Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Another nail in the coffin of music DRM

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  • robbery,

    Nor do they care, they just want to be entertained.

    Then of course there is that other lesser known almost fallen by the wayside use for music...
    to communicate, to connect,

    Allegedly in some distant corners of the world there are remote tribes that still use music to convey a message, and idea or feeling, to connect artist with audience.

    Obviously in modern western society we've mostly done away with such frivolity, mostly because when our top entertainment people, who work hard to get as much air time as possible get round to presenting their pre-packaged manufactured in a boardroom target market lowest common denominator pap they find that not only have they got nothing to say there really is nothing much they can say that won't alienate a crucial corner of the market.

    So they fill the air with noise, meaningless entertaining noise.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • samuel walker,

    So they fill the air with noise, meaningless entertaining noise.

    Robbery.....it almost sounds like you are wishing for the colapse of pop music distribution yourself!

    I have to say, over the last couple of years there has been a real jump in the quality and innovation in new music. and still the odd gem hidden within' the pop machine.

    Since Nov 2006 • 203 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    Hmmm. I believe robbery may be... slightly rockist.

    It should be noted that I find plenty to connect with in all sorts of 'manufactured' music (I once wrote a giant rant listing all the things I adore about Justin Timberlake's 'My Love'), and that since popular music is, fundamentally, all artifice, this idea of 'authenticity' or 'non-packaged' music is, to me, kind of completely bogus, isn't it? It's all an act, a projection... the authenticity is almost irrelevant. If you feel something when listening to it, then it's authentic for *you*.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Peter Darlington,

    ...when our top entertainment people, who work hard to get as much air time as possible get round to presenting their pre-packaged manufactured in a boardroom target market lowest common denominator pap they find that not only have they got nothing to say there really is nothing much they can say...

    Well, I said it before on PA last year that "The greatest lyric ever, IMO, is 'A wop bop a loo bop, a wop bam boom'. That said everything you need to know about popular music and after that, we might as well have given up putting words in tunes and just used the voice as an extra instrument."

    I include pop and rock and everything else under the heading popular music. Whenever anyone mentions that a musician has something to say I know it's not for me. I see no difference between Bob and Britney, apart from the ego investment of the folks who listen to them.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report

  • robbery,

    the authenticity is almost irrelevant. If you feel something when listening to it, then it's authentic for *you*.

    you're such a romantic, we should date.

    and that since popular music is, fundamentally, all artifice,

    where'd you get that notion from. all pop music means is that its popular, there's no stipulation that you should be insincere or fake about it, although some are its true, but not your bf (j timberlake?), he really means it, no seriously, he REALLY means it, he's going to love you forever, you're the only one for him, he didn't even notice those other three girls over by the bar making love to him with their eyes,, he's gonna hold you in his arms and whisper sweet 'nothings' to you as you fall asleep deep in the knowledge that everything's gonna be alright..........baby,

    I should write this crap for a living (if it hadn't already all been written b4), it ain't so hard and the audience is undemanding and gullible, and authenticity is irrelevant, almost

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    and just used the voice as an extra instrument

    sigur ros and occasionally the cocteau twins have nothing to say in words so they do just as you said, use the human voice as a instrument.

    not so much entertainment as moving and beautiful, which is a statement in itself, something worth saying?

    "The greatest lyric ever, IMO, is 'A wop bop a loo bop, a wop bam boom'.

    in this case its not what's said but how it was said and in what context. that small line of meaningless words meant a hell of a lot at the time.

    Whenever anyone mentions that a musician has something to say I know it's not for me.

    I know that feeling and it hasn't been help by years of nothing to say music by people who could add or convey something but choose to say very little. I don't doubt that the beatles in the hippy phase conveyed important messages to people that needed to hear it, and there's a lot that could be said that isn't in the modern world, and those that do choose to say it (pink and her political song, kill me now) say it in a way that comes across as insincere)

    And really, who are these people that can hold a tune and thing they've also got something to add to our lives. there's nothing major any of them could say that will enlighten us.
    occasionally you do get something small that you click with. I really like the lyrics to SJD's Beautiful Haze. Not a world saving message but a little insight into the a shared world, nicely observed.

    all that said though, music as a means of communicating without words is totally valid. practically every movie ever made uses music to enhance mood, convey unspoken messages.
    take music out of horror movies and you won't be that scared.
    take it out of thrillers and it won't be that thrilling.
    take the pictures away and you still get the picture.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    the odd gem hidden within' the pop machine.

    not confusing the machine with the ingredients put into it.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    Gosh, what an irritating post that was, robbery: I feel so patronised.

