Just Beat It!

Well it’s getting a bit late, as in I get up at 5am, but I saw this post and know that AllOfMp3 dot com is going to be in it for awhile. Should be interesting to watch them tell America’s most dangerous record company attorney’s to just go “beat it“. AllOfMp3 does have a legitimate point, and I thought it was a rather waste of the lawyers time to even file a suit in New York.

Technically Speaking, what do I know? I’m just a music lover who wishes that some really good bands would be on the labels and get the attention they deserve. Good musicians. You know the type, the ones playing around the corner from you tonight. The ones that out rock the supposed flavor of the month emo and new metal band. Yes, the really good ones that will never make it out of that corner bar because, well some lawyer wanted to sell the flavor of the month.

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Democracy is alive in FRANCE

Privacy or Piracy. That is the question. The answer is Privacy. That is what great people have shed blood for in the United States of America. I sit here on Christmas Eve, 2006 and wonder why the USA, the RIAA, and the MPAA just don’t get it.

Sure there is money being lost over piracy. Sure there is some legit complaint on copyright infringement. I just can’t buy into all of that though. Why? Because I’m an American. I served in the military, and have a honorable discharge. I have done my part for democracy, the democracy that men and women all over the world tonight are wondering if they will ever see a Christmas Eve 2007.

The RIAA, MPAA have a TON of money. They probably both threw a nice Holiday bash worth more then allot of their artists make. Does it take a rocket scientist to realize WHO is WRONG here?

Sorry to say this, but the country that I call home sometimes makes me wonder. Why is it that we have to look to European nations to lead the way in the basic parts of OUR constitution? That is the right to privacy. I hate to say it, but France is right, and America is wrong. America is treading on the wrong people. The consumers.

Christmas Eve 2006, I can bet there are tons of people – let’s be honest – tons of AMERICANS still going to AllOfMp3 dot com right now. There are tons of people also still buying the CD at a store. All these people just want to live their lives, enjoy music and videos, and basically be left alone to choose. Freedom. No invasion of our privacy. That is all we ask, and the RIAA and MPAA think it’s stealing.

The Grinch. Yes, that is what they are, both of them collectively together have embarrassed this blogger. It now takes Europe and other countries to lead the way. Wait a minue.. I know now — when I was serving my time and doing my 4 years to my honorable discharge the way it is suppose to be done – you all (the lawyers of the RIAA and MPAA) were out toying around in the Air National Guard and not showing up and getting that so called honorable discharge that can’t be found on record.

Technically Speaking, Merry Christmas Eve to all!

AllOfMp3 dot com sued for $1.65 Trillion!

That sure beats the $1.65 Billion that Google bought YouTube for. AllOfMp3 is being sued for $150,000 per song for the 11 million that were downloaded from June to October of 2006. That comes out to $1.65 TRILLION! What do I think?

This is nothing more then smoke and mirrors. Yes, just an elaborate cat and mouse game the RIAA is so good at playing. Do they really think they are going to get $1.65 Trillion or even $1.65? Come on now, readers think about this.

The RIAA is suing a company that is based in Russia. The same Russia that was the main country of the former Soviet Union. Do you really think the RIAA has any jurisdiction there? No. They are powerless, so they what did they do? They did what they always do best. Sue. That’s all they really are, just a bunch of lawyers that have no clue about music. They just want to protect your rights, or the rights of the musician. That is their line and has been for years. What is it really? A LIE.

Why? Because the record labels that are suing – EMI, Sony, BMG, Universal Music – all want to make more money for themselves. It’s obvious to me. How much of that $150,00 is going to trickle down to the artist? I can bet, it will be like oh let’s just say $0.

I don’t feel sorry for the record companies, they have raped musicians for years. The musicians are doing no worse then they did before AllOfMp3 dot com. By the way, has the RIAA read the Russian law books? Have they read how they treat online distribution of music? Basically, it’s legal what they are doing.

The RIAA is not good for music or the musicians that bust their butts to record and write it. They are in it for themselves, and the record company interests only. They aren’t there to give 1 cent to the artist that deserves like $149,999.99 of that $150,000. The artist and musician won’t see one penny of it. Instead, the RIAA might give that 1 cent to the musician.

