Response to my Last Newsletter Editorial (23rd June issue)

[Greg_L]

Autism speaks its one of the best funded charities...Im not saying anything negative about it but if you do decide to do another charity album I can ask my wife what underfunded well deserving children charities there are...good on you Greg

My albums out next week....Im spending my $10 profit on beer though

Lol. Sweet.

Ask her about Autism charities. I'd like to keep this one focused on Autism.

 

[Armistice]

The fucking Wiggles sell tons of records too. they must be great musicians and songwriters.

Don't start me on the Wiggles, but they did emerge from a reasonably successful Aus band called The Cockroaches some time in the 80s... so they can actually play and write, but choose not to.

One of them turns up guesting in covers bands at a bar near me from time to time, and he can play too.

As much as I'd wish it otherwise! Bastards....

 

[Armistice]

Autism speaks its one of the best funded charities...Im not saying anything negative about it but if you do decide to do another charity album I can ask my wife what underfunded well deserving children charities there are...good on you Greg

My albums out next week....Im spending my $10 profit on beer though

PM me where to buy it when it's out... maybe I can bump your projected profit up to $11...

 

[kcearl]

PM me where to buy it when it's out... maybe I can bump your projected profit up to $11...

fricken right dude, buy two and I can get a bud platinum!!

 

[Greg_L]

Don't start me on the Wiggles, but they did emerge from a reasonably successful Aus band called The Cockroaches some time in the 80s... so they can actually play and write, but choose not to.

One of them turns up guesting in covers bands at a bar near me from time to time, and he can play too.

As much as I'd wish it otherwise! Bastards....

Well we surely can't say anything bad about the wiggles because they've definitely sold more records than us and are more famous than us.

 

[Armistice]

Well we surely can't say anything bad about the wiggles because they've definitely sold more records than us and are more famous than us.

Apparently, on the prevailing logic. But it never stopped me...

 

[Bristol Posse]

Well itunes did over $3.2 billion in sales in 2011 so someones making
given that digital media globally still represents less than half of all music sales then someone's still making a lot of money
Also the major labels have a 1/5th share in spotify currently valued at $4billion so they're just waiting for an IPO so they can walk away with another $800 million

seems like the big 3 or 4 labels have found an innovative way to make bank while convincing the artists there's no money because of the technology and the public stealing etc while they pocket the lions share of an enormous pile of cash every year

So if it all falls apart hooray.

personally I'll still play my guitar and make cheesy little pop songs no matter what with no expectation of getting paid, just like I have no expectation of making a huge fortune off my mediocre golf skill, or sub par carpentry ability etc

It amuses me that people feel that just writing a song and recording it in your bedroom/basement should entitle you to make money. Nothing else in life works that way

 

[Greg_L]

Everyone makes money except the people that make the music.

 

[Armistice]

It amuses me that people feel that just writing a song and recording it in your bedroom/basement should entitle you to make money. Nothing else in life works that way

I don't think people are thinking that's the issue - the issue being that if people's music is being essentially stolen from them, or used in commercial services from which others are making money, and the creator gets jack all, or nothing, for it, then that's a problem.

And are our expectations low because we're all realists after exposure to "the biz" over the years, and they've been ground down?

So Kindles and ebooks are all the rage these days - strikes me that there's no flourishing "book stealing" business, like there is with music (and TV shows), or perhaps there is and I've just missed it. People seem quite happy to pay to buy an ebook... why not music?

 

[CSP]

Kcerl,

"Is this the same thread I was reading yesterday?

wtf happened??"

I was thinking the exact same thing just before I read your post.

Greg_L,

"Everyone makes money except the people that make the music."

Sorry, but my point is that not everyone is now making money, sure musos playing in clubs, cafes, etc are possibly making a bit of money --- some a lot --- but many others in the broader and associated industry are now starting not to make any money, as I have said previously a $0.001 return for the sale/stream/whatever of a song that possibly cost me a few hundred dollars to make, is not "making money".

