First let me start by saying that the impetus for writing this post was initiated by Dave Allen who I greatly enjoyed (well still enjoy actually) as a musician (Gang of Four) and still find interesting via his new media and social media posts on Social Cache. One of the links that Dave pointed to was by Josh Rabinowitz of  Soundcheck Blog. Josh's post was well thought out and documented and caused me to think a little bit (thinking's not a totally dead art yet in the Internet age). I like Dave Allen and am from the music generation that started with singles(45's) and grew into LP's and were all fairly affordable. Many pundits have a bevy of disparate opinions on why the music business has become what it is. Some blaming the greed of the music corporations-by churning the over-priced CD's and sicking the RIAA watch dogs on music fans for downloading; some blame the artists for not doing enough engaging music or only having 2 or 3 good songs on that expensive 14 song CD.

I guess the entertainment industry (let's not forget many of those record/music companies are the corporate siblings of movie studios) really glimpsed the future at the same time Wall Street and many other business people did-grab what you can while you can. In fact capitalism always seemed fairly focused on that premise: make money and let the chips fall where they may. This philosophy really driven home by the Bush administration and the derivatives gang.

Somewhere along the way due to the major labels building up a star-maker machine(borrowed from Joni Mitchell song) the artists also lost their perspective. Way back in the early days musicians and other artists either found a rich patron(emperor or empress) to finance their archival (scored works) or they busted their butts in anonymity playing in pubs and beer halls. Nowadays the Internet is allowing musicians and artists to virtually be their own pubs and beer halls-meaning that if they bust their butts and mesh with their fans online via micro-channel media and through these channels they can possibly pay their bills through their art. Many will not be equally successful and maybe will content themselves with being able to express themselves musically, while not earning financial independence or freedom from the 9-5 world (join the club).

Unfortunately, the star-maker system fostered a wrong view and expectation by many musicians-one of entitlement, despite all the evidence to the contrary that this stardom and resulting riches were much more the exception than the norm, since the record companies contract system (made infamous by Steve Albini et al) was much more stick than carrot and slight of financial hand that would have left Houdini proud (or maybe ashamed??).

In summary, Dave Allen responded to a comment on Josh's post:

Jennifer, what this says to me is that music is now merely a commodity that can be used to sell a can of beans without irony. Cat Power and Lincoln? That is something that does not sit well with me…she and Bowie downsized for a crappy American car…wow! The music industry follows the US Auto makers to the bail out party…

I disagree, I think many musicians would have done this a long time ago if they were offered this deal. Why not? Musicians are no more evil for flogging a  song to a deodorant maker than a "suit" is for his 9-5 salary-man time selling of his working life. In fact at least the musicians music still has a possibility of affecting the listener in some positive even spiritual way. How are we benefitted by toxic mortgage products or by the government officials re-paying their Wall Street patrons in the name of saving main street, when in fact they are just skilled in saving their own hides? The Who made a parody of just this very sell-out scenario on the Who Sell Out. Maybe they were feeling their street cred, maybe they were just jealous of their more successful Liverpool contemporaries? Later on they surely seem to be much more in tune with touring and flogging songs to TV shows to maintain their lifetyles?

So what is my point? Idealism and capitalism aren't good bedfellows. Why use different standards when talking about musicians, investment bankers and preachers? Just saying...