Elton and Lily take stand against filesharing

another filesharing thread.
Musicians Squabble Over Filesharing

Posted on Wednesday September 23, 2009 at 01:01 PM Add |
Filesharing continues to divide the U.K.’s music business and it’s becoming clear that even the musicians can’t agree on how the problem should be tackled.
Members of the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), which includes Annie Lennox, Billy Bragg, and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, feel the government is being a bit heavy-handed to propose disconnecting filesharers from the Internet, while Sir Elton John and Lily Allen are among those who support a crackdown.

“I am of the view that the unchecked proliferation of illegal downloading (even on a ‘non-commercial’ basis) will have a seriously detrimental effect on musicians, and particularly young musicians and those composers who are not performing artists,” Sir Elton said in a letter to U.K. business secretary Lord Mandelson.
FAC took the rest of the music industry by surprise by publicly announcing it has “agreed to disagree” with labels over government proposals to suspend the Internet connections of persistent filesharers.
Apparently all sides including record companies and music lobby groups have been in frantic talks to reach a consensus in the few days before the government’s consultation draws to an end.
“We have negotiated in good faith with the labels all week, but they remain wedded to the idea of suspension of accounts,” read an FAC statement. “We remain steadfast in our belief that making threats against individual music fans is not an effective way to resolve any problems associated with filesharing.”
The Internet service providers and consumer groups share concerns over how such laws would be enforced, with the risk of the penalising innocent Internet users. But more and more artists are coming out in defense of legal measures, echoing labels’ comments that filesharing is hampering investment in new acts.


There are fears within the industry that the public divisions between artists could derail the long-running fight against piracy just when new laws are close.
Lily Allen has set up a blog titled “It’s Not Alright,” a reference to her first album Alright, Still, to collect the views of artists that support her contention that “filesharing is a disaster for new talent.”
She’s condemned Mason and fellow coalition member, Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, for implying “file sharing music is fine.”
“It probably is fine for them,” she said. “They do sellout arena tours and have the biggest Ferrari collections in the world.”
“I want to make it clear that I’m not after a fight with the Featured Artists Coalition – I want us artists to stand together on this – but they’ve released a new statement which just doesn’t make sense. The FAC seems to be viewing the government’s proposed legislation as an attack on freedom and liberty, but stealing’s not really a human right, is it?”
Now James Blunt has waded in. “Peter Mandelson is looking to engage the Internet service providers who, in my opinion, handle stolen goods, and should take much more responsibility,” he wrote in a letter to The Times.


The FAC says it’s been misinterpreted. It just feels there’s evidence to show that “repeat file-sharers of music are also repeat purchasers of music.”
It explained that its stance has been taken to “imply that it condones illicit file-sharing. It says this not the case and never has been.
“However, we seriously question the wisdom of seeking to deal with this problem by terminating the Internet connections of individual music fans.
“For those of us who don’t get played on the radio or mentioned in the music media … peer-to-peer recommendation is an important form of promotion

At Odds On Brit File-Sharing

Posted on Monday September 14, 2009 at 11:09 AM 1 |
While the major record labels and many other commercial arms of the music industry are embracing Lord Mandelson’s get-tough stance on illegal file-sharing, some of the artists whose interests they purport to represent say the U.K. business secretary is being heavy-handed.
The Featured Artists Coalition, the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) and the Music Producers Guild believe that kicking file-sharers off the Internet may turn fans against music and the artists themselves.
Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, who is a member of FAC, said the organisation is against file-sharing but that previous attempts at legal action have alienated fans.
“We don’t want to make enemies of our fans,” he told BBC News. “The sensible thing to do is to try to see how we can monetise all this file-sharing activity, which is evidence of a lot of interest in music.”
Singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, who is also on the FAC board, said Mandelson’s proposals are “a very heavy sledgehammer.”
“We’re concerned that, in an age where there is much greater competition for attention, these proposals are in danger of driving young people away from the idea of listening to music,” he explained.
He said many young fans discovered his music through file-sharing, and have paid for it in other ways, such as buying gig tickets.
“We should be encouraging people to become music fans, and whether we like it or not, illicit downloading does encourage people to become music fans.”
Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien said cutting off pirates’ Internet connections isn’t the answer and it’s unlikely to work.
British Phonographic Industry chief Geoff Taylor, whose organisation represents the record labels, says the government is right to consider temporary suspension as a last resort, where accounts are repeatedly used illegally despite warnings.
“Most people across the music sector recognise the serious damage that illegal file-sharing is doing to investment in new music,” he said.
BASCA head Patrick Rackow says sanctions would upset fans, rather than drive them toward legal services.
--John Gammon
To me, I always get sort of sick to my stomach when I hear millionaire musicians who have made millions off us, the fans, complain that they hate filesharing, and sort of by default, suggest that only the real fans purchase albums legally.

I think those who oppose it, will be shown in the future, to have been the wrong side of history. Look at how those who engage in filesharing promotion or use new methods of getting the music out are heralded and thought of quite highly, like Radiohead, or NIN, and those who go to lengths to oppose the filesharing are maligned and a backlsah starts, ala Billy Corgan, or lars Ulrich.

The scene of the moment is indie rock. Those like Kim Gordon who oppose filesharing because its bad for smaller bands, I can understand her view. And her and her bands credibility is written in stone, they are justifiable legends with integrity. I dont see them as greedy rock stars living in mansions, because I doubt they live in them. And The Shins, Modest Mouse's, Death Cabs of the world, although, the big things of the moment, I cant imagine them really living high on the hog with butlers and private jets and champagne ala Bono and U2.

What irks me is when people, musicians who are extremely wealthy, start suggesting that this new filesharing thing, is eating into their profit margin. The Elton Johns of the world. Lily Allen who was a priveledged and rich child, even before she released AlRight Still .

Ultimately, time is better spent thjnking up Radiohead or NIN esque ways of releasing your music to the public. Otherwise its a waste of time. Say, you are siding with Elton and Lily. Fine. But strategically and practically, how does one STOP and ELIMINATE filesharing? The recent RIAA crackdowns on "normal" folks, was definitely a scare tactic. If they can fine a mother of four 1.6 million for downloading 22 songs what could they fine and do to a teen who has thousands of illegally obtained songs? Yet, illegal downloading is up every single month, month after month.

I