Chater-La,

My apologies for thinking you were a male and congrats on the (I presume) new born --- whatever your problems might be in relation to the music industry, they are nothing compared to the problems/worries/etc you are probably going to have over the next 20 years --- that could be 30years!!!!!!!!!!

David

 

[Greg_L]

Greg_L,



Sorry, but my point is that not everyone is now making money, sure musos playing in clubs, cafes, etc are possibly making a bit of money --- some a lot --- but many others in the broader and associated industry are now starting not to make any money, as I have said previously a $0.001 return for the sale/stream/whatever of a song that possibly cost me a few hundred dollars to make, is not "making money".

Well someone somewhere is making the money. Not you, not the artists themselves, but someone. Find a new business if this one isn't working for you. Times and technology change. Typewriter companies and beeper manufacturers probably don't make money anymore either. Maybe it's time to move on......

 

[CSP]

Armistice,

"Quote Originally Posted by Bristol Posse View Post

It amuses me that people feel that just writing a song and recording it in your bedroom/basement should entitle you to make money. Nothing else in life works that way"

"I don't think people are thinking that's the issue - the issue being that if people's music is being essentially stolen from them, or used in commercial services from which others are making money, and the creator gets jack all, or nothing, for it, then that's a problem.

And are our expectations low because we're all realists after exposure to "the biz" over the years, and they've been ground down?

So Kindles and ebooks are all the rage these days - strikes me that there's no flourishing "book stealing" business, like there is with music (and TV shows), or perhaps there is and I've just missed it. People seem quite happy to pay to buy an ebook... why not music?"

What you say has been exactly my point in this whole discussion ---- why should we not make some money for our efforts, hard work, etc.

David

 

[Greg_L]

Armistice,



What you say has been exactly my point in this whole discussion ---- why should we not make some money for our efforts, hard work, etc.

David

Why aren't you making money? What is it that you do exactly?

 

[Bristol Posse]

So Kindles and ebooks are all the rage these days - strikes me that there's no flourishing "book stealing" business, like there is with music (and TV shows), or perhaps there is and I've just missed it. People seem quite happy to pay to buy an ebook... why not music?

Pretty good analogy
I'd argue that people are prepared to pay, I'll cite again itunes did around 3.5 billion in sales in 1 year, spotify is increasing it's paid membership every day. Amazon cloud sells millions of songs every year. Physical CD sales still outstrip all digital media income at this point (although it's getting closer)
in 2011 more singles were legally sold than ever before in the entire history of recorded music
Overall music sales were up almost 7% in 2011 to over 1.6 billion units sold source here

People are buying music in fairly significant quantities (more than in most of the seventies and eighties) it just seems that the artists have talked themselves into deals that are getting them shafted because those deals don't keep up with the changing times

like Greg said

Everyone makes money except the people that make the music

 

[bdenton]

Just to throw a little more food for thought on the, well, you get it...

As I've mentioned before on here, I was a radio DJ from 1967 through 1978, and during that time I came up with this game plan, philosophy, whatever...

Always be exactly one-half step hipper than your audience and you'll keep them. A full step hipper and you'll be to far out ahead of your audience, and they won't come with you! And if you're not at all hipper, why should your audience even bother with you.

And always be a star, which is not the same thing as being an arrogant asshole. Develop a presence that will make sure that everybody in the room thinks that you are the coolest person in the room. If the coolest person in the room is playing hip but accessible music, people will listen.

Make of it what you will, but it's served me well for a long time...

 

[Greg_L]

People are buying music in fairly significant quantities

I can see that considering the downloadable single is the format of choice now. Buying the whole album is no longer necessary. Even if you just want one of the obscure filler tracks from an album, you can buy just that song for 99 cents. Easy as pie. That's not much money to divvy up between all the parties involved.

