<html><body><span style="font-family:Arial; color:#000000; font-size:10pt;"><div>Which would be why I said "If you were self employed". You're comparing artists to wage earners, employees of the record companies. Do you think that's how they like to view themselves when they sign a record deal - as an employee of the record company?</div>
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<div>Being an employee of the record company would restrict their creativity and freedom, would it not? Or are you saying that, as an employee of a company yourself, you can work how you like, do whatever hours you want, wear what you want at all times, have a break or a day off whenever you feel like it etc?</div>
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<div>Because I'm self employed, and right now I'm sitting in my living room doing my job, listening to music (out loud), wearing shorts and an ice hockey jersey, while reading and writing emails that are work-related and non-work related. I started at 7.30am, will finish when the work's done and have breaks when I want. And I pay my accountant. He does not pay me.</div>
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<div>I would therefore argue that being an employee of a company generally allows one less freedom and creativity than being one's own boss. Thus, the current music industry is run back-to-front, with record companies in control where artists ought to be, and creativity and freedom is duly reduced in the industry.</div>
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<div>And if you don't believe me, look how long the sodding Black Eyed Peas were number one in the USA.</div>
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<div >-------- Original Message --------<BR>Subject: Re: [pp.int.general] Protest certain musicians?<BR>From: "Christian Hufgard" <pp@christian-hufgard.de><BR>Date: Thu, October 29, 2009 11:27 am<BR>To: "Pirate Parties International -- General Talk"<BR><pp.international.general@lists.pirateweb.net><BR><BR>> So your argument in favour of record companies / music labels is that it<BR>> frees the artist up to make music?<BR><BR>Yes, but. :)<BR><BR>> If that's the case, then logically the artist pays the company to do it,<BR>> right?<BR>> They're providing a service to him that he doesn't want to do himself,<BR>> like cleaning or decorating or accountancy, so he pays them?<BR><BR>That works only, if the artist has enough money to pay them. Newcomer do<BR>not have this money.<BR><BR><BR>> If you were self employed, would you hire an accountant, and make them pay<BR>> you and provide their accountancy service, but then allow them to keep a<BR>> huge proportion of the money you make?<BR><BR>Well, at my work it works exactly that way. I do work, a customer pays for<BR>it and I receive only little percentage of what he pays.<BR><BR>Christian<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></span></body></html>