Copyright and the musician

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But, by his own admission, George Michael has made a lot of money already, one of the vanishingly few musicians to do so. It is very easy to forget that, for most popular musicians, even their evanescent fame outshines their wealth by a large margin. Slave-owning deals with record companies ensure that their debts will be large and their income small.

Record companies like to "turn over" their artists. What they really mean is that they like to sack them and get new ones, because fresh-signed musicians desperate for a taste of fame are so much more compliant than the more experienced ones starting to ask awkward questions. So those debts might never have a chance to be paid off.
The record industry's arguments against piracy are pitiful, if you know how things really work. Their morally righteous ads are disgusting hypocrisy. They have already effectively stolen 99% of the artist's earning through various (and nefarious) means; the pirates and illegal downloaders just take another half of a percent.
And yet that tiny percentage matters. Pitiful as it is, that effective 1% is all the artist makes from their songs. And other artists, who more cannily avoid record contracts by doing their own recording, selling CDs at gigs and through their own internet distribution;: they are still dependent on their copyright being respected, otherwise they make even less income from their songs.

Not all recording companies are dedicated to ripping off musicians. One of two artist-initiated companies, run by people determined not to rip anyone off (anyone remember ethics?), such as the Robert Fripp-engendered DGM (see this issue's Uncle Terry) at least make a dedicated and sincere attempt to financially honour the work of artists while still remaining a viable business. But they find it hard to stay in business, partly because of the overwhelming pressure from the entire industry to conform to the old, corrupted model.

The vast majority of dedicated musicians make little money from their original work. It is always a tempting choice to put up your work on the internet for free (for "exposure") but you need to know that once it is out there, it is out of your hands for ever. And if musicians choose to assert copyright in their work, please respect it. There are beggars on the street who earn more money in a year than your average musician. And no decent person takes money from the tin of a beggar.

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B Flat or Be Flattened:
A publishing event!!!

The Dues Publishing presents a series of short e-works on natural history, biography and philosophy for the lazy and stupid. This week, TDP™ proudly publishes:

B Flat or Be Flattened:

A Musical Survivor’s Tale from the Land of Time Forgot
By Glabberill “The Horn” Fancy

TDP. All rights reserved, 2006.

Reviews of Glabberill “The Horn” Fancy’s B Flat or Be Flattened: A Musical Survivor’s Tale from the Land of Time Forgot:

“Blimey.”
Vladimir Nabokov, Hessian Bag Knitters’ Weekly

“A touching, tender tale, told in the tenderest tones.”
James Packer, Music & Media

“That’s a bit thick.”
Samantha Fix, Punch Guide to the High Court

“Aunt Kate will be hearing from our lawyer.”
Anatole Spittle, Basset Hound Bugle

“Pointless and bleak. A truly postmodern triumph.”
Betty Batter, Butter Buyers’ Parade

“I can’t believe it’s not music.”
Carlton Greble, Teble Clef

Now decide for yourself!!!

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