Music licensing

omgomgomgfirst

Right, now for the comment with actual substance to it.

Totally agree with you on the 'boyfriend' thing. There comes a point where it just seems so teenager-y. I think it's because of the 'boy' prefix, and you know my thoughts on applying that word (unless in jest) to anybody under the age of 21. :p Then again, I can't think of any term that's more appropriate. I guess – as you pointed out – it WOULD be 'partner', but that just seems oddly formal and clinical.

I agree with Becky's take on the term “partner”. It seems oddly cold to me. I work at a university and it seems that no one there has husbands, wives, boyfriends, or girlfriends. They are all “partners”. I understand why the term is used, though. It implies more of an equal relationship (I was going to say “partnership” until I realized how stupid it is to use the word you're describing to describe the word. Durrrr) and it also takes the issue of gender out of it, indicating that sexual orientation isn't anything to get in a tizzy about. However, I can't get away from how almost sterile the word “partner” sounds in my ears. That'll probably change, though, once I'm more used to it. I do also hate the terms “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” for exactly the same reasons you and Becky have pointed out, though. I imagine that a preamble to using those terms would involve chewing gum loudly and hair-twirling. And “manfriend” is downright creepy. What do you say, though? “The man my aunt is dating said…” That's a bit cumbersome. When in doubt, make up a word and hope it catches on. Or use some other arbitrary word as a place marker until you've figured it out. For some reason, “penguin” springs to mind. Or is that silly? And yet I'm still going to hit “post”.

Hey Alex!
I really really love your music.I didn't hear it anywhere in the 'real world'…But hopefully everyone will enjoy it if ever played in the 'real world'.
About the 'boyfriend' thing…I invented that you can say 'boyfriend' if the two people are dating only for a few months(let's say 3,4),but 'partner' if for a longer term.Well actually it's a bit strange calling your mum's 'boyfriend' a 'boyfriend',right?
And hope you're not turning gay definitely…:P

Check out my blog if you have time…. http://zoeyblogs.wordpress.com/

Hugs from
Zoey.

STILL no internet? Even so, I feel about your flat the way Jack feels about the island: I HAVE TO GO BACK. NOT BEING THERE MAKES ME FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS MISSING. D:

Well I've been referring to my dads 'partner' of five years as his girlfriend or 'sort-of-fiance', cos that's kinda what she is, but that just sounds weird xD and I call her son my stepbrother O.o very strange and confusing, but like you, I'm not quite certain on the etiquette of name calling! ahh can't say that I've ever heard your music in the 'real world' though D: but who needs the real world!! yay for fantasy worlds! :D xx

Hey :)
Unfortunately I havent heard any of your songs in 'the real world' yet… and I stress yet :). I have been spreading the word about you though :). Not in a strange 'HI IM EMMA, YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO ALEX DAY' kind of way…but yeah, people deserve to know :P.

As for the 'boyfriend' thing, it has always baffled me too. I mean they are too old to be boyfriend and girlfriend, but 'ladyfriend' and 'manfriend' always striked me as something that people in their 70s would call each other. So if you figure it out, let me know :)

xxx

If it's true obviously it means people must really like your music. Of course, it woulda been nice if they asked. :) Unfortunately, I live in the US….so I go “Hey have you heard of Alex Day?” the answer? “No…?” Don't worry though my friends and I are spreading the word. You've been posting a lot lately by the way. Good. I like to read.

Lol, their is nothing wrong with watching sex and the city, or being in touch with your feminine side :P!

Ha, I just use the term 'lady friend' when it comes to my dad. Even though it's still awkward.

And you're a Sex And The City fan?! That just made me like you even more.

gentleman caller, perhaps? haha :]

i've never heard your music in the “real world” but i live in california. so there that goes. and about the boyfriend thing, i think you're right in that it's just the “boy” part of it. manfriend sounds weird, and partner has a same-sex connotation tacked onto it (at least in the US where gay marriage isn't legal in most states. fucking ridiculous…). So i guess boyfriend is all you've got to work with. i suppose it doesn't sound too ludicrous, if you say it in the right way.

