letter to Whitey Conwell re:Credit Problem End Rant

[Neal]

I read this letter from Whitey Conwell to Tape Op today on page 12 of #91 and it got me kind of hot. I've played in bands and recorded other bands so I like to think that I can see both sides of the story at least to a certain extent. Maybe I'm being a dick by putting this out in the public, but I kinda wanted to see what you guys think. This is my response to his letter:

Your letter to Tape Op magazine regarding giving credit to recording engineers on mp3s is ridiculous. It is not "analogous to listing a home for sale... and having to mention who painted the home and who provided the lawn care." Just about anybody can paint a house or mow a lawn. Chances are, while you might hire some 16-year-old kid or an immigrant of questionable legal status who doesn't speak English to paint your house or mow your lawn, you're not going to hire them to record your album and make your dreams come true. If you don't want to give people credit, then record yourself or just admit you're an asshole who doesn't value other people's work. The internet is a pretty big place and there's plenty of room on the "neon sign," as you put it.

[emrr]

Credits are a real problem, and I did not know the way it compares to the film industry. Music needs to catch up, but it's hindered by the sheer quantity of low rent independents and DIYers, which hardly exist in film and TV. Compare the European standards for sales and airplay compensation against our own, and it's an even bigger problem.

[Greener]

Why does the m in imdb stand for movies?

[comfortstarr]

I think the analogy he offered is a stretch... but I think he misses another point: music consumers--at least this one--are voracious about wanting to know about the music they're listening to (I suspect outside of mainstream music this applies to a lot of consumers). I want to know where a record was recorded, who was drinking what, who was doing the recording, what equipment was used. This not only leads to additional purchases from the artist--IF I LIKE THE SONGS!!!--but also additional purchases of artists related to the artist and the people who made the recording.