OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY
Who remembers the DJs arrested a year ago?
A year ago, some DJs were arrested for using music recorded on CDs in their sets. Without asking whether that content had been legally purchased before being recorded, the police applied a flawed criterion that, nevertheless, prompted the industry to reflect on music piracy as a foundation for many club sets. A year later, nothing remains of those debates. Absolutely nothing?
(Article published in the June 2010 issue – no. 149)
I think we've managed to create a space where we can talk about our industry and the things that happen in a critical yet constructive way, and where you can share your opinions. Sometimes I think I should be more forceful, because there's so much to discuss, but my position and respect for opinions contrary to my own deserve careful consideration. Perhaps I'll change over time… After the three parts dedicated to Deejaymags, it's time to change course and celebrate the first anniversary of the written part of 'Sutil Sensations', looking back at what was our first 'REFLECTION'…
MY (SUTIL) EDITORIAL
Exactly one year ago, I started this section with a current topic. An issue that we might say has 'calmed down,' but it shouldn't, as it shows that things are still going down the wrong path. I want to revisit the topic, and I hope I can now receive comments, since I didn't get any a year ago (the novelty, of course…). This is crucial for moving on to next month's topic, which I'll dedicate to our beloved SGAE (Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers).
What about those arrests a year ago for playing music recorded on CDs? And what about those meetings we had at the respective SGAE (Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers) headquarters to unite and find a solution? Let me refresh your memory. Just over a year ago, arrests were made in various venues/clubs. Those responsible for the raids considered that the DJs, simply by using music previously recorded on CDs, were doing something illegal, without even asking if those copies were made from a legally purchased original. Once again, it's clear how peculiar the methods of some police officers in this country are, since even with just a little knowledge of music, applying logic and common sense alone, one can reach this conclusion.
What's clear is that every cloud has a silver lining, and as I said publicly at the SGAE headquarters in Barcelona, I was very pleased with those arrests, because of what they seemed to signify at the time: that finally someone was taking action on this issue and wanted to put an end to the farce of illegal downloads. But it was just a false alarm, because as quickly as those events occurred, they stopped, and we're back in the same situation: many DJs playing illegally downloaded music and nobody doing anything to stop it. So, what was the point of what happened? None (or very little). A scare for some, but everything remains the same…
I know that many of you reading this article download music illegally, since Spain leads the world in piracy, and the probability calculations would indicate as much. But many others don't, because you respect music and its creators. My experience has confirmed that amateur DJs buy more music than 'professional' DJs—shocking, isn't it? Well, it's true, and many record store owners (back when they existed) told me so, confirming this fact. The amateur DJ, the one who spends part of their savings, their allowance, or their salary on music, is the one who buys the music they consume. They are the ones who truly 'sustain' what little business remains in the music industry. The fact that many DJs who call themselves 'professional' download music illegally (and I say this so clearly, because some have admitted it to me when I cornered them with questions and in the end they had to 'sing'), and that those who do it as a hobby or for pleasure do so by paying, shows, in the end, that those who love music respect it, those who respect it value it, and those who value it do not hesitate to pay for it.
Returning to the matter at hand, I suppose you can see that I do NOT agree with illegal downloads; who does? Only those who don't make a living from them, and those who couldn't care less. Examples like that of my former shipmate and friend Dan Massada, to mention someone I'm close to who has decided to leave the world of production because he can no longer make a living doing what he loves most, are clear enough.
The problem is that we've turned obtaining free music into a socially acceptable and accepted activity. I confess, therefore, that I'm likely to lose, as I've said repeatedly that this is a losing battle. Furthermore, by writing what I'm writing, I risk making enemies, and those of us who make a living in the arts can't afford to create animosity, even though, as you can see, I'm taking that risk. That's why I'm doing this refresher, because it's necessary to keep insisting on the issues that haven't been resolved. And that's why I'm going to write about the SGAE (Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers) next month, since imposing fees on taxi drivers and hairdressers only worsens the situation. But I'll delve deeper into that topic next month.
Following the debate sparked by the arrests, and the meetings held to create a collective of DJs to form a professional association and thus have more strength together than separately, nobody remembers anymore… So I ask myself… What should we do? Throw in the towel, or try to keep fighting to improve the situation?
Now more than ever, I need to know what you think and invite you to leave your comments at davidgausa.com
Cheer up!!
These
Articles are published monthly in the Spanish magazine Deejay.
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