What to do, what to do? So much venom in the air, RIAA police tactics, lawsuits, angry invective hurling boycotters and independents spewing text at each other, "While anger from Manchester writes to complain about all the repeats on the tv..." (Del Amitri). It's getting way ugly out there folks and the fight has gone way, way public.

In today's New York Times there are three articles referenced on the front page. Our concerns are up there with wars, globalization, and Martha Stewart. I feel we must take advantage of this situation.

This is our opportunity as artists, supporters of the arts, and champions of free speech to educate the music buying public to the wealth of actual alternatives to RIAA lobbied corporate "music".

Independent musicians are marginalized in the media to the extreme. Our voices are normally limited to special interest sites such as this one, where we are admittedly preaching to the choir.

Have you noticed the number of comments on articles lately? If we are lucky we will start to get some real feedback from that list of Mr. Evans ("Time for a little clarity"), well done Bill. I would be overjoyed to see some record industry executives come to the table and plead their case.

I wonder if they could win anyone over?

This kind of spectacle could only serve to throw yet more media klieg light on the already fashionable tale of musicians, executives, and downloaders.

Now's the time for artists and their supporters to put n the game face and smile for the cameras. This thing is turning into a media circus, this is something that a bunch of artists and performers can win easy, easy, easy, with a little thought.

It's finally out of the courtroom and into the public discourse, this is important, it's where the laws of the future are written. All of us who are performers already have an audience, we do them a disservice if we don't voice are views on current events that are such a hot dinner topic. Arm your fans with the counterpoint to the industry taglines, "piracy, money for artists (ahahahahaha) sorry that one just kills me, where have all the customers gone?, and on and on goes the talking head. Give away mp3's for free! The difference today is that someone may notice.

The underlying goal to all of this is a diverse, thriving music economy that supports artists and allows fans to seek and find what THEY want to listen to. The problems facing corporate music right now are quality control issues, i.e. they can't entertain their way out of a wet paper sack. They are teetering on the brink, give them a little push, and remember the world is watching.

I'm going to go pursue some airtime, ciao e boun fortuna....

Yer Pal Ethan

Ethan Ford is a member of True Audio Outland from Austin, Texas.

Well as I travel around, people out there get it. From truck drivers to the kids in school. So I keep saying to myself, "If they get it, then the cats out of the bag".
Sometimes I ask on the mike, "how many people out there download mucic?" And its alway very loud from the end of the bar to the front. Yes, people out there see through the smoke the RIAA is putting out.
So the question is, when are the PR people at the RIAA going to get it or just keep picking up their checks?
Back from the road and
Still Pickin'
Bill Hudson

Ethan- Great Article man,
" ~Austintatious~ ".
This is something I have said for a long time. The public needs to know that there are LOTS of singers, songwriters, and musicians in general, how are behind this movement, and who know the RIAA itself is screwing artists!

People need to know that this is not "filesharers" v. Artists.
It is about freedom v. those who would rob us of it, and the Independent Artists and any "Big Names" with COURAGE, speaking out in our behalf, can reap great PR rewards for our side.

Again, Ethan, excellent article man!
~code

meant "who are behind the movement
NOT "how are behind..." lol..
I plead a bad case of "Monday" typing..
~code

Anger is right, the gloves are off, it's time to turn up some heat where it'll do the most good.


My rant:

All you RIAA artists, you better wake up, the time for inaction is past. Soon, you'll have no fans, and you'll have no career. Those contracts that have so conveniently bought your silence won't be worth toilet paper if this keeps up.

As far as I'm concerned, it's time to give the RIAA artists hell for putting up with this.

It's THEIR music we're all fighting over. If they want to sit back and let the RIAA be the bad cop, fine, but they'll still suffer the fallout.

From now on, at least for me, the RIAA artists are guilty by association. They want to plead the fact their contracts won't allow them to comment, fine by me, but they suffer the consequences of their silence. Serve the beast, then die with the beast.

I'm NOT going to forget any of them when this is all over and resolved. It's time for the artists to decide whose side they're on.

If they are not for us, they're against us. Period. Hide behind that damn contract all they want, but it won't do any good. Grow a set of stones and stand up for the fans. And if they think the fans are wrong, then go ahead and speak up.

Once the smoke clears, there may not be a music industry to work for anyway, so they may as well speak their conscience. They'll get more respect from me, whichever point of view they espouse.

It's time to give the indie artists the attention and support they so richly deserve.

Well said, AverageConsumer.

For those in the dark, go to http://magnetbox.com/riaa/

If you are interested in an album go check it out first. If it has a red label, it has the "plague".

