The band actually admires the enthusiasm of file-sharers.
In an interview with Australia’s X-Press Online, Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche makes some interesting comments about his thoughts on file-sharing and how he feel about his albums getting downloaded for free.
We’ve heard tons of comments from music artists that lament about how file-sharers have literally stolen food from their kid’s mouths, puts people out of work, etc., etc. but, we rarely hear about music artists that give it a thumbs up.
Now artists don’t really make that much money off of CDs anyway, it’s usually in the area of only a dollar or two depending on the financial arrangement made with the recording company. The bulk of an artist’s income comes from concert touring and merchandising where they get to keep all the money they make.
Yet still, when was the last time you heard of an artist saying that “…it is way more important for the music to be heard than for us to get a little money off of every CD” as the do in this interview? Maybe never?
THE INTERVIEW
XO: The album streamed on the web. Does it concern you that people will end up with copies of the album months before it is officially released?
Kotche: Not at all. That is how things are going to be. If people are that excited about it that they are going to get the software, figure out how to record it and trade it amongst themselves then I think that is great, they are enthusiastic about it.
I have said it before, it’s absolutely true… I have met countless people at shows who have confessed that they have downloaded our records illegally – or burned copies instead of buying it – and then you see them at a show and they have bought tickets to the show and they are going to buy the older records or t-shirts or whatever. They are supporting the band and for me – and for all of us – it is way more important for the music to be heard than for us to get a little money off of every CD. The reason we make it is for people to enjoy it and for people to relate to it, so that doesn’t bother me at all. I think that people who resist that are kidding themselves and that is the way that it is going to be in the future.
XO: It’s nice to hear a band embrace the technology and not kick against it or fear it.
Kotche: It is not even the technology for me. You make music, you want people to hear it, you know? If they can’t afford it and want to check it out, I don’t care if they buy it or not.
I love the part where Kotche says if a guy is going to go through all of the effort to download and share it with others that that’s “great,” that he “loves the enthusiasm.” Again, it’s also refreshing to hear from an artist who’s so bold to announce to that it’s really all about the music, that money is secondary to what is obviously still his creative passion. When you have guys like Lars from Metallica whining about how they’re losing a penny from each of the millions of dollars his band rakes in each year it really makes you wonder what his true passion in life is. Is it his music or the income from his music? I’d be willing to bet it’s the latter these days.
Like Kotche says so admirably, “You make music, you want people to hear it.” Spoken like a TRUE music artist.
digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/music/Wilco_on_P2P_the_music_s_more_important_than_making_money_off_of_every_CD’;
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“I have said it before it’s absolutely true… I have met countless people at shows who have confessed that they have downloaded our records illegally – or burned copies instead of buying it – and then you see them at a show and they have bought tickets to the show and they are going to buy the older records or t-shirts or whatever. They are supporting the band and for me – and for all of us – it is way more important for the music to be heard than for us to get a little money off of every CD.”
WELL I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! A BAND THAT ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT IT’S MUSIC OVER MONEY! How about that?
Oh and on the subject of Lars…the drummer of metallica that guy is jerk! A friend of mine that is a local musician and a much bigger guy than Lars was backstage with me tallica after his band opened for them when they came to my city. He said he got along with the band great and that they were really cool….until Lars and him accidentally met in a narrow hallway…. and Lars said unto my friend…”You are in my way!”No greetings or anything just…”You are in my way”.
My friend was ready to clean his clock and told him “You are not big enough to be talking to me like that!” And the only way he let lars keep his teeth was because of the urging from the other band members that said Lars was not even worth it. Why they can put up with the guy is beyond me.
He IS a good drummer but me and him would have gotten into it long ago.Because I believe that it does not matter HOW good of a musician you are…it does not give you the right to go and make a jackass of yourself! I told my friend I would have had a good laugh if Lars would have ended up in the hospital and I read it in the paper the next day. One of these days though Lars will get into it with someone who he will wish he never had!
I know isn’t it wild. I like when he also says “You make music you want people to hear it ” the real reason people make music in the first place Id hope is for the enjoyment of yourself and others not so you can sling CDs professionally but to PLAY MUSIC professionally.
Figured Lars was a dick. He always comes off that way and you cant be covered as many times as he has in the press and not chalk it up to poor reporting or something.
Ive been a wilco fan for some time. They are great.