Buy OWB and you support the major labels (?)

Jan · #1 10-29-2007, 04:28 PM

American OWB --> Ato Records --> IFPI/RIAA

(http://www.riaaradar.com/)

European OWB --> PIAS --> IFPI

(http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_...ber_sites.html)

Japanese OWB --> Traffic Inc. --> maybe fine?

I spend nearly all of my money on CDs (and that is not much since I'm a student), and I don't like to be criminalized by those lobbyists because I download music, that I'll even buy if I like it.

I've bought both the Japanese and the German/European versions of OWB to support my favourite band. Now I really wonder how much of every CD UW get. Probably not much, less than from a sold copy of a RiverRun. I'm glad that I can spend my money on merchandise, concert tickets, etc.

While supporting the IFPI I've consequently also supported overly restrictive copyright, which has to do with "Footwear Repairs..." not on DVD and is probably also responsible for the delay of the Sunshine soundtrack.

good links on the topic:
http://www.demonbaby.com/blog/2007/1...-birth-of.html
http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?...nnel=934185178

Your opinion? Am I paranoid?

34958hq439-qjw9v5jq298v5j · #2 10-29-2007, 05:30 PM

Actually, I quite agree. I got a copy of OWB anyway, but besides that I've only bought one CD that supports a major in the last three years. I've even let them know why I'm boycotting them. After reading all these articles from industry insiders telling what it's really like, I just can't support them anymore, especially given the way they criminalize us and come up with penalties for music downloading that exceeds that of armed robbery (!)

BeautifulBurnout · #3 10-30-2007, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 34958hq439-qjw9v5jq298v5j

Actually, I quite agree. I got a copy of OWB anyway, but besides that I've only bought one CD that supports a major in the last three years. I've even let them know why I'm boycotting them. After reading all these articles from industry insiders telling what it's really like, I just can't support them anymore, especially given the way they criminalize us and come up with penalties for music downloading that exceeds that of armed robbery (!)

And when was the last time that someone got off with a fine for being convicted of armed robbery? Or when was the last time someone was sentenced to 10 years incarceration for downloading music? Get real.

Jan · #4 10-30-2007, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeautifulBurnout

And when was the last time that someone got off with a fine for being convicted of armed robbery? Or when was the last time someone was sentenced to 10 years incarceration for downloading music? Get real.

I agree that this is not a very accurate example. But except for incarceration this comes pretty close.

34958hq439-qjw9v5jq298v5j · #5 10-30-2007, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeautifulBurnout

And when was the last time that someone got off with a fine for being convicted of armed robbery? Or when was the last time someone was sentenced to 10 years incarceration for downloading music? Get real.

But this is still the law. The point is that the RIAA is just kind of pulling these numbers out of their asses to intimidate poor college students into settling. None of us have said that we "have" to get the music for free. In fact we are always discussing the best ways to support the band. That's why I bought all the RiverRuns and will probably buy them all in the future, but if they release a disc on a major I'm much less inclined to want to buy it. I guess it's all kind of my principles, the links that Jan came up with pretty much explains why. It's not "justification" - I'm happy paying money for a recording, but if the money goes toward suing students like me, I'm much less so. Hence why I hardly do it anymore.

gaborez · #6 10-31-2007, 04:53 AM

i will always buy music i love by a band i love, whatever label it's released on and whatever the format. any fan who wouldn't buy music from a band cos of the label they're on is missing something upstairs. i'm in it for the music and no label can change that. if labels choose to sue thieving students then so what? i dont care. all labels (including indie ones) and bands will suffer from people mass-stealing their music.

dont take this post as me saying i'm pro-major labels or anything. i love the homegrown/organic nature of indie labels and bands like underworld and do my best to support them. but foremost i love good music however it's distributed, as long as i'm not stealing from the artist

patrick · #7 10-31-2007, 07:43 AM

I think the main thing is that it seems that the major-labels are not acting in most artists interests anymore, and are not satisfying a growing demand at all... Why support this business model? This is how capitalism is supposed to work, so if you believe something is not right, then you put your money where your mouth is (so away from the bad major-labels)...

I think it's the opposite to missing something upstairs personally... Critically thinking, and making tough decisions for something you believe in is important. Regarding them sueing people: there is something wrong when something is illegal that a huge percentage of people do in society.

dubman · #8 10-29-2007, 07:38 PM

yeah, i agree.
but oh well/drop in the bucket/etc etc.

idoru · #9 10-29-2007, 07:43 PM

Only CD I've purchased from an RIAA-connected label in years. Had to do it. Besides, $15 for a CD, DVD and MP3s of the whole album is a steal compared to 99% of what most music costs nowadays.
________
YAMAHA PSR-248 SPECIFICATIONS

King of Snake · #10 10-30-2007, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan

American OWB --> Ato Records --> IFPI/RIAA

(http://www.riaaradar.com/)

European OWB --> PIAS --> IFPI

(http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_...ber_sites.html)

Japanese OWB --> Traffic Inc. --> maybe fine?

Well, the big problem with the big labels is in the fact that they own the music of the bands that they represent. And this is the cause for the court cases and all the anti-downloading shit. They are trying to protect their property.
But AFAIK Underworld are only using these labels for distribution in various parts of the world. The actual rights to the music are still owned by Underworld and their own label so it's not quite the same as supporting the RIAA and the big labels directly when you buy OWB. I'm also sure this also means that it's not like those labels take huge cuts out of the profits of selling OWB, leaving UW with nothing, because they do not actually own the music, it's just a distribution deal.

Quote:

The RIAA Radar does not account for the distributor of a label. There is not what we consider a solid source of distributor data, and distribution is not something that is necessarily official, publicly reported, or consistent, thus it is not something that can be (easily) tracked. The RIAA Radar results are only based on the imprint of the album. Yes, some independent labels use major label distributors.