The smart reader will go to AllOfMp3 dot com and download all they can. The RIAA isn’t about to turn over any money they will collect to the rightful owners of that money – and that to course is – the artist and musician. Interesting side note – I just saw Twisted Sister on some late show – they did a Christmas song – Come All Ye Faithful. Quite interesting.

Pandora

Pandora. What a great name for a music site. Music sites seem to be the ticket this morning. Turning them into social networks seem to be a great idea. I just wonder how many other sites will be soon coming in 2007 that combine music and social networking? It may be the hot ticket. At least this blogger thinks so.

iLike $13.3 Million

It must be the holiday season. iLike a new concept in social networking that combines music as it’s main attraction has just completed a deal with TicketMaster that has them taking  in another $13.3 Million. I just checked out the site, and they are giving away a free iPod a day according to the first page. Ticketmaster will own a 25% share of the company.

I just signed up, it seems alright and with MySpace a big joke these days I may as join a network of people that like the same type of music. We will watch and see how this one goes, as $13.3 million can really help a new company out if used properly.

Bands and Musicians as well as Artists

In case you missed it, there is a better place then MySpace for you now. The place just launched this past week and it’s still in beta from what I can see. It’s called Humble Voice. It seems more geared towards bands and musicians, as they get a mini-site that they can call home. The review of the site that I read, seems to indicate that they have a really user friendly design.

Another thing that they have incorporated is a “point system“. I was on a site that had a point system before, and it was a fun way to get users to join and contribute. Contribution is the key to any social network. The more that contribute, the stronger the network becomes.

Technically Speaking, you always have MySpace to showcase your material, but as I have said time and time again – MySpace needs to fix their network infrastructure if they are to remain a viable force.

Jamglue

Jamglue, is a remixing site. This looks like allot of fun, but I am hoping that it was not the spam message I received on MySpace last evening. The user screenshots look like they will work well for remixing, and later on I think I will give this a try. Also, this is one of those Y-Combinator companies, so the budget was kept way down.

Technically Speaking, music lives in you forever; once a musician always a musician.

Giving the music away mp3 style

The biggest thing that everyone has wrong so far is that mp3 is just a distribution platform that works. The record companies do not get it. Some people do not get it. You have to maximize the use of the mp3. You can’t just give it away and expect to make money.

You can make money if you market smart. Giving away a song or two or three off a new CD only enhances the sales of that CD. You have to market things smart. You can’t just dump every track out there for free. Yes, I’ve seen that done also, and it can work if you intend to be on tour all year long, 365.

Whatever your spin is, you have to have the smart business person in charge of your music operation. You can make money if you do it wisely. Doing it the way the article describes and then saying “How will future Mozarts have the inspiration to write new music..” – is just another shill for the record companies.

Technically Speaking, I want to see the web site owners credentials. I’m sure he is a record company shill.

Record Labels and the Music Business

Here it is in a nutshell. The record companies have shafted artists for years. Now as the online world starts to make the independent artist more viable, they are running scared. Let me spell it out for you, for some of the non-reading in between the line readers, the recording industry has made money on artists. The artists have gone broke.

Best example I have is the band called – Extreme. Remember them? Late 80′s, early 90′s band. Had that hit – “More Then Words“. Big time crossover #1 hit. Well when they signed their contract, they yes, screwed themselves. In defense of the band, when you have been out there for years busting your a$$ to make it – and some major label comes calling, your forget allot of what you learned on the road on your own time. Now of the 2.5 million albums they sold, the didn’t make a dime. It’s a fact. Research it if you must. They were (personally) playing music and having a great time and on top of the world. They were in fact (personally) though – broke. The record company was making all the money.

Yes, the were able to make money on the touring, and merchandising, but basically that was the last hurrah for the record industry. The last rape so to speak. Artists have now gotten wiser. Smarter. Bands have one or two “Rex Dixon‘s” in them now. That have learned from the mistakes made already.

Technically Speaking, if you are a musician in a band, you need to go it on your own. You really need to be independent. It does work as long as you have your band’s version of “Rex Dixon” handling your business.

Shutting down the mp3 online

It seems that judges are now siding with the RIAA. Distributing mp3′s online without the record company making money is now officially a copyright infringement. What it boils down to folks is that if the “man” doesn’t get paid you aren’t doing jack.

Look at YouTube, how long did they infringe copyrights? How did they settle that? The “man” was paid. What about BitTorrent? Technically Speaking, it’s about the money – if the man gets paid you operate.