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INDEPENDENT SYDNEY BASED RECORD LABEL - SHOP |
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Welcome to the Fog Blog #5
Revolutionising the music industry... on a semi weekly basis.
The Revolution Will Be Remixed
Most of the time when people talk about revolutionising the music industry, they don't really mean it. Nine times out of ten it's just a catchy line to accompany a product launch or press release (or the heading for a music blog...). So it came as a surprise when I attended the screening of "RiP: A Remix Manifesto" at the Manning Bar at Sydney Uni this week that there is actually a revolution coming.
If you haven't heard of this film, I urge you to try and see it. The film is a documentary that is predominately about the mash-up artist Girl Talk and how his music is challenging the currently understood "fair use" provision within copyright law (and breaking every other copyright law along the way). During the course of the movie, the director Brett Gaylor, tackles the history of copyright law, how it has developed over the years and how it is controlled by large corporations. Disney come in for a whack, as does every major record company (what's new?) but the overall feeling of the film is that this is a brave new world and people who make music would be crazy not to embrace it.
Once you see the film you will agree that this is a very compelling point. Maybe copyright law does need an overhaul. Certainly the available technology has outstripped current legislation, and this film shows just how easy it is to make a mash-up. But even with open source files and P2P file sharing, if you are an artist that doesn't perform live, how do you get paid for your music? This film makes a lot of good points, but like many revolutions, it doesn't paint a very clear picture of where the music industry is going. Maybe it's not meant to... maybe it just intends to get you thinking... and if that is the case, it certainly succeeds.
You can download the movie (for free, of course) here or if you want to see it at a cinema and attend a Q&A with the director, check out Popcorn Taxi here.
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Everyone Is Entitled to My Opinion
Continuing this week's theme of revolutionising the industry, there was a panel discussion after the screening of "RiP: A Remix Manifesto" that endeavoured to give a local Australian slant on the issues the film raised. Not mentioning any names, there was a lawyer, a manager, a DJ and someone from a mobile phone manufacturer. Lawyers always make sense, even when you might disagree with them. The point being made here is whether you agree with what Girl Talk is doing or not, the fact of the matter is there are current laws in place that he is breaking. Do the labels just turn a blind eye because this film says that they should? No, of course not. They have an obligation to administer the contracts that they have signed with the artists they represent. To assume they will do anything else is naive in the extreme.
The mobile phone people don't care because they aren't interested in music, they just want to sell more handsets. The DJ seemed to think that by copying other artists music illegally he was helping them gain a higher profile... but at what cost to the act? Maybe record companies should become a little more flexible with their licensing to third parties, but why shouldn't they expect to be paid? If that's what the current law stipulates, then what's the issue?
And another thing... this brave new world of free music being used to drive the live performance aspect as the main revenue raiser for bands is all well and good. But what happens to studio bands? What about acts that don't tour? Are they supposed to just give their music away and never make any money?
"RiP" is a great conversation starter, but it leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
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A few of you may have already seen this. And fans of Spinal Tap will certainly appreciate it, but the link here shows a story regarding an in-store appearnace by US rapper Rick Ross. This guy had a number one album... apparently. Hilarious.
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This week's gratuitous photo of
David Lee Roth.....
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