Open Up And Say

Response to Paul Cusick's "Copyright - Copywrong"

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:06:00 +0000

My response to Paul Cusick's "Copyright - Copywrong"

BTW: Buy Paul Cusick's "Focal Point" and other songs at his website, http://www.paulcusick.co.uk

Paul:

At the end of the day, your main points are (and I agree with them)... (1) "if my music adds any value whatever to your life then support me directly so I can make more." and (2) "if my music adds no value to your life, then delete it from your life, and take yourself of my mailing list / fanbase. We are of no benefit to each other."

I do think the "big record companies had it coming, they were ripping us of" argument is lame and immature. Sounds like a rebellious teenager. Cost points are cost points, and pricing is based on what consumers are willing to pay for a CD vs. a DVD vs. a book. Funny thing is, CDs are often the same price or cheaper than buying songs via iTunes when you can buy a 15-song CD from Amazon with free s&h, but on iTunes you'll pay $1 per track, or $15.

Regarding the "I use illegal downloads so I can hear the full tracks and decide whether to buy the music" and "I've bought more music because of illegal downloads because I've been introduced to more artists" and "Buying music is just too expensive" arguments, I think all 3 excuses are related and there's a larger story to tell here.

Internet and portable devices in general have, in my opinion, lead to a media overload. We, as consumers, take in more media, more often, in more places, and from more sources than ever before.

Just in music alone, the combination of SiriusXM, Pandora, Slacker, LastFM, Spotify, BandCamp, iTunes, Amazon, music blogs, artist and label websites, streaming radio, MP3s, next day concert downloads, etc. is just diluting the attention span and where consumers decide to spend money.

Local music stores, a few local FM radio stations, and less portable music formats limited what music a consumer was exposed to, to the benefit of big label releases.

For example: 10+ years ago, if you asked me what my favorite bands or albums were, I would have easily rattled off 10 to 20 bands or albums that I listen to 90% of the time. And I would have known most of the lyrics to most of the songs on those albums.

Fast forward to today, and ask me that question, I need 10 minutes to think of the 100 or so bands or albums that I listen to 90% of the time, and I barely know the choruses of many of the songs on those albums.

There's a reason Google Music offers for the customer to upload 20,000 songs. That may seem absurd to some people, but that would not cover my entire iTunes library on my PC!

I have access online to SO MANY new artists, indie artists (like Paul Cusick!), which further fuels my desire to hear it all, that I find myself rarely returning to an album a second or third time.

Now, bolt that onto the fact that music competes in my monthly budget against not just increasing mobile phone, broadband internet, and HD TV subscriptions, but also Pandora or Spotify or Netflix subscriptions, and movie or book or video game purchases. Never mind that clothes, food, utilities, and fuel cost most now while salaries have not increased in lock-step.

So the short story is that (1) consumers have more options that ever on what to spend their money on, (2) subscription services are a great way to save time hearing new music constantly and remain portable via wifi/mobile internet, and (3) there are so many different business models being tested and exploited right now by both big labels, indie labels and directly by artists.

The past 5 to 10 years have been painful, and the next 5+ will be painful until 1 or 2 business models sticks with both consumers and businesses/artists.

Now, what do I find myself spending money on in the music space these days (and lots of it, by the way)?

-SiriusXM in two cars

-Special edition or deluxe packages CD releases from my favorite bands

-Fanclub only releases or fan-funded pre-sales from top 5 favorite bands

-used CD sales at local record stores, which has been my primary MO since high school!

-and a couple concerts per year

...and I have to limit myself to these from a money perspective. I can't order every new album that I previewed and liked online. Nor would I have the time to repeatedly enjoy that many purchased albums.

I'm not writing all this to argue with you. You make valid points. I just wanted to give you the music fanatic (prog, rock, metal, country, jazz, et al), average consumer, middle-income, 30-something, single bread-winner, married with children perspective.

Keep making music. Try all kinds of models at once until one or two work. Get your music in all of the music services/subscriptions (even though some of the royalty schemes are in painful infancy, think: Spotify), keep asking your best fans to pre-fund releases, and get crazy with higher-priced deluxe packages.

Hope this was all helpful,

Wes

I Am Not Lefthanded fights spying teddy bears in video

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:31:00 +0000

DarkerRadio.com introduced me to London-based band I Am Not Lefthanded today. Music is average mild alt-rock, but it's this video for "Everybody Sleeps" that caught my attention for its oddness. Granted, do you remember play fighting with your stuffed animals as a child? Or pretending that they were spying on you and your siblings? Watch for some simple entertainment.

