"better for the artist", indeed?

Robert Fripp's Diary for Friday, 2nd October 2009:

We are looking at a royalty statement for an album I produced some years ago that now includes download income. The record company receives 67 US cents per track; I receive 2 cents per track as producer.

In the days of vinyl, the company used to receive c. 24% of the wholesale, and perhaps the artist received 40-50% of that 24% (this varied considerably & even where the rate seemed higher, such as 16-18%, the artist royalty was subject to all manner of deductions to lower it). So, the ratio of record company: artist earnings was nominally a proportion of perhaps 1:1 (ish),and post-deductions maybe 2:1. For downloads, the ratio is now 67:12; or around 5- or 6:1. This is the new model of digital music provision?

And that's for those companies that are actually (sorta) tracking downloads sales. Fripp has had an impressive round of battles just trying to get an accurate figure for the Crimson tracks illegally posted on iTunes so far.

We have received correspondence from the US accountant. This has now become complex and involves me in the loop. One radical solution to this not happening again is to abandon touring in the US. This is an effective solution to many of my unhappinesses regarding the professional life. The musical portion of the work is such a small percentage of the total effort involved that I have to ask: why am I doing this? The primary answer: because this is what I have always done. But, that is not a sufficient reason.

North American readers may not know that recent legislation & greater application of existing laws, in respect of policing monetary flows & foreign workers, have made tours by artists visiting the US increasingly complex. A growing response from touring artists is to avoid the US.

For these very crazy reasons, Marillion will not tour the U.S., and probably never will again. Various prog festivals are constantly getting the dreaded phone call from a headliner, saying their visas never came in so they can't perform.

Again the question is easily asked - was Chicago bumped from consideration because of how much of a pain the state department has made it for workers and tourists to enter the country now?

yeah, that about covers it.

Thing That Was Popular Before Brought Back In Hopes Of It Still Being Popular | The Onion - America's Finest News Source:

NEW YORK—Confident that people would once again embrace it as a beloved part of pop culture, steps were taken this week to reintroduce a once-popular thing to the public at large. "If you look at all those other things that were popular for a while and then came back, this one is right up there with them," said a high-ranking entertainment industry executive. "Based on its past performance, we can treat the success of [this cultural touchstone] as a known quantity and predict that it will once again win America's heart." At press time, the thing had not recaptured its original popularity, and had been met with multiple nods of recognition from people who remembered it from when they were children.

I think I don't need to get one, as I probably still have mine from then anyways. Or it's in my parents' basement.

[from the rants] The Onion Speaks the Truth

Joe's Political Jottings - The Onion speaks the Truth - This is, quite simply, one of the most brilliant characterizations of the modern conservative (reactionary) religious movement in this country.

well, this ought to be fun

News Releases:

NEW YORK, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SIRIUS XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today that it will launch Monty Python Radio, a 24/7 channel devoted to, and hosted by, the iconic British comedy troupe.

The limited-run channel will premiere on Friday, October 16, the day after the stars receive a Special Award from The British Academy of Film and Television Arts event at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City, and will run for ten full days featuring classic Python sketches, skits and, songs; fans calling in with requests; fans and celebrities telling favorite sketches and Python memories; and various members of the original Python troupe reminiscing and talking of new projects.

The 24/7 channel will showcase comedic bits from Monty Python's Flying Circus television show, including the legendary segments "Spam," "Nudge Nudge," "Killer Joke," "Argument Clinic," "Cheese Shop" and unexpected skits like "The Spanish Inquisition," and tracks from the troupe's various albums, including Monty Python and The Holy Grail, Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album, Matching Tie and Handkerchief, Monty Python's Life of Brian, Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life and Monty Python Sings.

Monty Python fans can request their favorite skits during the "Monty Python Request Shows" airing regularly throughout the ten days. During this segment, fans will take the stage as they share their memories and tell their stories about watching Python.

"This is the first time that the Pythons have had their very own radio channel and we are proud to honor their 40th anniversary, and complete their invasion of North America, by creating with them Monty Python Radio," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SIRIUS XM Radio.

Monty Python Radio will air through Sunday, October 25 on SIRIUS channel 105 and XM channel 151.