Article: The Seven Year Statute: The Label's Side with Miles Copeland, CEO of ARK 21

[kudyba]

By: Miles Copeland (Open Post) 2001-11-08 I had an interesting experience on September 5, trying to breathe what I thought was common sense into an issue between certain California artists and their record companies being brought to a California Senate hearing in Sacramento. I ended up as a spokesman for the recording industry being unfairly attacked by a small group of artists, lawyers and managers who seemed more intent on slandering the business (what fun), distorting and obscuring the facts than in dealing constructively with the issue. I can't believe any of them have actually walked through in a realistic manner what the result of their initiative would be and realized the detrimental effect it would have to new and as yet unsuccessful artists, not to mention the industry that has earned all of them substantial income. I also don't think they realize the damage to EVERYONE - record company, music publisher, rich and developing artist alike - that will be caused by reinforcing the already negative public perception of the record business that has been planted in the minds of the general public. I have heard over and over people saying they see nothing wrong with downloading music and not paying for it because the record companies are hugely profitable, they are greedy bastards and the artists don't get the money anyway. Sort of a Robin Hood approach, i.e., who cares if the rich make a bit less, they can afford it. Click [url=http://musicdish.com/mag/?id=4715]HERE[/url] for the rest of the "letter". Makes some good points but after just reading Moses Avalon's "Secrets of Negotiating a Record Contract" he's skimming over a few issues...

[videoeditor1]

My quick, fast and dirty 2 cents..... 1. Record companies have more comprehensive legal resources on their side. 2. Why is it that most artistes (could someone provide stats please??) NEVER re-sign after 1st signing? None of the acts I work with hardly ever go back to the same label. Why is that? 3. It's a business more for the rec company than it is for the artist (sadly) 4. I have personal 1st hand experience with record companies using smoke and mirrors when caught red handed cooking the books. 5. I just got paid last week (from a California office of a record company, no less) for work I did in October [b]2000[/b]. So call me jaded. It's just the nature of the business to catch em young and stupid, suck em dry, and spit em out after 5,7, 10 years. Hey Rob, I'm just getting worked up here. My later post(s) are going to be less visceral and more cerebral.... NYC Drew [ 11-09-2001: Message edited by: NYC Drew ]