The other week you couldn't log online or watch the news without hearing about the big SOPA/PIPA act debate. But I was curious officially what smaller labels would have to say
"None of the labels we contacted expressed support for SOPA or PIPA. But most tended to say copyright infringement is a problem that needs to be solved-- and that it demands a better solution than either approving the bills in their current form or maintaining the status quo. One of the organizations pushing for a better answer is the Beggars Group, which includes Matador, XL, Rough Trade, 4AD, True Panther, Young Turks, and Too Pure. "Every effective piece of new forward-thinking law needs to strike a fair balance between competing interests," says Beggars chairman Martin Mills, in a prepared statement. "Everyone needs legal protections, but everyone's livelihoods must be respected and considered. We hope that the lines are a little more open for an open dialogue to craft new legislation that will be fair to all and strike the best balance between the needs of creators, technology companies, and the general public."
Merge co-founder and Superchunk bass player Laura Ballance said she would also like to see piracy addressed, though she acknowledged she doesn't know exactly how. "Piracy especially hurts our smaller artists," Ballance observed in an email. "The small releases that used to sell 3,000 copies are now selling less than 1,000. It makes releasing these records not fiscally viable for us or the artists who recorded them." She went on to say she understands the existing bills have negative civil liberties implications and that she would prefer "if we could self regulate… but that seems unlikely.""
Obviously this doesnt apply to just indie rock labels, but to EBM labels as well.
If a band is only moving a thousand units worldwide...doesnt it make more sense to
release it as either digital only, or as cdrs? Or some other special sort of premium
special release for collectors like some DIY labels do?
Devo, Trent Reznor, and many other major names can afford to do self releases having decades of name building and major support under them. But if most people now just nab a few songs they like(the ipod generation), whats the point of glass mastered cds anymore if like these labels are saying...some only sell 1000 cds?
I think those are the super niche collector, who would buy the vinyl/cd/cassette tape/8 track/victrola no matter what.
I take public transit every day, and everyone young and old, white, black whatever has seems to have long ditched cds in favor of digital mp3/pandora playlist/spotify/itunes.
