Indie Record Labels Scorned in SOPA/PIPA Battle
Ah, SOPA/PIPA. It’s great to see you again, after all these minutes. Your short hiatus from the headlines nearly sparked an anxiety attack, but it’s good you’re back, this time in a Pitchfork headline about indie record labels. You never disappoint, do you?
In the midst of the arguments for preserving the free wheeling nature of the Internet backed by the tech industry against those for protection against copyright infringement perpetuated from the bull-headed stodginess of the dinosaurs of the film, music and media giants, it was easy to get swept up in the moment. Being of Generation Y, I passionately took up the position of personal liberty and signed Google’s petition against SOPA/PIPA the day before the Wiki blackout.
I don’t revoke my stance, but Pitchfork raises an interesting point: the middle ground home to the little guy, in this case, the indie record labels. While the media got busy doing what it does best–sensationalizing–independent music artists got lost in the fray.
“None of the labels we contacted expressed support for SOPA or PIPA,” Pitchfork writes. “But most tended to say copyright infringement is a problem that needs to be solved– and that it demands a better solution than either approving the bills in their current form or maintaining the status quo.”
Oh, right. While I was determined to support the tech industry’s youthful freedom (for the media portrayed it was either this or intense personal restriction), many indie labels were stuck wondering what happened to the word moderation when legislators composed such all-or-nothing terms.
Pitchfork notes that “Every effective piece of new forward-thinking law needs to strike a fair balance between competing interests,” says indie label Beggars Group chairman Martin Mills, in a prepared statement. “Everyone needs legal protections, but everyone’s livelihoods must be respected and considered. We hope that the lines are a little more open for an open dialogue to craft new legislation that will be fair to all and strike the best balance between the needs of creators, technology companies, and the general public.”
Similarly, if more boldly, Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan raises another tossed-aside point in the tit-for-tat argument, in a blog written for the Seattle Weekly last week: what got ourselves in this mess in the first place.
McKagan writes, “Excuse me, but where were you all when piracy started to decimate the music industry? Why didn’t you take a stand against that? Those free records felt good, huh?”
Oh, yeah…
McKagan points out that the tech industry is quick to protect its own “business,” but that these industries did not hesitate to decimate the “business” of musicians, writers, and filmmakers when they began illegally passing out their music for free.
Now, as I quoted Pitchfork earlier, most indie labels do not support SOPA/PIPA. They are simply asking for what every American wishes to achieve: livelihood for pursuing their passion. There are alternative solutions, Pitchfork noting Spotify and YouTube, which at least allocates small sums to artists or musicians. They also note that in many cases, independent artists are able to acquire a following first through passing out music for free, leading to other streams of revenue. But they are asking for fairness, for someone to fight for them without completely ruining the Internet’s freedom.
And that’s a tune I could whistle to.
Shades of Grey: Anti-Piracy Legislation and Independent Labels
Quit Whining About SOPA and PIPA. Where’s the Public Outrage Over Internet Piracy?