-isabel

p.s. i did my happy dance for 5 minutes when you quoted my comment yesterday, so thanks for making my day :D and thanks for copying the review. you have a really cool personality, there aren't very many people out there who are as confident/comfortable with themselves and their voice as you are (from what i can tell haha).

LOL how shit are TalkTalk if you still haven't got internet… seriously it's been like a month now?!

Manfriend does sound kind of terrible.. like some sort of sexual partner and NOTHING more.

Was one of these “men” you went down on, Charlie?

Getting your song played on the radio is awesome even if you don't get paid for it; the free exposure would be awesome, yes?

ahhh Alex! I saw you at the Lady Gaga show! I thought it was you but I wasn't sure but I guess so :)

You know, I've always thought people were unfair to you online– I appreciate your honesty about many issues, like that review of Erase This, and I certainly am never going to begrudge you your opinions on an issue, even if I disagree with them.
But your “blog tallies” at the end of this post has really left a bad taste in my mouth, and made me think that I should just stop reading your blog and stop watching your videos. I enjoy the blog tallies on both Kristina and Hayley's blogs. I know you're just making a joke, but the fact that you add “self-indulgent” just says to me that you think you are so much better than them. I've always expected honesty from your blogs and videos, but I think now I'm done with hearing your honest opinions, because I just can't stomach them sometimes.

ive heared one of your songs on a local station where i live a few times, called saint FM
i tihnk its somone who does a slot there is a fan or somthing

I'd love to be able to tell you that I hear your music all the time in the real world… but I don't =(
One day… one day…

whats a blog tally?

Sadly I haven't heard your music in the real world yet. I was listening to a quite popular radio station (in the Netherlands) the other day while driving, and they often play music by artists totally unknown to most people and some of the artists actually become quite popular after that. I actually thought: hey, I should send them some Alex Day! You fit in with the kind of music they play, and I think they would like you. Then I thought about it, and it means I'll have to order another copy of your albums and it takes time but I don't want to send my own copy off blablabla… I migt still order two copies of TWIM (IDKA) when it comes out and send one off if that's alright with you! I know it's a long shot, but I think it would be soooo cool :) Who knows what could happen? Maybe you'll become a popular artist here and then you have to fly in and play some shows :) Would you mind?

The Dutch word for 'boyfriend' isn't much better either: 'vriendje'. In Dutch, if you put -je behind a word, it means 'little [word]', so vriendje means 'little friend', 'meisje' means 'little girl' and 'huisje' means 'little house'. People generally don't say 'vriendje' when they're over a certain age. So people started using 'mijn vriend' (which translates as 'my friend') for 'vriendje'/boyfriend. But now 'mijn vriend' means the one you're romantically involved with, so you can't say “mijn vriend (my friend) and I went to a party last night” if you're talking about a normal friend. So now you have to call a normal friend 'een vriend van me', in English: 'a friend of mine'. Yes, it gets confusing at times. Especially when you're talking English one minute and then have to transition to Dutch. I've said 'mijn vriendin' (we have a difference between a female and a male friend) several times when I just meant 'a female friend of mine' and people thought I was lesbian (which isn't a big deal here so people just think: 'oh, ok', move on and assume you're a lesbian until they find out you're not)…
So I agree: we need better terms. 'Partner' exists in Dutch but isn't really used here except in business relationships or by posh people to refer to their other half regardless of their gender. If someone's gay they'll just say mijn vriend(in)/my friend and no one makes a big deal out of it. Being gay isn't such a big deal here anymore.

tl;dr, sorry, I always ramble on and on and then I write some more uninteresting stuff :P sorry!

OMG ALEX IS TRYING TO START DRAMA WITH HIS EX BY MOCKING HER BLOG TALLIES!

