Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Friday Music: The next Soundcloud?

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  • Vivid,

    The big problem with the BPRS and soundcloud is that they are after royalties for their artists, but the way soundcloud works is that the artists post their own music and collect their own revenue. Anyone who has followed Blink's debate with APRA will be aware that collection agencies are unwilling/unable to distribute funds back to where they are actually collected from. So if this lawsuit is successful a collection agency like APRA will start taking a percentage of the revenue that was going directly to the artist and, instead, place it into their 'pool' where it will get distributed based on radio plays as it does now and money that I used to get will now go to Neil Finn and Lorde.
    Labels and collection agencies have no place in what was once a very tidy provider/artist/audience environment.

    Wairarapa • Since May 2015 • 43 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg,

    The National Library’s Sholto Duncan has pored over the dead URL file of the New Zealand Web Archive and turned up hundreds of New Zealand music sites that exist now only in the Archive. Some of them really illustrate why we have such an archive.

    Expect an AudioCulture story, penned by Sholto, on this very subject, in the near future.

    I get an email a week asking about Mysterex - it's there in all its post-punk glory (although large parts of it are on AudioCulture now).

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

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Vivid,

    The big problem with the BPRS and soundcloud is that they are after royalties for their artists, but the way soundcloud works is that the artists post their own music and collect their own revenue.

    Only a very few artists directly derive revenue from Soundcloud – only those invited to the "Premier" tier and the money comes from ghastly-sounding pre-roll ads that only appear in the US.

    Most artists either use Soundcloud for free, or pay for a pro account. Which would raise the truly odd spectre of PRS taking rights fees from a pool largely composed of fees paid by artists in order to return them to ... artists. (Well, okay, composers, who aren't always the same people.)

    So if this lawsuit is successful a collection agency like APRA will start taking a percentage of the revenue that was going directly to the artist and, instead, place it into their 'pool' where it will get distributed based on radio plays as it does now and money that I used to get will now go to Neil Finn and Lorde.

    No, it wouldn't be based on radioplay, because it's easy enough to count plays on a website. But most streaming services do pool and redistribute, and that sucks for niche artists. The fact that Apra was willing to do the first deal of its kind (anywhere) with Baboom, so that a user's subscription fee only goes to artists that user has streamed is promising.

    Radioplay is is paid out on actual plays and the performing rights structures favour composers over mechanical copyright owners (ie: the labels). Compared to the Spotify black box, which is tilted heavily towards the Big Three record companies, it stacks up well. So that's why collection agencies shouldn't go away.

    Now we just need Shazam installed in every gym, shop and cafe ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    I get an email a week asking about Mysterex - it's there in all its post-punk glory (although large parts of it are on AudioCulture now).

    I recall the sense of shock when Andrew suddenly shut it down ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Mike O'Connell,

    Have you seen Disco/Graph?

    Great resource! What a complex web we have, the Clean just one of many. Hell of a job to keep it updated. All the great historical Chch 80s stuff seems to be well covered.from an exploratory look. 'Mint Chicks' doesn't pull up yet Kody Nielson's Silicon (or link to Bic Runga).

    Awesome remix of AHoriBuzz's Providence, a great song whatever the interpretation.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 385 posts Report

  • Vivid, in reply to Russell Brown,

    You're dead right, I always confuse soundcloud and bandcamp.

    Wairarapa • Since May 2015 • 43 posts Report

  • Tim Welch,

    Hear This has a cool API which means I can stream it from Logitech Media Server - nice. https://hearthis.at/api-v2/

    The Verge has a write-up on Spotify Discover Weekly which I concur with as far as it gives me new, interesting and different music each Monday - http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/30/9416579/spotify-discover-weekly-online-music-curation-interview

