Finnish Record Labels Want To Block Pirate Bay

jones_supa writes "International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, the national trade association representing record companies in Finland, has filed for a court injunction ordering the Internet service provider Elisa to block access to the Pirate Bay website. 'The development of a legal online market is impossible in Finland if illegal services like The Pirate Bay are freely allowed to continue their operations,' said Lauri Rechardt, a spokesman for Finland's branch of IFPI."

Comments

Bzzzt! Bullshit.

[Microlith]

If that was true in any way, shape, form, or sexual position then Apple, Amazon, and a multitude of other legitimate services would have failed.

Lo and behold, they have not. Instead they have grown.

Re:Bzzzt! Bullshit.

[billcopc]

If they can't get by with gigs and t-shirts, they're doing it wrong and deserve to fail.

My own business didn't take off overnight, just because I showed up with a screwdriver and gaudy business card. It took off because I busted my ass for years to build it up. Music for profit is a business, and must be built from the ground up, just the same. You write good tunes, you put on good concerts, you identify your market, you establish relationships with other bands, promoters, producers, etc. You keep working at it until all that investment starts paying off, and if it doesn't, you either fucked up, or you're offering a product for which no one wants to pay.

I sure as shit would not buy someone's shirt or pay to see them, if all they played were Limp Bizkit covers, but that's what a lot of kids today are doing. Playing absolute shit to disaffected hormonal preteens, and wondering why, five years in, they're still not globe-trotting bazillionaires. I should know, because I'm operating a label :) I actually encourage my acts to give free tunes online, because it generates a ton of buzz and goodwill that pays off in spades down the road. Just look at Die Antwoord, as a prime example. They're a niche act from South Africa that has toured worldwide to great success, and yet their first album was posted on their web site, in its entirety, free to all visitors. I bought the commercial re-release, I bought the merch, I've seen them live. They've made about $60 from me, just by posting free music online, because it was GOOD music. Multiply that by the 2300 people who showed up to that one concert, and that's a pretty nice chunk of coin for a relatively unknown act. Now multiply that by the hundreds of shows they're played, and I'd call that a thundering success.

How much money has Rihanna made from me ? ZERO. I wouldn't even download her shit for free. So what's the difference ? I actually WANT Die Antwoord to succeed, I'm interested in their offerings, I appreciate what they're doing, and the entertainment they're providing me is worth every penny. I've played that free album more times than I can remember, it gets stuck in my head. Rihanna, she just makes me reach for the mute button. The more I hear her crap on the radio, the more I feel compelled to strangle puppies. Puppies with Rihanna's album cover taped to their cute little faces.

I don't know who Finland's most popular musical franchise might be, but it's a safe bet that if they need lobbyists to write up laws to secure their income, chances are they suck. Chances are I wouldn't ever sign them to my humble little label. Chances are I'd cheer if they got run over by a drunk driver. You're not allowed to call it art, if you're not investing your entire being into the work.