Alright. Let me get my two cents in here on the subject of illegal downloading. I am sick to death of hearing from this whiny, "you owe me" generation. If you are a professional artist, then art is a product - period. The fact that you can download it for free because the internet has outpaced our ability to handle its social ramifications, does not diminish the fact that it is stealing. That's not an opinion. U.S. Copyright law says so. If you want to change the law - fine. But until then . . .
Its what I do for a living. And in turn, I employ musicians, lawyers, managers, etc. You can have my songs for free when these people stop charging for their services and moreover, when I can have whatever product you sell for free.
As a writer/performer, I have an alternate way to generate income, but if one is strictly a writer - one LIVES off of royalties. Royalties paid by CD sales, radio play, etc. I have many friends in Nashville who depend on royalties to live. Sadly some have taken second jobs or have given up writing entirely.
But even performers have suffered. Many can't afford to tour because the record companies can't afford to pay for tour support. Consequently, many talented up and coming bands will never be seen and never have a chance to grow their careers out on the road, while the mega-stars, e.g. Britney, Lady Gaga, etc. will do fine.
Having said that, I don't believe there is a way to control, not only the internet, but the digital age in general, (and for that matter - this generation of communist locusts who want consume everything for free and make capitalism a bad word). I'm generalizing of course - not all of the locusts are communists.
This concept of "free art" will take many great artists out of the market and that is truly tragic.
Now if you had a hair on your ass, you would go directly to iTunes and download one of my songs. I'm really quite funny.
Have a nice day!
The way illegal downloading works for me is this: I'll get the songs I want off of Limewire, I won't deny that. But that's only if I don't have any money at the moment. Then, I wait until I get enough money and go out to buy the album I illegally downloaded. That doesn't stop guilt from plaguing me after I get the songs without paying for them, though the guilt slowly fades away after I've actually payed for them by buying the album.
ReplyDeleteKeep on at them!
ReplyDeleteWorryingly enough, this 'you owe me' mindset is highly prevalent amongst most of the 16-25 generation, with few exceptions.
I feel sorry for people, like the ones you mentioned, who have had to give up writing, or find a different source of income because leeches and parasites are so god damn wrapped up in their own little 'No-one will ever catch me downloading this song/movie/videogame etc' that they don't have the time or the stones to stop, think, and go out and legally buy music...Fuckers.
Also, which song do you recommend? :D
Pauly.
i know i've not done illegal downloading but i get where you're coming from. no one ever buys cds anymore cos it's now all downloaded and i should know.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing this. hopefully it'll make people realise that.
I like to hear one or two songs from Limewire or youtube, but if I like it, I go out and buy the whole damn thing. I'm all for repping the bands and artists I like, as long as I know I like them. I'm one of those people who really enjoys having the physical CD. It still means something to me. Having the album is more of a connection to my favorite bands then downloading their songs. It's something tangible, and that is still special!
ReplyDeleteIn short, agreed. In not so short... Penniless, soon-to-be college student that I am, I'd be lying if I said I've never downloaded music. However, I do buy music when at all possible, especially from musicians that are not in the Brittany/Lady Gaga bracket of things. It hits close to home because hey, guess what? I'm a musician and hope to at least make some semblance of a living by making music. Your point about the music being the product that is sold is a very good one, and one that a lot of people don't remember, I think. Sometimes I catch myself feeling guilty for charging people to download my demo tracks via Bandcamp.com - they're not recorded in a professional studio and therefore aren't exactly iTunes quality when it comes to sound. On the other hand, plenty of people pay for horrible 'music' that's recorded in professional studios. But I digress. I realized that for me, charging money for people to download my music is the same as a painter charging for his paintings or a carpenter charging for a cabinet he built. And so it is for every musician - this music is something that's been worked on and is a product that needs to be paid for, just like everything else on the market. This communism nonsense will get us nowhere good - either we end up like the Soviet Union (i.e. defunct) or China (i.e. no freedom whatsoever).
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI like your stuff Brian. I bought your CD for $15 in Austin hoping that you had other things I could enjoy as well. The Arizona came free "FREE" along with the purchase.. Much thanks goes out to you on this because you "DIDNT HAVE TO" give it free. Its some of your best work. I only wish you would post your Obama Politics song on Itunes because I would buy it. I am the kind of guy who likes certain things and find the key songs I like on a CD and add them to other great songs I like to make one CD. Please and I beg you to the lowest of BEGGING can get.. Release the OBAMA Politic song and I am sure you will make money. At least you will have mine
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I use Limewire as well. However, many of the songs I download nowadays, I used to have all the albums for originally so I paid my dues :D
ReplyDeleteJust as a rebuttal (Take in to consideration I am an artist/musician myself, recording material as my own) I have to pirate the songs I even bought off of iTunes because I can't do normal things I usually do with hard copied music/non encrypted files (I.E.transfer the files easily to a computer that can burn disks so I can LISTEN to the music I bought)
ReplyDeleteI buy every song I enjoy, because I figure that the artist deserves it for putting out material I think is worth buying. But at the same time, all the companies and bureaucracy ruin it. They take their cut, they impose rules and regulations on the music you buy and 'own' and they take money from people who earned it (The artist)
I even joked about it with your son once when I saw him downtown, I told him Id just as soon give him 12.99 and having it distributed to the people who deserve it rather than the fat cats who do jack shit and ruin it for everyone.
I dunno, I agree with you though.
It would serve people right if they were to put in these file sharing software files that would give them a virus and could track who downloads them then fine them a lot of money!
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