Australian Music In Tune – rock stars explain to kids that illegal downloads mean they can't buy their next Ferrari

We’ve had threats, we’ve had warnings, there’s even been prison time but illegal music downloading is still on the increase. Now the music industry is taking a softly, softly approach in Australia where the Australian Music In Tune campaign lets the artists tell us thieves about the effect we’re having on their lives in a whole bunch of interviews with musicians I’ve never even heard of.

The trouble is, it’s very difficult to sympathise with how hard they have it when they’re sitting there giving us sob stories from behind Gucci sunglasses and AUS$1,000 haircuts.

You know what. It is hard. Being a rock star is hard. Seriously. But so is everyone else’s life and we don’t get all the perks. Besides, not everybody is fortunate enough to be able to make a living doing what they love.

One of the artists makes a really good point about doing it for the love of it and she’s right. There’ll always be musicians and music, even if the music industry collapses, because some artists simply have to create it. What’s more, they’ll always be a demand for it too. Music existed long before the record industry ever did.

And you know what, I think they’ve got a bit of a cheek demanding a living for their work. They’re fortunate to be making any money from it. What about all the more talented, less media-viable artists that deserve to make it in their place but didn’t because they weren’t pretty enough? Do they give any of their profits over to them? How about buying them a drink?

I hate this subject and I love it. People should be paid for making music. It’s their work and they earned it but they’ve no right to be demanding more money than any other worker. So long as they can live comfortably, so long as they can afford to make music full-time, then where’s the problem?

Maybe the pop industry’s bubble has burst but don’t make out that it’s a problem for anyone but the talentless and overpaid.

Australian Music In Tune (via Wired)

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