FAC, Basca & MPG vs. IFPI & BPI

[Chewtoy]

http://torrentfreak.com/musicians-oppose-punishments-for-pirating-fans-090905/

Musicians have spoken out strongly against UK government plans to disconnect the Internet connections of repeated copyright infringers. They argue that the plans, much applauded by the big music labels, will further alienate fans from artists.

While the music industry paints a picture where file-sharers are criminals who refuse to pay for music, the reality is quite the opposite. The people who share music are dedicated music fans who actually buy more music than their non-pirating friends.

True music enthusiasts simply want to consume, sample and discover as much new music as they possibly can, and the most straightforward and convenient way to do this is through file-sharing networks. Music pirates are just regular consumers really, and they love music just as much as anyone else.

The music industry fails to realize this though and has declared war against their main source of revenue, which resulted in UK plans to disconnect alleged file-sharers. Instead of finding ways to please the changing demands of music fans in the digital era, they have chosen to defend their old models and punish the fans instead.

This trend is worrying artists, the people who actually produce the music but who are never heard when new legislative measures are drafted. Unlike the big labels they don’t want their fans to be punished for a ‘problem’ that was created by a lack of innovation from the labels.

The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (Basca) and the Music Producers Guild (MPG) have joined forces to prevent a three-strikes disconnection regime being implemented.

In a statement the broad alliance of musicians, producers and songwriters criticizes the new UK anti-piracy plans, which they labels as illogical and “extraordinarily negative”. With this move they go directly against the wishes of the major record labels who are represented by the IFPI and BPI.

Unlike the musicians, the labels are advocating stringent measures to prevent the industry from going bankrupt. To back this up they feed the legislators with dizzying numbers. Statistics that have been fabricated by the music industry itself, and blindly accepted by the UK Government.

However, in reality the anti-filesharing antics of the major music labels only continue to further alienate fans from their artists. Most musicians oppose the label’s strategies and rightly so. Music is thriving more than ever before, but now consumers and fans are taking over the distribution role.

Eventually the labels might have to give up the distribution component that has been their core business for years on end. This paints an uncertain future for the labels and that might be one of the main reasons why they are so resistant.

Luckily there are some smaller labels out these that realize that file-sharing should be embraced, not fought.

[Alex2539]

First of all: You officially win the award for most acronyms in a post's title. Well done!

As for the major labels, I'd say that they're merely suffering from the symptoms of progress. The world has evolved and they've elected to stay behind the times. There are things about a physical album that can never be replaced - the booklets chief among them - but the sheer convenience of finding everything you want at any time is unbeatable. I think that Apple's iTunes has done a very good job of taking advantage of the new trends. It still loses on anyone that's looking deliberately for "free" music as opposed to "easy" music, but the point stands.

While it's not exactly on topic, this comic sums it up pretty well.

[Chewtoy]

First of all: You officially win the award for most acronyms in a post's title. Well done!

Thank you thank you! This comes as such a suprise!
I want to thank my mother and my father for supporting me all these years. My brother for being such a pain in the ass. My teachers for making me a dull boy and... Well who else to thank? :P

As for the major labels, I'd say that they're merely suffering from the symptoms of progress. The world has evolved and they've elected to stay behind the times. There are things about a physical album that can never be replaced - the booklets chief among them - but the sheer convenience of finding everything you want at any time is unbeatable. I think that Apple's iTunes has done a very good job of taking advantage of the new trends. It still loses on anyone that's looking deliberately for "free" music as opposed to "easy" music, but the point stands.

While it's not exactly on topic, this comic sums it up pretty well.

Indeed.
They said the same thing when the discos came: "This will kill the music industry!", as far as I can tell, it flourish more now than eevry before.
They said the same thing when the tapes came: "No one will pay for anything anymore! Everyone will just record from the radio!"
They said the same thing when the VHS came: "No one will buy movies anymore! Everyone will just record from the television!"
In short. They hate adapting to the new generation and new sources of income.

And yeah... "Easy" will probably nevere 'conquer' "free". No one wants to pay. Not even the music industry, just look at spotify.

That comic pretty much nails it.

[iUnify]

I'm a musician. I haven't been able to get a recording contract with a major label yet- but I have been signed to a few small labels, toured and been on the radio. I am far from what I want to be and far from what most bands from indie labels are.

That said, file sharing is good. This is not because I don't want to buy stuff. This topic goes so deep and there are so many things that can be said about it. I am not here for that. I am here to say that as someone who stands to make his money from music and the music industry (if all goes well in the near-ish future) even I can see the positives outweigh the negatives.

I have found more music AND movies on the Internet that I would have NEVER heard otherwise much of which became some of my favorite artists and added to my quite massive HARD-COPY music collection (and movie collection).

