Guest Book

Regarding the online trading issue, frankly technology is moving fast enough to make this a confusing area for everyone in the music business. The ABB's original decision to allow tape trading was when cassettes were the norm. One to one trading of cassettes is not too threatening, since cassette copies degrade as multiple generations are made. Then along came DAT tapes, and suddenly many generations of trades could be made without loss of quality. But most people didn't own DAT recorders and players so that was not too threatening. Enter CD-R, and now the quality of DAT is coupled with widespread availability of burners and dirt cheap media. If you as an artist make your living from music, it is a bit scary to think that now almost anyone can get your music at a very low cost. I know, I know, we all will buy the CD's anyway, hard core fans want every show... believe me, I know all the arguments and support them, but for a minute imagine if what you did to feed your family became something that your employer or customers could get from someone other than you at a very low cost. If you can tell me that is not at all threatening, well, you're hard to scare! Enter downloading of files. Now, the one-to-one element of setting up a trade and mailing things to each other is eliminated, and it becomes even easier for someone to disseminate your music to dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people at an even lower cost. And the gray areas get grayer, not clearer -- what if someone sets up a web site with downloads and accepts banner ads? What if they charge for downloading but "not for the music?" Is that OK? And who can police all that downloading? Anyway, that is where the line is currently drawn. The ABB is fine with allowing people to trade one-to-one with no money changing hands. They do not allow putting files on line and having many people download them. As a digital and Internet enthusiast, I certainly empathize with the desire to download music files. But I also empathize with someone who wants to protect their intellectual property. And I respect their right to make the call as to how that intellectual property changes hands. Hope this helps! Rowland