MP3 levy - here we go again

[bouche]

Canadian music stars lobby for MP3 levy

On Thursday, an A-to-Z of Canadian music stars — including Anne Murray, Nickelback's Chad Kroeger, and members of the Tragically Hip

I didn't expect to see "members of the tragically hip" on here. Did they even read this bullshit before putting their names on it?

“MP3 players are this generation's version of blank media. A copy is a copy and the principle of fair compensation for rights holders should apply whether the copy is made onto blank media or MP3 players,”

There is no sound way to blanket the entire user spectrum with a levy. That pretty much assumes that every single person uses an iPhone to listen to mp3's by Canadian artists that they never paid for. Surely the mp3 players they speak of covers everything from a basic usb stick mp3 player to iPhones, blackberries, and your mp3' enabled car stereo.

I'd like to see a group spend some time and do a little survey to find out how much canadian content vs. US content is being played on electronic devices. They're basically looking to grab money from US artists. I don't think there are that many people wasting time downloading and listening to Nickelback or Anne Murray. fack.

[Kanada Kev]

[color:purple]We better put a levy on ALL transportation vehicles too since they may be moving stolen or illegal material.

Ass-backwards. The record co.s continue to hang on to out-dated business models. Bands have the ability now more than ever to steer their own course and maintain control over their destiny.

This is is just another good way to fuck over the consumer.

Don't buy new MP3 players, but on the second-hand market where there will be no levy.

Edited November 26, 2010 by Guest

[ollie]

That's some pretty rich stuff coming from a couple of leechers. Maybe if more people paid for their music we wouldn't need a levy.

[Booche]

QFT

That's some pretty rich stuff coming from a couple of leechers. Maybe if more people paid for their music we wouldn't need a levy.

[Northern Wish]

QFT

That's some pretty rich stuff coming from a couple of leechers. Maybe if more people paid for their music we wouldn't need a levy.

DO NOT bring Quantam Field Theory into this!

[TheAlphaNerd]

So i am a Canadian artist who has made mp3's that have gone online... I make way less money then those joes... where is my cut?

Fucking backwards greedy nonsense

"We're all part of a club... give us money seeeeee"

[bouche]

That's some pretty rich stuff coming from a couple of leechers. Maybe if more people paid for their music we wouldn't need a levy.

Who's the "we"? you need a levy?

btw, I seed plenty.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

Thanks for the song title, Mike

'I Seed Plenty' will be an anthem on the Thunderflurry Five's "Polly Amory" album

[Kanada Kev]

That's some pretty rich stuff coming from a couple of leechers. Maybe if more people paid for their music we wouldn't need a levy.

And you know how much $$$ i spend on my music habit how?

Is that supposed to be an attempt at a guilt-trip or something?

Music is not just about physical albums.

Sure, in this technological age there is plenty of sharing of music. Without it there is so much i never would have heard, and in turn, would never have gone to experience the artists perform for me in a live venue.

If there was more focus by the record industry on signing, promoting and growing the live music scenes around the world then great. Are they doing that? No. They hate the "try before you buy" method of consumerism. It used to be tour to support the album.

Now it should be get your music out there to support the tour!

How many times to I have to pay for Dark Side Of The Moon (LP x2, cassette, multiple CD reissues, box sets, 5.1, etc)?

Everything is "out there" now. Too late to close the gate now that the cows have left. What can the majors do to salvage their industry?

As I predicted a number of years ago the industry has to go to a subscription-based format. At a 'reasonable' cost, which makes any sort of hassle/effort P2P'ing recordings a waste of time, you would get instant access to ALL of the major label's content. So, for $10/mo. all of Sony BMG is yours to listen to in your house/car/phone/computer/etc.

[Booche]

Is that supposed to be an attempt at a guilt-trip or something?

If it wasnt, it sure did work.

[ollie]

Is that supposed to be an attempt at a guilt-trip or something?

No, it's a reality check. Stealing mp3s is wrong no matter how you spin it. Just because you spend a lot of money on the live music industry doesn't give you the right to steal the studio material.

If free downloading leads you to a new artist then what's so hard about picking up the CD the next time you're near an HMV? Or downloading it from iTunes?

Am I perfect? No, but I've already seriously curtailed my free downloading with a monthly Napster subscription and by buying CDs of artists I enjoy.

The recording industry can't put the genie back in the bottle but we don't have to be such assholes about it.