    It's not that I'm 'undemanding' - on the contrary, I'm very demanding of my music - but I think what I want from that music is rather different from what you want. Often, I'm about feel and beats - so 'My Love', with that badass Timbaland production with all those juddering synths, and the falsetto verses, and the call-and-response - I mean, that's a lot of the things I'm going to love in a song, right there. And in fact I think you could trace a line right back to old-school Stax-level soul from 'My Love', if you're talking about 'authenticity' - but my point is that the song doesn't need those kind of bone fides, and people who are so intent on that kind of thing are totally missing the point. Peter is right on about his quote from 'Tutti Frutti' - pop music is mostly about dancing and fucking (or revenge and guilt, to quote Costello, another great pop-music-poser). It doesn't need to be about anything else. It can be great art without 'authenticity' or even conventional songwriting (and I love conventional songwriting - my favourite band is The Beatles, for god's sake). None of that 'pop' vs 'real music' stuff matters at all, to me, and I don't care if someone 'means it, maaaan' or not. Lie to me, pop-music-makers. I'm cool with it.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Peter Darlington,

    Often, I'm about feel and beats - so 'My Love', with that badass Timbaland production with all those juddering synths, and the falsetto verses, and the call-and-response - I mean, that's a lot of the things I'm going to love in a song, right there. And in fact I think you could trace a line right back to old-school Stax-level soul from 'My Love', if you're talking about 'authenticity'

    I heart this post.

    That is all.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report

  • robbery,

    Lie to me, pop-music-makers. I'm cool with it.

    wasn't that what I was doing?
    why so irritated then.
    you're far to difficult, its over.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    it almost sounds like you are wishing for the collapse of pop music distribution yourself!

    I'll leave it to the house music 'punks' to do that.
    I personally don't have a problem with mass music, I just don't confuse the product with the at, not saying there isn't some art in mass music, not saying there is either. I guess the artistic content is for each individual to decide, if they're looking for that in their sounds.

    What I do like is people having an opinion, ie loving or hating it, either is fine. middle ground "I like everything", I don't like you.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    you're far too difficult, its over.

    Whether or not you would hypothetically date my 'gullible' and 'undemanding' ass is thunderously irrelevant to this discussion, dude.

    Also, thank you, Peter!

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • robbery,

    thunderously

    smirk

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • linger,

    So they fill the air with noise, meaningless entertaining noise.

    Could there be a more apt epitaph for this thread?

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report

  • robbery,

    Could there be a more apt epitaph for this thread?

    actually there have been some pretty big developments in the stemming of piracy, DRM etc in the last few weeks (british govt moving to require ISPs to address piracy, company adding DRM to pirated content, etc), but feel free to over look that and focus on the amusing side issues.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    actually there have been some pretty big developments

    Including Radiohead letting someone give away their album all over again.


    Danielle...My Love...in the words of the the great anonymous pop punter..its a choon....esp the DFA mix which was extended pop heaven

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • robbery,

    Including Radiohead letting someone give away their album all over again.

    clarification, give away of a reworking collection of 8 songs which was done without consultation with the band featuring the original songs chopped up with embellishments.

    main legal issues here are no songwriting royalties to the band, sampling clearance issues.
    the band originally responded with a cease and desist order, then allowed the artist rainydayz to distribute his 'remixes' so long as they were no charge for, ie free.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    further clarification, its a bunch of rappers doing their stuff over loops culled from radiohead tracks from the most recent album.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    clarification, give away of a reworking collection of 8 songs which was done without consultation with the band featuring the original songs chopped up with embellishments.

    main legal issues here are no songwriting royalties to the band, sampling clearance issues.
    the band originally responded with a cease and desist order, then allowed the artist rainydayz to distribute his 'remixes' so long as they were no charge for, ie free.

    so everyone is happy again...it worked

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • InternationalObserver,

    At an open home last weekend I saw not one but THREE iPods in the kids' bedrooms. Three! Would it be wrong for me to go back this weekend and pop one (or two, or three) of them in my pocket? Would I be striking a blow for Artists rights?
    Kleptomaniacs for Jesus

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • 81stcolumn,

    <smirk> I presume it would defeat the gesture if you were to fill them with ripped music......

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report

  • robbery,

    so everyone is happy again...it worked

    not if you're a radiohead fan looking for interesting treatments in the same vein as the band. this is just rap over backing tracks. "every breath you take" any one?

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    not if you're a radiohead fan looking for interesting treatments in the same vein as the band. this is just rap over backing tracks. "every breath you take" any one?

    Actually some of these are quite well done and the reviews are have been very good. This sort of thing, and they are much more than just banging a vox over a track, is exactly what R/H stand for and it seems that once they got grumpy old Warner-Chappell to agree, which they should because they still get broadcast return, this fitted perfectly with their philosophy. They're free and there is no downside to anyone. C'mon Rob, the only one that seems upset about these is you...

    There were some killer mixes of The Eraser last year too including a rather good hip hop one from Kanye West & Pharrell, which essentially just worked its way around the original but did it so well.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • samuel walker,

    France, England...now Australia....


    War on music piracy

    Rudd porn filter fails: experts

    Web porn software filter takes biggest hit

    I still believe it is unlikely to work.....

    Since Nov 2006 • 203 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    I still believe it is unlikely to work.....

    It almost doesn't matter anymore. It's tokenism as much as anything. Regardless it ain't gonna bring back the good old days that BPI etc would like to think it would, anymore than the RIAA lawsuits slowed down file sharing in the USA. Its head in the sand stuff blaming the boogie man of file sharing for the collapse in music sales. Its a contributing factor, that's all, as are things like the label consolidations and a whole lot more.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

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