Lots of rationalizations for why it's OK to steal copyrighted material - but none of them any good. If an artist wants to go direct and market his music via the internet and cut out the middle man, they can do it. But if they're using the resources of Capitol or another production and distribution company, that company (who's fronting the cash for the album) has a right to make a good return on their investment. Whether some group thinks they're making "too much" or the artist isn't getting a big enough cut isn't at issue - that's a contractual arrangement between the artist and the label. No one else is involved nor has a say in it. What's next, bootlegging electronic copies of Harry Potter because JK Rowling isn't getting a big enough royalty - or maybe is making too much money? BTW - copyright infringement IS theft. Minor technical differences are legal semantics. Theft doesn't have to involve a material object. It also occurs if you improperly copy my ideas (as in patent infringement) or works (as in copyright infringement) without permission and without compensating me. Patent and copyright infringement are merely special treatments for particular types of non-material theft. "Theft of service" as in tapping into phone or cable TV lines without paying for it is another kind of non-material theft handled by similarly special legal treatments. Illegally copying my work (book, record, whatever) is stealing it because the copyright owner doesn't get their due compensation for it. No difference than stealing the physical book, record, etc.
Arch Trying reading my first post since you appear to enjoy ridiculing my post. DOES IT SAY ANYWHERE THAT I THINK THAT PEOPLE SHOULD GET COPIES OF MUSIC WHICH THEY DON"T ALREADY OWN? My personal opinion is that the industry screwed up. Much like carriage builders thought the car was just a fad. I have no sympathy for them because of the practices they employ. The approach they are taking is, to put it mildly, STUPID! I already own the music that I have downloaded and I'm not paying for it in another format..... That is my primary point! BTW, terrible analogy with the bank.... You are entitled to your opinion Enjoy and good day
Arch, I agree with you that theft or improper use of copyright items is illegal, improper, or pick another adjective to describe what millions of people are doing on a daily basis. IMO, there are 2 key points to the RIAA/Big Music issue: 1. As previously stated, the RIAA is taking a wrongheaded approach to new technology. Customers, or at least some of them, want a better distribution system than paying too much for a CD that has a couple of decent songs on it. There are a number of models of how to do this, one being the way content is distributed via cable and satellite. 2. By their influence over politicians, what was once a set of fair and balanced laws concerning "fair use" has been turned around to one where Big Music basically gets to determine what is fair use, leaving out Congress and the voters. This was one of the unintended consequences of the DMCA. There are also real privacy issues involved. DS
You're being too sensitive - there was nothing in my post(s) specifically intended to be directed at you or your posts nor ridiculing you. My comments were about the general climate of "it's OK to steal" that these MP3 sharing sites breed.
I concur with Dougcs' WILCO story. Almost all the cd's I have purchased in the last few years are from bands where I first checked out there songs by using Kazaa or previously napster. I'll discover a group from websites like pitchforkmedia.com and the like; then I'll download some songs. If I'm not into it then the songs will get deleted from my computer or just lay there in obscurity never getting played. If I'm into the music I'll usually purchase there cd's, which are sales that they never would have gotten had I not had the opportunity to sample there music first. For example, my latest discovery is an amazing group called Dirty Three (BTW, there album Horse Stories is possibly the best music I have ever heard in my life). So RIAA, at least in my case, Kazaa sharing software is giving YOU MORE SALES!!!!!!
I have many old cassette tapes as well as a ton of vinyl including 78's that I have transposed to MP3's. I have also been involved with many African American groups from the 50's through the 70's whose material can't be found anywhere except in collections like mine. Artists in many cases who are still waiting for the pittance that BMI and the like are supposed to be sending. Don't get me started on all the industry horror stories that I am aware of. I have even contacted labels (majors included) who have told me that some material is not available for pressing anymore, or was destroyed somehow/somewhere. My friends are just amazed when they visit me and hear stuff that can't be found anywhere, including online, coming from my music servers in mint condition (or better in some cases). I'll start to feel concerned for the labels when they start to honor their contracts with their artists better. I think the time is soon coming when those dino's will find their place too. It's just a matter of time before some artist somewhere will open the flood gate and give an online concert through their own music servers. PayPal supported right along with downloadable content from the latest release. Then we'll hear real industry carping!
I was just relaxing after getting home from a long day at work and decided to pop in the Pink Floyd album "The Wall." It occured to me that the entire album is fantastic and each song seems to tell a bit of the entire story. What happened to music? Why aren't there any Pink Floyd's, Rolling Stones or Beatles out there? Granted, there is good music out there, but its not the stuff that is being pushed by the RIAA through the radio. Maybe a good song here and there, but most of it is too generic.
Part of the issue (probably the main part) is the artist's themselves. Have you noticed, many of the so-called stars of today have no REAL musical ability? In today's market of sampling, they no longer need any musical training or real skill. I work with a few musical acts here in Chicago who do actually play music. When I came through school I was involved with music heavily. I played the clarinet, flute, bassoon, french horn, trumpet, tuba and drums. I was first seat in my school orchestra (remember those things) as well as involved in the jazz band. In the last five years I even took up the piano and I love visiting friends homes and sitting down and wowing them. Long story short, no one plays instruments anymore. They just sample, cover, holler, shake and grin. Just the other night here in town we had an artist pack the "Taste of Chicago" night venue. At an after set, the artist accidentally wandered too close to a piano and I pushed through to play a few cords. As I started to play I thought, test her out here. I asked, "What key do you prefer?" She looked at me with disgust and said, "I'm an artist, just play something." After about three minutes she remarked, "I must be catching a cold." Somehow she must have just forgot that the studio tweaking of her performances IS critical to her abilities."