The social networking service Twitter is helping music fans connect with artists and one another. But critics of "microblogging" say it encourages short attention spans and ruins live concerts. Today: a Soundcheck Smackdown debate on Twitter's role in the music world. Plus: well-traveled bassist Melvin Gibbs shares a new album born in Brazil.
Guests:
Melvin Gibbs
Smackdown: Twitter
Twitter first made a splash with music insiders at the 2007 South by Southwest Festival. Two years later, the social-networking tool is being used by musicians, fans and critics in ways that make blogs look outdated. But can anything musical really be summed up in 140 characters or less? In ...
Melvin Gibbs
Melvin Gibbs has been called "the best bassist in the world" by Time Out New York and he has played with artists as diverse as rapper Dead Prez and saxophonist John Zorn. For his latest album, he traveled to Brazil to make hours of field recordings in candomblé houses, centers ...
Is Twitter the new crack... berry?
I really felt for Barack Obama when he became president, and found that he was not going to be allowed to use his BlackBerry handheld device because of security concerns. While it's turned out that he can actually use the gadget for some communications, his initial distress was something I ...