A very thought provoking article. Way too often we tend not to hear the voice of the artists. Even though there's a growing discontempt among them, few choose to speak out against the RIAA. I think it's simply because they don't want to piss any big label boss off and jeopardize future "contracts". Kind of ironic since they'll be ripped off by the contracts anyway.

quote average consumer:All you RIAA artists, you better wake up, the time for inaction is past. Soon, you'll have no fans, and you'll have no career. Those contracts that have so conveniently bought your silence won't be worth toilet paper if this keeps up.

actually i think used toilet paper would have more value....and it probably would smell better than the RIAA too

I have decided to take this boycott a bit further. Corporations such as SONY that are heavily involved with music are also major players in many consumer products.

I am in the market for a new PC and will be getting into the HDTV market soon. Because SONY does not care about their relationship with their customers from the music portion of their business, I will not even consider any of their electronics products in the future.

Even those of us who do not yet have an audience.. www.boycott-riaa.com has some neat stickers and other stuff to spread around. As for me, money for a new ad in the local papers. Even a little classified ad, with large print would do. Boycott Riaa, download and buy indy.

hahaha looks like i wasn't the only one watching jay and silent bob strike back this weekend

well said, AverageCustomer.

Hey I just learned that an op-ed peice I wrote and sent in about this was in the Sunday Oklahoman. Now that makes me feel like I am doing something toward the cause! Here's a link to it http://www.newsok.com/cgi-bin/show_article?ID=1077217&TP=getarticle jost scroll down until you see the heading "Suits Outrageous"

Thank God For this day!!!! If they don't get to that "ROUNDTABLE" pretty fast there's a whole lotta people gonna end up hurting!!! I for one am a mother THAT'S MAD AS HELL! HOW DARE THOSE SOB'S TAKE A 12 YEAR OLD CHILD, AN HONOR STUDENT AT THAT! THE POOR MOTHER AND THE LITTLE GIRL LIVING IN THE PROJECTS!!! YOU DIRTY, NO GOOD SCUM BUCKETS!!! AND THAT ARTICLE ON SONY MARKETTING PORNO JUST ABOUT SENT ME THROUGH THE ROOF!! SHAME, SHAME ON YOU TOO SONY! DO YOU KNOW WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON AT YOUR OFFICE?!!! BURN YOUR FILTHY ASSES RIGHT NOW!! NOW!! NOW! NOW! WE NEED A WHOLE LOTTA PEOPLE TO GET MAD! MAD! MAD! "BOYCOTT RIAA" BIGTIME!!! Another poor student who reads DMUSIC NEWS said He was hand writing "BOYCOTT RIAA" on a piece of paper and _pinning_ it on the back of his backpack, so people everywhere could read it!!! BOYCOTT RIAA!!!! RIAA YOU WANT TO TERRORIZE WHO??? Talk! Talk! At the schools! At the gas stations! At the super markets! Banks! EVERYPLACE YOU GO!!! TAPE IT ON THE STOP SIGNS TOO!!! IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THIS BULLSHIT COME TO HALT!!! I CAN'T EVEN SLEEP AT NIGHT FOR THINKING THE POLICE ARE GOING TO START RUNNING THROUGH OUR HOUSES LOOKING FOR RIAA SHARED FILES!! NOW THE PATRIOT ACT WANTS TO MAKE THE DEATH PENALTY FOR A DRUG DEALER?? WELL, IS A FILE SHARER NEXT!????!! I SAY LET'S ALL JUST GET MAD AS HELL RIGHT NOW AND KICK SOME ASS OR GET OURS KICKED!! TAKE YOUR CHOICE!!!!! I'M MAD AS HELLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Entertainment Weekly just printed an RIAA fluff piece called "Going for a Song" on it's news page.

I'd encourage you to write a letter to the editor telling them how you feel about the RIAA and include this site's address.

ew_letters@ew.com

Sorry to spam this everywhere, but I think everyone should do this, EW has a massive subscription base and is at every grocer's checkout in the US. The letters section is the most read section of the magazine.

*paulruss*

What a wonderful idea! EW has millions of readers, whereas that darn chat (I am also sorry to be spamming the Boycott-RIAA site with) has only thousands of people - but I still found it important to post about it, nonetheless.

I'll right a letter to EW and send it,
ASAP. Thanks!

What to do next? Like I mentioned the big day of reckoning will come for the Holidays here in the US. Ah, and don't forget to tell retailers WHY you are boycotting if you get a chance.

It was mentioned above that we should extend this to other goods and services that are provided by the parent companys involved, on the wrong side, of this stuggle.

I am willing to do that to increase the pressure and prove the seriousness of this. I would like to motivate the Fat Cats on conglamorate boards to get the message and maybe have a good heart-to-heart with their bastard child, the RIAA?

So, I am now paying very careful attention to what I buy, like DVD's, and even hardware. Sony is now off my Holiday Shopping list, no Disney anything for any kids this year, etc. Gosh, there is still enough competition to avoid supporting these sharks.

