Imagine this conversation – I am in a sandwich shop and the person making my sandwich has a song playing that I produced. He is singing along to it and knowing I work in studios asks me if I like it. Naturally I say “yes I do – I produced it – glad you like it too – do you like the album?” He replied ‘don’t know, I just downloaded a couple of the tracks from the net”. I asked him if he used legal download sites. “No” he said “I don’t believe in paying for music, the record companies are making too much money as it is – they can afford it”.
I was getting annoyed by now and offered the suggestion that perhaps it wasn’t just the record companies he was stealing from but me and the artist too – but the argument seemed to be lost on him.
I tried again, well let’s look at it like this” I said “ this sandwich you are making for me, the bread costs about 5p, the butter - 1p, the cheese – 5p and the salad maybe 8p tops – let’s be generous it cost you 25p to make along with your time and the unnecessary packaging you will put it the total can’t be more than 75p and yet you feel quite justified charging me over £2.50 for it. How about I decide that this food should be free and you are making enough profit already so I will just take it?”
It is taking him a little time to get his head around this – I am still waiting for his answer.
Of course this conversation is fictitious but nevertheless perfectly plausible.
For my part, I can’t quite get my head around the concept that music has no value and should be free. How is that supposed to work? Even the concept for instance that you don’t pay for the music but you do pay by tolerating some advertising is also something of a mystery to me. The opposite however does make sense, for instance I subscribe to an internet radio service which enables me to listen to the stations without the commercials – it’s my choice.
I can’t think of any other industry where the workers are expected to provide their services for free – where are the free builders, plumbers, plasterers and electricians? There are certainly no free lawyers, accountants or doctors and as we all no there is no such thing as a free lunch1
It is high time we dispensed with this nonsense about free music and started putting the economic structure of the music business in order.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
“Why Jumping Up and Down Is Important”
“Why Jumping Up and Down Is Important”
A few months ago, I found myself standing, beer in hand, in the middle of an ecstatic audience, cheering wildly at the performance of Japanese rock band, Electric Eel Shock. Not an unusual occurrence in the big scheme of things but the guy next to me was shouting even more loudly and jumping up and down – again not an unusual occurrence - except that he is the boss of a big music company.
The unusual part is because I can’t honestly remember the last time I stood next to the boss of any music company at a gig let alone one showing such unbridled enthusiasm for the show.
Why is this so important then?
It’s important because I believe that people involved in music should be, first and foremost, interested in and knowledgeable about music. They can be hard-nosed businessmen or spin obsessed PR people but above all they must love music and respect the creativity of the artists.
It is important because there have been times when it is, quite frankly, very difficult to persuade myself that the music business is worth bothering with, times when ‘the business’ overrides ‘the music’, times when the artist is shown so little consideration I find it embarrassing to be involved at all.
It is also important because I firmly believe that this could be the most exciting period for music since records began, if we stop hanging on to the past and let the future begin.
Now that may seem contradictory when I started this piece with a longing glance over my shoulder at the past, but surely the most effective way to move on is to make some careful value judgements about what to retain and what to leave behind – just like moving house?
Whenever I am asked what is the most useful attribute for success in music my answer is always the same – enthusiasm. Enthusiasm for the process of making music and enthusiasm for the people making music – it was in short supply for a while but I think it may be making a big comeback!
As a producer I want always to find ways to enthuse the artists I work with – I want the best environment for them, I want to surround them with excellent musicians and great facilities, but nothing can replace the obvious validation that artists receive from their fans. I have seen this from a very privileged position on many occasions, when they come out of the studio, when they come out of a concert and more recently when they meet those people who have shown advanced faith in them by buying parts.
I am a major fan of all but a couple of the artists I have worked with (they know who they are and it was as much my fault as theirs!) - I really want them to succeed and every knock they take I feel almost as much as they do. I grew up in this industry amongst others who felt the same, A&R people, Marketing Managers, PR, Artist Managers, all understanding that the focus of attention was the music and the artist.
Let us not forget that it is what has brought us all here.
© Tony Platt 2008
A few months ago, I found myself standing, beer in hand, in the middle of an ecstatic audience, cheering wildly at the performance of Japanese rock band, Electric Eel Shock. Not an unusual occurrence in the big scheme of things but the guy next to me was shouting even more loudly and jumping up and down – again not an unusual occurrence - except that he is the boss of a big music company.
The unusual part is because I can’t honestly remember the last time I stood next to the boss of any music company at a gig let alone one showing such unbridled enthusiasm for the show.
Why is this so important then?
It’s important because I believe that people involved in music should be, first and foremost, interested in and knowledgeable about music. They can be hard-nosed businessmen or spin obsessed PR people but above all they must love music and respect the creativity of the artists.
It is important because there have been times when it is, quite frankly, very difficult to persuade myself that the music business is worth bothering with, times when ‘the business’ overrides ‘the music’, times when the artist is shown so little consideration I find it embarrassing to be involved at all.
It is also important because I firmly believe that this could be the most exciting period for music since records began, if we stop hanging on to the past and let the future begin.
Now that may seem contradictory when I started this piece with a longing glance over my shoulder at the past, but surely the most effective way to move on is to make some careful value judgements about what to retain and what to leave behind – just like moving house?
Whenever I am asked what is the most useful attribute for success in music my answer is always the same – enthusiasm. Enthusiasm for the process of making music and enthusiasm for the people making music – it was in short supply for a while but I think it may be making a big comeback!
As a producer I want always to find ways to enthuse the artists I work with – I want the best environment for them, I want to surround them with excellent musicians and great facilities, but nothing can replace the obvious validation that artists receive from their fans. I have seen this from a very privileged position on many occasions, when they come out of the studio, when they come out of a concert and more recently when they meet those people who have shown advanced faith in them by buying parts.
I am a major fan of all but a couple of the artists I have worked with (they know who they are and it was as much my fault as theirs!) - I really want them to succeed and every knock they take I feel almost as much as they do. I grew up in this industry amongst others who felt the same, A&R people, Marketing Managers, PR, Artist Managers, all understanding that the focus of attention was the music and the artist.
Let us not forget that it is what has brought us all here.
© Tony Platt 2008
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