EMI Records Losses

One of the big four major record companies is finally feeling the results of not adequately supporting talented songwriters and artists. EMI have published their losses today and blamed the digital age for cutting their previous profit margin. Their actual problem is relying on repackaged Beatles albums and investing in vacuous pop acts instead of allowing quality writers to grow. I am sure they never thought that their power would wither and their roster of bands and singers become so diluted. Good riddance. A label who helped songwriters to sign contracts that effectively waived their intellectual rights and profits, passing them onto the corporation is just pure evil. The sooner these dinosaurs become extinct, the better.
It is coming to the time when the independent labels will take over the world and artists will be paid for what they have created, rather than a company executive. We longer need corporations to get our music in a shop, or record us; we do this at home, unshackled.
Now all we need is the audience to free themselves and open their minds to this new order.

Popstars love disasters

Here we go again... Even though there are places in the world in need of assistance 365 days of the year, it takes a special sort of disaster to see the popstars and celebrities come out from under their rocks, with their overblown arrogance, telling us they are going to save the world. Satan himself (Mr Cowell) is using his connections in the underworld to record a version of that uplifting song 'Everybody Hurts'. Naturally everyone wants to be involved to show they really want to make a difference.... as long as that means just going to a studio to sing a line and make themselves feel a whole lot better. So you see the usual suspects Bono, Chris Martin etc doing a lot for charity but not wanting to talk too much about it...!
Is it just me that finds their actions so abhorrent? Yes I know their intentions are honourable and the money from sales (that the record buying public is actually putting forward, not the rich celebs themselves) will help to rebuild people's lives, but it is the way these soulless priviledged few seize this opportunity.
No longer will you hear the cry when someone faints: "Is there a doctor in the house?", it will be "Is there a popstar in the house that can sing a song to raise money for this person who has fainted?" ... and there will be a queue of popstars, with their chests heaving and their brows furrowed, really caring about the tragic event (until the cameras move onto the next news item). Great publicity and it is free... so although REM are waiving their royalties on the new version, and I am sure none of the artists will be paid, their own albums will see a sudden boost in sales.. and the record companies take their share of that, and the publishers, and the songwriters and the performers.... and still Haitians live in tin huts, just as they did before the earthquake. Where was Wyclef Jean before the earthquake...? Happy to be away from his birthplace and living in luxury I guess. Where was Chris Martin, well he visited Port au Prince with Oxfam a few years ago and agreed people were living in poverty there... thanks for that Chris. And so poverty and exploitation will continue until there is some equality of wealth... so that will be forever then.
And I suppose you could say, it is better to do something than just write a piece damning others for doing their bit for the cause, well, yes ok, you're right.