And I had a feeling that that “hypothetical” situation in your glory hole video with you and Charlie wasn't so hypothetical. Now that you've gone and outed yourself, could you tell us how he was? I'm sure there are lots of girls just dying to hear your report.

I care about your end-of-post blog tallies :D add +1 for me! your sex and the city-watching self makes me happy every day <3

side note: the fact that your not gay or do all these things makes you even more awesome.

Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen of England today in 1533, did you know that?

Why doesn't anybody say “significant other” anymore? The term seems formal but less vague then “partner”.

error. meant to reply to Aranda

when you go back, bring some Internet with you.

I have some friends who avoid the age and gender issue of “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” by referring to their “sweetie.” Sounds a bit quaint, though,

Eww.

Hi. I started watching Lost. It's really weird.
Goodbye.

I had a prof who always made references to his “beloved”. I think he's the only person I've ever encountered who could pull that off, though.

Hi Alex,
I have actually heard your music in real life once! (I live in America btw) It was on in a small family run shop in my neighborhood. I really do love your music but don't really have much else to say.
Hope this helps?
Camila

I haven't heard your music in reallife so far, but I actually don't like listening to radio music, 'cause I'm more into my own spheres. Like last saturday I was in train with a bunch of friends we were talking and all had earphones on but no one was actually paying much attention to the music, when you're song a thousand hours came up, which to me and my best friend defines a lot of our relationship and we fell silent just listening to it.

But bringing up your music promotion in real life, I've got a question I like to ask and I really hope you'll find some time to give me any hint of an answer to it^^
I'm writing stories, and it's just on the internet up to now, but I tend to add song pieces which I think fit my characters or the situation. And while writing I often come across your music, so would you mind if I maybe add some pieces of your songs aswell? I would mention you of course (which is what I'm actually already doing if people asked me what inspired me – I send them here to check out your music)
I'm always doing it with what some might call the “real” stars, though music to me isn't worth less then their music so I don't like that term. But since I kind of see a way in asking you for permission first this is what I'm doing. You can also email me if you like (if you can see my email adress <.< i'm not used to this form of comment system so I don't know for sure)

I don't like the word “girlfriend”. Its most common usage in the media seems to be for 30-year-old women who have adulterous relationships with 50-year-old men cheating on their wives. It kind of cheapens the term.

My 40 year old father has a 21 year old girlfriend, who has a 3 year old child.
It disgusts me. But I think in this case, girlfriend is the exactly appropriate word.

Mr. Alex Day!

I had no idea that you wrote blog posts. I shall have to proceed to waste a ridiculous amount of time reading them.
Once, a long time ago, before anyone knew you, you commented on my videos. I didn't have a clue who you were. Fact. I just thought you should know. =]
Also, in regards to this post so this comment has real purpose, I think boyfriend is the correct term, even though it sounds slightly ridiculous. The only other possible option I can think of is significant other, and that's silly. Man friend. Guy person.
Nope. None of them work.

Anyway. Have a magnificently wonderful day of awesome. =D
Stephanie

You actually amaze me…but in a good way (:
Not too many guys would sit at home watching their mum's box sets of Sex and The City, or go to a Lady Gaga gig :D

Agreed on the “boyfriend thing”. I've thought over this a fair amount. Along with what you've said I disagree with the term “other half” as it's too dependant sounding. “Significant other” makes it sound like they might be the same sex as you which, whilst there is nothing wrong with it, the ambiguity isn't useful in conversation. Referring to them by their name isn't good for the first time you meet someone, “the boy/girl” is belittling. “Lover” is just odd to consider with other people, it's not an image you want during conversation or blogging. I just can't think of a suitable alternative!

I've never heard your music in the wider world but that might be due to not actually listening to the radio and watch tv only via my laptop. Although I did run into a Dr Who enthusiast who was aware of Trock and we high-fived.