 

[miroslav]

Well itunes did over $3.2 billion in sales in 2011 so someones making
given that digital media globally still represents less than half of all music sales then someone's still making a lot of money
Also the major labels have a 1/5th share in spotify currently valued at $4billion so they're just waiting for an IPO so they can walk away with another $800 million

seems like the big 3 or 4 labels have found an innovative way to make bank while convincing the artists there's no money because of the technology and the public stealing etc while they pocket the lions share of an enormous pile of cash every year

Well...I don't think all those artists are playing and making albums for free.
If this type of information is so readily available, I'm sure the artist's accountants are able to digest the numbers too.

I still believe the eminent demise of the record biz has been more a myth than reality, and it's been circulating for about 15-20 years now. Yeah...their golden years of mega-sales/profits might be behind them, but they are still making money and selling music. The downturn in record sales is just mirroring the economic times and not so much the cause of stolen downloads.

IMO...the real problem is that even though music is still selling...it's also become a rapidly disposable commodity...there's plenty of good music, but it's pushed out of the way with tons of new music very rapidly.
In the golden years of the record biz...album releases were not as rapid or as plentiful from so many different artists...so now you have a lot more artists dividing up the market, but there's still a market out there.
It also seems like concerts are doing better now than ever...many more big name acts out there, so there are many more shows.
Things have just evolved and adjusted to fit the times...but I don't see that the record biz is going to vanish in the near future and that all music will be "worthless". Like I said, that stuff has been circulating for 15-20 years now.

 

[Greg_L]

All this internet music happened so fast that I think it took everyone by surprise. Stealing off the internet and streaming music is still a relatively new phenomonon and it changes as fast as people catch up to it. It's only been what, roughly 10-12 years or so since napster was a the biggest thing ever? 7 years since kazaa and limewire? Rapidshare, megaupload, torrents, plain ol file sharing, it's so EASY to get whayever you want off the net and never pay for anything.

 

[Bristol Posse]

I can see that considering the downloadable single is the format of choice now. Buying the whole album is no longer necessary. Even if you just want one of the obscure filler tracks from an album, you can buy just that song for 99 cents. Easy as pie. That's not much money to divvy up between all the parties involved.

Yeah that's true, But then again why should I pay 15 bucks or whatever for 3 good songs and 10 mediocre, navel examining, experimentation or flat out pieces of garbage. I can't begin to count the number disappointing albums I've thrown money away on over the years based on the couple of good songs that got airplay
Also physical distribution and pressing costs. I haven't done a detailed look at the numbers but the 0.99 to 1.29 for a single song seems reasonable vs what $3-4 bucks for a CD single that has to pay for physical product, physical distribution, physical stores and physical employees etc. I'd bet more of the sale price is left over in digital distribution which essentially cost a fraction of a penny per unit vs physical distribution which has to pay a very large number of peoples salaries and expenses.

I just find it very amusing that an industry that's taking in more than $7billion a year has everyone convinced that there's no money to go round and points the finger at it's customers, by accusing them of being pirates and companies that the labels have part ownership of, like spotify, of not paying enough

wool - eyes - pull it over

 

[Greg_L]

Yeah that's true, But then again why should I pay 15 bucks or whatever for 3 good songs and 10 mediocre, navel examining, experimentation or flat out pieces of garbage. I can't begin to count the number disappointing albums I've thrown money away on over the years based on the couple of good songs that got airplay
Also physical distribution and pressing costs so the 0.99 to 1.29 for a single song seems reasonable vs what $3-4 bucks for a CD single that has to pay for physical product, physical distribution, physical stores and physical employees etc. I'd bet more of the sale price is left over in digital distribution which essentially cost a fraction of a penny per unit vs physical distribution which has to pay a very large number of peoples salaries and expenses.

I just find it very amusing that an industry that's taking in more than $7billion a year has everyone convinced that there's no money to go round and points the finger at it's customers, by accusing them of being pirates and companies that the labels have part ownership of, like spotify, of not paying enough

wool - eyes - pull it over

Yeah I agree with all of that. Someone is making the money.