urusai has it right. The big corporations control this country. They control the marketplace, they control the private sector, they control the government, they control our lives.Monopolies like AT&T destroy our freedom of choice in communication, constant media mergers destroy our access to information and news, and the fact that PACs and Lobbyists own our representatives means that our voice means absolutely dick in Washington DC, and that is exactly why we can't change anything: the corporations have bought Washington. We no longer have any say in what happens in and to this country. Gigantic mafia-like rackets like the RIAA and the MPAA f**k us ten different ways and we can't stop them. They act like a police unit or a governmental authority and do what they like while the REAL authorities do nothing to stop their extortion, racketeering, and out right theft from the people they are supposed to represent and from average citizens. We can't stop them because RIAA/MPAA lobbyists own our Congressmen. Big oil companies control everything in the marketplace because of transportation of goods, the need to get to and from work/school, and the need to survive a cold winter. Our f**king lives are in the hands of Exxon and BP, and the oil markets shoot through the roof on a whim, and we have no one to complain to or to air our redress because our country is run by two big oil men, so why would they give a f**k? We freeze to death in our homes because we can't afford heating oil. We lose our jobs because we can't afford the gas to get to work. We starve because we can't afford groceries because the prices are too high due to increased distributor transportation costs. And who do we have to turn to? No one.The NSA listens to the phone calls of EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN CITIZEN. They want to watch the email, search histories, bank records, library records of EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN CITIZEN without a warrant and without just cause. They just do it and people just lay down and take it every single day. And no one is held accountable for this disgusting injustice and invasion into our homes and our privacy and our lives, and moreover, no one cares enough to try to stop it or even think that it's wrong.Teenagers and college students in surveys think that we should have less freedom of speech than we have. They think we're allowed to go too far. But they don't stop to think for one moment that all they're thinking about it speech that disagrees with their position. If they wanted to make a point, they would find it a travesty if they were silenced. But they want any and all dissent silenced.We're called traitors and terrorists whenever we bring these points up, but the fact is: someone needs to say it. People need to hear that our country has lost its way and as a society, we are dying.No, it's not Rwanada here, but it doesn't have to be. The "at least were not in another country" bollocks is a f**king excuse to let this kind of injustice continue. Wake up. Our country is disolving right in front of us and we are letting it.
Reasons not to buy music::Downloading makes CD's obsolete.Too few artists spark enough interest to appear worthy of listening to entire albums.The current artists do not exhibit enough social consciousness.Too much current music is hard to listen to by all but the most fanatical enthusiasts.Record companies do not promote enough of a variety of music.People don't do drugs the way they used to.The counter-culture is too widely disbursed, with no real rallying points.Too many current artists come off as threatening, obscene, ego-maniacal and unintelligent.Production values and musicianship have plummeted.Record companies appear hostile, greedy and without conscience.Too many genres - music scene too fragmented.There are not enough exceptions to any of the above..
I've noticed a very definite decline in sales since the early 90s. Our band used to sell a few CDs. Now not much. I'm still excited about the download thing though. I think it's an improvement over having to go out and buy the music you want.
I worked at a record store like this for several years... I quit for something more profitable just as this was becoming en vogue. Stores like Best Buy would sell CDs cheaper than we could buy them from the Best Buy pricks (in bulk mind you). So the store started to shift to just niche punk and alt acts that aren't carried at a chain store. Unfortunately, it's hard to keep the lights on without fleecing these customers (which we didn't). Used CDs are the last thing keeping the few stores alive. The best point of this story is how the industry pushed these disposable acts so hard. There's a whole generation without any interest in digging into the roots of their favorite music (reissued CDs pushed the format in the first place, they put out a new version of Dark Side of the Moon every year) or finding new artists. Now even movie makers don't bother to dig for a soundtrack. They just slap "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" onto the trailer of their new film and call it a day.
I know most of you have seen this, but for the few who have not, here is surf guitar legend Dick Dale's take on the music industry and advice for would-be musicians. This should be required viewing for all musicians: <a class="user" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJNnLIPZ_n4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJNnLIPZ_n4</a>The RIAA is in it for themselves, not the artist. Support the artists you enjoy and don't fall for the RIAA hype.
