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Kent Williams wrote:
quoted 25 lines From idm-owner@hyperreal.com Thu Jan 9 09:56 EST 1997> From idm-owner@hyperreal.com Thu Jan 9 09:56 EST 1997
> Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 08:49:30 -0600 (CST)
> From: Kent Williams <kent@inav.net>
> To: Alec McKay <amckay@sas.upenn.edu>
> cc: idm@hyperreal.com
> Subject: Re: (idm) SUBREVIEW: Dream Injection 2
> In-Reply-To: <199701091427.JAA27969@mail1.sas.upenn.edu>
> Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970109084615.24225A-100000@soli.inav.net>
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>
> On Thu, 9 Jan 1997, Alec McKay wrote:
> > One of things which make imported compilation so good is the fact that
> > these European labels can assemble them without regard to copy write
> > problems (record company conflicts) associated with trying to compile a
> > similar disc in the USA.
> >
> I suspect this is completely innaccurate. Perhaps Euro record companies
> are easier to work with vis a vis licensing; perhaps there are some
> technicalities to the copyright laws in Europe that make it easier, but
> the same process applies: You have to obtain license to redistribute
> each track from the owner of the track.
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Well it might be inaccurate, but not totally inaccurate. I was talking
to a knowledgeable store owner in a Philly IDM store and he said that one
of the reasons Euro comps are so good is that, for some reason, labels in
Europe are far more likely to allow artists from different labels to
appear on an independent comp. USA record companies are much more
aggressive in terms of controlling marketing and not having discs which
would make inroads into their sales. After all if these Euro compilations
are so good, and I think that most people agree that they are, then why are
they not marketed in the USA?
I like Simon & Garfunkel, the Eagles and James Taylor (yes, I am probably
a lot older than you!). If you look at the domestic "greatest hits"
compilations of these artists, they absolutely stink in comparison with
their Euro counterparts. If USA Warner Brothers allowed the Euro
compilation of James Taylor to be freely available here in the USA
without penalty, how many people, given the choice, would buy the
domestic version?
Wire magazine often packages interesting compilations with some monthly
issues. They are not available over here because of copy write (ie: US
record label's marketing strategy). The only way to get them is to
directly subscribe to the magazine.
I wonder whether FAX would allow an ambient artist from the Virgin label
to appear on one of their CDS? But this is precisely what happens with
these Euro comps.
Just an inaccurate opinion, but not a totally inaccurate opinion. :->
Alec McKay