[Dixielandjazz] Free Music for Sale or How to Learn To Love Copyright Law

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

Hi Steve and all:


As I recall there is much more sinister reason for this Grateful Dead 
situation.

IN their beginnings the signed one of the WORST RECORD LABEL DEALS in 
the history of ROCK & ROLL, WHICH VIRTUALLY gave them nothing in 
royalties,  story has it that when they sobered up they encouraged 
their fans to record their concerts for free as a protest against their 
record deal.   This situation caused the band to constantly tour and be 
a live performing act to earn a living with their music.   Remember 
this was in the stoned out 60s of free love and peace and sex and grass 
etc, and those who followed the band became a very large cult of 
DeadHeads,  and they still exist today, At least those that survived.

Eventually the management of the Dead changed and they learned to be 
more businesslike and capitalistic now selling anything they can put 
Skulls on or now Jerry Garcia's face. etc.   From the free wheeling TIE 
DYE T SHIRT DAYS TO Greatful Dead Ties for the closet Dead Heads 
working in three piece suits that actually grew up and got real jobs. 
:))

They were under Ruthless Promoter Bill Graham's control for most of 
their early career, and never did get away from him cleanly because 
they both grew to be giants in the ROCK WORLD together off of each 
other's association, good or bad, and while they were no longer married 
to Bill on a management contract they had no choice but to play for him 
as an act on their tours because by that time he controlled most of the 
ROCK CONCERT TOURING SCENE AND THE VENUES THEY PLAYED AT.

Small World this music business,  huh?   now Clear Channel owns 45% OF 
THE COMMERCIAL RADIO stations in the USA most of the venues across the 
country where the Rock acts play, and most of the former major 12 Rock 
Promoters companies also have been bought out by Clear Channel, 
including BILL GRAHAM Presents  which has been the Largest ROCK SHOW 
PROMOTION COMPANY IN THE World FOR MANY MANY YEARS.   And that is just 
on the USA side of the pond,  they are also doing the same thing in 
Europe where they have been rapidly buying up Jazz Festivals and major 
event producers as well.

They are now being sued on a daily basis all over the place, and the 
story has a strange replay scenario to the Great attempt to do the same 
thing back in the 60,s 70, by MCA as I recall.   History does indeed 
Repeat Itself.  Especially for those of us who live long enough to see 
it.

Cheers,

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sat, 03 Dec 2005 09:53:24 -0500
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Free Music for Sale or How to Learn To Love 
Copyright Law

    Here is an interesting take on the trading/downloading of recorded 
music
 from The Grateful Dead, who allowed it for years. Also note the idea 
that
each live concert is a different event and worth recording, even though 
the
songs may be the same.

Cheers,
Steve