i've always enjoyed this conversation over the more typical "vinyl vs mp3" "analog vs digital" ones. there's usually some sort of split that happens with the fogies who refuse new digital innovations and standard in their cumbubble of antiquation; the middle men who repel the changes at first, then coming to terms with it, acknowledging its innate performance as progression, or even coming to appreciate it. and then there are those who were born into it and probably thrive off the advantages. example: where its taken you, old man, to amass your vinyl collection over the last 35 years, thousands and thousands of dollars spent; we, the young cats with hi-speed basically pluck these things out of the info-sphere. but i guess somebody put them there in the first place. lets call them... gift givers.
there will always be those who are torn by the diced up customs of generation. but for any of you who ever owned a sun microsystems ctr, grew up any respectable cyberpunk pulp, the internet, the late 90's technology boom; its not hard to see that technology is vastly improving itself every second. its nature is to expand, replicate, improve, and arguably continue. i dont think it needs to be some sentient AI to be able to be considered an animal already. and its beginning to work in tandem with our genetics; each new generation splits off into a a new fractal of cooperation and acceptance with technology.
ya i luv sci fi, funny you should ask...
anyway, i think that a conversation about "free music" (free anything) can't go without the discussion of alternative economic systems. free music is a good idea, the intentions behind it could be so pure; but we are still so far away from implementing that freedom beyond the occasional treat. perhaps music, as information, wants to be free. but anyway, i don't know much about alternative economics and systems beyond the reliance of currency (as in cash, cold & hard). im learning, but i couldn't hold my own in anything but idealist rhetoric. it still bugs me that i was under the impression, as many people still are, that MONEY is the one and only possible prize of exchange. its not that i thought there were no alternative methods of commerce... the thought rarely entered my mind and the concept of trading, barter, gift, and non/post scarcity seemed more like off-to-the-side practices for idealists and people who wanted to feel nice or something. i've just been coming to appreciate the flirt that money does not equal freedom, contrary to what my parents have always told me.
maybe someone else could introduce the machines of transaction here, as i think this debate is MUCH more than just a "well, free stuff is nifty and all... but its just unfair" kind of thing. the idea is only unfair because we are still experimenting with it all. the distinction of "how it may work" hasn't entirely been made yet and it just leaves some people feeling robbed and confused. and rightly so. but things are changing and it is relevant because it is happening. perhaps free music (free as in NOT BOUND) could mean freedom for the artist.
although i may sound like another horn-tooting dreamer coming in from far left, i am just trying to contribute some thoughts. and, as an artist, ill try not to apologize too much, but its in my nature.
