Wired coverage of Doug Morris, Universal's CEO.

[Webmaster]

Wired has a fascinating article about Doug Morris and Universal's response to digital music. From the article: Easy profits ended up blinding the industry to the threat of MP3s. Throughout the '90s, a handful of insiders warned of the need to get out in front of digital music, but for the most part they were ignored. The big corporations that had snapped up record labels in the '80s and '90s continued to focus on short-term financial results, even as it become amply clear that the advantages of CDs — control, convenience, durability, flexibility — were even more pronounced with digital files. "There's this mentality of always needing to make the numbers for the next quarter," says Ted Cohen, a former exec at EMI and Warner Bros., now managing partner at the consulting firm TAG Strategic. "It kept me up at night. Some of us could see that something needed to be done, but no one wanted to do anything that wouldn't maximize profit for that quarter."

Morris was as myopic as anyone. Today, when he complains about how digital music created a completely new way of doing business, he actually sounds angry. "This business had been the same for 25 years," he says. "The hardest thing was to get something that somebody wanted to buy — to make a product that anybody liked."

And that's what Morris, and everyone else, continued to focus on. "The record labels had an opportunity to create a digital ecosystem and infrastructure to sell music online, but they kept looking at the small picture instead of the big one," Cohen says. "They wouldn't let go of CDs." It was a serious blunder, considering that MP3s clearly had the potential to break the major labels' lock on distribution channels. Instead of figuring out a way to exploit the new medium, they alternated between ignoring it and launching lawsuits against the free file-sharing networks that cropped up to fill the void.

[bobzilli]

Every business has changed, the difference being the arrogance of the music industry has blinded itself. The article goes through the issue with morris who at the end wants to STILL have DRM on a subscription. Let me see, people don't want to buy the music with DRM so our answer us to lease it to them with DRM. These guys are nuts

[Strungup]

Meanwhile we can just send each other MD's .

I have played for audiences of 10 , all the way up to 10,000 . I have had songs stolen , I have lost band members to songs they wrote for someone else.( one of the guitarist I worked with wrote the song "I hate everything about you " made famous by the group Ugly Kid Joe) .That is how I lost him , showed up with a hefty check and he said he was headed for LA .

Screw the music industry , there wouldnt be a music industry without us musicians .

There , I ranted .

Edited December 1, 2007 by Guitarfxr

[Webmaster]

... Screw the music industry , there wouldnt be a music industry without us musicians .

As a friend once said, the term "Music Industry" is an oxymoron. Music is not an industrial product, but rather a personal creation. I wonder if file copying will end the era of mega-artists and return us to the days when home grown music is listened to live in local venues. Would it be so bad?

[Strungup]

As a friend once said, the term "Music Industry" is an oxymoron. Music is not an industrial product, but rather a personal creation. I wonder if file copying will end the era of mega-artists and return us to the days when home grown music is listened to live in local venues. Would it be so bad?

I think that would be wonderful , more Jam sessions , more people actually talking to each other , more people actually buying each other a Beer , and enjoying it rather than getting plastered and driving home killing someone in the process.

I miss the Actual "Open Mic Nights" , of earlier times , where you had Musicians of every level getting together on a Saturday night and just having a good time , instead of all the Hype and bullcrap DJ hosted parties , and dance club routines . 250 musicians in a large bar/livehouse Doesnt matter what race you are , what your ethnic background is, what religion your into , your there for one reason ......... to Jam , thats it . And that took precedent over everything , very rarely would there be a fight ( and it would always be over a girl , not the jam ) There are some Open mics left in the US , I am trying to get the Idea of Open Mics going here in Japan , there are only a few , but they are more business venture than Open Mics , and they are in the heart of Tokyo .

Music Industry = Musicians getting 10 percent ( if your lucky) of what they are worth , and some company getting the other 90 .

Music Industry = Music you would rather NOT hear forced upon you because the idea of a Certain sound SHOULD be popular and an Image that will sell well is all that matters .

Music Industry = Really good musicians playing in Subways , and train stations , basically being ignored because the Record company hasn't plastered a poster telling everyone that they MUST like this person , all over every dept store and shopping mall , tv commercial that they can market to .

Music industry = Dead music , Music with no life no story , no meaning , no content , no reality .

I sat in with Dizzy Gillespy , ........ at an open mic, I met Kirk Whalums Uncle , Peanuts Whalum ,......at an Open Mic ( absolutely wonderful human being , played with him MANY times after that ) Met Wynton Marselis at an Open Mic Jazz Jam

The Jam session is where the Famous musicians becomes the guy next door , and it is where the best and most pertinent musical education takes place . It is where the amatuer gets pro advice and a glimpse of history in action , and a REAL expansion of mind and Spirit musically .

The Music Industry Killed that .

[bobt]

I think that would be wonderful , more Jam sessions , more people actually talking to each other , more people actually buying each other a Beer , and enjoying it rather than getting plastered and driving home killing someone in the process.

I miss the Actual "Open Mic Nights" , of earlier times , where you had Musicians of every level getting together on a Saturday night and just having a good time , instead of all the Hype and bullcrap DJ hosted parties , and dance club routines . 250 musicians in a large bar/livehouse Doesnt matter what race you are , what your ethnic background is, what religion your into , your there for one reason ......... to Jam , thats it . And that took precedent over everything , very rarely would there be a fight ( and it would always be over a girl , not the jam ) There are some Open mics left in the US , I am trying to get the Idea of Open Mics going here in Japan , there are only a few , but they are more business venture than Open Mics , and they are in the heart of Tokyo .

Music Industry = Musicians getting 10 percent ( if your lucky) of what they are worth , and some company getting the other 90 .

Music Industry = Music you would rather NOT hear forced upon you because the idea of a Certain sound SHOULD be popular and an Image that will sell well is all that matters .

Music Industry = Really good musicians playing in Subways , and train stations , basically being ignored because the Record company hasn't plastered a poster telling everyone that they MUST like this person , all over every dept store and shopping mall , tv commercial that they can market to .

Music industry = Dead music , Music with no life no story , no meaning , no content , no reality .

I sat in with Dizzy Gillespy , ........ at an open mic, I met Kirk Whalums Uncle , Peanuts Whalum ,......at an Open Mic ( absolutely wonderful human being , played with him MANY times after that ) Met Wynton Marselis at an Open Mic Jazz Jam

The Jam session is where the Famous musicians becomes the guy next door , and it is where the best and most pertinent musical education takes place . It is where the amatuer gets pro advice and a glimpse of history in action , and a REAL expansion of mind and Spirit musically .

The Music Industry Killed that .

I volunteered for many years at the Edmonton Folk music Festival. That venue is famous for it's open stages, as we;; as the after fetival all night parties where anyone can play with anyone.(Tuvan throat singers jamming with Ry Cooder, Violent Femmes jamming with Taj Mahal) it's around, go to Cuba, it's there on a large scale.

Yeah things will have to change, but it's still generally all right

Bob

[Strungup]

Bob ,... Your always the comforting soul arent you . I really hope that package gets thre quick , I cant find another one

[bobt]

Bob ,... Your always the comforting soul arent you . I really hope that package gets thre quick , I cant find another one

Appreciate it TC, just keep your words of wisdom coming as well.

Bob

[bat21]

[Strungup]

That is Beautiful!!!! ROTF