Piracy makes music free. And touring? It's on "the house"

Ignorant people (bloggers, torrent downloaders, crapathetic members of the RIAA) ignore piracy. They of course could care less about the moral aspect. They convince themselves that "sharing" isn't stealing, and "copyright is copy wrong." Lots more rationalizations, if not simply, "I'm entitled," "I get a kick out of giving away music," and "don't spoil my fun."

The bottom line is usually that instead of royalties, the artist should "tour, and sell t-shirts." They say this from the comfort of their homes. They say this while on "the government teat" and getting social security, or living in mom's basement. They say this without caring that not only is the artist suffering, but record stores, recording engineers, back-up musicians, and the ECONOMY IN GENERAL.

A lot of artists no longer even think about making music or writing new songs. This includes famous names, who have grumbled that a new album will embarrass them because it won't go gold like the early ones. It includes people who don't want to go to CD Baby, but want to be on the same major label where they once had hit songs, but...are now too old to be signed, especially with piracy cutting into sales. The more stole'd the less SOLD.

As for "touring and selling t-shirts," how many t-shirts does anyone need? How many music fans actually understand how lonely and miserable it is to drive around from small venue to small venue, spending so much time calling up to arrange gigs or dealing with all those "so sue me" club owners who never pay. How about the gas money, the hotels, the depreciation on the car, and lugging the equipment AND t-shirts and CDs? I could go on.

Some try. They've been on a major label more than once. They love to perform. They are willing to even do "house concerts." These are practically on the house. Consider a plumber won't touch a toilet for $200 (plus parts). The idea is for YOU to support the artist, like you claim you do.

And nobody does. The clown with the blog who says "if you like it buy it" isn't going to contact 10 or 20 friends to arrange a "house concert" for a favorite artist?? He doesn't have even TWO friends, just strangers who say "thanks for the download, now I'd like..."

Here's how one artist explains it...Two 45 minute sets IN YOUR HOME or in a bar, restaurant or schoolroom you might be able to secure...

Got all that? Charge, oh, $25 per person. YOU can be a promoter. See how you like it. See how easy it is to get even 10 people to commit to showing up. Or 20. See about arranging a date mutually agreeable for you, "the fans," and the artist who either must come in from a LONG distance from home, or arrange a series of shows for the weekend, to make being out, and staying in hotels, a possibility.

The old days ain't coming back. In the old days, an artist could make a living without even touring. Just on sales. Then it shifted. Everybody got the music free. Lucky and healthy artists with good managers, made money touring. Oh, to a dwindling audience without new material to sell. Then came YouTube and the camcorder crowd, and the ease of passing around entire concerts without having to GO to one. "Oh, I got an entire recent show. No need for ME to spend money or do any travel! Thanks for the SHARE!"

Today, it's "keep your day job, and somehow have the talent, ability and positive thinking to work on an album that won't even get a few hundred views on YouTube, and then go play on an open mic night, a low-paying club, or a "house concert" if the artist can find a few fans who have the skills to organize such a thing.

The lively arts? Most practitioners are the walking dead, staggering around while pirates who work as dull accountants or dumb sanitation workers or are just retired, go "ahar ahar, and thanks to the original uploader!"