>> Do you actually know artists who are actually trying to earn a living off their work, Loki, as opposed to just being all artsy and bohemian? Have you talked much to them about this topic? I betcha a lot of them are like me - they know the system is totally screwed, but taking our work for free doesn't help us AT ALL. <<

Heh. You might say I do know a few.

When you made the "we / us" play you *almost* made up for posting Harlan Ellison's typically repellent and hilariously pointless screed as that of the view that speaks out for the People. Hah! That self-obsessed old fuck is so transparent. I'm surprised you weren't able to see through his little tirade. Didn't it strike you as interesting that it's in all caps? Or did it just bowl you over with its incredible emotive power? The dude is a self-serving little asshole that gets pissy whenever attention is drifting away from him. Note his plaintiff screed did not, in any way, lead to him gaining any additional notability. He's still as vapid and useless as a public figure as he was in the 70s. Largely, this is because he's a jingoistic hack whose jingo went stale in 1969. His fiction is dross, and his manners are execrable. He is unpleasant, unfunny, aggressively egotistical without a shred of support in the form of, say, talent or beauty of language - he is, in fact, exactly what you have presented: a loud, obnoxious dickhead who's sole interest is his own aggrandizement. DUDE: v.bad idea to use him as your Appeal to Authority.

Facts:

You would be paid the same no matter what got posted to the internet - though a case could be made that some may actually decide to attend on the basis of having liked the video.

Not you, and certainly not the pathetic and hypocritical HARLAN FREAKIN JESUS H ELLISON can overwhelm the simple reality that, historically, and invariably, when recording and presenting technology are advanced and available, artist happiness and solvency goes up. Up and up. Yes, corporations are beginning to suffer for recording tech. Good riddance - I strongly hope their collective and individual demise is increasingly painful and terrifying for all concerned and involved. Meanwhile - artists that don't believe their right is to become megastars have flourished, music sounds good again, and even hopeful corporate ponies can make a living in the theater - which was, before technology saved it, fast on its way to disappearing altogether. May still.

When you give up trying to castigate humans for daring to harm institutions set up to fleece and harm them, you will have blossomed into a respectable hard working artist that I'll be able to respect wholeheartedly instead of merely being assuaged by the fact that you can, at least, feed yourself. Whatever it is that convinced you there's logic in seeing corporate profits as artist's welfare.... well I hope it passes. Drink a lot of fluids. Read some history and numbers.

I just can't seem to let this one thing go, though: I *swear* to you that Harlan Ellison is a worthless turd and an abusive, manipulative schmuck that harms people for the fuck of it. FUrther, I promise you that my youngest niece writes (*much*) better fiction *and* has political views that aren't completely full of shit. Buy into *her* mewling, for a test - at least it's relevant, pertinent, lightly researched; at least she's not a talentless hypocritical racist asshole that has lived at least 10 years too long. Find someone to make your point with some kind of coherence at the very least. As HE putridly vomits "WHAT WE’RE LOOKING AT IS THE DEATH OF THE PROFESSIONAL WRITER! " I can't help but notice more writers are gainfully employed now than ever before in the history of the USA. Oops! But poor HE hasn't written anything worthwhile in.... what, now? 50 years? .... so WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE THE BIRTH OF THE PROFESSIONAL WRITER THAT SUCKS FAR LESS THAN HARLAN ELLISON, POOR POOR WEE MITE THAT HE IS.

Yes, things change. Are changing. Will continue to change.

No, you and HE will not be able to save the grand old institution of the patriarch author having tea each day at 3pm while sagely thinking his fine old thoughts. No, you will never shame anyone into paying HE's way for him and keeping him in leather elbows. HE can adapt, or, far preferable, HE can fuck off and die. Anyone that thinks that we must all cling to paradigms of the past that are simply untenable and implausible in the world of today, in fact, *is* fucking off, and *is* dying.

I request that greater alacrity be practiced in this second wise especially.

litigation is the stupidest thing an artist can do in these situations. there is no purpose in alienating a segment of the public you are trying to court. the exposure to hundreds of sets of eyes beats paying a lawyer and clogging up the legal system.

i'm all for artists surviving and making a living off their work but it doesn't make sense to believe that litigation is the proper answer to torrenting. i would most likely demote whatever brand you are trying to sell. so not only would you miss out on payment the first time, you would have no hope of payment ever again.

some bands have different policies. for instance, the allman brothers band only allows face-to-face trading of their live shows. they are not allowed to be uploaded to torrent sites. there is also a super proactive community on etree that will notify the powers-that-be if something not allowed is uploaded.

example:

the avett brothers allow recording of their shows but don't like people sharing those. a couple weeks ago there was a torrent uploaded to bt.etree.org. a few people downloaded it but then someone mentioned the taping policy. a couple hours later, the torrent was totally gone and unable to be downloaded.

<Those folks wouldn't be buying from me anyhow, so I'm not losing money.>

i think that's a major point that a lot of people overlook. think about the demographic downloading all this free music. im guessing the majority are between the ages of 15-29. do you think they do it because they don't want to pay the $5 for whatever it is you are selling? no. they're most likely downloading it because they can. who knows? if your work is so good and it prompts the "pirate" to become a loyal listener/follower, who knows if they won't buy your work in the future when they do have the money or recommend you to a friend who is more inclined to buy than to download.