[phishtaper]

the article says "in the same way a levy is currently applied to blank CDs and cassettes."

is that the case? i know there was a great deal of discussion about taxing CDs, but maybe I was sleeping when it was actually imposed.

Does anyone know how much the levy is per CD? It cannot be that much, blank CDs are dirt cheap.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

yeah it's not much...under $2, I think, for a spindle of 50

[phishtaper]

I googled and found this article in the globe from 2009. It states that the levy on blank CDs was going up from 21 cents to 29 cents per CD.

I also found these blank Philips CDs at CanadaComputers now. 100 CD's for $23.49 = 23.5 cents per disc.

so, can someone 'splain to me how if the levy is 29 cents per disc, there are discs for sale for less than that?

[Velvet]

How many times to I have to pay for Dark Side Of The Moon (LP x2, cassette, multiple CD reissues, box sets, 5.1, etc)?

Totally! It's just a money grab and it's been going on for years (and NOT just in the recording industry)!

I got the Dark Side Of The Moon album when I was a little kid, and when it came out on cassette I realised then and there the consumer was being screwed over, so I walked right into my local record store and "lifted" myself a copy. Same thing when they releaased it on CD. I'd paid for that music well over a decade previously so a stroll down to Sam The Record Man for my five-finger discount was easily justified, if not downright warranted.

I kind of like the digitized versions - I can get what's rightfully mine without as much risk of getting caught...er...I mean having to explain my position.

Now I see the bastards at Sony have come out with flat-screen tv's. I have a perfectly good tv here I paid for in the 80's, and this "new media" is just another cash grab, so down to Best Buy I go to sneak a flatscreen under my jacket.

Consumers have rights too!

[Davey Boy 2.0]

the force is strong with this one

[bouche]

Stealing mp3s is wrong no matter how you spin it.

Oh Ollie...you're sound like THEM.

downloading mp3's is not stealing. sorry bro.

[Booche]

Justifying the reasons behind not paying for music is simply robbing from yourself.

[phishtaper]

I got the Dark Side Of The Moon album when I was a little kid ...

clearly, you had terribly irresponsible parenting in your youth.

I was only allowed to get donny osmond and stars on 45 albums ...

[bouche]

Justifying the reasons behind not paying for music is simply robbing from yourself.

huh?

[Booche]

Opposition leader Olive Crane introduced the private member's bill earlier this week. It would remove Canada's last restrictions on Sunday shopping. Currently on the Island, stores must close Sundays between Christmas Day and Victoria Day. The bill passed second reading Thursday.

Following an appearance on CBC Television's Compass Monday, Crane slipped on the television set, injuring her ankle and wrist. Transportation Minister Ron MacKinley brought up the incident during the debate on the bill Thursday.

"I'm not what you call a saint, but I believe in God and I believe in [doing] the best I can do. You were at CBC pushing Sunday shopping, were you not? On TV?" he asked Crane. "Right after that interview what happened?"

"We had a bit of an accident," Crane responded.

"Does that not tell you something?" said MacKinley.

"Like what?" said Crane.

"Like the Lord works in mysterious ways, and maybe you should start worrying what's going on here? We are going all the time, we're getting farther and farther away, whether it's prayers in the schools or whatever it is," said MacKinley.

[bouche]

it's too early to start drinking, isn't it?

[Davey Boy 2.0]

That reminds me of a short story I wrote this morning

The Ledger

Father Albert had the mind of an accountant and kept a neat ledger of his sins, complete with a column for the penance he'd undertaken to absolve each sin. He dreamt of reaching the Pearly Gates, ledger laid out in his hands, St. Peter casting an apporving eye upon it and reaching what Father Albert thought would be his inevitable conclusion upon reading its last entry.

When Father Albert won the lottery his vicar sat him down and had a long discussion about the path to righteousness, how money was a downward spiral into greater and greater sins and how the church could use the money for the good of the parish. The first thing Father Albert did upon receiving his winnings was to go out and buy the biggest ledger he could find.

[bouche]

I own 2 vinyl copies of All Things Must Pass. Am I allowed to download an mp3 version, or is that stealing?

Should I just rip the vinyl with my USB turntable? IS that allowed, or am I stealing from myself?

[Velvet]

I own 2 vinyl copies of All Things Must Pass. Am I allowed to walk into HMV and take the CD version, or is that stealing?