering around Maida Vale on Saturday) on YouTube.

As far as blogging goes, this is a little off topic for me. But it’s no secret that I'm a massive music fan, so should all make sense in the end :)

This weekend I’ve had the pleasure of attending the Lovebox Weekender, a two-day festival held in Victoria Park, East London. Set up by Groove Armada eight years ago, it’s an infusion of electro, rock and 'cutting edge' pop acts. Lovebox was the name of a club night hosted by the duo, as well as one of their albums - both of which helped to lay the foundations for the event's concept.

So, I was wondering around the site, camera in hand (or someone else's actually) all with the aim of creating content for Lovebox.net/tv.

Day one was all about the main stage, and the first big act to step up was Florence & the Machine at around 6.00pm. The very beginning of this set provided me with my quote of the day, courtesy of the man behind me; 'is that the girl from Girls Aloud?'

Decked out in a feather trimmed leotard and matching shoes, Florence's energy cut the crowd like a knife and I was impressed with how strong her voice was when performing live. She was obviously a bit giddy that it was the first time they'd played on a main stage, and her excitement was incredibly contagious. To the same man behind me that dismissed them with; 'I don't like Florence...or her machine', you not only need your eyes tested, but you are truly wrong.

Next up was N.E.R.D, who after a slow first half, turned the crowd on a penny like no artist I've ever seen. The interaction was well-timed and everyone went crazy for 'Lapdance' (as you do). Pharrell turned on the charm and inadvertently created a bit of a riot at the front by inviting girls onto the stage with him. I'm not going to lie, I tried my best. In the end, I was pipped to the post by a girl standing next to me after she pulled the 'fake faint' move. Ahem. Anyway, it was a great festival set.

The night finished with a Clockwork Orange style entrance by Duran Duran, and though I wasn't too impressed with their new material, the classics went down a storm. The piece de resistance was the inclusion of Mark Ronson on stage for the finale, a Bond theme medley and my favourite of their songs - 'View to a kill'. Amazing laser show as well.

Day two's highlights included an audience-performed session of Hip Hop Karaoke, a great interview backstage with half of Bombay Bicycle Club (lovely boys) and a live set from Filthy Dukes. In fact, I'm listening to their album right now, and they were truly great on stage. A perfect afterparty band I think.

We also got the chance to check out the All Star Lanes bowling alley yesterday, which was very impressive, as well as the antics inside the Gordon's Sloe Gin Sanctuary (a clever concept that gave away a free cocktail to those that found one of a limited number of special wristbands). There was also the inevitable fairground rides, 'Affordable Vintage Clothes Fair' and the hawaiian-beach themed Rizla stage (which could have been four times the size and still packed).

I'll be working on a final edit this next week, which will go live on Monday. I'll post it here as soon as it's finished.

If there's ever a question bound to put a smile on my face, it would be; 'will you make me a playlist?'

It's no secret that I'm a massive music fan with a slight penchant for electro, so when asked to contribute a ten-strong collection to support MTV and The Body Shop's Yes Yes Yes campaign, there was only really one answer.

The companies are teaming up for good reason too, as the blog says;

"Right now, there are over 33 million people living with HIV and AIDS around the world – and that figure is increasing every minute of every day. So what’s driving this figure up? Simple answer – for the most part, people having unsafe sex. Crazy, isn’t it. That’s why, this year, MTV and the Body Shop are asking you to say YES to safe sex. By this one simple step, you’ll be making a stand – a stand that says you’re ready to tackle this epidemic with action that will make a difference."

I have to say, the last time MTV and TBS tied up to launch the campaign above, I may have bought several (hundred). I gave myself full permission to over-indulge though, as proceeds from each sale goes to The Staying Alive Foundation (an MTV AIDS charity that helps young people set up grass roots projects in their communities). I'm sure the new version is just as delicious, but you can always buy online and check for yourself for just £5.

Check out my full playlist here, with a click through to open and play directly via Spotify