Radiohead and the RIAA

Image by woordenaar via Flickr

i am a huge music lover. i spend hours and hours a week – whether on a plane or working on a spreadsheet or at the gym discovering, sharing and listening to music. I have been a highly interested spectator to the industry over the last decade, and i have strong opinions about artist rights, and the internet at large.

so it came as no surprise that i stumbled upon this article this morning claiming that Radiohead are taking the stand against the RIAA. To be sure, the internet has disintermediated large swaths of the music value chain and it is still not clear to me how the artist community replaces its revenue stream. I personally think that the industry is going through permanent and tectonic change.

What i do know is that the organization known as the RIAA is a parasite. they neither represent the true interests of the artist nor those of the industry at large – they are litigating an extinct business model, they are suing their own customers (name another industry doing this) and they need to go away.

the future of music lies in discovery, sharing and experiencing using a new set of tools. the future has no place for them as distribution – the very business they monopolized and exploited for several decades – has imploded and no longer can be controlled.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Robbie Williams Coldplay and Radiohead launch new campaign for their music rights (telegraph.co.uk)
• Free Download: Radiohead and Jay-Z Mash-Up, ‘Jaydiohead’ (spin.com)

Update: Just received this gem - worth a watch if you have the time

Filed under: going out in boston, social media , Business model, Music, Recording Industry Association of America

Friday Night at the ICA

I was invited to attend the opening of Supply and Demand by Shepard Fairey on friday night and it certainly did not dissapoint. Aside from the highly covered news of said Artist being arrested before he could attend the opening of his own show, the crowd were in a highly festive spirit. There was a line outside in the bitter cold, the event was sold out, and tickets were rumored to be going for silly prices.

Shepard went to college with my brother at RISD, many years ago, and we used to know him fondly as the T-shirt guy. We used to organize large electronic events in the new England area, and Shep used to run a silk screening business and supply us with t-shirts. he also used to sticker up each venue with no end of the early Andre Stickers!

The event was a true mish mash of several generations of the more alternative Boston population. Clearly Shep has struck a chord that transcends ages, and styles. Its been a very long time since i went out and saw such a diverse and interesting crowd. the exhibition did not disappoint, and i will surely go back for a more peaceful visit over the next few months. I highly reccomend it.

Related articles by Zemanta

• “Hope” Artist Shepard Fairey Arrested Outside His Museum Show, Charged with Graffiti (lafiga.firedoglake.com)
• Obama Artist Arrested On Graffiti Claims (cbsnews.com)

Filed under: going out in boston , Graffiti, Rhode Island School of Design, Shepard Fairey