:D

hello Alex. just wanna ask. do you have ukulele chords for your songs? :D

Dear Alex,

You are one of my new favorite people, and I wanted to thank you for existing. I am sorry if I spelled that wrong but its like 4 in the morning, and I am so exhausted, so I am going to stop watching your amazing you tube videos and go to bed.

Goodnight!
-Chani.

P.S. I like your song, your voice is nice.

I CARE ABOUT YOUR TALLIES!!!
I like Krystinas too :)
but yeah, the whole, 'partner' thing, I agree. Partner sounds really formal, and girl/boy-friend sounds much too teenager. Maybe a new word should be invented?

p.s, I tried subscribing to the comments, but when I clicked on the link in my email, it didn't work. I tried copying and pasting the URL, but that didnt work either. :/

I think if I ever heard any on your songs in 'real life' I would get really excited and start jumping up and down and shouting 'ALEX DAY!'
and since I do not remember going through this experience, I don't think I have ever heard your songs in real life! Sorry!

TalkTalk are hideous. It took them 4 months to sort my internet when I moved into a new house.
I have issues with the idea of Charlie as a man. For some reason, in my head he's still very much an awkward teenage boy :)

sorry, if i ever heard one of your songs in the real world i would tell EVERYONE i know, and would run around in happiness. unfortunatelyy, this hasnt happened yet :(
but maybe it will soon?
and this Number of people who care about these tallies: 0
should be this Number of people who care about these tallies: 1
:) because I CARE! :)

Talk Talk seem awful for keeping you hanging like this. You should get O2 Broadband, they're super-efficient and always really helpful on the phone.

Also, jacking your music for an ad and not paying you is a dick move. Sue them!

cnady floss is on here, but go to that uke tabs website its pretty good.

i think all of us “veiwers” or “listeners” in the UK should text radio 1 and tell them to play Holding On, then everyone listening to radio 1 (which is a lot of people) would know about this amazing music. xD who's with me?

Don't tease me Alex! If you were gay i'd be the biggest fanboy ever!

i've seen somone else wearing a 'what happened to you' t-shirt in the real world but sadly i haven't heard you music :(

Hope you get the internet soon!

So you've always expected and appreciated my honesty, except when I say something you don't agree with?

Everything we do online is self-indulgent. Me writing a blog is self-indulgent. It's me assuming that you care enough about what I have to say to read it in a public forum. I don't think I'm better than anyone else. We're all narcissists. Those blog tallies ARE self-indulgent. That's not a bad thing, and it's not something I have a problem with. I wasn't having a dig at Hayley or Kristina, but merely noting that a LOT of bloggers do this at the end of blogs (including Jane Espenson, who's one of my favourite bloggers – I do read things outside of the youtubesphere) and that I have never really done it, so I wanted to reference that in some way.

For the record, I emailed Tina as soon as I wrote it to make sure she knew it wasn't a personal dig. She was fine with it and even agreed with me. You're speaking on behalf of people who aren't even bothered by this. And furthermore, do you not think it'd be inappropriate, given that I used to date Kristina and have a lot of respect for Hayley, to insult them in a public forum in this way? I'd like to think you have more respect for me than to assume I'd want to do that. Yes, I'm honest about things, but I don't just go around insulting people if I don't have a very good reason for it. There's nothing wrong with being self-indulgent.

Ultimately, I'm not asking you to read this blog. I can't control how you interpret my words, so if you think I was rude, then you think I was rude, and that's that. But if you don't like what I have to say, you can read something else; we're in a beautiful society with freedom of speech and blogging more prevalent than it's ever been, so I'm sure you'll find somebody who will mesh with your ideals better than I am able to. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that there are people out there who like reading my thoughts, but I'm not going to compromise myself for my readers, or apologise for one offhand remark which was meant in jest and based in truth.

