Modern American Musical Slavery

The other week I had an interesting conversation with an acquaintance who plays in a soon-to-be famous rock and roll band signed to Epic Records. It was a conversation about licensing and publishing rights - a topic that was part of a reason I quit my last band - and something my friend admitted to spending several months talking over with his band and lawyers.

He brought up an analogy about car accidents. He said that as a drummer, if he were killed in a car accident the other guys in the band could reluctantly replace him if they wanted. On the other hand, if the singer was killed in a car accident, the band would be over and they would have to go their own ways.

What he said had a lot of truth to it. There was no 'Experience' after Jimmy Hendrix died. There was no continuation of Nirvana - there are tons of examples of bands that did not continue after the singer died.

I think this is a really lame way to look at band agreements. I am of the thought that everyone who contributes to a band to be able to split everything equally. Here is my argument.

Often times for years, the members of a band will struggle together to reach a goal of signing a deal with a label or at least garnering some form of success. They often work as a team ... each person lending a hand in making sure the songs reach an audience ... everyone practices ... everyone plays their part ... and like any entrepreneurs each one of them puts the rest of their life on hold for a common dream. So why is it fair that one member gets more benefits when their effort finally pays off? It's not fair. Everyone should be recouped for the years they spent laboring for free ... not knowing if the sacrifices they were making would actually pay off.

My final thought is that the concept of giving the singer and/or songwriters any more of the publishing or licensing or any other monies is just like good ol' fashioned slavery. It doesn't matter if we're talking about musicians ... or pirates on a ship - the people in power (record label or pirate captain) always want to give one of the slaves a little extra power so that the other slaves have someone who controls their fate (either beating them or controlling them with their financial power).

The singer/songwriter will always exist ... there are billions of them ... and the songs are NEVER what carries them to fame and notoriety. It's the people forming the mosaic of support that make it happen - whether it's girlfriends or family or friends of band members. That is why I think the British band the Ting Tings are a couple of twats. If you read one of their blog entries they call to attention a friend who is selling copies of their vinyl album for 60 pounds. They berate their friend and say "they would never ever make their fans pay an outrageous price." Get over it! That is what I say. I don't know the friends ... I don't know the situation ... but those friends trying to make an extra buck were probably the same friends letting you crash on their couch, buying you coffee, holding your hair out of your face as you vomit.

People, get over yourselves. Be a team. Call me a communist if you must. This blog is not complete and I will probably revise it when I have time ....