Youtube Update - Finished Sooner Than Later

Well folks, I had a few things to say about Youtube when I posted the final Xihong Library. What I didn't know then, that I do know now is that was the last Youtube video. As of today, they deleted it and I got a copyright strike. This is first video I've ever had that was removed. Like I said last time, most of my other videos have copyright claims and are monetized by the claimants. What it boils down to is the company that really has the rights can't compete with the stuff that I do. It's a testament in itself (Why Can't We Defeat Shaolin Temple?) that they really felt the sting from this one and had to kill it in the crib. On an equal playing field... things like... "end fights," showdowns, the 5 best this, or the top 10 that are not going to beat any hard hitting compilation that I do. That stuff is old hat. I'm not even trying to compete with anybody.

I'm just a creative guy and what I did was just creative expression. Youtube being what it is everything gets dislikes. But I'm sure that most of my dislikes stemmed from non-creative people. This is unrelated as to why the video got deleted, but it's something I wanted to speak on. These movies are 30 and 40 years old. We've seen them 100's of times. As deep as I am into these hobbies, I don't actually WATCH the films because I'm so inundated in them that I can't actually enjoy them as they were meant to be (unless it's a different genre of Shaw Bros). I'm not here to bring you the same thing for the 101st time... the 210th time... or the 36th time!


I have this style of editing because that's what I need personally... I need to see the best parts, the most dramatic parts, the most graphic scenes, to enjoy it. Otherwise, my tolerance is too high. At the same time, I can watch Shaw films that the average kungfu fan couldn't stand, because all they know is that kungfu genre. So non-creative people see my work as something "other" but not in a good way and that has always been fine with me. And it's funny to me that in centuries past... creativity was seen as something evil. Well so be it. If anything I think the opposite is true... the refusal... the denunciation of creativity is what's truly evil. What was dangerous then and just as much now is that you don't have to follow someone else's program/ing if you're creative.

So they deleted that one video (Why Can't We Defeat Shaolin Temple?), I have one that's banned in about 20 countries (Venoms Mob Hits), and one that's banned worldwide (What Up My Ninja!?). I'm not doing any more. I guess that's good timing. I covered everything that was important to me. Anything more would be for the community. The compilations are something I bring to the table based on my experience and my taste level. I can't just jump into the Ocean Shores or the Golden Harvest library and do stuff just as good because I haven't grown with those companies. Maybe it would look good, but it would lack that authenticity. It sounds arrogant, but if I didn't do those videos no one else was going to. It's something I dreamed about since I was a child. So even if it was just for a few years. I got to realize a small piece of my dream.

As for my channel... "Hrangue" (ie. my artist persona) what's to stop it from being deleted? Nothing. Enjoy what you can while you can. Anyone looking to discuss this further contact me at hrangue@gmail.com.

-PS- I also understand that business is business. Youtube is enforcing copyright laws for a country that has never had an iota of respect for anything copyrighted. It wouldn't surprise me if all my stuff was re-uploaded on Chinese youtube.

Youtube - Shaw Brothers Custom Kungfu

As I've mentioned before I've been doing Youtube for a few years now. And by that I mean I posted my first video a few years ago. I don't actually use it as a business, try to monetize it, or even make it my main thing, but it's something I like to do.

All this time I think the music library was leading up to the videos. It just took some time for things to fall into place and then out of place. What do I mean? If you know anything about the creator side of Youtube then you know that the algorithms were really shaken up and there are some very shady statements out there made by Youtube employees.

What tanked my channel?

Subscriptions not being enough...

People had to hit the bell in order to be notified. The shady video I mention is Youtube employees admitting to cherry picking (somehow) whether subscribers receive notifications and Youtube itself notifying people of content they had not hit the bell on... contradictory all the way around.

What does this mean for me? Well, other than my own recreation I'm not getting anything out of it. I love making the videos... I really do. And it seems like enough. It's not sustainable. Every video gets a copyright claim because hey... these aren't my movies. I just want people to see my creative expression on these as a purist old-school dyed in the wool fan. But even that is a struggle. I have 1 video that is close to a million views if not already. I think it is an example of when the system works as intended. And I have a few with 100K+ views.

