R: OT: why musicians can't eat -- and why radio is so bad

["Luigi Meloni" <Luigimeloni74@libero.it>]

I think you're right. Here in Italy for something the situation is even
worse. If I want to put some stuff I composed, produced and recorded on my
site I'll have to pay the Italian rights organisation (SIAE), which will
give it back to me (after a year or so) minus the 10%. If I don't pay it 
i'm
legally persecutable for copyright infringement. Pretty sick, ain't it? 
Even
more since the sum I should pay is almost 100$ for every single mp3 file,
for every month I have on the net.
This is the system here, but then I find that I have some stuff uploaded 
and
selling on Vitaminic.it, which is the Italian server for Vitaminic, and in
more than a year I haven't seen a single cent for it. I don't understand...
if I put my music on the net I have to pay, but if a corporate music
association does the same with my music I don't see a cent ???? And I don't
mean money for the music sold, but for the copyright on my work, which,
since it is an official italian site should be granted by the law....

I thought law should be equal to everyone, shouldn't it?????

Then the same corporate powers tell us that Napster is illegal, that it is 
a
fraud against the authors and their copyrights (and next they'll buy the
site).....

----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Sottilaro <sine@zerocrossing.net>
To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2001 9:27 PM
Subject: Re: OT: why musicians can't eat -- and why radio is so bad


> Duh.
>
> Sorry for the sarcasm, but if anyone for a moment didn't realize this is
how
> the "biz" works, they are not paying attention.  It peaks at the
radio/retail
> level, but this behavior starts when club owners make artists pay to
> entertain their clients.  I refuse to play in any venue that has ANY
charge.
> For a short time I allowed my band to be forced to rent PA gear that 
>clubs
> claimed they did not own.  They claimed that they had contracts with PA
> owners in which they allowed the clubs to use their gear for free, but 
>the
> catch was the bands were forced to "rent" this gear and pay an engineer.
> Mostly, the engineer SUCKED, but we've been through that one already.  I
told
> the booking people that I did not need any additional amplification and
would
> be happy to go sans PA, but was told we'd have to pay anyway.  That was
the
> deal.
>
> This is where the rape starts.  It's the fondling phase.  If you stick
> around, eventually you're getting it full force from behind.
>
> This is why I feel that it is very important to put your stuff on the web
for
> free.  I've had the idea that groups of non pro musicians should supply
area
> DJs with material in return for mention on promo lit.  USE the internet
and
> word of mouth to promote yourself.  Screw RADIO and record companies.
> They're already dead but don't know it.  This is why record companies are
> really afraid of Napster.  It's something that they can't control.  The
> reason radio sounds like it does is because lawyers are choosing your
music.
> If enough people can start finding music that they enjoy on the internet,
> eventually demand of good music will force record companies to change or
> die.  When promotion is almost free, there is no longer a need for a
> "gatekeeper."  I have faith that people can make their own choices.
>
> Fight.
>
> Mark Sottilaro
>
>
> Tom Ritchford wrote:
>
> > Musicians can't eat because the money is being stolen.
> >
> > <http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/2001/03/14/payola/index.html>
> >
<http://www.salon.com/ent/music/feature/2001/07/24/urban_radio/index.html>
> > <http://www.salon.com/ent/clear_channel/>
> >
> > I feel a little sick...
> >
> > --
> >
> > I am the rarebit.
>