Home Recording Book - Title suggestions?

[ferguson66]

Originally Posted by crbledsoe

I think you nailed it with the title of your web site Brandon. "Make Home Recordings Pro Recordings"

I think this is the winner.

[brandondrury]

or from the risqué, eyebrow raising, almost clever school:

Aural Love (geddit?)

Hmm. No, I don't get it. It looks like I'll be doing some reading on wiki tonight (this morning).

Home recording from the start... but without the bollocks.

Nevermind the bollocks.

You guys all have a lot of good ideas. You've got me thinking.

Maybe then you should stick a swastica

Hmmmmm. I can't help to think that this is going to cost me a lot of money, but somehow make me a lot more money. It's a gamble. I LOVE the idea of somehow blending the Swastika / 3rd Reich concept into my recording book. Seriously, the only thing I do with my life is record music, run websites, and read Nazi history books. My book should be indicitive of this.

I can use the Nazi theme throughout the book in way that isn't insulting to any ethnic group (other than the mere inclusion of the logo itself).

This will generate shock value. I can't imagine how it wouldn't. That alone is worth something. When I think about it, I've been offending people with this site (and otherwise) my whole life, so why stop now. When Joe Pesci says "Go fuck ya motha" in Goodfellas he still managed to play one of of the Wet Bandits in Home Alone. He even got an Oscar for Goodfellas.

The only thing I need to be concerned about is the possibility that people may not take the book seriously. Like "ha ha, he used a Swastika on his pretend book". No, it's a REAL book!

Then again, the marketing angle on this could be astounding. I have about 30 ideas that would get me enormous traffic.

I've considered writing a book on the Nazi thing anyway. (100 pages of why understanding Nazism is important today kind of thing). Maybe this would be a cool way of bridging the two together.

If I'm shunned for the book, I would have little problem defending my position simply because I've put so much time into understanding Nazi history.

Okay, this is a quick concept I threw together in Photoshop. It's crappy, it's offensive, but it is definitely me.

[yairhol]

Having had half of my family tortured and murdered at the holocaust, you may understand why I don't find your design or the suggestion of swastica amusing.

[ferguson66]

It just looks like the swastika was placed there as an afterthought. I don't see how a swastika relates to home recording. If I were to walk in a store and see this cover it would look to me like you were using a gimmick to get your book noticed. I would pass it by like the "Home Recording for Idiots" book as gimmicky and look for a serious book.

Although I am a cold hearted German, I still can see how it would be offensive to certain people. I wouldn't go out of my way to offend people when the book could be just as good without the symbol.

[guy]

I would write a seperate book on nazi history then... if it's another passion of yours.
I would personally find the nazi references too distracting in a recording book and wonder .."wtf?".
I totally understand if your obsessive about stuff and focus intensely on one or two things. But please resist the urge to blend the two themes.

[thesilentdrummer]

Originally Posted by yairhol

Having had half of my family tortured and murdered at the holocaust, you may understand why I don't find your design or the suggestion of swastica amusing.

First of all, I mean no disrespect to you. I actually am sympathetic towards you. I apologize for the loss of your family members. The Holocaust was truly terrible, uncalled for, and morally disgusting. But the swastica is just a political symbol, like the elephant of the the jackass. granted the swastica represents a party that killed 6 million people, but a symbol is just that. Like in Harry Potter (I am a freak, I know) when people don't call Voldemort by his name. Sure, his name is a symbol of all that is evil but fear of the name (or symbol) is saying that you fear the thing it represents. We shouldn't fear Nazis. They haven't been a threat since 1945.

In brandon's defense though, I did laugh at the book title/cover. It's very clever. I am not sure, though if you will find a big enough "Nazi Buff Recording People" following. Either that or it will become too bogged down. The only way I could see it working is if you just did a chapter introduction relating Nazi history, then solid recording stuff the rest of the chapter. But the realist inside of me (who is finding it really hard to suppress the person inside me that thinks this is awesome) things that this would definately compromise the seriousness of the book. So unless you want to treat it like "The Producers" ( a very politically incorrect musical, look it up) and make a mockery of the Nazi's, I don't think you will win over the hearts of home recording enthusiasts.

In the end, your thought is very clever, intriguing, and witty, but I don't think it would fly with today's world.



