A Barenaked guide to music copyright reform
Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies wrote an Op-Ed for Canada's National Post about Canadian musicians new coalition against the Hollywood cartels' control over music and culture. Page writes:
Where are American artists? We know that Mettalica and Dr. Dre hate their fans and would rather see them in jail than at one of their concerts, but where are America's real aritsts? Where are the leaders that are willing to stand up to the Hollywood cartels and demand that they stop suing their fans and allow music to be listened to on any device a person owns.Much of their lobbying, however, is not about protecting artists or promoting Canadian culture. It is about propping up business models in the recording industry that are quickly becoming obsolete and unsustainable. It is about preserving foreign-based power structures and further entrenching the labels' role as industry gatekeepers. Their lobbying efforts are focused on passing laws that restrict artists' ability to take control of their own music, reach their fans in more direct ways and earn a decent living from music without sacrificing their autonomy.
We, as Canadian music creators, have identified three simple principles that should guide copyright reform and cultural policy.
- First, we believe that suing our fans is destructive and hypocritical. We do not want to sue music fans, and we do not want to distort the law to coerce fans into conforming to a rigid digital market artificially constructed by the major labels.
- Second, we believe that the use of digital locks, frequently referred to as technological protection measures, are risky and counterproductive. We do not support using digital locks to increase the labels' control over the distribution, use and enjoyment of music, nor do we support laws that prohibit circumvention of such technological measures, including Canadian accession to the World Intellectual Property Organization's Internet Treaties. These treaties are designed to give control to major labels and take choices away from artists and consumers. Laws should protect artists and consumers, not restrictive technologies.
2 Comments:
Where indeed. Back in the days of the original Napster the "Smashing Pumpkins" were huge supports of the 'new' wave of music distrobution. Though I hear they've since disbanded.
I always knew that there was a reason I liked the Barenaked Ladies, other than their music. I'm equally impressed that they promote bootlegging of their concerts and Cd's. Also the fact that they released an album on a thumbdrive as MP3's and added some concert footage; then said you can do what you want with the music, and just keep the thumbdrive to use as you will. God love the geeks in music.
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