[sdiy] The RIAA Blows.... (fwd)

[Batz Goodfortune]

Y-ellow Rude 'n' all.

At 11:42 PM 6/23/02 +0200, Rude 66 wrote:
>and how exactly are they going to check on all this? even here in our small
>country of holland it all works for normal radiostations by either playlists
>from the major stations, or on local level they randomly choose stations and
>ask their playlists, on which they base the money given to artists.
>there already is tons of music channels out there just broadcasting stuff
>all day and night on the net. unless they employ 100.000 people who sit down
>with headphones and pen/paper, or make some intelligent software that can
>recognize songs, it sounds to me like one of those laws that is in reality
>impossible to enforce.

This is true in theory but they only have to bring down a few to make the 
rest worried. They they'll boast. "We've had a huge success against illegal 
music on the net." Or some similar shit.

>i had my own show for years. local amsterdam radio. i recorded it at home,
>and put the ra-files of the show online.
>otherwise just beat them at their own game.. if all indies join the riaa,
>they also can influence the way it's run. most of 'my' labels used to be
>'illegal' in the way all the records were pressed in eastern europe and
>distributed directly..but now it's all legal, and i do get money from tracks
>played abroad, etc.


The reason indies don't join the RIAA or ARIA or any of the other 
co-operating extortionists is because they are actively and financially 
discouraged to do so. For example: If you wanted your independent act or 
independent record company to be listed in the AMID (Australian Music 
Industry directory) You have to pay up big time for every placing and band 
listed. The structure is skewed so that only major labels and their artists 
can get automatic and free listing.  And if you do pay up you get pushed to 
the back of the queue. "Kid! You're just not important enough."

Majors get a free and automatic ride. Indies have to pay through the nose 
for the privilege of being insulted. It's a total joke. (It should be noted 
here that the AMID itself - published 4 times a year - does not make it's 
money from support by the majors but by subscription and advertising.)

And now that my record company (Transmission Communications) is the largest 
electronic/alternate/techno label in the country and has more artists on 
it's books than VOLITION ever had, it still can't get a foot in the door 
because it's not affiliated with a major in any way. And it's interesting 
to note that Tom Ellard (Severed Heads) got screwed badly when sony thought 
it about time to swallow up VOLITION entirely and write it off. Ellard was 
talking with us last time I heard. And Despite all of this, Transcom has 
done some serious work pushing Australian techno-etc well beyond any Major 
who's weeds are everywhere here. And all without any help from these 
mongrels so who needs 'em?

What I really resent is that there are artists on my record label who are 
shit hot. They are unique and produce far more interesting (and accessible) 
music than anything the majors regurgitate but the majors actively try and 
prevent anyone from hearing it. It's just business to them of course. It's 
what assholes and school bullies have always done.

But I ask you this. When you go out on a Friday night, how many people go 
out to hear a business?

Be absolutely Icebox.

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