Boycott the RIAA
If anyone out there cares, here’s a site that I’m firmly in support of: http://www.boycott-riaa.com/.
This whole thing is a complicated issue, I agree, with validity on both sides, but in the end I just think the RIAA is desperately trying to maintain their castle while it’s under siege from all sides by Napster and GNUtella and the clones, CD burning, and a new movement for individual freedom and information flow.
They’ve successfully castrated Napster, but GNUtella will be a far more difficult beast for them to topple. And, presently they are trying to go after CD burning.
The problem for them, is that the cat has been let out of the bag. It’s too late. Sure, their armies of lawyers might score temporary victories against music piracy and the free exchange of information, but eventually they will be toppled. They’ve pissed off the open source movement, they’ve alienated younger listeners and that just means its going to become war.
What do i think about the artists? Personally, I think the money should straight to the musicians rather than be filtered through a bunch of idiots with MBAs whose primary concern is maintaining their enormous bureaucracy and justifying the validity of their jobs.
Of course, Lars and Metallica would disagree with me. It’s particularly interesting how acts like Metallica and Dr. Dre, who at one time at least cultivated images of independence, have turned out to be the biggest corporate tools. I suppose it’s no surprise; neither act has produced any worthwhile music for about a decade.
I’m about tired of business suit-wearing marketing executives turning musicians into creative slaves, and I think it’s time for a bloody upheaval. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m just finishing a book about the civil war, but I think an economic revolution is in order. Sure, some people will lose money along the way, but I think the Internet will ultimately force the creation of a new economic system for creatives: artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, etc.
Hey, you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. It’s time to tell the RIAA to fuck off.