GENE SIMMONS of KISS: "The record industry is dead."

Magius said:
And so... here we go again....
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Yea, yea, I know, but it is a damn shame.
Gene Simmons said:
The very same people that love the music the most have slit its throat and they're surprised it's dying. 'How come my new band can't get a shot?' 'Cos you killed it, bitch.

"Every day college kids who probably love music more than anybody are the same people slashing the record industry's throat by file sharing and downloading. It's the saddest thing for new bands.
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Gene says what a lot of people are too afraid to say. He comes off as a dick because he's the only one that says these things, but often times his points are very good and not just him takling out of his ass.
 
Please. Are artist incomes really declining due to downloading? It seems to me that the recording industry is still making just as many millionaires as it used to.

We've been hearing this tripe since the cassette recorder and VCR came out. While downloading is far more efficient than copying tapes or taping off the radio or television, it's not costing artists significant money unless you make the false case that it's a zero-sum game, ie every download is a lost sale.

In fact, as far as metal goes, downloading SAVED metal. In 2000, most of us simply could not buy CDs locally. And we certainly weren't going to shell out $30 for imports when we didn't have a clue what we were getting. Downloaders got these albums, emailed them to their friends, and created demand in the US that didn't exist and which the bands and record companies like Nuclear Blast and AFM weren't even trying to create because they thought metal was dead in America. Thousands heard this music that wouldn't have otherwise, and now you can go into a store in the US and buy your favorite metal album.

An earlier example was the Scorpions trip to Leningrad in 1988, I believe it was. Heavy metal music was outlawed in the Soviet Union. No one could buy a Scorpions album. Yet everyone knew the songs because they'd spread bootlegs around. The result: 160,000 tickets sold over two nights for a Scorpions concert and hundreds of thousands of Scorpions records sold once they became available.
 
To sum up, I'd say that downloading is a disaster for artists past their prime or artists who have little talent. They need people to buy the album based on the name or hype alone. I'm sure Metallica lost millions due to illegal downloads of St. Anger and I'm sure Gene's crappy new band would have done much better if people couldn't download it and hear it for themselves first.

But I'm sure that a lot of people on this very board bought albums based on hearing illegal downloads. And bought tickets to see their shows. And merchandise. I'd bet far more than downloaded it, liked it, and kept it without paying for it.
 
Ugh, given the stuff he's done in recent years, I couldn't care less about the opinion of Gene Simmons. I mean I still have some old Kiss vinyls, and I think musicians should want to make money, but don't whore yourself out and look like a complete douche in the process.
 
I just say these words and I know I am scary right no matter WHAT opinion some people have: Each and everyone of you who think illegal downloading "saved" metal or in general is "good" or "helps" bands will sadly not wake up and understand the reality of their actions and the horrible outcome because of the illegal downloading until it's too late. I can't in any way understand why some people are trying to justify themselves because of their downloading. The bottom line is, It is theft no matter what and it really does hurt bands (especially bands that the majority in this board listens to). It's really horrible that this subject even have 2 sides.....as I said....people will learn when it's too late (mark my words). Where did all good bands go??? Why don't they come to my country for shows??? Why don't they release new albums??? etc etc etc...these are questions that many people will ask in a not too distant future...

Some people say "oh, if it weren't for downloading I wouldn't find that band etc" and "CD's are to expensive" is bullshit!! Of course people find new bands on the internet but, since people prefer downloading it for free the bands and labels will not survive for long....
Some like Gene Simmons...some don't but, no matter what you think of him he is so 100% right on this...
 
Magius said:
And so... here we go again....
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I can't help it. Your post made me laugh, Magius. :)

This subject does seem to stir the pot, doesn't it?

Before we get too far down the bumpy road, we should probably agree that (a) illegal downloading is a controversial topic, and (b) Gene Simmons is an outrageous dude who has a reputation for being a ruthless businessman. Love him or hate him, Mr. S. is wealthy beyond the dreams of avarice. God love him!

Bill
 
P-roggy said:
Passion must of course be there but, how the HELL do you think a band shall survive if there ain't money???
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A real job :lol:

Not saying it's entirely bad for a band to enjoy financial benefits from being in a band but when its more than the passion of writing the music, fuck em :O
 
P-roggy said:
I just say these words and I know I am scary right no matter WHAT opinion some people have: Each and everyone of you who think illegal downloading "saved" metal or in general is "good" or "helps" bands will sadly not wake up and understand the reality of their actions and the horrible outcome because of the illegal downloading until it's too late. I can't in any way understand why some people are trying to justify themselves because of their downloading. The bottom line is, It is theft no matter what and it really does hurt bands (especially bands that the majority in this board listens to). It's really horrible that this subject even have 2 sides.....as I said....people will learn when it's too late (mark my words). Where did all good bands go??? Why don't they come to my country for shows??? Why don't they release new albums??? etc etc etc...these are questions that many people will ask in a not too distant future...

Some people say "oh, if it weren't for downloading I wouldn't find that band etc" and "CD's are to expensive" is bullshit!! Of course people find new bands on the internet but, since people prefer downloading it for free the bands and labels will not survive for long....
Some like Gene Simmons...some don't but, no matter what you think of him he is so 100% right on this...
Click to expand...



You are absolutely correct. Downloading, or anything in life really, is simply a two sided argument. It's all in black and white.
 
rms said:
A real job :lol:

Not saying it's entirely bad for a band to enjoy financial benefits from being in a band but when its more than the passion of writing the music, fuck em :O
Click to expand...

I totally agree that music should be about passion (which I think 90% of all metal bands are in it for) but, money is a necessary evil to get things going and keeping it alive just like so many other things in life and business.
 
adaher said:
insert longass rant
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Generally completely agree. Metal is much more accessable in the states than it was back at the turn of the millenium when i was discovering a lot of bands

P-roggy said:
Insert other longass rant
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I pretty much entirely disagree. The death of the music industry is because popular music is getting shittier. It boils down to this: if you like music, you should buy the album. Buying the album indirectly supports the artist because you buy the album to support the label, the label says "hey this artist is selling a lot of albums" and puts more of their financial resources into them. If you want to support a band directly, go to a show and buy their merch at the merch table or from their online shop.

If i download smoething like, say, the new Lamb of God, listen to it once and go "hey, this sucks, i'll never listen to this again" and it either sits on my hard drive forever or gets deleted, that is not something i feel bad about. You suggest that if i want to fulfill my curiosity about a band i'm going to hate, i should shell out $15.99 (plus tax or shipping or whatever) to have an experience that is ultimately useless for anything other than me deciding this is not an artist i want to support. Why should i spend 20 dollars to hate something when i can preview it and make an informed decision? With the sheer number of bands these days, it's necessary to "try before you buy" if you will. What difference does it make if i do it online or go to a friend's house and listen to their copy when teh result is ultimately the same?

I'm a huge advocate and practicioner of "if you like it, support the artist". There's not a single thing that i have on my computer or mp3 player that i have listened to more than once that i don't either own or plan on purchasing. I find it insulting to insinuate that those of us like myself who sink more of my paycheck into the music industry that we're the ones "killing it"... that's fucking bullshit. Now, i agree that people who flat out download music, listen to it all the time and burn off discs should have some punishment their way, but to say that Downloading is inherently wrong is silly. Downloading has gotten more money out of my pocket and into the pockets of record labels and artists.
 
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