Its so rare I buy any Cd's these days which is a shame since I love new music. Since its coming up to Christmas though I felt I needed yet another gift for myself, I was actually feeling a bit rebelious as well so I bought this album as a download from MSN.
Yes, I'm a dirty traitor, I know, giving money to 'the machine', but in my defence, I know what its like to be an 'artist', and I actually feel bad inside when I accept art without paying for it, even if its music. Its a mental defect I have no doubt but I actually don't like downloading music for free. I used to use Kazar, but one day I got rid of it because I couldn't bear the thought of stealing from people who, though they have way more money than me, are still kindred spirits at some level.
People want art but they just aren't prepared to pay for it, and I think its this attitude that helped kill my urge to create imagery. I got so tired of being screwed that I feel bad about screwing others in a similar way.
So, okay, Bono and the lads aren't exactly starving, but thats besides the point, its the principle of the thing and for as long as I can still afford principles, then I'll stick to them. Its about me, not them.
It's not as if I don't have enough art to entertain me a thousand times over already anyway. Novelty is interesting but its never enough anyway. The inner primate always wants more.
So anyway, I've been listening to U2's latest album all day and I like it. Its classic U2, easy to listen to, grooves nice n easy and has a few really good tracks on it. The best track has to be 'Vertigo' (though I saw the video and that sucks) and I've been singing that one with new lyrics:
'Hello hello, I've got a feeling like Pipski Po'.
Excellent stuff.
5 comments:
Dirty traitor? I certainly don't think so.
There was a time when I downloaded music from Limewire, but a while back, I had a crisis of conscience, and I deleted all of the files. I'm proud to say that my entire collection is legitimate. Musicians need to eat just like everyone else does.
I'm kind of the way that you are about books with music, though. I like to have the actual CD in hand complete with cover art, although I did recently purchase my first electronic edition from 4AD of a Kristin Hersh album that's out of print and only available in an electronic format. I miss having the cover art, but I do like the idea of being able to purchase single songs instead of entire albums...for those one hit wonders.
It used to be more important for me to have the cover art, but now I'm not bothered. Recently I even pulled all my Cd's (except the classical ones) out of their jewel cases and into plastic pockets to cut down on the space they were taking up.
I've already got well over 90% of my downloaded music in another form (vinyl, tape, DRM-protected cd / digital).
I find non-DRM encumbered, compressed / digital files of reasonable to good quality is what I actually use. Other media just gather dust.
Most of the rest is by way of a 'radio' substitute.
Btw, how much do the *artists* get from digital downloads?
The huge majority of my downloading is of tv programs that are hard to get hold of by other methods.
... and something for Mette.
I think it all depends on the artists contract with whom ever is peddling their wares. I've never heard of any artist who received a majority share, though there are some artists who own their own studio's. The norm I think is less than ten percent.
On the other hand, with films, the studio's are really the ones making the movies by virtue of their investments so I guess thats balanced more fairly between the actors (who are over paid anyway) and the film studio's
Oh yeah... I certainly don't mind other people nicking music and then giving it to me as a gift
Hee hee hee. My morals have opt out clauses
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