napster Napster Opinions-Against

ARTIST/MANAGER QUOTES REGARDING NAPSTER

"Chris Isaak: I think rather than go online, go directly to the guy who runs Napster's house, and take what you want. I'm sure he's got a music collection in his own home and since music should be free, feel free to go inside to take what you need. See how he likes it. Note for people who are not extremely bright: This is sarcasm."
--Chris Isaak
Online Chat: www.chrisisaak.com

"The fundamental point is: no music, no Napster. This is obviously a big business that was built by taking stuff without the consent of the artists who created it . . . More and more people are going to download their music, and if it all stays free and there is no control over the payments, then it will be difficult for younger artists to make a livelihood . . . We would first like to be consulted before our stuff gets taken, and [we'd like to] have some vote in deciding what's distributed for free and what isn't . . . Second, we'd like to get some payment."
-- Peter Gabriel
The Red Eye/Redherring.com - February 5, 2001

"I don't like to have a record out and have people hear . . . versions that we don't want them to hear. With the Internet, there is no more privacy and not even the chance to express yourself in front of your audience in the intimacy of a concert that lets songs evolve. You can't do this because they immediately get circulated."
-- Neil Young
Yahoo! Entertainment News - January 31, 2001

"You know, my whole vibe on Napster is, I understand how it will help life for unsigned bands. It is definitely a window to showcase a lot of bands [that] probably wouldn't be getting to hear from a lot of these majors, but at the same time you all need to pay us now . . . I mean, straight up! This is some hard work. I mean, I was in the military for, like, four years, man, and I'm telling you, boy, the music business is some hard work . . . You need some sort of pension, you know? And if they can't regulate it to where the artist gets paid, well, then it's not that great of an idea because even the unsigned artists, at some point, they're going to want to get paid for their things also."
-- Shaggy
February 2, 2001

"The bottom line is this; The works of recording artists are being stolen and disseminated over the Internet without fair and just compensation for those artists. This is the way songwriters and singers make their living, and stealing that music and giving it away for free is not right. Then there's the absurd argument that, 'Well, rock stars are wealthy, and therefore, it's all right to steal from them.' But the majority of singers and songwriters and recording artists in this business are not wealthy. They're struggling from hand to mouth, day to day, and they need fair and just compensation for their work. I'm deeply concerned, as are all artists about these issues, particularly Napster."
-- Don Henley
Boston Globe - May 5, 2000

"The Internet is both a democratizing force and a force for undermining democracy. The concept that music should be free is some holdover from the Sixties, I guess. And I resent it when people imply that this is not a legitimate profession, that what I do for a living should be given away. Napster and MP3.com try to make people believe that they are some sort of Robin Hood organization, stealing from the record companies and giving music to the people. But they are stealing from the people who create that music."
-- Don Henley
-- Rolling Stone Magazine - June 22, 2000

"…Just because technology exists where you can duplicate something, that doesn't give you the right to do it. There's nothing wrong with giving some tracks away or bits of stuff that's fine. But it's not everybody's right. Once I record something, it's not public domain to give it away freely. So I stand behind Dr. Dre and Metallica and support them. And that's not trying to be the outdated musician who is trying to 'stop technology. I love technology. Technology is here to stay…"
-- Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails
Boston Globe - May 5, 2000

"…Yeah, I feel like I'm being stolen from, and I'd like to knock that punk around that invented it, but it was bound to happen. ... I think Metallica's got the right idea sue 'em. It's your copyright, it is copyright infringement, and even though Napster is only the pipeline…"
-- Goo Goo Dolls singer/guitarist Johnny Rzeznik
Sonicnet.com - June 7, 2000
Last updated  2008/09/28 02:26:40 CDTHits  482