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 47 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Epic Post Russell, must have taken you all week ;-)
    Do you ever worry that you missives on a Friday may lead to another "Scottish Thread"? (the thread that dare not mention its name).
    I despair of the industry that that sux artists and fans for all they are worth dry and in reality is no longer relevant as a distribution network. Imagine the world we live in if an artist never performed or created unless there was a way of "monetising" their work, it would be a dull and predictable world indeed. We would have a music scene not too dissimilar to the movie world where the only thing that gets made and pushed to the public is sensationalist dross, it would be all Chris Brown and Justin Bieber with all the associated antisocial behavioural problems.
    Roll on the death of copyright as we know it.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Epic Post Russell, must have taken you all week ;-)

    Last night and a bit of this morning :-)

    But yeah, it's like a bloody online magazine this week.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Mel Parsons in session at Radio NZ in Welington. Nice.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    "Scottish Thread"

    break a log

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Sacha,

    break a log

    An idea log?
    ;-)
    /coat…

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Rosemary McDonald,

    Just a thought....would it be possible, perhaps, for the pundits here (NZ music aficionados) to compile a playlist of tunes from Kiwi artists who have declared their troubled pasts, and woven those experiences into their work?

    I have heard some good interviews on Natrad over the past year or two, really talented artists with true insight into their families' experiences....but I failed to commit names to memory.

    Then maybe send the list to the Aunties?

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    verily. and this week we farewelled the log lady

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • nzlemming,

    Have you seen Disco/Graph?

    Are we to take from that graph that Doug Hood doesn't play well with others?

    Roll on the death of copyright as we know it.

    It may come as a surprise, to those who remember the Scottish Thread, that I don't agree with this, except the "as we know it" part. It's broken and the "fixes" that vested parties produce are only making matters worse. The basic concept of copyright is a good one - that others are prevented from copying an original work without permission (or payment - not always the same thing) for a limited time. The various industries have pushed/are pushing the "limited time" aspect beyond reason. The agglomeration of copyright, trademarks and patents into a beast called "intellectual property" has worsened the situation, not bettered it.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to nzlemming,

    Are we to take from that graph that Doug Hood doesn't play well with others?

    Ha ha.

    Doug of course played a hugely important role in the Flying Nun story – recording Boodle and other classics, touring bands, managing The Chills for a while – but most people don't even know he was briefly the singer in The Clean.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Rich Lock, in reply to nzlemming,

    The agglomeration of copyright, trademarks and patents into a beast called "intellectual property" has worsened the situation, not bettered it.

    How so? They're all completely independent rights, governed by different acts of parliament, different case law, etc..

    An artist or organisation may well have involvement with two or more of them (most likely copyright, and possibly trademarks a distant second), but they don't actually overlap in any other way.

    And Steve - you should be more careful what you invoke, because off we go.......

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

  • Matthew Goody,

    Doug of course played a hugely important role in the Flying Nun story...but most people don't even know he was briefly the singer in The Clean.

    Determined to remedy this!

    Toronto • Since Mar 2015 • 24 posts Report

  • Matthew Goody,

    Also highly recommend that people use the Archive wayback machine to visit www.tallyho.co.nz for the great archive of posters and artwork.

    Toronto • Since Mar 2015 • 24 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    science fun...
    Weekend activities available in Chchch include the Fun Palaces at the Peterborough Street Library and elsewhere about town...

    ...this is the local manifestation of Stella Duffy's UK based project which was itself a reboot of a 1960s project.

    Good community and creative fun.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    but most people don’t even know he was briefly the singer in The Clean.

    Occasional BVs* for Toy Love from the mixing desk, too...


    *Backing Vocals

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Oh yeah I almost forgot
    the TED X talks in Chchch
    are happening right now (10.30am)
    and are live to web:
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/christchurch-life/72622774/livestream-tedx-2015-christchurch

    and here’s the day’s programme:
    http://tedxchristchurch.com/programme

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Attachment

    but most people don’t even know he was briefly the singer in The Clean.

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

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    Nice jacket!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Hood vibrations...

    Nice jacket!

    ...if the straight jacket fits,
    wear it...
    (as they say )
    : - )

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

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