Really interesting articule concerning what an Artist actually gets out of being part of a "Major Label" etc.
I thought it was interesting, would like to share it with anyone interested.
http//janisian.com/articles-perfsong/internetdebacle.pdf
Interesting indeed - and thanks for the link; I'm delighted that Janis Ian is still alive and kicking and doing well. Between the Lines is a classic.
This whole issue of copying music and copy right law has been an issue, that I think should be open for greater discussion and across a great spectrum as well.
I understand the stance of both side, but within that stance lays the answer.
If you took napster at its peak and looked at what most people had been sharing, I would guess that the majority of the music would have been hard to find stuff or out of circulation.
Record companys also played their part in driving people to do this, because they began putting Albums on the market, that only really contained one decent track plus hiked the price up.
On the other side company's like sony not only have a record arm, but also manufacture the media and equipment to copy material. So they could stop this by stopping the production of some of their equipment.
My answer to the problem would be this. A tax levee on all blank recordable items and equipment. This levee is then paid to the performing art's folks.
All music copyright only has a life span for 10 years.
Sony are seriously losing the plot.
Last year's Trojan-infested music CDs really pissed a lot of people off and even though Sony withdrew them, the anger remains. Sony still think they are a dictatorial powerhouse but the truth is different and it looks like they are losing badly on a few fronts - Samsung have eaten into their TV share, Microsoft got a big lead on them with next-gen consoles and Blu-Ray could drown shortly, even with more studios releasing DVD's than the HD-DVD aligned studios.
The argument about blank CD-R purchases is wrong. I use CD-Rs to copy my store-bought CDs so I can keep them in the car (which is my legal right). I also copy i-tunes bought tracks to CD, which again is my right. I'll also go online and look for a freebie download of anything I can't easily buy online, at a fair price. I-tunes is good but it has gaping holes in its music catalogue.
I have a meeting at work next week, coincidentally, to discuss reporting to the RIAA. They've tightened the rules (noose) as regards radio stations reporting tracks played and the amount of information they demand is over the top. However, to not comply would potentially mean a death sentence for any station brave enough not to play along. Even after the college lobby group countered some of the proposals, RIAA mostly got its way. Ultimately though, as demonstrated with Sony, the consumer holds the power.
My answer to the problem would be this. A tax levee on all blank recordable items and equipment.
Er... how about no. If I buy a microphone for the express purpose of using Skype, why should I pay tax to the recording industry? No tax on black discs either. I'm allowed by law to make a back-up copy which I can then use in the car.
/Fair Use ftw