The Creative Commons netlabel provides the latest way for people to share culture, following in the tradition of mail art, tape exchange, and the pre-digital era of folk singers sharing songs. Although no one pigeon-hole defines what is released on netlabels, it often features music which is electronica, avante-garde and sometimes a bit outre'.

Netlabels are a valuable way for people with non-mainstream musical tastes, whether artist or listener, to link up via the internet. Some consider this movement almost the definition of virtual community. But what if the virtual community becomes real?

Earth Monkey productions, http://www.earthmp.com, is a netlabel which operates in the small English Lakes Districts community of Barrow-in-Furness. Its artists tend to be ambient, found-sound, and electronica artists, along with a separate Talking Monkey division which features poets and remixes of poets.

Yet Earth Monkey Productions has not been contented with being an avant-garde label on the 'net "out there". Instead, through the Monkey Noises project, Earth Monkey has become involved in the community. Seminars in music-making and remixing for local kids are sponsored by Earth Monkey. Musique concrete albums featuring found sounds at the local schools result. School-age remixers learn how to use up-to-date software studio devices. Rather than being apart from its community, Earth Monkey is using the new tools of technology to be part of its community.

Shaun Blezard, who records as Clutter, is a primary force behind EMP. He would make a good interview, about a program which defies the stereotype that internet communities are something that happen "out there", rather than being part of the "IRL" community.

He can be contacted at http://www.earthmp.com (which also has a detailed description). If you're interested, tell him that gurdonark sent you :).

Early morning time, the mist is dim. Curved river bank, willow obviously elegant like smoke. Far does not see the mountain, nearly does not see the ship, only a little selects the lights, embellishes in the faintly recognizable mist.
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