filesharing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/14/technology/14MUSI.html
(registration required, I think)


Much of the stated concern over file sharing has centered on the revenue that record companies and musicians are losing, but few musicians ever actually receive royalties from their record sales on major labels, which managers say have accounting practices that are badly in need of review. (Artists do not receive royalties for a CD until the record company has earned back the money it has spent on them.)

Even the Backstreet Boys, one of the best-selling acts of the 1990's, did not appear to have received any CD royalties, their management said.

"I don't have sympathy for the record companies," said Mickey Melchiondo of the rock duo Ween. "They haven't been paying me royalties anyway."

[ . . . ]

Serj Tankian of the hard-rock band System of a Down, for example, said he thought that the free exchange of songs by his band and others online was healthy for music fans, but objected when that free exchange included unfinished studio recordings.


On the other hand, I think I've stopped liking Loudon Wainwright, which is a shame.

Weekend, and "Whatever happened to Dougie . . .?"

Over the weekend I had John staying, en route from St Andrews to Liverpool (going back to Cambridge overnight would have been a bit involved). This involved drinking on the Holyrood with funkyplaid and then drinking tea with same until about three. After John left, grahamb and deeteeuk hit town, and yesterday involved hanging around with them and various others, going to a pub quiz at the Blind Beggar (I'm very proud to say that I didn't recognise a live version of Freebird - I've never liked it) and then DKY's olde goth nite, which did pretty much what it said on the tin. original_aj was there with nickys, which was particularly welcome as I hadn't seen him since I got back up. Sorry about the ribs . . .

In other news, somebody I used to know at Uni is interviewed on page 7 of today's Grauniad. All of page seven, bar one advert.