SeanG 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (38) comment rss

  • On the post: NBC Continues To Do The Exact Wrong Thing When It Comes To The Olympics Online

    SeanG ( profile ), 09 Feb, 2010 @ 11:45am

    I have to take issue with one thing. I'm a person who likes the events no one cares about. Only via the internet was I able to get my fill of fencing in the 08 games. Yes, I like fencing, gotta problem with that? I also found the table tennis to be way more interesting than expected. I personally don't give a crap about basketball, figure skating, or many of the "big name" olympic events. The online content can serve a niche market. Also, is a delay really bad if being live means being up at 2am? I would like to be able to see everything online though. I'm one of those freaks that doesn't even have a tv.

  • On the post: Brian Eno Explains How The Recording Industry Is Like Whale Blubber

    SeanG ( profile ), 28 Jan, 2010 @ 10:04pm

    Re: Another example...

    Or, rather than move on or die out, you find a smaller niche you can be successful in. Such is the case for valves which, even with advances in digital modeling, find happy homes in guitar amps and high end audiophile equipment.

  • On the post: Time To Recognize That The Recording Industry Is Not The Music Industry

    SeanG ( profile ), 20 Jan, 2010 @ 09:27am

    I recently blogged about this myself. The RIAA are like politicians. I want to vomit in my shoes whenever I hear a politician claim they are representing "the American People" like they know what we all want and that we all want the same thing. The RIAA and it's superstar artists do the same thing but they don't know me, they don't know what I need and want. And that's why they are failing. At least politicians get elected.

  • On the post: Will Lower Prices Help Sell More Albums?

    SeanG ( profile ), 20 Jan, 2010 @ 08:08am

    Re: Yes

    Exactly what I was thinking. At least half my cd collection is used.

  • On the post: Dear Rock Stars: Please Stop Claiming You're Just Interested In Helping Up-And-Coming Artists

    SeanG ( profile ), 11 Jan, 2010 @ 08:04pm

    Re:

    Would be nice but since the industry itself hands out the Grammys I doubt it could happen. The Grammy awards are just a bunch of self congratulating insiders. I think you're more likely to see the awards fold altogether.

  • On the post: Dear Rock Stars: Please Stop Claiming You're Just Interested In Helping Up-And-Coming Artists

    SeanG ( profile ), 11 Jan, 2010 @ 07:58pm

    Re: Re: Outliers?

    Wouldn't it be nice if we really let our capitalist economy do it's thing for once? You know, like let a failing business actually fail?

  • On the post: Dear Rock Stars: Please Stop Claiming You're Just Interested In Helping Up-And-Coming Artists

    SeanG ( profile ), 11 Jan, 2010 @ 07:54pm

    Re: Re:

    But if you're an artist in a smaller niche, the internet makes staking a claim on that niche possible. It can be noise if you're trying to play in an already crowded field. But there is also opportunity to specialize in a certain type of coffee or spatula, to use your metaphor. It's the 1000 true fans idea. Hell, about a hundred true fans can pay for a 1000 cd print run. I haven't actually liked a new song from a new band on the radio enough to buy their cd in about 15 years.

    Personal anecdote: About 12 years ago I discovered a band called Symphony X, thanks to the internet. I also could only buy their cd as an import from Germany (also, thanks to the net). After flipping through the booklet I find they are from NEW JERSEY! Over the years since then I have found so many great bands all over the world who've been utterly ignored by major labels. No, I don't expect the music I like to be popular enough to attract major label attention. But I don't need the major label machine to deliver the music to me either.

  • On the post: France Considers 'Right To Forget' Law, Apparently Not Realizing The Internet Never Forgets

    SeanG ( profile ), 08 Jan, 2010 @ 02:03pm

    I've said this in other contexts, but it applies here. 1984 is not a 'how to' manual. I'm sure Orwell would have included the internet if it had existed.