But one question comes up when discussing the Holocaust. If the Holocaust gets this much attention (deservedly), then how come Stalin doesn't get at least the same "coverage" for killing 25 million Poles, slavs, and russians??

[ferguson66]

Originally Posted by thesilentdrummer

But the swastica is just a political symbol, like the elephant of the the jackass.

Just as the rebel flag is just a flag and the "N" word is just a word. Some symbols are insulting to people because of what they represent. When emotions are involved, you can't just take these symbols at face value, it is the emotion behind them.

Interesting about Stalin, I can't recall ever hearing about him wiping out 25 million people. That is an interesting contrast as to why one has so much attention and the other doesn't. Maybe because the U.S. was so involved in WWII and not involved in what went on in Russia during that period?

[hilikus533]

I think its more important that the material in the book is well written, easy to understand, applicable, and accurate.

I will buy this book.

[thesilentdrummer]

Originally Posted by hilikus533

I think its more important that the material in the book is well written, easy to understand, applicable, and accurate.

I will buy this book.

But the buyer probably won't understand that the material is good and easy to understand when browsing the bookstore or shopping online. Sure, we know that it is well-written and easy to understand because we read his existing stuff on the website. But I think that a great title is what will draw people in. Something that will separate it from every other recording book.

I know brandon's book will be better than any other out there because of his recording journey, his knowledge, his wit, and his sense of humor. But there needs to be a title that reflects that.

[brandondrury]

It just looks like the swastika was placed there as an afterthought. I don't see how a swastika relates to home recording.

Well, the orginal idea (which I admit was quite hair brained at the time) was a parody of this:

Amazon.com: Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich: Books: William L. Shirer

I admit it was in bad taste. However, I was in brainstorm mode. In that mode, anything goes. I've decided against going this route. The only people that would get the parody would be people who've read the book who are also looking for a home recording book. That is probably 2 people.

So, it's back to the drawing board.

If the Holocaust gets this much attention (deservedly), then how come Stalin doesn't get at least the same "coverage" for killing 25 million Poles, slavs, and russians??

I don't want to de-rail this thread too much. So I've started a new one here: Stalin vs Hitler

But the buyer probably won't understand that the material is good and easy to understand when browsing the bookstore or shopping online. Sure, we know that it is well-written and easy to understand because we read his existing stuff on the website. But I think that a great title is what will draw people in. Something that will separate it from every other recording book.

Bingo. No one gives a damn about the inside of a book until they read. The reading of the book and the purchasing of the book are two completely seperate actions with different motives. This was the orginal rational buying the "extreme" design.

Luckily, the book will be sold here at RecordingReview.com at first. (I have no real idea of how to get a book in stores, yet). This gives me an opportunity to control the propaganda for buying the book and make sure all the info in the book is right out front. However, I need the kind of title that "converts". The title is everything when it comes to sales. When compared to recordings, the title is the "hit single" while the actual pages of the book are the other songs. It's tough to sell an album without a hit.

Interesting about Stalin, I can't recall ever hearing about him wiping out 25 million people. That is an interesting contrast as to why one has so much attention and the other doesn't. Maybe because the U.S. was so involved in WWII and not involved in what went on in Russia during that period?

This was also covered in the the Stalin vs Hitler thread.

Just as the rebel flag is just a flag and the "N" word is just a word.

How far do you really want to dig in to History? If you really want to be horrified, do a little research on the rebel flag. While I was taught that it is a symbol or racism, that is completely contradictory to what actually happened. There is absolutely nothing racist about the rebel flag in terms of the actual events that have transpired. The lies spread about that flag were part of victory prize for the north. With that said, I'd guess than 95% of the people who wave the rebel flag have absolutely no idea what it originally stood for.

Having had half of my family tortured and murdered at the holocaust, you may understand why I don't find your design or the suggestion of swastica amusing.

I'm glad you spoke up. I do need an extreme idea, but this wasn't the right extreme idea. My perspective is very very unique and it simply would not work. I think about Nazi this and that quite often because I read 40 pages about them last night. I'm also more aware of the horrors the victims of the Nazis suffered than your average Joe. At least for an American born in 1980.

It's interesting that you consider your ancestors who died before 1945 (obviously, this was WAY too early) part of your family. I'm assuming this was your parents, or more likely your grand parents generation. I seldom associate with any of my grandfathers brothers and sisters. It's ironic how tragedy brings people closer.

Brandon