Hahaha. NOT GAY. xD

Why does everyone assume it's a reference to Hayley and/or Kristina? Have people just forgotten that blogs exist outside of the ones written by DFTBA artists? There are hundreds of thousands of blogs in the world. A lot of them use those tallies. But just because I happened to date one of them, everything thinks I'm getting personal. As if I'd just put that out into the world and wait for Kristina to find it – I'm upfront but I'm not a prick. Sigh.

My mum said she heard one of your songs on 6 music :) if so that is very, very cool.

I guess Peter needed to be reminded that you don't need to be an “expert” at something to have an opinion on it. Don't need to be a writer to have an opinion on books. Don't have to be a musician to enjoy (or not) music. Don't have to be gay to talk about glory holes. (or even to have a penis for that matter – I don't, and I have an opinion on glory holes)
Sheesh.

In defence of Peter, I think he was just teasing =)

O2 Broadband isn't available in my area – already checked x.x

What song? What show? Why does nobody ever have specific information? Rawwr xD

There is a person in my town who, when they are driving, always have either one of your songs on, one of Hank Green's songs on, or one of Dave Days's songs on. I hear her pretty much every day because she around with the window down and is usually in my traffic lump when I'm going to school.

Man friend sounds incredibly creepy.

hi alex!

love ur music! jst wondering if u could help me! Im trying to win a free trip to the UK! id love to go as it seems like a really beautiful place. at the moment im battling it out with 50 other uni students from australia and NZ to be 1 of 10 to go to the UK for 2 weeks all expenses paid! and Id LOVE to go.
ALl i need are votes! to do this: -
1) go to the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/myoeinfo?ref=ts
2) click on 'LIKE' pls dont unlike otherwise the vote wont count
3) go to the 'Book myOE seat'
4) '15 seconds of fame' VOTE NOW
5) and choose ME (NICOLE VAN RAAY)

PLEASE INVITE ALL OF UR FRIENDS http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?e… AND GET ME TO THE UK PLEASE!!!!!!
p.s. if u actually watch the video. its 15 seconds of SHAME rather than FAME. so pls!!!!! i did it for the UK!!!!!!!!! VOTE ME!!!!
THANKS for ur time :)

Oh. Coming from him… yes… I see it now… ;) – Sorry Peter!!! I see the sarcasm now. heehee :D

yes what is it ?

lol internet deprevation turned you gay? That says a lot about nerds and the internet – when people are trapped without food they resort to cannibalism; when they are in prison they change their sexuality to ease their sexual needs; and when Alex is trapped without free internet porn he goes on male hungry sex orgies to compensate. How very ood.
I <3 nerds.

I love the way you refer to non internet as the 'real world'

in Liverpool I have seen atleast 6 people busking with Chameleon circuit/your songs and others doing trok/wrok. Big fan base here :P

I always thought that boyfriend and girlfriend needs a word that sums the whole thing up in just one. That being non gender specifik and non age specifik.
In denmark we have that one word to sum up people who are dating.. With all the criteria listet above. The word is: kærester, if anyone cares ;) The word still bares a little bit of a juvinile sound, but it's manageable.

Maybe we should invent that word;
partfriend (boyfriend/partner)
manband(manfriend/hunband)

Nah, neither of those work..
Anyone have any ideas?

I always thought that boyfriend and girlfriend needs a word that sums the whole thing up in just one. That being non gender specifik and non age specifik.
In denmark we have that one word to sum up people who are dating.. With all the criteria listet above. The word is: kærester, if anyone cares ;) The word still bares a little bit of a juvinile sound, but it's manageable.

Maybe we should invent that word;
partfriend (boyfriend/partner)
manband(manfriend/hunband)

Nah, neither of those work..
Anyone have any ideas?

I always thought that boyfriend and girlfriend needs a word that sums the whole thing up in just one. That being non gender specifik and non age specifik.
In denmark we have that one word to sum up people who are dating.. With all the criteria listet above. The word is: kærester, if anyone cares ;) The word still bares a little bit of a juvinile sound, but it's manageable.

