Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Napster - It smells of freedom and we love that smell

Author:marekj
Posted:7/26/2000; 8:47:21 PM
Topic:Napster ordered to be shut down
Msg #:19158 (In response to 19150)
Prev/Next:19157 / 19159

I grew up in communistm. One of the ways we could dream of freedom was to listen to western music. It smelled of freedom and we loved that smell. We were addicted to that smell.

We were swapping music right and left. It was like currency. If a friend brought me some great american or british band on a crappy cassette tape (and it sounded bad because it was a copy of a copy of a copy and so on....) it was like holding american dollars in my hand. It was currency. It was power in my hands for just one more day to buy freedom to listen to this great music.

It carried with it respect for all of those friends who took trouble to share this awesome music with me and I loved it.

We never heard about some Recording Industry Association. For me they did not exist. For me they didn't have to because we loved music so much we shared the best tunes with each other and our respect for musicians grew.

There were many british bands that came to tour in Poland and they were supprised at the huge following of fans they had in Poland.

You know what, we did not have some Recording Industry Association to push music on us and market it to us. We marketed this stuff to each other. We enriched our lives with music because communism was not somthing that I got excited about when I woke up in the morning. I woke up and listened to Rush or Led Zeppelin or Rolling Stones or Marillion or Dire Straits and you know what I never bought these albums. I made $10 bucks a month to live on and did not have money to buy music. The artists did not get paid by me when I listened to their music, but those musicians got respect and appreciation from this polish communist immigrant kid. Forever these musicians will live in my heart. They were transforming the world with their music and I am so grateful for it.

I am grateful to the musicians and not the "suits" who got paid big bucks for promoting them.

Here is some thought for you "recording industry suits" guys.

You live in a world of illusion. You think that you cause people to love music and listen to it by making deals and pretty ad. Sorry to wake you up from this unreality. We the listeners are the one who decide which musician gets famous and which one doesn't. We the listeners are the ones who vote with our hearts. If the music we listen touches our hearts it will forever transform the way we view ourselves and the world around us.

I am writing this listening to the Tubular Bells (Part One) by Mike Oldfield. I downloaded it from Napster some 3 weeks ago. It brings tears to my eyes because it reminds me of my growing up in communism and how wonderful it was to listen to this music with friends at night dreaming about freedom.

But I guess you "suits" guys don't care about that. You sit at night wondering how much revenue you can extract from some kid who is in love with freedom.

To musicians I want to say.

Thank you for countless hours you spend struggling with your souls to create a piece of art that will touch human hearts. In the end you also get taken advantage of by the "suits" But guess what. It's over. NO MORE. We the fans of your music will carry the torch and pass yours songs to our friends and we will come to your concerts and we will buy your t-shirts and we don't need some major label companies. All we ask that you remain true to your art and share your passion with us. Take the jump. We will not let you fall. Thank you for the music. It lifts my soul and it's one of the reasons I am in America today creating opportunities for myself and those around me.

In a sarcastic way some of those big record companies executives could say to me

"Marek, You don't understand. You are just this immigrant from Poland. You grew up in Eastern Europe behind the iron curtain and you just don't understand the way capitalism works and the way we need to protect our intellectual right"

Well. Please stuff your intellectual rights wherever you want.

Thanks. Marek J



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