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Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

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Fileshare and illegally download now!
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Re: Fileshare and illegally download now!
Nov 21, 2009, 18:49
Ian, this post of yours is very well thought out and comprehensive.
It obviously shows the sort of insight that can only be gleaned from a musicians point of view. It is the kind of post that i wish could be an easily accesible 'STICKY' type post. It's that relevant.
I'll wait with baited breath for the rebuttals........

To be honest, i don't know why it's even worth my time to wade in on this issue. Those who have stepped over the line and become illegal down-loaders have allready justified it to themselves. They will not be convinced that they are doing anything wrong, or perhaps the real heart of the matter is that they just don't give a fuck. After all the world revolves around us all as individuals, right? It's all about ME. ENTITLEMENT.

On that note, as you explained....who is 'OWED' anything? I've paid for every piece of music i own. I've pretty much given up on posting in the 'Sound-tracks of our lives' threads because, generally speaking, they read more as vanity lists to me than actual music that was purchased.
There has been many times that i read those lists by various posters and thought to myself, Isn't that the same person who was only just recently explaining his or her near poverty existance? Yet is scrolling off every week, music that if actually purchased, would amount to Hundreds of dollars? If not Thousands? And i'm talking about recent releases too.
It just doesn't add up.

I own THOUSANDS of pieces of pysically purchased media. Even at that, i can't keep up with the obscurities folks rattle off so casually here.
How many people here REALLY were around during the Krautrock era? Or owned all those BrainTicket/Popel Vooge/Can/etc....albums that folks "KNOW all ABOUT" these days? Really.... Whats to discuss about them, when most people have ever heard those records as pirated downloads at low Bit-rates on fucking Ipods for the most part? I've been collecting records since 1974....i KNOW how hard it is to procure those albums. Perhaps i was an idiot, should have waited for this era to just Cop 'em off a blog. But thats the point for me. I can't really discuss all those obscurities that i don't own. I COULD 'download' 'em i guess.
But, like it should be....i don't want what i haven't paid for. And so, i shall remain un-informed and left behind......I won't own every single record by whomever......poor me.

I don't own an IPOD or MP3 player. I have made a personal choice in that regard. I'm just NOT interested in the digital music world after a point.
I did transition over to C.D.'s {finally} in 1998. Not because i nessasarily wanted too, but my prefered medium, L.P.'s more or less became extinct.
But again....why would i want to listen to music at such compressed bit rates to begin with? That was DIGITAL to begin with. Of course the arguement is '' I can't hear the difference" or "Who cares?''
Well i can and do. I can live day to day without 10,000 low bitrate toons in my pocket. I wonder if people even understand about bit-rate compression.

Just a short primer. An MP3 at maximum bit rate of 320 Kbps only represents about 80% of the original recorded signal. Go down to 190 Kbps, and your listening to the toon of your choice at approximately 50% retrograde from the original signal. Thats OK by you? How would your Spagetti sauce taste, Minus 50% of the ingrediants? Such are the acceptable COMPROMISES of the modern world.
But hey.....YOU 'know' all about that Blue Cheer record you downloaded yesterday.

Regarding that Analysis of illegal Downloading Vs. Actual purchases.
I am sceptical of it's claims.
I counter with claims by other sources that in the last 2 years 95 % of ALL music that was downloaded was ILLEGAL. 95 % !
This represents a loss to the HATED music 'INDUSTRY' a loss estimated at 48 BILLION {!!!} Pounds.

http://drownedinsound.com/news/4136081-95-of-music-downloads-in-2008-were-illegal-dis-reacts-and-suggests-two-solutions

I defer to Ian's post to explain the 'TRICKLE DOWN' effect that this has on all concerned. And to add to it....
How interesting to observe that as one poster put it...I just get all my music from on-line resources...
Ok fine. But as some are so quick to ejaculate the 'The Fuck em's' 'The Cunts' {with what i comically envision with screwed up Johnny Rotten looking scowls on there faces.}and other assorted lovely expressions...leveled squarely at the "MUSIC INDUSTRY"....and picked and chosen from at that....
What is AMAZON or I-TUNES?
That is of course if one actually patronizes them at all.

Compraring second hand sales of Analog or Digital 'PHYSICAL' media to Illegally downloaded music?
I've got to explain the difference? Strange days indeed.

I've looked at the Blogs that some have posted here without a second thought. Loaded with current copyright material.
"YES...but i just try it and buy it"
The #'s don't add up....
Here in the USA at least...as the link i posted explains...Album sales fell 14% this year, following a 15% decline the year before. The article also claims CD sales to be at an all time low. Hard to be sure what that means.
And then there are the sorts of comments that you are likely to read on these 'BLOGS'.
"Please Mr. DickHead, could you post the latest release by " ......." in 320 Kbps or FLAC......Please?" "Your the Coolest"
signed.....ENTITLED.

Just a few thoughts on the Trickle down effect....
Ian was about as thorough as one can be with his informed insight.
I can add to it somewhat from the viewpoint of a player/collector.
Whats it cost to be a musician?
And take it out on the road and try to eke out a living at it?
Lets talk about some facts and figures there.
I can speak to the costs of several items in the musicians world.

A GOOD guitar. 2000 - 5000 dollars US
A GOOD AMPLIFIER RIG. 3000 - 5000 dollars US
Want tonal pallette? Various guitars and amps with specific sonic signatures? Multiples of figures cited.
Microphones? A nuemann u-87? 3000 Dollars US.
A nice RODE? 600 - 2000 dollars
The better SHURE 'BETA's'? 300 and up....

A decent roadworthy mixing console....thousands.
A decent roadworthy P.A. system?.....THOUSANDS.
All the cords, line conditioners, pedals, tuners, etc.....THOUSANDS.

The DRUMS and BASS guitars? See above.

Transport to here and yonder? The hotel Bills?
The shitty food, and time away from home....Schlepping all the gear around....and for most bands just try to break into the scene....leveraged to there eyeballs with Credit bills for said gear.
The studio recording charges.
Oh wait....you mean another start up INDIE label has gone under? Why?

This one little ILLEGAL download won't go noticed....said the collective conscience of BILLIONS.

I know that this little thought stream of mine is somewhat shambolic.
And i won't argue my points of view with any of you. And i'll leave you to yours.
Thanks again IAN, for saying it all far more eloquent than i am capable of.
D1
In reply to:
Re: Fileshare and illegally download now! (IanB)		 Replies:
Re: Fileshare and illegally download now! (mingtp)
Re: Fileshare and illegally download now! (Popel Vooje)
Re: Fileshare and illegally download now! (thesweetcheat)
ranty responsy (Dog 3000)
Re: Fileshare and illegally download now! (Hunter T Wolfe)
Re: Fileshare and illegally download now! (Squid Tempest)
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