  • On the post: Nirvana's Bassist: I Don't Understand Having ISPs Regulate Copyright Files, But I Support Bono's Position Anyway

    SeanG ( profile ), 08 Jan, 2010 @ 01:56pm

    Re:

    Good point. Novoselic's post-Nirvana music career is barely a blip on the radar, while Grohl has been at least relevant. I'd even say I like a lot of Dave's work.

  • On the post: Nirvana's Bassist: I Don't Understand Having ISPs Regulate Copyright Files, But I Support Bono's Position Anyway

    SeanG ( profile ), 08 Jan, 2010 @ 01:44pm

    Re: The Slippery Slope

    I didn't even know you could download a big mac. What else have I been missing?

  • On the post: Bono: We Should Use China's Censorship As An Example Of How To Stop Piracy

    SeanG ( profile ), 07 Jan, 2010 @ 05:25pm

    Re: Re: Re:

    I have to second point number 4 there. Whether a songwriter or performer under the old system you'd only make good, consistent money when you get to be a superstar. Or, luck/break into something steady like commercial jingles.

  • On the post: Bono: We Should Use China's Censorship As An Example Of How To Stop Piracy

    SeanG ( profile ), 07 Jan, 2010 @ 05:21pm

    Re: Re: What's this "we" stuff?

    Ireland has some very favorable tax laws for artists and musicians. And racecar drivers, for some reason, according to my Irish ex-inlaws.

  • On the post: Bono: We Should Use China's Censorship As An Example Of How To Stop Piracy

    SeanG ( profile ), 07 Jan, 2010 @ 05:18pm

    Re: music

    Right! Good hint. I updated my profile with links. I don't think it's good etiquette to dump them in the comment thread, but they're in my profile.

  • On the post: Bono: We Should Use China's Censorship As An Example Of How To Stop Piracy

    SeanG ( profile ), 04 Jan, 2010 @ 10:57am

    Re:

    Your argument might be valid if smaller bands with industry-standard record deals actually made any money from album sales. Bands signed to major labels don't make any money on album sales until they get as big a U2. The labels are pissy because we're cutting into their legal piracy (doing everything they can to squeeze a band for every last dime and avoid paying out to the band).

    For the indie bands, we're either too small to get pirated or the exposure is worth a few lost sales anyway. In 11 years my band has never turned up on a torrent site except what I've put there myself. File sharing helps this little guy.

  • On the post: Younger Employees Teaching Companies That Personal Surfing Isn't Evil

    SeanG ( profile ), 13 Jul, 2009 @ 02:28pm

    Makes sense to me, depending on your job. I'm at work right now. I'm either frantically busy or twiddling my thumbs. The company can either pay me full time for part time work. Or, I can take these little net breaks and I'm still in the building if I'm needed.

  • On the post: YouTube Supposedly Killing The Live Album… But Is That A Bad Thing?

    SeanG ( profile ), 28 May, 2009 @ 02:02pm

    So really, what was the last band to actually break big on a live album? Frampton, Cheap Trick, Kiss? I'm 33 and I can't remember a single band I've been a fan of first getting big on a live album. Well, maybe Primus. I can't think of anyone else. Almost every album cited in the Slate article is over 20 years old.

  • On the post: CNN Follows Fox News In Using DMCA To Take Down Fair Use Videos

    SeanG ( profile ), 20 Apr, 2009 @ 12:30pm

    Fair use and parody

    I think The Daily Show is clearly parody, which has a pretty wide fair use berth. Stanford U library has a pretty good online resource for copyright and fair use, easier to read than the government's site. From my interpretation, these DCMA takedowns are total crap when they are being parodied or used to make commentary about their content.

    The Stanford site:
    http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html

  • On the post: Is There Something Fundamentally Better About 'Print' Than 'Online'?

    SeanG ( profile ), 07 Apr, 2009 @ 07:56am

    I do like the aesthetics of a printed page. As others have said, I like the portability of it and I don't really care if my newspaper or book gets crumpled or wet. I have not yet experienced the Kindle. I would be all for that or a similar device that can mimic the feel and convenience and deliver the dynamics of web based content. I'm sure it won't be too long before we're there.