MONDAY Q&A 8/13/18
Q: As an artist how do you feel about Apple Music, Spotify and the other music services? How does it play into your plans with Beauty In Chaos?
A: Honestly as an artist, it’s a bit hard to voice our opinion or concern about the state of the music business without sounding or being portrayed as being a whiny bitch. I think that view started back in 2000 when Metallica sued Napster. They got labeled as greedy. Maybe it was because they were already famous and wealthy. I just don’t think the music industry was prepared for the ‘digital age’. Record companies were too eager to package, market and sell the ‘compact disc’ with no real forethought to the downside for the artist when their music was now converted to mere digital 0s and 1s’. They seemed to be blinded by the hope that most people would now re-buy that record collection in the new CD format, which many, including myself did. When I was a teenager, I certainly ‘copied’ my favorite albums on cassette, but it was to play in my car and I had already bought the album. CDs and MPs made it easy to ‘share’ music with a friend that probably did not buy it. Somewhere along the way, the consumer seemed to have put less of a premium or ‘value’ on music. Maybe there is too much music out there, too many bands. Or maybe it’s seeing the extravagant lifestyle of the top .001% of musicians. “I just paid $250 to see %#*&^@, I’m not going to pay $20 for their CD too” You usually don’t see people going into a museum and taking a picture with their iphone of a famous painting to print and display in their living room. The movie industry has heavy penalties in place for someone caught pirating a new release. People spend money on the latest high-def 4K TV’s to watch movies in amazing quality, yet listen to music on some horrific speakers. I just don’t get it. Spotify and the other streaming services are selling ‘convenience’ to the consumer. All the music you want anytime you want. Record companies and music publishers seem to go along as the get a big piece of this pie. Most people that use these services either don’t realize or worse, don’t care what the artist makes (or doesn’t make) from their monthly plan. Again, sadly it is the lack of ‘value’ I think some seem to put on the art of music. I see some hope with the resurgence of vinyl. Some people wanting the better sound quality and the feeling of owning the music, the cover, the liner notes. All those things that made buying records so cool in the 60’s and 70s’.
As far as how any of this effects BEAUTY IN CHAOS? I went into this was no real notion of selling a lot of any of the formats this will be available on. That said, it does cost a lot of time and money to make a record. When this record is finally done, I (along with my producer) will have invested well over 1000 hours making it.. I certainly would like to see my record label get their money back for the CDs and double vinyl, as I would love to see the next record available on vinyl too. My idea on this record was to create something very cinematic, with the goal of several of these songs ending up in film and tv. Beyond that, it was the love of making this music. Creating with all of these great artists. I could go on, but I think if you enjoy a band, buy their music, and go see their live shows. This will allow them to continue to make more music and continue to tour. Seems pretty simple. Own a real music collection.. It’s a cool thing to have!! So yeah, I am going to try to avoid BIC being part of the streaming service, hoping that they listeners that I think will enjoy this record will want to have an hold this … and want to help see BEAUTY IN CHAOS evolve and continue. Or maybe I'm just being too nostalgic, but I hope not ⚜️