I used to be in the camp that said older stuff was just plain better and there wasn't the same quality of music being released recently. I've come around after listening to a lot of independent stuff recently. I'd now say there's a huge amount of excellent music being released now, but it's just the majority of the population doesn't listen to it. Pop used to be good. It used to be that popular music was The Beatles, now it's garbage with no integrity. I think good music was able to be popular in the past early days of Rock because there wasn't as much of it out yet and the music industry hadn't ingrained itself and produced a system that spews out the lowest common denominator. There are excellent indie artists who make it significantly big, and even some who get huge, but it's not as widespread, and it probably wont ever be again with the fragmentation of genres.
So essentially it's not that music these days sucks it's that music consumers have shitty taste.
I'm not defending Apple's use of DRM. I don't like it either. But Apple didn't put something in their FAQ saying that other platforms/devices are unable to play their files because those companies are holding out on them.
In fact, Apple did port iTunes to Windows for this very reason, in the same way that Amazon could port their client to Macs or Linux instead of simply bitching about it, that is if Microsoft would port their DRM.
And for the record, I think Apple should come out against DRM and simply say they have to do it becaues of the record/movie companies who are greedy brainless idiots. (though in kinder terms that wouldn't cause said greedy brainless idiots, their business partners, to pull out.)
Well in that case their FAQ should say that they'd love to make their files compatible with any player but the MPAA will not allow them to provide media in it's most useful form to the consumer sans-DRM.
Reading back over your post, it doesn't seem to have any signs in it that would make it seem like a joke. On the contrary, it now seems like you're just claiming it to be a joke to cover your mistake.
Come on folks, read up about who Stephen Colbert is. He puts on a fake right-wing American-idiot persona as his act. The story submission here is simply mimicing it.
He's a comedian, it's a joke. Laugh. He (and the article) is making fun of the self-centred American attitude.
First of all, as the other poster said, while this situation may suck for a band, it's not really any worse than how it sucks now. Not to mention that playing shows is how most bands make most of their money. Anyway, that's been said already.
I take issue with your breakdown of the payout a band gives. Essentially I think you have no idea how small bands that aren't in the mainstream operate. When I read that you would pay a "lyricist", I almost broke out laughing. Outside of manufactured pop bands (who aren't likely to be in the long tail) most bands write their own songs and lyrics themselves. I don't know what kind of music you listen too, clearly not much in the long tail. Most bands at this level probably don't have a manager either. Under your economics they just plain couldn't afford a manager and so they probably would just manage themselves. Equipment manager - most small-time bands do this themselves, it's only the big-shots who have people looking after their guitars for them.
Sound engineer is the only reasonable one on your list there for a small band, however they're sure as hell not going to take in an equal share of the profits as the other band members. The sound engineer would produce their album and then be done with it. It would be a contract job, not an equal stake.
Regardless of your ridiculous assumptions about the nature of small bands and what they spend their money on, you are somewhat correct. The long tail helps consumers more than producers, perhaps. However, part of the long tail online is that things can be bought from far across the world. This helps a band get a larger geographically dispersed audience rather than simply getting people in their local area.
Google bought Blogger a little while ago. I doubt Apple would want to buy Blogger from Google and I doubt Google would want to sell it.
However, I see the possibility of some sort of blogging service from Apple. I believe they already bundle the iBlog software with.Mac.
Why do people have to use the word fag or faggot? No matter what you think of homosexuality you shouldn't use offensive terms like that to describe it (or worse in this case not even describing it but simply using the term to indicate stupidity). It's just as bad as racism and offensive racist words.
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I'm procrastinating by reading this comment thread.
I'll also echo that I procrastinate things because I'm accustomed to being able to wing them and do well.
I used to be in the camp that said older stuff was just plain better and there wasn't the same quality of music being released recently. I've come around after listening to a lot of independent stuff recently. I'd now say there's a huge amount of excellent music being released now, but it's just the majority of the population doesn't listen to it. Pop used to be good. It used to be that popular music was The Beatles, now it's garbage with no integrity. I think good music was able to be popular in the past early days of Rock because there wasn't as much of it out yet and the music industry hadn't ingrained itself and produced a system that spews out the lowest common denominator. There are excellent indie artists who make it significantly big, and even some who get huge, but it's not as widespread, and it probably wont ever be again with the fragmentation of genres. So essentially it's not that music these days sucks it's that music consumers have shitty taste.
I'm not defending Apple's use of DRM. I don't like it either. But Apple didn't put something in their FAQ saying that other platforms/devices are unable to play their files because those companies are holding out on them. In fact, Apple did port iTunes to Windows for this very reason, in the same way that Amazon could port their client to Macs or Linux instead of simply bitching about it, that is if Microsoft would port their DRM. And for the record, I think Apple should come out against DRM and simply say they have to do it becaues of the record/movie companies who are greedy brainless idiots. (though in kinder terms that wouldn't cause said greedy brainless idiots, their business partners, to pull out.)
Well in that case their FAQ should say that they'd love to make their files compatible with any player but the MPAA will not allow them to provide media in it's most useful form to the consumer sans-DRM.
Reading back over your post, it doesn't seem to have any signs in it that would make it seem like a joke. On the contrary, it now seems like you're just claiming it to be a joke to cover your mistake.
Come on folks, read up about who Stephen Colbert is. He puts on a fake right-wing American-idiot persona as his act. The story submission here is simply mimicing it. He's a comedian, it's a joke. Laugh. He (and the article) is making fun of the self-centred American attitude.
First of all, as the other poster said, while this situation may suck for a band, it's not really any worse than how it sucks now. Not to mention that playing shows is how most bands make most of their money. Anyway, that's been said already. I take issue with your breakdown of the payout a band gives. Essentially I think you have no idea how small bands that aren't in the mainstream operate. When I read that you would pay a "lyricist", I almost broke out laughing. Outside of manufactured pop bands (who aren't likely to be in the long tail) most bands write their own songs and lyrics themselves. I don't know what kind of music you listen too, clearly not much in the long tail. Most bands at this level probably don't have a manager either. Under your economics they just plain couldn't afford a manager and so they probably would just manage themselves. Equipment manager - most small-time bands do this themselves, it's only the big-shots who have people looking after their guitars for them. Sound engineer is the only reasonable one on your list there for a small band, however they're sure as hell not going to take in an equal share of the profits as the other band members. The sound engineer would produce their album and then be done with it. It would be a contract job, not an equal stake. Regardless of your ridiculous assumptions about the nature of small bands and what they spend their money on, you are somewhat correct. The long tail helps consumers more than producers, perhaps. However, part of the long tail online is that things can be bought from far across the world. This helps a band get a larger geographically dispersed audience rather than simply getting people in their local area.
Yes, because normal people bend their own plexiglass in the oven. I'm sure that would look beautiful. Have you never heard of paying for convenience?
He predicted a G6 chip for Apple in 2004 and that Wal-Mart would take away the music download market? Why do people read this guy's column anyway?
Google bought Blogger a little while ago. I doubt Apple would want to buy Blogger from Google and I doubt Google would want to sell it. However, I see the possibility of some sort of blogging service from Apple. I believe they already bundle the iBlog software with .Mac.
Given the latest failed test I'd say that the missile defense system can be called bad science.
Will old people still be using email in Korea when they're 1000 years old?
Why do people have to use the word fag or faggot? No matter what you think of homosexuality you shouldn't use offensive terms like that to describe it (or worse in this case not even describing it but simply using the term to indicate stupidity). It's just as bad as racism and offensive racist words.
No they don't.