in the matrix

FBi Radio hath been saved by the good graces of Sydney’s clubbers, music industry sponsors and pink-faced binge drinkers.

From a wave of fundraising events to an insidious PR campaign aimed at the top rung – $ir Richard Bran$on - the funds needed to keep the station solvent and on-air have been banked.

Every person that contributed even just one cover charge towards these events should pat themselves on the back. Either we're fantastic supporters of community radio or just a bunch of raging alcoholics that didn’t care so much who performed, but rather how many drinks we could carry from the bar at once. Don't fall over sweetheart.

Also in Blouse's awesome! books are the numerous music venues, bands and DJs that donated their blood, sweat and mojo to these fundraisers. What we’ve seen in the past few months isn’t likely to happen until the next global recession in 2109. The ability to fight the GFC is quite an achievement.

By contrast, one organisation that hasn’t been asking for help is Google. I feel like my time in the internet cloud, way up ‘there’, is slowly being taken over by these guys. If it's even run by humans.

Apart from owning most of the observable universe, Google have that fantastic Chrome web browser which shits over Explorer, Safari and Firefox for its speed and simplicity. It isn’t the prettiest of them though. In fact, it’s positively sterile. Chrome has the aesthetic character of a condom.

I’ve also been using iGoogle, which pushes email, news and blog feeds into the same browser with the Google search engine (I call it Dad) sitting above them.

Just to test it I even wrote this post in Google Documents. It was rad. Just as good as Word, maybe better because I can write from any PC or laptop - and I use several a day. Don't even get me started on Gmail. Or the Android OS for mobiles.

Then to add another shackle to my life ‘Dad’ recently announced the Chrome Operating System. It'll probably be shipped with netbooks by late next year and, if it’s as good as everything else they do, will give Microsoft a serious kick in the nuts. Soon enough we all might become converts and disown Windows, the OS that raised us.

Google is...the Matrix.

Here's some Friday night happy tracks, to keep your mind on the fields-of-daisies at over at FBi.

Tellier & Oizo & SebastiAn - Chivers as a Female

Dragonette - Fixin To Thrill (Villains Remix)

The Mint Chicks - Don't Sell Your Brains Out, Baby

hey you, grow some balls

About two weeks ago i strummed your heart strings like a fucking harp to raise funds for FBi Radio, who are struggling to stay afloat from lost advertising and supporter revenue due to the GFC.

FBi is now trying to out-wit insolvency. They've just launched the Ask Richard campaign, which is calling for pitches to convince Richard Branson, the world's biggest virgin, to give $1 million to the station.

They want their listeners to "grow some balls" and grab Dick's attention by any means. This could include "entering a singing competition wearing a Richard Branson mask" or "stopping Richard in his tracks" with a plea created in any medium, including skywriting.

Video tape and photograph it, send it to FBi, and if you are the reason Branson is compelled to donate a mill - you get a $50,000 cut. Sweet.

It'd be like the Rudd bonus all over again. But 55.5 of them. Or 251 8GB iPod Nanos. Or 417 pairs of American Apparel jeans. Your future as a trendspotter would be secure.

SebastiAn - Walkman (Re-Edit)

i'm melting!

Aside from the regular columns, news briefs and cock-waffle in this week's Brag, i read something that left a sick feeling in my belleh.

FBi Radio is pitching a call for donations, bags of silver and Spanish gold bullion after announcing they are, like the rest of us, financially bollocks'd. Sydney's best community radio station needs $1 million to survive.

According to the Brag's oft-questionable maths skillz FBi recently eclipsed 220,000 listeners a week. That's 10% more than when i became a supporter in late 2008. It sounds like many are tuning in but few are forking out.

Because FBi is - pardon the simple metaphor - fucking incredible, it would be a damn shame if they closed the doors on Sydney's listeners, up-and-coming bands and unpaid staff that literally work for the dirty love of it.

Please don't let this happen. The station is organising fundraising gigs for May/June so if you're a band or if you're a music venue get in touch with Dan Zilber dan@fbiradio.com or Rob Giovannoni rob@selectmusic.com.au to lend a hand.

Royksopp - Happy Up Here (Holy Fuck Re-Interpretation)