Quote:
Originally posted by Chewbacca:
Actually I wont, I have become quite angry.
I spent many years working in the retail side of the music business, supporting artists by playing their albums, even if it a particular album wasn't sanction by my corporate masters. I Worked hard to shut down the many bootleggers who operated on my block selling counterfiets and illegal copies and to catch cd shoplifters who stole music further driving up the prices in way that filesharers could never do.
I literally worshiped my customers and was very passionate about hooking them up with music they may like but never heard of based on their purchases and listening about their tastes.
I loved my job as a store manager of a music store and it broke my heart and sent me spiraling into depression to close store after store til finally last spring I had no store left.
Many of of my colleage and friends, ranging from my hand-selected employees and peers to the label reps who came into my store to promote artists are unemployed now as well because of the decline of the music business. I follow the industry still. Thanks to my connections, I still get invites to the parties, good deals, sometimes free concert tickets and other perks including friendships with many musicians and people who support musicians. I may return to music retail soon now that I have found a company that doesnt toe the line of the big labels and their pricing schemes once a positon becomes available.
To imply I am out of touch and my perspective is pathetic, that dont have a stake in this topic is degrading and insulting.
Now I am done.
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Your own personal experience directly contradicts what you are speaking about. You were carrying on about a boom, yet suffered as the industry has folded.
I am sorry to hear about your experience. I am bewildered as to why you have levelled rage at labels. Many of the majors consisted of autonomous former independents. I was signed to one such a label that distributed through a major. Had the majors clout and an independents care.
The fault is not with the majors. The industry - with all it's corruption and bullcrap - is what gave you the job in the first place. It may have been broken, but it perpetuated lifestyles, music and culture. Filesharing is what cost it. Removed ANY money from the picture.
I do stand by the out of touch line Chewbacca. You're not an artist out there competing for gigs, for slots, for airplay, for TV play, for signings, for any of that.
I had many experiences with record stores. Went into them all the time. Had friends in them. Checked how product moved, kept up with new music. However I have no idea what it's like to be in your shoes. I only know from a distance not firsthand.
I am truly sorry you suffered as a result of all this mess. I have gone from anger towards majors , to anger at filesharers, to my current position of "giving up". I give my music away on my site. For all I know people hand copies around to their friends. I see nothing from my original recordings. I've had to adjust my philosophy accordingly. I seek to make my living doing advertising music, make original music to be enjoyed.
I'm extremely upset about it though.
[ 02-05-2004, 02:45 AM: Message edited by: Yorick ]