AlexDuncan1974

Excellent discussion so far, nice to get into something meaty. So many thoughts I would like to share but basically I think that yes, the music industry as we know it could be doomed. And not just for the reasons explained above. Also because of the way some people are listening to music. 5 years ago or so I bought an iPod. In a small way it changed my musical life. Prior to then, I was stagnant, and thanks to that little black slab of sexiness I was back in the flow. Music was pouring into my ears again. It turned me back onto music. It became so easy to get new or old music as downloadable mp3’s via file sharing (not purchased) and via iTunes. Then a mate lent me a hard drive with 80 giga of mp3’s on it. This was 4 years ago and I am still working my way through it. I have discovered several new artists (LCD Sound System, Hot Chip, Zero 7 etc.) that I would not have come across otherwise due to lack of time and motivation. To support these artists, I have made a point of paying for some of their stuff via iTunes, mainly out of a sense of duty and guilt. I was getting into Spotify and liking the ability it gives to discover new artists that are similar to stuff you like or know about already. This sort of feature of the computerisation of music distribution is interesting. I really liked what was said above about the whole ritual and value associated with going into town to buy 1 album, and all that that involved. The whole thing really was a special occasion. I used to buy 1-2 albums a month (1990’s). Post-iPod days I can go for long stretches where I buy nothing, desperately seeking a true new love affair with a new artist that I genuinely like. When I do come across something, I tend to get a selection of their music (for free) then eventually, if I want to listen to them regularly, will buy something from them off iTunes. Spotify is the way it will go I think, once mobile networks and WIFI networks are everywhere. Currently, I cannot have mobile streamed music since I live in the arse of beyond in rural France. But if I lived in a city with WIFI everywhere, I would pay 10$ a month or so for Spotify. And it seems clear to me that no one other than big cheese will make shit via streaming royalties. So where does that leave us? I agree with you other folks who say that money is to be made with the ‘experience’, the service you provide, not the product. The potential to perform for a live for a human ordinance must be roughly a function of the number of people on the planet versus the number of capable live acts on the go. I guess this is a reasonable stable equation, and that providing humans wish to continue to shake there booty to some good grooves, will probably be the safest bet in the long term. After all, before all of this music industry thing was about, what did musicians and composers do? But back to my first point, that I am concerned about how we are listening to music. Now that we are at least 5 years into the iPod/mp3 generation, have you noticed how ‘young people’ actually listen to music? Skipping to a new track before the old one is out? How many teenagers will listen to a whole album by their favourite artist? My kids go onto YouTube and will pluck their favourite tracks to dance too. I even know someone who watched ‘The Wire’ (HBO cop series) on VLC player on double speed!!! What the f**k!!! So to sum up, and excuse the monologue… play for the music and f**k the rest. If it takes you somewhere, so be it. Professional means you make a living from it, it does not mean you are a good musician. Strive to be the best, or better. Share it if you like to. But despite having written this post, I still feel a sense of hopelessness and senselessness to my whole musically, even my whole life… and then, one second later, I feel totally at ease with it all. The making of the music, the shiver down my spine when it comes together, or when performing live… that is a buzz, but I don’t just live for that. Buddha Dharma and that Jazz. Now, I’ll leave some place for others… Alex.