to quote Robert Flipp
http://www.disciplineglobalmobile.co...ertFripp.shtml
grey day in the Chalke Valley.
DGM is in active mode, and has been at least since my arrival here yesterday lunchtime from Canterbury.
We are refining the presentation & appearance of the new DGM website, to be launched in January. Part of this is to address the issue of downloading�
1. The current music-user standard for downloaded music is free.
This is unsustainable.
2. The current industry standard for downloaded music is expensive.
This is unsustainable.
3. A sustainable industry & music-user standard for downloads is cheap.
Widespread downloading needs to become legitimate. A reasonable objection to the high-price of downloading is that despite high prices, the bulk of the money does not go to the artists. No material object is changing hands, incurring high manufacture, deliver, storage & shop-rental charges: this is an information stream. It is significantly cheaper than hard-copy stuff.
We should differentiate between a handful of mega-artists who generate huge amounts of income (that they do not necessarily receive much of in the short term anyway), the bulk of working artists & players who earn a good living, and a greater proportion that just get by.
Making records in the traditional manner is relatively expensive. This doesn't have to be the case (cf. live recordings, official bootlegs, works in process, Club releases), but considered statements of the formal "studio album" kind cost upwards of $250-350,000. Works in progress are snapshots of the process & audio quality is not the determining element. Where audio quality is important, music-Users can pay a higher price.
But if artists don't get paid for their recorded work, where do they get money? The answer, in principle, is simple: from everything but their recorded work. Live performance & stuff � DVDs, t-shirts, posters, memorabilia, tour programmes � and subscription websites. In practice, this gives three concerns�
1. Earning money from live performance (more on that below);
2. Creating a distribution channel for stuff;
3. Building a subscription website.
Two of these concerns are active within DGM HQ today: the website & touring. As a related aside, this is from my reply to the author of a doctorate thesis on "Financial relationships between artist and record company in the Internet era �- A value chain analysis of three reintermediated cases"�
one thing that is hard to convey to an outsider is the fundamental, all-pervasive nature of exploitation within the music industry. it's rather like arguing against the slave trade when the slaves are well-fed, given acceptable accomodation, and only ill-treated when they voice disagreement with the basic premise: one person is owned by another.
For anyone who might object that this is an exaggeration, and trivialises the historic record, in the music industry:
the primary ownership is the works of the person;
the secondary ownership is the rights to that person's image & public persona (as on artist websites);
the tertiary ownership is in control of the person's choices & decision-making process.
That is, slavery concealed by smoke and mirrors, good meals & acceptable accommodation. And drugs. And flattery. And emotional & psychological manipulation. And lies.
The aside now aside, back to the subject of earning a living from live performance & a practical issue arising from settling the accounts of this summer's KC Eurotour Of Terror, Dread, Pain, Horror & Suffering. These are David's two letters to a travel company, in respect of two hired cellphones for the KC production team in Europe�
P.S. I record tv shows on vcr and watch them after wards so i can skip the commericals... They tried to ban that as well and are trying again with the facts of lost protential income
Protential income is the biggest pile of horse manure i have ever heard. I am guessing Accountants really do run the world now.
In some places I am a criminal... because i press that fastforward button.
I think that mp3 does not equal cd. it is not a loss less format. You are not a thief nor a pirate. You may be breaking a copy right law. That is it. I feel it is as disruptive as jay walking and should be treated as such.
I am glad the MPAA and the RIAA are not here yet... But they will be some day.
Did you know SOCAN is trying to levy the isp's for money cause were all downloading copyrighted material as we speak. And all this time i thought it was porn. Hmmm... And yes i do purchase dvd's and i do buy cd's just of artists who are not in the RIAA out of principle. For I do not like giving money to convicted criminals. Nor should you.
P.S. Slynky that was not directed to you I just happend to write after you. I think you should add this to your signature.
Want all the free music you can handle learn to play an instrument.
There is so much free legal music out there to download. Sure most of it you will never hear on the radio. But hey it is music and music needs to be listened to.