Ever search Google for "worst bands ever"?

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:06:00 +0000

Responded to another person's Twitter post this morning pondering the worst band they've ever heard. I responded with Kittie or REO Speedwagon because they are popular band names that came top-of-mind, even though there are much worse, in my opinion.

But then I searched Google for further inspiration of horrible artists and albums. Here is a list of some entertaining "worst" lists out there. I agree with some of their entries, but vehemently disagree with others, such as the Maxim 30 Worst Albums of All Time list that had the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" as the #1 worst album of all time. I'll pretend that list creator was trying to be funny or controversial, cause several coworkers and I consider it one of the Beatles better albums.

http://www.mombu.com/heavymetal/pink-floyd/t-maxim-30-worst-albums-of-all-time-1663508.html

Also check out...

Blender.com's "The 50 Worst Artists in Music History"
http://www.blender.com/lists/67198/50-worst-artists-in-music-history.html

Yahoo Music's Rob O'Conner's "The 25 Worst Hair Metal Bands"
http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/listoftheday/32270/the-25-worst-hair-metal-bands

Uncyclopedia's humorous "Worst 100 Bands of All Time"
http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Worst_100_Bands_of_All_Time

And JericSmith.com's long-winded 2004 analysis "The Worst Rock Band Ever" that documents his thorough process that led to identifying Motley Crue as the #1 worst band ever. Psst, whatever!
http://www.jericsmith.com/worstbands.htm

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:27:00 +0000

Bad smell of the day: Stuck on 1-lane road behind Tyson truck full of chickens on a hot & humid morning. Yes, it was fowl smelling.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 02:45:00 +0000

Listened to Estradasphere "Palace Of Mirrors." Amazing guitar driven instrumental rock swinging from metal to surf, ambient to 70s cinema.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:56:00 +0000

Who can recommend some good rock, metal, and prog netlabels? Lost Children is the only one i have found so far. http://netlabels.org

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Wed, 12 May 2010 14:08:00 +0000

Been listening to Rooney "Calling The World" all morning. What a damn fine melodic retro rock album.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:52:00 +0000

Listening to excellent @inacabinwith release from Norman Kapoyos & The Moodswing Orchestra. Download for free. http://inacabinwith.com

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:01:00 +0000

You in a band? Try http://bandize.com online tool that gives musicians one-stop band management.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:40:00 +0000

Sirius Liquid Metal was perfect wake up this morning. Driving to work with Ihsahn, new Nevermore, old Pantera, new Megadeth, new Slayer, and Sepultura.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:16:00 +0000

Subway for breakfast is a winner. And tastes a hell of a lot fresher and better for you than other fast food greasy breakfasts.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:53:00 +0000

Lulu's for brunch... crab and egg enchilada delicious.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 02:06:00 +0000

Quote of the day at work: "We build finger friendly applications."

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 03:43:00 +0000

Wash Caps and Bos Bruins doing good. Poor Buf Sabres.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:11:00 +0000

Quote of the day at work: "We have to peel back the development curtain."

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:02:00 +0000

Went to Goochland Drive-in for first time this weekend. 2 good movies: How To Train Your Dragon and Bounty Hunter.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:49:00 +0000

Quote of the day: "I don't tell clients we won't do something. I tell them why what they want doesn't make sense."

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:53:00 +0000

"Like reflections on the page, the world's what you create."

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:07:00 +0000

Clash Of The Titans 3D ... glad i saw it in the theater but was just okay.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 01:53:00 +0000

Sabres finally beat Ottawa this season after 9 loses. And go Vaneck with the 4 goals.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:25:00 +0000

You know you live in the country when you pass a stretch Navigator raised with monster truck tires.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:52:00 +0000

Making a chocolate milkshake for Jamie. And prepping for 2nd annual ALG chili cookoff.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:12:00 +0000

Today is The International Day of Awesomeness http://dayofawesomeness.com ... and no, Barney from How I Met Your Mother didn't create it.

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:58:00 +0000

3 hours in Babies'R'Us scanning anything pink into our registry. Phew!

noreply@blogger.com (Wes Royer) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:40:00 +0000

Continuing the 24hr smell drama. Why do people feel the need to order onions on a sub they plan to eat in confined areas? Oh that smell.