He goes missing and then in the space of a couple of days he writes a review and a blog post. Yeah, that’s just me. Plus, I wasn’t missing, I was just lurking like the Aussie stalker that I am… Keeping an eye on how you’ve all been behaving. It comes in handy come promotion application time, you know!?

Speaking of, the staff at Sputnik Towers were finally released by the overlord Jom (his torture tactics were actually quite pleasurable, but the lack of beer did us in) and once we reconvened, it was decided that we’d try to liven up the blog. So here’s yours truly throwing something at the wall and seeing what sticks.

There is one catch though… It’s called “Sputnik Discusses” for a reason and needs YOUR help to keep it going and keep me motivated (Otherwise, I would have titled it “Davey Discusses”, which just sounds overly pretentious). So if you’ve got a thought, experience, list, ranking or whatever on the relevant topic being discussed, then don’t be shy… Fire away. Again, you just never know who is stalking your contributions to the site and what it may mean for your climb up the tower!

We all know that music (whether scored or soundtracked) has always played a large role in motion pictures. The same can be said to a lesser extent on the small screen, but seems to have become much more prevalent – and integral – over the past decade. Whether it’s Papa Roach screaming something about “jet black hearts” on the WWE Raw intro, or Snow Patrol morphing from Northern Irish battlers to worldwide superstars in a Grey’s Anatomy instant, such television spots can literally make or break careers. And it’s usually just a portion of a song that is played, which isn’t an issue for listeners when music identification apps such as Shazam exist.

Another example which has caught my ear of late is the use of songs on TV show trailers or advertisements. While you wouldn’t think that this would be the best way to get your music heard, it’s arguably more effective than being on the show itself, since you haven’t got pesky plots and actual action to concern yourself with. One instance that sticks in my mind from 2013 is when I heard a voice that literally made me move rooms just to see if the artist was listed on-screen. Lord knows what television series the ad was selling, but the voice ended up belonging to Hannah Reid of English trio London Grammar. And then a few weeks back, the following trailer appeared for an upcoming Australian series titled ‘Winter’:

While her name only briefly appeared on-screen, it was enough for this viewer to look into Penelope Austin. Her credits may thus far be sparse, but who knows where it could lead if the right listener investigates. In an era where talented musicians struggle to gain a foothold and make ends meet, I feel this is nothing but a positive – especially with artists looking to get their foot in the door. Hell, even established musicians shouldn’t feel that they are selling out by actively seeking such an offer. Sure, we don’t need to hear more of global conglomerates such as U2 Ltd. or Coldplay Inc, but I, for one, would rather have bands such as Conditions and The Swellers still in existence, than knock back such a course of action.

Anyway, while you’re taking in the dulcet tones of Ms. Austin and listening to the full song that is ‘Underwater’ below, please do not hesitate to jot down any thoughts relating to this topic. Has there been an example where you’ve heard a song playing on a television series (advertisement, theme, within an episode or otherwise) that has made you actively seek out its performer’s name?

As they say at the end of those dreaded English essays: DISCUSS…