I only download anything the RIAA supports (mainly mainstream artists) but I will but anything that they don't support so independent labels and things I can get for free off soundclick
Closed AccountApr 6, 2007
urusai has it right. The big corporations control this country. They control the marketplace, they control the private sector, they control the government, they control our lives.Monopolies like AT&T destroy our freedom of choice in communication, constant media mergers destroy our access to information and news, and the fact that PACs and Lobbyists own our representatives means that our voice means absolutely dick in Washington DC, and that is exactly why we can't change anything: the corporations have bought Washington. We no longer have any say in what happens in and to this country. Gigantic mafia-like rackets like the RIAA and the MPAA f**k us ten different ways and we can't stop them. They act like a police unit or a governmental authority and do what they like while the REAL authorities do nothing to stop their extortion, racketeering, and out right theft from the people they are supposed to represent and from average citizens. We can't stop them because RIAA/MPAA lobbyists own our Congressmen. Big oil companies control everything in the marketplace because of transportation of goods, the need to get to and from work/school, and the need to survive a cold winter. Our f**king lives are in the hands of Exxon and BP, and the oil markets shoot through the roof on a whim, and we have no one to complain to or to air our redress because our country is run by two big oil men, so why would they give a f**k? We freeze to death in our homes because we can't afford heating oil. We lose our jobs because we can't afford the gas to get to work. We starve because we can't afford groceries because the prices are too high due to increased distributor transportation costs. And who do we have to turn to? No one.The NSA listens to the phone calls of EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN CITIZEN. They want to watch the email, search histories, bank records, library records of EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN CITIZEN without a warrant and without just cause. They just do it and people just lay down and take it every single day. And no one is held accountable for this disgusting injustice and invasion into our homes and our privacy and our lives, and moreover, no one cares enough to try to stop it or even think that it's wrong.Teenagers and college students in surveys think that we should have less freedom of speech than we have. They think we're allowed to go too far. But they don't stop to think for one moment that all they're thinking about it speech that disagrees with their position. If they wanted to make a point, they would find it a travesty if they were silenced. But they want any and all dissent silenced.We're called traitors and terrorists whenever we bring these points up, but the fact is: someone needs to say it. People need to hear that our country has lost its way and as a society, we are dying.No, it's not Rwanada here, but it doesn't have to be. The "at least were not in another country" bollocks is a f**king excuse to let this kind of injustice continue. Wake up. Our country is disolving right in front of us and we are letting it.
technopunditApr 7, 2007
Reasons not to buy music::Downloading makes CD's obsolete.Too few artists spark enough interest to appear worthy of listening to entire albums.The current artists do not exhibit enough social consciousness.Too much current music is hard to listen to by all but the most fanatical enthusiasts.Record companies do not promote enough of a variety of music.People don't do drugs the way they used to.The counter-culture is too widely disbursed, with no real rallying points.Too many current artists come off as threatening, obscene, ego-maniacal and unintelligent.Production values and musicianship have plummeted.Record companies appear hostile, greedy and without conscience.Too many genres - music scene too fragmented.There are not enough exceptions to any of the above..
loganhidApr 7, 2007
the RIAA ruined my Pirate music business
timflanaryApr 7, 2007
I've noticed a very definite decline in sales since the early 90s. Our band used to sell a few CDs. Now not much. I'm still excited about the download thing though. I think it's an improvement over having to go out and buy the music you want.
fontzepontzeApr 7, 2007
I worked at a record store like this for several years... I quit for something more profitable just as this was becoming en vogue. Stores like Best Buy would sell CDs cheaper than we could buy them from the Best Buy pricks (in bulk mind you). So the store started to shift to just niche punk and alt acts that aren't carried at a chain store. Unfortunately, it's hard to keep the lights on without fleecing these customers (which we didn't). Used CDs are the last thing keeping the few stores alive. The best point of this story is how the industry pushed these disposable acts so hard. There's a whole generation without any interest in digging into the roots of their favorite music (reissued CDs pushed the format in the first place, they put out a new version of Dark Side of the Moon every year) or finding new artists. Now even movie makers don't bother to dig for a soundtrack. They just slap "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" onto the trailer of their new film and call it a day.
sophiaperennisApr 7, 2007
Excellent article. Goes to show, how the RIAA is killing their own business.
akiraxxxApr 7, 2007
I know most of you have seen this, but for the few who have not, here is surf guitar legend Dick Dale's take on the music industry and advice for would-be musicians. This should be required viewing for all musicians: <a class="user" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJNnLIPZ_n4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJNnLIPZ_n4</a>The RIAA is in it for themselves, not the artist. Support the artists you enjoy and don't fall for the RIAA hype.
aznl473ncyApr 7, 2007
I only download anything the RIAA supports (mainly mainstream artists) but I will but anything that they don't support so independent labels and things I can get for free off soundclick