But since that update, everything I've done (increasing in quality and attention each time) is dead on arrival. However, for nearly 1 million views on "Slept On Boss Fights" (which has knock-offs by the way... biters) new Shaw Bros fans are being born. I think just like the music, things will run their course... but in a much shorter time. Yeah I have a small following solely on Youtube and I don't want to let people down, but I can't see doing more than 2 more videos. I'm honestly just making the videos that I would like to see. I'm not driving traffic and spamming communities with my links. I don't believe in that. I think the content should speak for itself. I don't want to accept anything from anyone who may be a supporter (ie. Patreon) unless they feel so touched and so generous because I don't want to be beholden to making content any longer than I'd want to.

On the plus side, once the work is done... it's done. So if a better platform comes along several years from now I can put all of my videos right back up.

Hah, I can't imagine anyone would read this, but I don't use social media otherwise.

So if you like what we did with Xihong Library then watch and like my videos on Youtube starting with my last 2 projects... Why Can't We Defeat Shaolin Temple and Venoms Mob Hits (still banned in like 20 countries).

Last Hurrah for the Cold Blooded Eagles

Last Hurrah for the Cold Blooded Eagles...

And we come to a close. This is the final volume. There have been several times when I thought it was the final volume, but we kept moving forward. The only reason we've gotten this far is because of my partner in Germany. Kungfu Music Master Übermensch, Klaus, continues the effort! We'll still be working together on this hobby, but there won't be any further updates.

If you've been around for some time then you already understand. It's been 10 years now! Look at how much music we've found. How much more do you need? Through so many highs and lows, I've found just about every cue that I wanted... even my MOST WANTED ELUSIVE CUE from day one! And that one in particular is thanks to my main man Übermensch to the end, Klaus. Like they say... "there are no more secrets for Shaolin." Including this volume we're clocking in at a bit under 3,000 tracks. I don't know how many movies. I haven't counted. Otherwise, you'll understand that this volume contains cues from the far reaches of the Shaw Bros galaxy.

I | II | III | IV

But as a hobby, we've conquered this thing. We've mastered it. There's no victory lap, or party, or fanfare at the end of this. I thought what special thing could I do to mark this final volume. I've got nothing. The process was its own reward. The whole music blogging scene is long gone. I know the community is still around in other forms, but it was always important to me to keep my content on my own soil.

I've always helped out people who have contacted me directly. Since this is the end, I will continue to help. What I've learned from doing my Youtube channel (which I'll make a follow-up post about) a few years is that new people really are getting into this stuff. I suppose anyone still checking this blog my be hardcore devout. Anyway, "helping people" means I don't mind sharing a few specific movies worth of files that I already have. Reach me at hrangue@gmail.com

Our later releases have really been piecemeal, but here's an example of a flushed out "foundtrack"

What it doesn't mean is me watching random movies I've never seen before and looking for music that you are interested in. NO. I don't mind checking a quick clip or quick scene and giving a yes or no (I have it, I don't have it)... but remember it's been 10 years of us scouring these films. This didn't happen overnight.

There's no proper thank you list that I have, but I'll say that I'm grateful to the following people/places who have either contributed directly and indirectly and those who have inspired me otherwise:

Black Eagle "Chik Ming Klaus"
Killa The Librarian (my brother in music)
Mr. T
H2O
M.Y.
David the Slayer
ITK1000
Self Science
Fraykerbreaks
Agent Double
Trizkbrki
Elitefunk
Lakis
DJ Mike
Your Pal Doug
Paul Durango
Franklynot
Sleazy Listening
Kungfu Fandom
And anyone else whose name escapes me right now...

I was originally inspired by Paul Nice. We didn't get on (and not because of me), but it was a little compilation of his posted on Kungfu Fandom way back that let me know that this was even possible.

Yeah, there are still some tracks that I haven't found or some albums I want (and I'm sure Klaus too), but it's just not that serious. I don't keep a want list or anything either although I have listed a few requests. If you are feeling so generous... contact me at hrangue@gmail.com. I'm still into the funky and dramatic music, but if I had to add a 3rd wheel it would be 70's-80's electronica. And above all else... Italian. Thanks again everyone.