Maybe we should invent that word;
partfriend (boyfriend/partner)
manband(manfriend/hunband)

Nah, neither of those work..
Anyone have any ideas?

I am quite sure that you just endeared yourself to about 10,000 more women by admitting you watch “Sex and the City”, which is quite well written for what it is, so don't feel guilty. I do believe that the issue of what to call your shall we say “significant other” comes up in the show at least a few times, although I am pretty sure they never really come to a proper conclusion. It seems that every name that exists to refer to someone that you date either comes across as really juvenile or mildly whorish (“lady friend” for example)

Is 'in my head' 'the real world'? Cause your song was totally there the other day, I heard it. I personally think it's pretty real, the world in my head/mind I mean. I live in it you know, like really. Buut..are you now gonna mute it because of copyright? (haaa you can't do it, it's my world nananaa (but I know you actually knew I was juust joking anyway) )

Hey alex, u'll be happy to know that the whole boyfriend for the over 40 did come up in the first sex and the city movie. Carrie had the same problem of what she would refer to big as as he is a bit too old to be a boyfriend, however unfortunately the best she could also come up with was man friend so I guess everyones stumped on this. Not even the wisdom of the sex and the city ladies can give us an answer to this :(

can we reply to our own posts.
ah. yes. we can.
g'day.

If you watch the sex and the city film the whole 'boyfriend' thing comes up so watch it unless you already have. And sorry to say that I've only heard you're songs on youtube and this website. I'm off to see satc2 now, I am excited :)

I think you should sue those internet people for keeping an internet legend away from his profession. *boo!* Down with slow/no internet connectivity!

I hope you read this because…….I CARE ABOUT THE TALLIES!!!! I care because you seemed kind of sad about that, so here i am being a good person. :-) btw You now have to say Number of people who care about these tallies: 1. at the end of your blog post tallies.

hello, longtime youtube subscriber, not so long blog reader…just want to say im tired, and grammar isnt important to me rght now( or to Stephanie Myer) i work at a nameless fast food place late night, and i hookup my i-pod to the speakers, so i blare trock, and plenty of your other tunes, parrot stories, PkMn, through the overhead speakers, i make my friends watch you, and employees who have never even heard of doctor who, can sing along to most of your songs..just wanted to let you know how awesome you are and that i appreciate your hard works entertainging us all.

with regards, pandamanman89

I agree. Definetely.

I played Chameleon Circuit to my boyfriend the other day… and he plainly said 'get out of my house' and wouldn't speak to me… BUT, he really likes 117% and says he'll see if he can get it played on the radio he works for! Thumbs up to that! Though something tells me he wont be converted into a trock-hard any time soon. x

Ok Alex, this is late but I just haven't had a chance to read your blog in a while. The Sex and the City movie (the first one, duh) addresses the manfriend/boyfriend problem. Literally, he says, “Aren't I a little old to be called your boyfriend?”
Just so you know. Have a good day!

Just wanted to add something to the girl/boyfriend-discussion. I'm swedish and we started a couple of years ago to use the words “sambo” and “särbo” to describe a relationship based on living arrangements. It's a bit hard to translate correctly but the first roughly means “live-together” and the other “live-apart”. It sounds better in swedish, but that's what you usually use if you don't want to say boy/girlfriend, partner or elaborate the meaning of the relationsship. Then we of course have “Knullkompis” which means fuck-buddy, but I guess you don't want to describe someone elses relationship that way… ;)

sorry it took, like…over a week to reply. But apparently one of the songs on 117%…but she can't remember which. And she doesn't know which show but the presenter was talking about how obsessed he is with video games…

sorry it took, like…over a week to reply. But apparently one of the songs on 117%…but she can't remember which. And she doesn't know which show but the presenter was talking about how obsessed he is with video games…