Prince Won't Record New Music Until Internet Piracy Under Control

[Guynemer]

Y'all do realize that the above concert was broadcast on VH-1, and repeated over and over and over, right?

[giblets]

Prince is already insanely rich. I'll cry a river of tears for him that there are some freeloaders out there.

[rah]

So it's ok to pirate from rich people but not from up and coming struggling artists.

[giblets]

I just don't feel sorry for Prince. And he's a dick for screwing with whatever fans he has who are willing to pay just because someone might get it for free.

[rah]

I don't feel sorry for Prince either. But should I feel sorry for Guy's wife when her work is pirated to the point that she can't make a living doing it so must stop, depriving everyone of her creativity?

[giblets]

How many of the pirates would actually go to the bookstore and support her work if they couldn't find it online? At best I think they'd check it out at the library if they could find it there. Pirates are cheapskates.

[rah]

I've never liked the "they wouldn't support her anyway is a valid argument".

But after all I've said, if I'm looking to buy something that isn't available anymore anywhere, I look for a free source.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

which didn't have to pay a penny to enjoy it. Freeloader

Do you work for a living or do you work for free just so people will admire your genius?

not a freeloader, but an audience... he got my time and that is not freeloading. Not to mention that if I ever spend money on his real services (ie concert), this video is a good reminder on why I should be doing it, as he mostly faded out of my memory.

For music in particular, musicians and all other entertainers need to work like the rest of us...uh oh... and do concerts... the vinyl/CD/MP3 high prices were there before because there was no suitable way to get the music to their audiences. There is one today, so this charging for merely listening remotely which was a historical requirement, can stop without much adverse consequences, as it is easy to get in and listen and the artists should use those channels to make the most of it. Advertising money from other industries will also stay with the very top, but the bottom can do live performances just as well as the bottom for which the industry does not care about, as they are not a "marketable product", is doing today.

I am pretty certain that Prince without the copyright protections would still be insanely rich, perhaps not as much as today, but when U2 make a global round and net more than 100$ mil that year, for sure there is a way to make a living for them out of the audiences without bankrupting them in court.

All other "digital" industries have also methods to either charge for the goods directly via content management systems, (steam, netflix) or to use the "free distribution" as a tool to get the visibility and get the customers money (cinema).. and so on... the only ones who have a point for court protection, are those who make productivity tools, and if someone is freeloading on their products to make money out of it. That is really business vs business action and does not involve consumers.

So no, "freeloading" is giving someone else my valuable time, and eventually money. The ability to copy goods at almost no cost to the person who actually does the "copy" work should not be either illegal, or frowned upon as it is by incumbent industries where not the artists but the middle men are real losers. The issue is that currently, the money still sits with them, and as they can see the writing on the wall saying "obsolete", they are trying to regulate their existence into law. Eventually this will go away, but I guess we just have to wait.

An interesting twist to the story is coming with 3D printing, where you can print objects at home from available files. Guess what, the movie studios are already sending out take down notices for "copyrighted" shapes and forms. While we will not be creating food any time soon with such methods, in time that we may still see some complex objects could potentially be printed and assembled at home, creating a huge societal productivity boost and saving. What's your bet that the affected "assembly" industries will try to block the new found technological breakthrough, as there will be obsolete jobs which will be lost.

The real value of easy distribution and audience participation will eventually have to be recognized. The businesses will have to be making money in that market, and not by trying to stop people do what comes naturally - share - while trying to regulate the world via the legal system.

It will still be very much possible, to make millions for individuals, even easier as the medium is more direct, thus "democratic" and the market can work more freely than is the current case with very strong distribution third parties pushing their "products" out. Not even distributors will disappear, they will just change into Steam or something similar, which will involve being cut down a size or two, comparing to the current organizations... but for sure not worth the current legal system abuse and regulation efforts.

[Barnabas]

Musicians can always play live, that is what they have always done through history to make a living. Writers are more screwed by piracy than musicians imo

Prince could make millions every year just touring

[OneFootInTheGrave]

I don't feel sorry for Prince either. But should I feel sorry for Guy's wife when her work is pirated to the point that she can't make a living doing it so must stop, depriving everyone of her creativity?

Guy's wife lives in "unprotected" world already, and whoever wants to copy her book will do so without any penalty... and guess what, she is still coming to the bookstores, and hopefully will be able to make a sustainable career out of it.

Smaller artists are not protected by the current system at all, it is all random strikes at unlucky consumers who get caught in the legal crossfire, but if anything what cuts down on piracy, is good delivered content management systems which do not charge and arm and a leg for what they provide.

As soon as you have a job and at least a little money, your time is worth more to you, to go and get whatever you want to "consume" in an orderly marketplace, than to bother with wading through pirated, virus infested waters. That is value right there, and it does not include the court of law.

[-Jrabbit]

Odd sentiment, considering how many were built by captains of industry.

Um, socialism line = joke.

[Guynemer]

Guy's wife lives in "unprotected" world already, and whoever wants to copy her book will do so without any penalty... and guess what, she is still coming to the bookstores, and hopefully will be able to make a sustainable career out of it.

That is very, very much up in the air presently. No further contracts are in the offing at the moment. The publishing industry is scared ****less.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

well not good to hear, but I am sure they are in "transition" or at least they are meant to be.

I am not well acquainted with "print media" digital distribution systems, as I still buy in paper what I want to read - book wise ... but there must be a way either on kindle/some other content distribution system on which to make money for the writers, in this new age as well.

[Ben Kenobi]

Guy:

Who is she selling to? I have people who will pay for my work. Generally they pay upfront for the work, although on occasion I've been on commission.

Your wife needs to sell direct to her customers. Treat the intial work as 'exposure' so that her name gets out. I worked for free for my clients who now pay once I got my break.

[giblets]

Wow, didn't know Ben wrote novels.