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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | cpeel@killertracks.com |
| Subject | Oh ye of the good points...(Owlsley, MP3s et. al.) |
| Date | Thu, 20 Feb 2003 20:27:12 -0500 |
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Some great points are being made by many (Michael Carpenter, Wendie Colter,
Adam Ghost, Kerry Chipotle, David Bash, Andrew, Ken, et. al.).
If I was being sued by the RIAA I would cling to the possible line of
defense that MP3s, sonically, are Shiste compared to full audio files.
That's true. Though, I think for a lot of folks, they're "good enough", just
as the tapes I made of Casey Kasem's show I made as a kid were good enough
for me then (did we all do this? I thought I was the only uber geeky music
kid in my single digit 70s). Kazaa's line of defense has been that they
tried to get the record company's approval, but the labels wouldn't work
with them because they wanted their own versions to control. So they either
went with the model they went with or ceased to exist as a company. I'd like
to follow that case (does anyone have more info?).
Also, I whole heartedly agree with Michael et. al. that great recordings do
not have to cost a lot of money. It's done daily. Most indie labels don't
work with big recording budgets and many major label efforts these days
don't cost much (until they remix it for Top 40 radio). One look through
Tape Op or some other recording magazines will tell you that there are
great, skilled and passionate engineers making fantastic recordings for
bands on the cheap. I've contemplated building my own studio, but so far
have preferred the ease of just laying down the minimal cash I have to some
talented engineers who have already spent their vacation money for the next
ten years on insanely great gear. I may throw my hat into that ring yet, but
as any gearhead knows, it can get costly and making a wire work correctly
can get in the way of having time to write the songs, let alone enjoyment.
But I tell you, with $5,000, I could make a beautiful and kick ass record. I
may do the same here as funds get freed up, on much less. But I'm with
Kerry. Where can I get that $5,000? I can and will, but it takes sacrifices
elsewhere. That might not be a lot to a company, but it is for an individual
with many obligations and interests.
Will my masters compete with the megastars? No. But they'll compete with
anything indie, and a lot of major label fare, I guarantee it. Whether I'll
find an audience, I have no idea. I don't have much hope seeing how, at this
point, I'm obscure even among hardcore power pop fans (this is no ones fault
but mine). So I'd better just do it because I love doing it. (By the way, if
anyone wants to hear what I do, I have three songs, mostly home demos on
borrowed equipment) on MP3.com, under my name, Carl Peel.)
But making a career and living in music recording and performance is very
difficult, is only for the ambitious, young (or young at heart), the
adaptable, hard working people who are willing to risk being seen as
failures or worse.
Working in any of the arts is difficult. Our society measures success in
money (and fame). My parents and siblings could not understand why I play
music if I'm not a rock star. Playing music and not being a star equals
failure to them. It doesn't to me simply because I never really believed
that myth, I became friends with older artists and saw the reality. The
arts don't bring in money, or if they do, it's considered gravy. I know many
artists and writers who are outwardly "successful" (their works sell in
galleries, they get great critical reviews, they win awards for their books,
etc.) but they all have teaching jobs, or several part time teaching jobs,
or some other way to both sustain themselves and allow them time to continue
their art.
Music in reality is like these other arts, but in the pop/rock world, the
myth of fortune and fame prevails for some reason. I highly admire the
Midwestern bands that just plain get out on the road. One of my favorites,
Shiner (not pop, more like Jawbox and Season to Risk), just called it quits.
These guys, by any standards on this list were a success. They were a band
that consistently sold 5,000 records. They toured constantly, all over the
country, and in Europe. Their shows were packed. They got good reviews. But
they've decided to move on, since it appeared to them that that was their
peak, and even doing that (on that level that most of us would be happy
with) they each had to come home and pick up their jobs delivering Pizza's
etc. If the tour went really well, it meant they didn't have to work the
next day, but that's about it. Mark Olsen, from the Jayhalks after he left
the band, after having a semi hit with "Blue", said in an interview that
he's never made more than $19,000 in one year. That includes record
royalties, touring, merchandise and performance royalties. That's fine for a
lot of people for a long time, but after a while, all the accolades and
assurances that you should have been used, won't make it so you don't have
to borrow money from your wife's parents to pay your rent or buy a pair of
shoes that you could actually where to your best friend's wedding. To all
those that love it and do it anyway. A great big whiskey to you any day.
Carl
np - silence
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