[TriLUG] Music Files (and a small rant)

[Randall Barlow]

Jim Ray wrote:

> ...the grateful dead would have a separate section of every concert
> for tapers.  the openly promoted the copying of their music.  funny
> how they were the top grossing band.

Just to throw my .02 in (as someone who is a recording artist and has
experience in dealing with record companies...) - artists don't see any
real money from their albums.  The only financial* motivation for
recording an album is to get it played on the radio so people will come
to your shows - where the real money is.  Some may not be aware, but
some of the larger bands charge quite a fee to play at large venues. 
This is just an estimation out of my butt, but I believe Pearl Jam would
probably go for at least $150,000 - $200,000 for one show.  (My band
used to charge $1,000)  Also, if a song gets played on a radio station
anywhere in America, the song's author gets $0.06, I think it was.  The
band will get another $0.06.  So radio play can get some cash in their
pocket as well.  If a CD is sold, the band may get $0.50 if they're
lucky.  Now, sell a million copies (which not many artists can do
anyway), and sure that's a good chunk of change (half a million).  But
compare that to how much some can get for one evening of work, and
you'll see why many bands themselves want you to copy their music - so
you'll come to their concerts where the real money is!  It's the
$RECORD_COMPANY that wants you to buy the $15 CD.  They probably make
something like a $10 or $11 profit per CD.  Most of the artists I listen
to (Wilco, Flaming Lips, etc.) encourage us to copy their music. 
$RECORD_COMPANY is out to screw people and make as much profit as
possible in the process (I've experienced this first hand).  My $0.02...

*Of course, recording can also be a pretty enjoyable experience, and it
allows you to do some things artisticly that couldn't be done live as
easily.