Promotional merchandise for a band, record label, or other entity in the music business, usually distributed at concerts.
May include t-shirts, stickers, promo CDs, posters, etc. Often free, but not necessarily; a t-shirt or record purchased at a concert might still be considered swag, especially if it is a design or release that is not readily available in the mass market.
Many independent record labels throw in a handful of free swag when they ship out mail-order packages (stickers, sampler CDs, etc).
The chief difference between swag and regular merchandise is that its purpose is not to make a profit, but to promote the band/label, and reward its supporters by giving them something cool and unique.
May include t-shirts, stickers, promo CDs, posters, etc. Often free, but not necessarily; a t-shirt or record purchased at a concert might still be considered swag, especially if it is a design or release that is not readily available in the mass market.
Many independent record labels throw in a handful of free swag when they ship out mail-order packages (stickers, sampler CDs, etc).
The chief difference between swag and regular merchandise is that its purpose is not to make a profit, but to promote the band/label, and reward its supporters by giving them something cool and unique.
by Greenie December 11, 2003
Get the swagmug. A style of techno/house music, noted for its prominent use of the of the Roland TB-303, a synthesizer with a distinctive (and very funky) sound. Variants include hard acid, acid house, acid trance, etc. Not all music that includes a 303 is necessarily acid, and not all acid music makes use of the 303 (but most of it does).
Some suggest that the word is derived from the phrase "acid burn" - a slang term from the early days of house music, referring to the practice of sampling from another musician's records (see bite).
Others cite a 1985 house single by Phuture called "Acid Trax", which is recognized as one of the first house records to make use of the 303.
A more concrete theory is that it refers to the drug LSD, which is commonly used at raves where acid house is played. Given the psychedelic nature of acid house, this interpretation is certainly part of the popular understanding of the term, if not necessarily its historic origins.
Some suggest that the word is derived from the phrase "acid burn" - a slang term from the early days of house music, referring to the practice of sampling from another musician's records (see bite).
Others cite a 1985 house single by Phuture called "Acid Trax", which is recognized as one of the first house records to make use of the 303.
A more concrete theory is that it refers to the drug LSD, which is commonly used at raves where acid house is played. Given the psychedelic nature of acid house, this interpretation is certainly part of the popular understanding of the term, if not necessarily its historic origins.
by Greenie December 10, 2003
Get the acidmug. Song, tune; originally from reggae/dancehall culture, it has also been adopted by the drum & bass scene (which has been heavily influenced by Jamaican music).
by Greenie December 11, 2003
Get the choonmug. by Greenie December 04, 2003
Get the Hindi popmug. Marked by sameness and a lack of originality; mass-produced. Often used to describe suburban housing developments where all of the houses are based on the same blueprints and are differentiated only by their color.
by Greenie March 24, 2004
Get the cookie-cuttermug. Derogatory term for a style of hard rock that was prevalent in the 70s, practiced in its purest form by the band Foreigner. Few bands played cock rock exclusively, but some artists with cock rock tendencies include Bad Company, Peter Frampton, Grand Funk Railroad, the Rolling Stones, Ted Nugent, John Fogerty, Aerosmith, AC/DC, and Bob Seger.
Musically, cock rock overlaps with blues rock, southern rock, hard rock, and arena rock, but what ties it all together as cock rock is an egocentric, tough-guy swagger and lots of ridiculous macho posturing. The lyrics often equate hard-rocking with virility and dangerousness.
The genre's primary audience was (and still is) guys with mullets and Camaros.
Though cock rock still gets plenty of airplay on classic rock radio, there are (mercifully) very few new practitioners of the style.
Musically, cock rock overlaps with blues rock, southern rock, hard rock, and arena rock, but what ties it all together as cock rock is an egocentric, tough-guy swagger and lots of ridiculous macho posturing. The lyrics often equate hard-rocking with virility and dangerousness.
The genre's primary audience was (and still is) guys with mullets and Camaros.
Though cock rock still gets plenty of airplay on classic rock radio, there are (mercifully) very few new practitioners of the style.
by Greenie April 12, 2004
Get the cock rockmug. by Greenie November 14, 2003
Get the brevemug.