Whose space is it anyway? - Joe Shooman

Artists, film-makers, musicians, lonely kids looking for love ... all twists on life can be found on the new breed of social networking sites. These sites - such as Bebo, Faceparty, Facebook and Myspace - are the most powerful social force since the formation of the internet itself, revolutionising not only the internet, but an entire generation's social lives. Bloggers have found love, unwise liaisons have been discovered and careers have been launched.
In June 2006,Playboymagazine launched a special edition focusing on 'girls of Myspace'; within the UK music industry, My Chemical Romance, Lily Allen and Arctic Monkeys have all enjoyed huge success on the back of publicising their music on such websites... the impact and repercussions are infinite.
Through interviews with bands, music industry professionals, and a host of weird and wonderful characters, the history and impact of these unique websites - and their social impact - is told for the first time in a suitably irreverent style. This is not a book for computer geeks or tech-heads, but an immensely readable and entertaining insight into the real people and bewildering stories caught up in this most modern of digital communications.

Joe Shooman has worked as a music PR, independent record label manager, band manager, sound engineer and live performer. His writing has featured in mags includingMetal Hammer,Music Mart, Record Collector,Plan B Magazine,MixmagandThe Fly, and he is also a regular contributor to national BBC radio. He holds a postgraduate degree in music, media and sound technology, and is the author ofTrivium: The Mark Of Perseverance, (September 2006, Independent Music Press).