i came across this quote through a mailing list via rob
“People didn’t stop buying albums because they were philosophically opposed to how the rock business operated, andthey didn’t stop buying albums because the Internet is changing the relationship between capitalism and art. People stopped buying albums because they wanted the fucking money. It’s complicated, but it’s not.”
what i reckon-
as the business gets to be more about production and less about the song or the essence of the art, things change. i reckon people care less about paying for something, as the art value is more a production element. also, people spend money on different entertainment that was not around when the industry was getting huge revenue. i still reckon if publishers were able to publish in a less centralized way, more would respect the laws. sure people who can’t afford to go to the movies are going to download and some people always don’t want to spend money on something they can get for free. the shape of media has changed, yet the laws are the same.
Rob Myers said
I’m paying more than ever for CDs in order to support artists I like. And I don’t download anything I can buy instead.
But I can afford to, and I would never tell anyone who can’t afford to that they shouldn’t download. Maybe it’s a form of patronage. Or perhaps I’m just economically irrational.