Dementia wrote:
] ] The following questions and answers are being presented
] ] as a public service of RattleHead Records, to help people
] ] understand the New World Order as it is being created by
] ] the Universal Artists Group. The questions below seem
] ] irrelevant only because it is not the current reality;
] ] but sometime in the very near future, if these people
] ] remain unchallenged, it will be the reality.
]
] Anyone want to comment on how true these statements may/may
] not be? He said it best... "The only thing a label sells is copies of music made by other people. Don't ever forget that. If copies are free, they're out of business" But I'll do him one better - if copies are avaliable online as well for a reasonable COST (iTunes, buymusic.com, MP3.com et al) the recording industry is out of business. Not only do labels sell copies of music, they also up till very recently had an absolute lock on distribution. Unless a band is going to set up a REAL indie label and hire a team to work their asses off, it is virtually impossible for an artist to distribute their own work in traditional retail channels and compete with the big boys - even locally. Unless you find a store with a very cool manager, selling local bands on consignment is something most of the big record chains wont even touch because the small number of units moved doesnt justify the hassle for them. So just about the only place you are going to be able to sell your own CD is at the "mom and pop" record shops. National/international distribution? Forget about it. There was the necessity of the big labels. Enter the Internet. If an artist can set up their own website and sell their music direct to their fans - totally bypassing the greedy middlemen, AND retain complete control of their copyrights, AND net 50% or more of the gross, who needs big record labels anymore? So... you have an industry that is fighting tooth and nail to hang on to its obsolete and antique business model. Oh yes - expect the labels to put up a fight to the bitter death, including lobbying ridiculous copy protection measures like SDMI. But don't forget - its "all in the interest of preserving the artists rights". CoughBULLSHITcough. Laughing Boy | 
