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From:
Adam J Weitzman
To:
IDM Mailing List
Date:
Tue, 07 Mar 2000 09:14:48 -0500
Subject:
(idm) Re: Napster (Music & Money)
Msg-Id:
<38C50ED8.C99D33A2@newsedge.com>
Mbox:
idm.0003.gz
Rishi Saez wrote:
quoted 1 line OK let's see if I can start anymore flames.> OK let's see if I can start anymore flames.
Well, this isn't a flame, really. It is a thoughtful rebuttal, though.
quoted 2 lines I personally don't think that musicians should really> I personally don't think that musicians should really > make money off of music.
For the life of me, I don't understand this attitude. I personally think that if you can figure out a way to make money doing something you love, well, that's the best of both worlds. Or to put it another way, "I personally don't think advertising executives should really make money off of generating advertising." Who am I to decide which professions get to make money and which ones don't? It's ridiculous. If *you* don't want to make money making music, that's your prerogative. But I don't think you have the right to presume what other people should be able to do.
quoted 3 lines That's why most music is shit these days (on the radio I mean)> That's why most music is shit these days (on the radio I mean) > because people aren't doing it for the music, they're doing it for > the money.
Most music is shit these days because that's what the majority of consumers want. People on this list hate to hear it, but the fact is, most people on the planet are not passionate about music the way we are, and if they are, they are usually teenagers frothing after the latest cutie the record company has sent down the pike. I personally don't have a problem with that; people can listen to what they want, it doesn't affect my ability to find good music if I want to look for it.
quoted 4 lines I had never heard AE whatsoever before Napster either. I'm sure> I had never heard AE whatsoever before Napster either. I'm sure > that sucks for AFX's and AEs wallets, but hey - they make enough > money with music that they don't have to work. What have they > got to complain about?
If you haven't bought the CD/LP that the track you heard came from, then they have every right to complain, because they put time and effort into making an audio creation, and you were unwilling to pay them for their efforts, even though you get to hear it. They didn't release it into the public domain, so they expect to be paid for it. Again, I don't believe that you or I have the right to decide who has "enough" money and who doesn't. I guess we should all go to the parking lot and steal the next Mercedes we see. Clearly, those people have enough money.
quoted 2 lines If the entire music industry closed down... I honestly think that music> If the entire music industry closed down... I honestly think that music > as a whole would be much higher quality...
This is about the worst possible argument you could make in your favor, because it completely undermines your mission. If the music industry closed down, no one would be on the radio, not the great artists and not the crap artists either. Then, since there was absolutely no opportunity to make even a modest living doing music, many potentially great musicians wouldn't even bother to try. Then none of us would get to hear all this great music that was never made.
quoted 3 lines How many great musicians are never heard because they> How many great musicians are never heard because they > can't get signed? How may shit musicians are out there > that are making millions? I rest my case.
I'm fairly well convinced that there are plenty of major-label artists doing what they do because they love it, and there are plenty of indie artists making crapola. This just doesn't fly. I don't think you can really justify what you're doing, especially when it comes to fringe artists like AFX and Ae. These people, as you say, are inspiring you!! How can you not thank them for their inspiration and hard work by at least plunking down for the music they made? -- Adam J Weitzman, NewsEdge Corp. (soon RoweCom Inc.) http://www.newsedge.com - http://www.individual.com "Humor is the best way of dealing with complete and utter nonsense." - John Lydon --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org