Moby Explains RIAA Mindset: Please Make The Future Die

from the moby-and-mossberg? dept

Wed, Aug 12th 2009 6:30am — Mike Masnick

It's a bit of an odd pairing, but musician Moby was recently interviewed by Walt Mossberg, and among other things they discussed issues like file sharing and the RIAA's strategy. Moby, of course, has complained about the RIAA's strategy in the past, calling for it to be disbanded following the Jammie Thomas verdict. He's also found success experimenting with giving away his music, so his positions probably don't come as a surprise. He says he has no problem with people downloading his music (though he likes it when they buy it as well), as he's "honored" that people want to listen to his music, and if they download an unauthorized copy: "more power to you." On the RIAA, he can't understand why they're doing something that so clearly alienates fans, but then does a pretty good job explaining why, noting that the current business model of major labels:

"underpins the failure of major labels--they think, it used to be this way, so it ought to be this way." Their ethos is, "Please go away. Make the future die."

Not much new, but the quote is definitely a succinct way of explaining the position held by some at the major record labels over the past decade. Rather than deal with reality, they just want it to go away.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: moby, music, recording industry, riaa

16 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2009 @ 6:41am

Bah, let me know when puppet walt mossberg interviews Moby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdn0AmdXsGg
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2009 @ 6:59am

Moby would be much more believable if he wasn't cashing RIAA (or british verision of) checks. He plays exactly as I said, in public they are the cool kids dissing the system, and then they go home and enjoy the life paid for by those lovely residual checks.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Marcus Carab (profile), 12 Aug 2009 @ 7:22am
  
  Re:
  If I recall correctly, Moby had an incredibly hard time launching his career until he went out and marketed his music for commercial purposes. He's had plenty of help along the way but he's a fairly self-made musician who identified an untapped market and tapped the hell out of it (remember when ever third commercial on TV had a Moby song in the background?)
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2009 @ 7:31am
  
  Re:
  Oh heavens, someone that is playing on both sides of the fence for his own personal benefit. We shouldn't allow such people to exist.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2009 @ 7:29am

Moby is one of the most ethically responsible artists I have heard about in recent years. As an example, a couple years ago he was approached to have one of his songs in a car ad. He repeatedly refused. Later he realized that the best way to combat what he saw as problems with the automobile industry was to license the song to them then contribute the money he earned to anti auto industry groups. I don't agree with all of his politics, but I have a great deal of respect for how responsibly he supports them.

Based on this behavior I don't think your accusation is fair. He has shown he backs up his beliefs with actions. Know who you're talking about next time you feel like chiming in.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Not Anonymous, 12 Aug 2009 @ 8:36am
  
  Re: Ethically Responsible?
  How does refusing to allow your music to be used in an advertisement make you ethically responsible? I'm not sure I understand that.
  
  Also, what is an "anti auto industry group"?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2009 @ 2:17pm
    
    Re: Re: Ethically Responsible?
    Moby, like many "artists" is pretty much there for the cash. He is there to be cool. Being cool right now is dissing the RIAA and the like. But in the end, Moby lives his very comfortable life of artist leisure exactly because of groups like the RIAA, copyright, and all those other things.
    
    Nothing like being two faced.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Robert Fisher, 12 Aug 2009 @ 7:32am

I never could understand why the RIAA did not embrace the movement instead of fighting it. I am sure they did a business analysis to see which would pay them more. I think their analysis was wrong and they should make all of their music available for download. I personally don't like CDs because it is usually 13/14% crap. And the RIAA knows this!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
PeterG, 12 Aug 2009 @ 7:43am

RIAA type groups of entrenched industry reactives, merely fight any change, they don't engage in long term thinking.

Content industry fought to stop tape recorders and VCRs like they would be Armageddon. Luckily they lost and then made ridiculous amounts of money selling media for these devices.

They can't even be trusted to act in thier own best interest, let alone ours.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2009 @ 7:43am

Just because he happens to make popular music doesn't mean Moby's insight is not poignant. I would suggest that his degree of experience inside the industry actually makes his opinion more valid than someone who has spent all their time fighting from the outside.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
WammerJammer, 12 Aug 2009 @ 7:56am

RIAA
And I quote 'Rather than deal with reality, they just want it to go away.' Well this is one customer that went away. I only buy indie anymore. They don't know who the royalties go to anyway. No Radio Stations submit Play lists with their royalty payments. BMI, ASCAP and SESAC have no idea who is owed what? So Screw them I don't have to buy their product.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Krz, 12 Aug 2009 @ 8:00am

I don't know about all that but ...
... He once tried to get a friend of mine to have sex with him on the floor of a public restroom. When she showed her disgust with the idea, he responded "We can put down a towel".

True story.

But yeah ... nuts to the RIAA!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2009 @ 8:26am
  
  Re: I don't know about all that but ...
  Really? Well now I like Moby.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- aguywhoneedstenbucks (profile), 12 Aug 2009 @ 10:32am
  
  Re: I don't know about all that but ...
  To be fair it was a VERY nice towel...
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Dark Helmet (profile), 12 Aug 2009 @ 10:49am
    
    Re: Re: I don't know about all that but ...
    "To be fair it was a VERY nice towel..."
    
    And, depending on the date, there's a good chance he was high.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2009 @ 11:50am
  
  Re: I don't know about all that but ...
  Moby's gay.
  
  Admit it, this story happened to you.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]