Random Notes and...remember "Sharing?"

"Sharing." That's an antique term, isn't it? You'll remember, a few years ago, when bloggers justified posting entire box sets, entire discographies, every new release, because it was all about "sharing." Kind, sweet, innocent, adorable "sharing."

Now all pretense has dropped, and most bloggers frankly demand PAYPAL donations. Blogs have sprung up that fester with porn ads and links. Thousands of people all have the same quick buck idea: build a blog, stock it with stolen merchandise, and make money off the Google ads and the donations. So much for "sharing." So much for real music fans who didn't just post an album and a link, or even a stolen "all music.com" review. Now it's organized crime. Not "sharing."

So many bloggers frankly, ironically, state, "If you don't donate, I can't "share" more music with you." Is that a music fan or some kind of sick pimp?

Here are some Random Notes from people who actually are in the music business, and don't simply "share" or steal and find some hypocritical way to justify it.

"For new bands, it's much more difficult to make a living, because when music is as cheap as water, only the department of water and power gets a check. The deals bands haveto sign these days — we thought we got fucked, but ourdeals now look like gems. Now, whether it's a major label or an indie label, bands have to sign away a third of their publishing, a third of the money they make on tour, a third of their merchandise, just to get their toe in the door to get a minimal recording budget. So that is certainly unhealthy."
TOM MORELLO, guitarist, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

"Everyone's trying to put out a record WHILE THEY STILL CAN. Who knows if you still can put out fucking records a year or two from now? Is it going to be online only? Is it going to be singles?"
BOB MCLYNN, manager, FALL OUT BOY

"I'm used to releasing a record and selling 2 or 3 million. I don't want to sell 22,000 copies. The whole label structure is falling apart."
STEVE MILLER