Oooo, if everyone made sure to scratch off the products that the corporations involved sell ... oh, BOY would that hurt bad. Of course, writing them a letter and letting them know why are not giving any of their products as gifts, or buying them for yourself, and telling them the "RIAA made me do it!" would certainly help.

Maybe this might be a little riduculous, but I did it and if was kinda fun. I went to a FYE over the weekend and grabbed a couple CDs that were on the hot rack and walked up to the counter. I handed them to her and said I wish I could buy these right now, but I'm boycotting all RIAA artists and walked away. It was an easy way to make my point and a lady that had come up behind me asked me what the boycott was about. I filled her in and gave her the web site address (wrote it down for her on a store ad and used the stores pen!!!). She had no idea this stuff was happening (which surprises me, I'd think you'd have to live in a cave not to now since these events of the last couple weeks). She still bought her CDs but at least I opened her mind and eyes a little. I hope.

BTW: off topic but GREAT SCOTT, I have no problem with certain drug dealers getting the death penalty. Crack, heroin and meth dealers are killers because they often use poisons to cut their drugs. Plus they sell to kids. If their drug kills a kid or kills an adult because of something they put in it, they should be ready. Eye for an eye I say. Trouble is they lump ALL drug dealers together which I do have a problem with. A pot dealer should not get the death penalty.

could someone please publish the names of the companies and the subsideraries involved with riaa so that we can get the word out to extend the boycott to those brands?
also, the new york times tech section has been covering this for a long time. they printed a letter of mine from july 29 and have been following the events. many of you have a lot more to say than i do so why not write to the tech section? the news media...don't leave home without it.

The promblem with listing the branched labels is that there is a multitude of them. A very long list. The RIAA would love to keep this knowledge as secret as possible about who is supported and who is not. In fact some are listed as supported at their web site that are not. Some of those not supported are worried about being misrepresented. They have requested that their names be removed from that list. Mysteriously, those names were removed, only to show up later again. That is why I recommended the site in the post earlier. If you are interested in an album, go check it out. (before you buy)If you see one in the record store, go home and check it out before your purchase. Those with the red marks at that site, have the plague and if you buy them, you are supporting economic terrorism.

Artists are feeling the downturn in sales, too. "My record royalties have dropped 80 percent since 1999," said Steve Miller, whose greatest hits album has been a perennial best-seller since its 1978 release. "To me, it's one of the weirdest things that's ever happened to me because people act like it's OK.

I AM NOT STEALING I AM ONLY USING WHAT I HAVE PAID FOR
------
Dear Artist, (Steve Miller)

One of the first LP’s I ever bought was Steve Miller’s Greatest hits.
(When I was 12 or 13 from mowing grass)
In the 70’s I purchased your LP’s
In the 80’s replaced those albums with tape Cassettes
In the 90’s I replaced those tape cassettes with CD’s
And in the 00’s I replaced those with mpg

I paid for your music…
When I purchased your LP.
When I purchased your Cassette.
When I purchased your CD.
When I attended your concerts.
When I purchased your merchandise.
When I watch TV Commercials with you songs in.
When I watched movies with your music in it.
When I listen to ads on radio when they play your music.
When I pay my cable bill (which has some 40 channels of music) each month.

But apparently you have not made enough money from me. So, now you get none of my money. Apparently, you want to just want to keep getting paid for work you did 30 years ago, (So would I) without doing any actual work. (How about a touring aka working?)

I have deleted all Steve Miller music from hard drive.
I destroyed (Not Sold) all my Steve Miller CD’s.
I will no longer sing or hum any Steve Miller Tune.
I will not read any magazine, newspaper articles about you or your band.
I will not click on any weblinks with you or your band mentioned in it.
I will not buy any merchandise with your name on.
I will not watch any T.V. show and commercials with your songs in it.
I will not watch any movie with your soundtracks any it.
I will not buy any products that have used your music for promotion of that product.
I will buy ticket to or attend any music concerts you may play.
I will no longer listen to ANY other musician’s rendition of your music.
I will not allow anyone to bring your music in my home
I will not quote any lyrics of your songs in everyday conversation
I will not mention you name or acknowledge it if spoken to me.
I will not teach my children to sing your songs.

You are persona non-grata from my music collection and from all aspects of my life for the rest of my life, additionally I will teach this to all my children as well.

Good Luck to you sir,

Public statements supporting your millions of fans MAY change my mind.

The RIAA will go down in history as the greatest advertiser of P2P file sharing. Soon, there will be so many file sharers online that one's chances of being singled out for prosecution will be incredibly small. Thank you RIAA, you have made it so much easier to find what I am looking for!

Pfffffft, Steve Miller cant see who the real theives are here? The record labels have robbed him blind, yet he blames file sharing? Good god.

Is Steve Miller even on a RIAA affiliate anymore? When was his last hit, 1988? Or earlier? C'mon would a major label put up with that? They are probably going to tell him his royalty checks were garnished to cover his later "non-productive years".