Here at A Different Drum, I’m always trying to think of new ways to keep the products interesting. The label has released limited editions with bonus discs. We’ve released CD singles (something that has been suffering in the market, but will always be precious to collectors like myself). We’ve recently even released vinyl again.
We know that MP3 file sharing and piracy is pretty much unstoppable in today’s market. It’s just so easy to take music for free, and no matter how much the artists or labels raise the outcry over the theft, most of the public doesn’t care. They’re going to take the music because they want to– it’s easy, and they refuse to believe it is wrong. One of the things that is worse, and even more damaging to the music business and to the spirits of the artists, is the illegal SELLING of MP3 downloads under the claim that it is OK. There are download stores usually based in Russia which sell illegally copied MP3’s for pennies, keeping the loot from the selling of stolen goods. No matter what they claim on their “information” FAQ’s they are thieves in every sense of the word.
Only a couple of weeks ago, A Different Drum teamed up with Rename to put out our first 7-inch vinyl single. It comes with an autographed and numbered sticker and includes a b-side mix not offered digitally in legal stores. So far, we’ve shipped about 30 of these records to customers. It is now being offered, including that exclusive vinyl remix, from an illegal Russian download store, and they’re trying to make money off it. This track has NOT been offered digitally, anywhere, so it means one thing is certain– a customer of A Different Drum’s store went through the effort to record the vinyl onto their computer as an MP3 and then SHARE it with a network of illegally shared files that ends up being sold as stolen goods. Ironically, that single is called “The Hack”, inspired by those who use technology to commit crime and profit at the cost of others. It doesn’t just happen to Rename, but to everybody, including established names like Depeche Mode, who has the promo radio mix of their new single “Wrong” offered for sale on these sites before it is even released in the market.
“Cool, I can get exclusive stuff,” the pirate exclaims, “and for only 15 cents! What a deal!” Thus, they feed a few more pennies into the music mafia’s pockets. The artists get nothing. Nobody gets anything, except the thieves. Then the person who is sharing the files thinks, “but it doesn’t hurt anybody– after all, Depeche Mode is rich, right?!” Yes, it hurts them, and everybody. Do you think it doesn’t hurt a band like Rename who puts a thousand dollars into making a cool collectable, then to sell 30 copies and watch the tracks spread around for nothing? Yep, it hurts, and it hurts on a personal level. Might as well just steal a guy’s wallet. Punch him in the face while you’re at it.
OK, now I got that off my chest. It’s not something I haven’t said before. I went through the same thing last year when A Different Drum had sold only 5 copies of a fan-only CDR by Red Flag before the contents showed up on illegal Russian sites. Again, some “fan” spent a few dollars so they could throw the music creations they claim to love out to the dogs.
I wish I could say that all the free spreading of music around the internet were harmless, and that it amounted to extra promotion which results in additional sales for the artists, but that’s not the case. Over the last 10 years we’ve seen sales drop, drop and then drop some more. The “fan base” would even appear to go up, up and up, with people packing into clubs to watch the bands play live. How is it that a band can travel across the world and play to a packed house of 1000 people, all singing along with the songs, yet have less than 1000 CD’s sold worldwide? Obviously, those fans aren’t all investing in the music. Sure, we love the support at the live shows, but the numbers don’t seem to add up.
OK, I’ll shut up, because I’m beating a dead horse. I’m just more thankful every passing day for the people that place legitimate orders. Wow, those are the truly special supporters! The people who are buying music…but, I just wish I know which of those buyers was the traitor that is then going through the effort to assure that fewer and fewer people buy that same music. Maybe they want to be the first and ONLY person to buy that rare release, so they give it away free as fast as possible? Hmm, I can’t figure it out. There is no logic in this behavior.
-Todd
PS. As a fan of the Spanish synthpop band, OBK, I have not had any luck buying their latest CD, “Ultimatum”. The thing seems increasingly impossible to find, yet I’ve heard it is probably their best ever. I don’t know why it isn’t on shelves anymore. If you find it still in stock, it sells for what amounts to more than $30. I kept waiting for the price to drop, and now I’ve probably missed my chance. But you know what? I haven’t heard it, except the one track on Youtube. I haven’t downloaded it, despite the Torrent searches that come up when I Google the thing. I’ll never heard the album (not even buying the downloads) until I find that CD. That’s because in my own mind, I understand completely that just WISHING you had something doesn’t mean you have the right to take. It’s not worth the cost, and by that I mean the cost of one’s own integrity. That is something once lost, is nearly impossible to recover.