Also, think of the younger children who know about The Doors, Stones, Zeppelin, Joppelin, etc, etc. That list can go on FOREVER. I can say, for a FACT the majority of these kids NEVER would have listened to these musicians and kept their music alive into more and more generations if it were not for the internet. Even Metallica, who fought Napster.... so much can be said from that. The backlash of fans (which will end up happening if the UK and/or large labels continue this fight the way the are). These guys even have been shown to more fans that never would have discovered them.

Beyond all of that- I said I buy the pieces for my large collection when I like them? Well, more and more it's impossible to ignore things like those hard-drives that connect to your T.V (I don't know the name) but I have been saying for YEARS and YEARS that was the future. How can it not be? You can have all the album art, live videos, music videos, music, interviews and anything else you can think of set up in ANY WAY YOU CHOOSE on that hard-drive, connect it to your T.V and enjoy it through your stereo. Plug in an iPod or flash-drive or into your computer or whatever else and listen on the go or share or add more to the drive.

This is the future. Digital is the future- digital is NOW.

Like I said, (hopefully) I stand to make my living from music. Whatever way it is, indie label, major label, whatever- this is how I have made my living and how I intend to continue to.... and I download music. Artists are NOT loosing money. Money-hungry ULTRA RICH major labels are shaking in their boots while ground-breaking indie labels, who are TRUE TO WHAT MUSIC IS ALL ABOUIT and are FAR from where the major labels stand financially are all for it.

I know this is off topic on the surface- but in the grand scheme of things it's right on. Look at what music was in the 60's. The ways labels scouted new music. The reasons and kind of bands they signed. Look at the 70's and 80's- how it got more pop but still- mostly about the MUSIC. 90's... that was the last stand. Great music. GREAT music, but the big dollar signs in the eyes of the people who have the money... aka, the power, took over completely. Now look at what you see. If you read the back of your CD case, you will see that almost NO ONE writes their music. Most of them don't play instruments, most don't even SING at their concerts!! But ohh, they look "good" and dance a mean move. Oh yea. That's what it's all about, right.

A music label stands to make the MOST money when a band has ONE album. TWO or THREE hit radio songs and tour. But who cares about touring? The artist does. Even when the artist is fake as hell you must know they LOVE what they do and WANT to do it as legit as possible but they take what they can get... which usually sucks. The Record Label does NOT care about music. Why? They don't make money off it. THAT is why they are so f---ing scared about sharing music. Their main income is CD sales. Point blank. Number 1 revenue.

Look at the Dave Matthews Band. They are one of the number 1 grossing band from live performances today and have been for years. They are only here today because they allowed every show they played from day 1 in bumfuk Virginia to be taped and traded. They still allow it. They sell special seats to fans who want to bring equipment to record their shows!!! They are RICH. Their label is RICH from THEM. RCA records may have made money a thousand other ways but just from DMB they made a LOT. And guess what, millions of fans trade their music in a thousand different ways.

Ahhh, I've already said way more than I thought I would yet I've not even come remotely close to scratching the surface. What I said is honestly so unimportant, vague and uninformative I would have to write something 3 times as long to explain why. It's sad. But it's the facts. Music will always live. Music will always be nameless and faceless. It will never be barred by age, religion, ethnicity, language. Music is something you feel from deep inside your soul in the place that makes you scream and cry all the way out to the tips of your hair and out your fingernails and toes to make your smile and laugh. No matter the genre, no matter the words or lack-there-of. No matter the venue it's performed weather a Stadium or a grage, basement or spot of grass in a field. No matter how loud or soft. No matter weather free or paid for... music will always be a part of life. A part of transcendence within all of us. It can NOT be stopped. It can't be changed other than pitch, note and type. And just like guns. Make them illegal, they will still be available to the black-market for purchase by the criminals who cause the desire in those who try to ban them- if music supporters are punished for their listening practices- sharing practices- whatever- they will stike back- no one can predict how, when or how serious it will be or even if it will be a silent war.... but music will always be available for FREE. And people will always be willing to buy it. It's not about getting rich. It's about spreading what music does and makes you feel... and supporting your family with it if it's your job. Not about being able to have multi-billion dollar companies OR artists. Music only WAS free when it was first sung or played. I think it will end up that way too.

I am done. I may have been confusing. I may have sometimes made no sense (?) But I felt every word I just wrote from the depth of my being. I love music. I love people who make music. Unfortunately, more and more- I hate the people who run the industry that is music.

[Chewtoy]

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It feels good to know that there are still musicians and not just artists out there. :)
And it's even better that there is musicians that understands that 1 download != 1 lost sale!

I must say. I'm most curious of your work. Might one be able to listen to it?