ITT, We whine about how bad humanity is (especially white peoples), and rip off

[P3nT4gR4m]

Kazaa will pay for studio space, microphones, equipment, an engineer, and a mastering studio?


Amazing.

Ah! Okay I thought you was talking about already recorded stuff.

[LMNO]

Actually, if they charged all the spyware companies and put up some advertising embedded in the program they could probably afford to.

ZANG!

[Thurnez Isa]

Actually, if they charged all the spyware companies and put up some advertising embedded in the program they could probably afford to.

hell they probably could make it just on the spyware companies. big reason why i dont touch the program

[The Good Reverend Roger]

You didn't answer the first two questions.

So, I will ask again,

Where should the profits of dead musicians go?
Are you suggesting that when an artist dies their music should be free?

I am in fact suggesting that when an artist dies, their body of work should enter public domain, unless there are Heirs that inherit the rights to said IP.  The rights should NOT be transferred to the record label for them to profit from indefinitely...

What if the record label owned the rights before the artist's death?

That's a part of my beef with the system too...

the rights should be owned by the artist, under no circumstances should they be in the hands of the record company...

these are simply my opinions.

So the artist shouldn't have the right to sell his own work?

[Cain]

I don't particulary like the idea of some Commie property is for all love-fest.  That said, I also don't like the dominance of 5 main record companies (who probably fund the government and thus have gained monopoly powers over the market) either.  Whats the track record like when it comes to smaller record companies screwing people over when it comes to song rights and ownership?  I guess some would be better, but you'd always have a charlatan or two.

[LMNO]

Sometimes, it's not so much the indie lable screwing over an artist on purpose, it's that the indie lable either collapses out of debt, it itself screwed over by distribution companies, or sells the company to a larger company, which then screws the artist.

[AFK]

Sometimes, it's not so much the indie lable screwing over an artist on purpose, it's that the indie lable either collapses out of debt, it itself screwed over by distribution companies, or sells the company to a larger company, which then screws the artist.

...and then lets the indie label go to flounder alone again until it finally dies.  That's what happened to Earache records.  I think it still exists but it is a pathetic shell of itself during the Death Metal heydeys in the early 90s. 

[LMNO]

Ah, Earache....


Metal Blade too, if I recall.

[AFK]

Yup, of course Metal Blade was always a little screwy anyway.  Seriously what business does a record label called "Metal Blade" have releasing an album by the Goo Goo Dolls? 

Anyway, some of the smaller labels can be fairly successful in an underground scene, but I think there's a bit of luck involved too, getting bands that enough kids will latch onto.  Peaceville is a good example.  They are an indie label that managed to sign a couple of legendary underground UK metal bands.  One of them has continued on with the label and the label pretty much lets them do whatever they want because they know just having that band's name on their roster brings them the money they need to keep on. 

And as far as record company dominance, I suspect you will see that wane over the coming years, especially as the internet expands and more and more kids discover music on the net.  Because, they aren't going to discover them on the Capitol, Geffen, or Warner Brothers websites.  They're going to discover them on youtube or myspace, or a band's website somewhere.  Sure, there will still be record companies but I just don't see them being as powerful as they were during the heydey of FM radio and MTV. 

[P3nT4gR4m]

Yup, of course Metal Blade was always a little screwy anyway.  Seriously what business does a record label called "Metal Blade" have releasing an album by the Goo Goo Dolls? 

Anyway, some of the smaller labels can be fairly successful in an underground scene, but I think there's a bit of luck involved too, getting bands that enough kids will latch onto.  Peaceville is a good example.  They are an indie label that managed to sign a couple of legendary underground UK metal bands.  One of them has continued on with the label and the label pretty much lets them do whatever they want because they know just having that band's name on their roster brings them the money they need to keep on. 

And as far as record company dominance, I suspect you will see that wane over the coming years, especially as the internet expands and more and more kids discover music on the net.  Because, they aren't going to discover them on the Capitol, Geffen, or Warner Brothers websites.  They're going to discover them on youtube or myspace, or a band's website somewhere.  Sure, there will still be record companies but I just don't see them being as powerful as they were during the heydey of FM radio and MTV. 

I been thinking the same thing for a while now. Another thing that follows from that is that the whole 'superstars' thing will fall by the wayside. No one will be promoting or paying these bands to anything near the same level as they were before, since the market will be flooded and the public even more fickle than before. Flavour of the month will be replaced with flavour of that hour.

Three potential benefits I see -

1) Musicians will lose the bullshit political soapbox they've been abusing for so long.

2) Yoof culture may be forced to work out for themselves what music they like and what politics they subscribe to

3) Quality will be paramount. With the cult of celebrity dying by the wayside the motivation for people to make music will be the music, rather than the lear jets and the bling bling lifestyle.

[LMNO]

Without wads of cash to help develop the songwriting and perfect the sound, I disagree with point 3.

[AFK]

I been thinking the same thing for a while now. Another thing that follows from that is that the whole 'superstars' thing will fall by the wayside. No one will be promoting or paying these bands to anything near the same level as they were before, since the market will be flooded and the public even more fickle than before. Flavour of the month will be replaced with flavour of that hour.

Three potential benefits I see -

1) Musicians will lose the bullshit political soapbox they've been abusing for so long.

2) Yoof culture may be forced to work out for themselves what music they like and what politics they subscribe to

3) Quality will be paramount. With the cult of celebrity dying by the wayside the motivation for people to make music will be the music, rather than the lear jets and the bling bling lifestyle.

I'm not sure I'd go that far.  You'll still have 'superstar' artists but it may be more like American Idol and fame isn't as longlived as it used to be. Of course, I will put out the disclaimer that we could all be fooled.  The music industry, save for Sub-Pop records, never saw Nirvana coming.  Though they didn't hesitate to get their mangy paws all over that one.  I think it's hilarious that Queensryche's record label asked them to go grunge after the whole Seattle thing happened. 

[P3nT4gR4m]

Without wads of cash to help develop the songwriting and perfect the sound, I disagree with point 3.

The technology to perfect the sound is becoming increasingly available as technology advance. Right now I have a better post production facility on my laptop than Elvis did when he cut Heartbreak hotel. This is going to progress, not regress.

You're still thinking inside the current paradigm - little people can do nothing without the help of big people. The new paradigm - you can do things for yourself, is gradually toppling that structure. Talent does not have to fuck around in the vain hope that they'll be discovered and put on MTV now.

For every Elvis, Hendrix, or Cobain how many do you think never even made it to the studio, never got discovered, never even bothered trying? Nowadays if you are good enough there is much less standing between you and releasing your song. I've heard the stuff some of these kids are turning out in their bedroom and some of it is none too shabby. And I think it's only going to get better.

[LMNO]

You can hand a 16-year-old a laser scalpel, but I'm not letting him perform surgery on me.


There is a huge difference between having new technology, and actually knowing how to use it well.  Not to mention, unless you're only going to be creating electronically generated music, there are issues of real-world acoustics, microphone choice and placement, and technical ability on one's instrument of choice.

[DJRubberducky]

Not to mention, unless you're only going to be creating electronically generated music

ZOMG COKESTUDIOS FTW EVR1 CAN B ROKSTAR!!!!!1!11!