| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 04:56:41
This is from Kristin Hersh's blog, it's kind of nice.
(Music) Pirate Chimps??
This story on copy protection and music piracy aired on NPR's "Morning Edition" this morning.
There was an experiment done with chimpanzees a few years ago. When a small group of chimps was given a small quantity of bananas on a daily basis they shared them among themselves, equally and happily. When that same group was given a surplus of bananas, the dominant chimps stole, hoarded and defended the entire supply, resorting to violence if necessary.
It just struck me this morning, maybe especially, amid the horrifying stories in the news right now how ridiculous this idea of music piracy is. The idea that ultra-rich media companies and even ultra-rich "rockstars" can't bear to have their own fans (people who genuinely derive pleasure from listening to their music) make copies of their CDs, for fear of lost revenue.
I don't believe there is such a thing as a music pirate. Yes, some people share files on a huge scale, but think about it, who's being harmed there? It only really impacts artists & companies who spends so much on the mass-marketing of their product that every last dollar must be squeezed from every available sucker --er, I mean consumer.
Believe me, if 50FootWave's songs were file-shared extensively, it would be a minor miracle, yes, but also a real shot in the arm for our visibility. In other words, file sharing could only "hurt" us, if we were enormously successful. Insert logical disconnect here. If we spent stupid money making and marketing our CDs then we'd need stupid money in return. I get that. But when does it ever help to restrict the marketplace or private consumer behavior?
On a smaller scale, artists like us stand to suffer greater harm from lost CD revenue, because every CD sale impacts our bottom line directly. And yet it will never make sense to be 'grabby' and forget the big picture. It's music. We're all so used to people getting rich from it, we forget that makes so little sense. Music was a nice business, it should never have become an industry.
I'm on one side of this, I know -- but it's relevant -- after many years as a signed artist, with large advances at my disposal, way more people heard of my band without ever hearing the actual music. That band is dead now. My new band is finding it harder and harder to find the small audience we require to sustain ourselves. I find it hard to care about file-sharing when all I ever really wanted was for people to hear, not buy my music.
I always had faith that if the music found it's own good people, the money would follow. After all, who in their right mind would become a musician if money was their primary concern??
It remains way more important to me that my music be heard than bought.
There is no such thing as a music pirate in my world.
File sharing is constructive, not destructive.
Share the she-it out of my stuff. Let me worry about the "damage" it causes.
 Hey deadhead: take a bite of peach. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| VoVat |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 14:09:58
I think "piracy" is a serious term that gets thrown around too much for really trivial stuff. Sort of like "treason," "stalking," "Nazi," and even "rape." Come on, is sharing downloaded music really as serious as pillaging and forced plank-walking?
I was all out of luck, like a duck that died. I was all out of juice, like a moose denied. |
| kathryn |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 07:48:41
What? The topic was derailed? When? How? WHO DID THIS?
Sometimes, no matter how shitty things get, you have to just do a little dance. - Frank
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| jediroller |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 07:33:33
http://www.throwingmusic.com/press/2005fmpr.html
quote:
PRESS RELEASE, AUGUST 2005
50 Foot Wave and ThrowingMusic are launching a new series of downloads called, simply enough, "Free Music". Beginning in September the band is giving away studio recordings of brand new songs via their website (www.50footwave.com/freemusic) and a few select partners (TBA).
Singer-songwriter Kristin Hersh explains, "Money has so polluted the music world that my overwhelming urge right now is to divorce money from recorded music. Over the last 2 years we've been asking people to help us educate listeners about 50 Foot Wave and we've met resistance every step of the way -- caused by little other than money -- and to an extent I've never seen before."
"So we're sending free recordings off into the world to do their work. If people enjoy these songs and are excited by them, we ask that they share them with others. The music business is about fame and huge profits: egos and greed; but if enough people care, 50 Foot Wave will earn an honest living playing live, which is what we love to do."
I jumped on the Frank Black Bandwagon/'Cause Pixies are so 2004 |
| benji |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 06:55:25
sorry to get back on topic - wasn't there a big spaz a few months ago about derailing topics - HELLO!
but i think kristin's points are very valid - it's not often that you hear the other point of view in this issue - it's only ever the big bands who ever get heard about this, which is simply cause thats all who the mass media cares about.
for kristin to come out and say that - someone who'd been in the industry longer than most of the people moaing and bitching about piracy, have been born is fantastic, and the respect she cares and deserves means that it deserves to be listened too....
kristin is a hero of mine, and this thread should inspire everyone to go out and buy the 50footwave record, which is fucking amazing.
 Join the Cult of Fat! |
| jediroller |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 06:29:24
quote:
Originally posted by starmekitten
I tend to find they're either pirate guys or cowboys guys. I'm not sure which is better.
I suppose it depends on how much you like horses.
I jumped on the Frank Black Bandwagon/'Cause Pixies are so 2004 |
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 06:16:03
I have one word, and only word to sum it up.
Yaaarrr!!!
Hey deadhead: take a bite of peach. |
| starmekitten |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 06:10:19
music piracy: I fully intend to buy the good albums I download and never the shit ones. I've said it before but if I can ever avoid helping fund a second mars volta album by listening to the piece of shit before I think about parting with my cold hard cash then I will.
pirate piracy: Cheeso, didn't you even make an eyepatch for talk like a pirate day...?
men and piracy: Day, I tend to find they're either pirate guys or cowboys guys. I'm not sure which is better. |
| dayanara |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 05:35:10
(mental note: stop emailing kathryn)
i am sitting here observing my emotional discomfort. |
| kathryn |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 05:34:11
I'm sorry WHO was watching 21 Jump Street at 7 this morning? Not Cheesey!
Sometimes, no matter how shitty things get, you have to just do a little dance. - Frank
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| dayanara |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 05:33:38
actually that hadn't crossed my mind. cheesy, like any man, loves his pirates.
i am sitting here observing my emotional discomfort. |
| kathryn |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 05:32:35
quote:
Originally posted by dayanara
cheesy this is what, like your 5th pirate topic? not that there's anything wrong with that.
i am sitting here observing my emotional discomfort.
Oh just be honest about it and post the photo you want, D!
Fine. I'll do it for you.
Sometimes, no matter how shitty things get, you have to just do a little dance. - Frank
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| dayanara |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 05:30:08
cheesy this is what, like your 5th pirate topic? not that there's anything wrong with that.
i am sitting here observing my emotional discomfort. |
| kathryn |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 05:22:26
quote:
Originally posted by jediroller
My sig on another forum is "New is bad news." Short and to the point.
I jumped on the Frank Black Bandwagon/'Cause Pixies are so 2004
There is another forum!!!!??????
Sometimes, no matter how shitty things get, you have to just do a little dance. - Frank
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| jediroller |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 05:20:56
My sig on another forum is "New is bad news." Short and to the point.
I jumped on the Frank Black Bandwagon/'Cause Pixies are so 2004 |
| vilainde |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 05:18:56
I like that. On a related note, I downloaded 50 Ft Wave's album a couple of weeks ago, enjoyed it, and bought the CD a few days after. On another related note, it happens I changed my signature this morning.
Denis
"You know what? You know what? You know what? Shut the fuck up!" |
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