An old dog working on new tricks

On the heels of the RIAA suing the pants off of the single mother in northern Minnesota, it's apparent that this heavey-handed 'representative' of musicians in the U.S.A. isn't truly representing all artists.

First, it was Radiohead that rolled out their new album in an unheard of manner; allowing fans to name the price for their new album. Now it's Trent Reznor's outfit -- Nine Inch Nails -- who have parted ways with their Universal Music Group label.

It isn't surprising, though, after the band unveiled early cuts of their new album guerilla-style at shows early this year by leaving USB jump drives in bathrooms of venues in a sort of "fuck you" move against their label and proved that new ways of thinking can build buzz for new music. It got my attention, too, because I am always looking for cool marketing ideas that don't lead to police action.

"Steal it," Reznor told the audience. "Steal away. Steal and steal, and steal
some more and give it to all your friends."

Reznor isn't alone is his displeasure with the major labels. Oldies alums Cheap Trick and The Allman Brothers have sued their label for more of a take in the profits from digital downloads and white boy rapper Eminem has sued Apple, Inc. because he want to cut his own download deal with the computer company rather than be represented by his major label distributor.

I mention these rabble-rousers, these modern-day revolutionaries because it seems that with the ever-growing influence of our digital world and the broad reach of the internet that the dinosaurs of the record companies (even the antiquated 'record' term proves the lack of forward progress) refuse to adapt and latch on to the new ways of the modern media universe and accept the fact that people do actually buy digital tracks and that instead of the greed of the past, they could hold on to the same level of profits if they actually lowered thier prices due to the decreased overhead with the lack of an actual physical product.

I have to wonder, though, if I'm alone in my view of the record companies. Am I in the minority by being in my twenties and only purchasing a handful of physical CDs each year compared to my habit of maybe 7 years ago of purchasing one disc each week? I probably still buy just as much music but can cherry pick one or two tracks from each album making my music addiction far more economical. Again, am I alone here? Are there still folks who snap up CDs at the rate of one each week?

Duluth, Radiohead and the RIAA

Just how much control does the RIAA have when it comes to enforcing what they bill as their holding of copyrights on the songs of recording artists?

Apparently, in the case of the just-finished trial in Duluth, MN of a single mom of two, the jurors feel that the 24 shared songs in question which may or may not have been located in the shared files folder of Jammie Thomas' computer were worth just shy of a quarter million dollars. I think that this is nothing more than a woman who stood up to Goliath being made an example of. For anyone but the artists themselves (who make less than a dollar in income from each CD sold), paying back a fine in the area of $250,000 will take a lifetime.

I would be interested, too, in knowing how many artists agree with the stance that the RIAA is taking in being the official music police. This is especially important being that Radiohead just released their newest CD via download only and are allowing fans to pay whatever price they see fit.

In lieu of this development, no featured songs for you this week and I suggest approximately 2.65 British Pounds for Radiohead's new collection. It comes out to $5.00 and is a handsome profit compared to what they would normally receive in the CD world.

(Okay, it's not really because of that but I'm busy with photography stuff right now)