Here's the latest & hottest & absolutely stunning terrific update on all2gethernow: None other than Amanda Palmer, legend of DIY marketing comparable only to Trent Reznor, is coming to all2gethernow. We are in an absolute frenzy she's willing to do a Q&A session as well as a one-off gig. A kind of impromptu one. True AFP style.
The number of exhibitors was said to be low. Due to online piracy. This is what Dieter Gorny, CEO of German Body of Music Industry (BVMI) told the public when Popkomm (founded by Gorny), Germany's most important and one of Europe's largest music business conferences was cancelled on 19 June. Then, Jana Herwig blogged from Vienna: "Can't you do anything about it and make it happen yourself, bottom-up style? #unkomm".
No matter what an expert's study on the case might look like, the proof of availability for a sufficient number of free licensed content to counter GEMA's presumption has to be brought forward to court. The "GEMA assumption" is part of German jurisdiction, therefore it's much likely the ruling has to be found at Germany's highest court, the Federal Court (BGH). But the true challenge is its verifiability.
The licence market is protected by the GEMA presumption. The income of composers, authors and providers (labels) of GEMA licences is protected. Where's the threat? They are "threatened" by new providers, say authors of works under Creative Commons licence. Those are constrained in selling their licenses. Free licensed songs would represent a product substantially expanded by valuable properties. It is no substitute product but nevertheless a competitive one.
The line between private use and commercial use is not that clear, and it is not explicitly defined by Creative Commons. The definition rather relies on the author being the licenser. But in case you are about to license a work - just ask the author if the purpose you are intending is considered private or commercial use. The metadata of any work licensed under Creative Commons should allow for a contact option.
Reznor's point is straight forward and easy to understand. Bottom line is, master music & online tools, work hard, deliver something good - and sell something unique other than music. Because you can't rely on selling (recorded) music in itself. Music is ubiquitous. And it's free. Cash is about extras.
There's something going on in Germany. We already had our share of GEMA within the past few weeks (see Rapidshare and Jamendo). Read about it at ContentSphere, or do it over at TechDirt. GEMA, Germany's only collections society, still is surprisingly entertaining (if you're into cynism). But, there's some uprising fresh breeze, and it's coming from Germany's most southward located town: Sonthofen.
Part 4 of the interview includes Wolfram Huschke's answers concerning music industry, self-marketing as an artist, and the issues of financing 2.0. Aspects of the latter in particular are crowdsourcing and services like bandstocks.com.
I wasn't surprised at all to see Wolfram Huschke grab his Cello while I set up my MacBook. As you will see, he does not let the instrument go for one second during the interview. It doesn't fit in terms of seriousness but I can't help thinking of a ventriloquist with his puppet. They both are one. It is one voice that talks to you.
Today, it is the second and third part of my interview with Wolfram Huschke aka Cellonaut I present you with. We get to know about an interesting collaboration between Huschke and the Theatre of Trier's ballet company. Also, it highlights the economic shortcomings of working within full band context if you are a solo artist.
