Internet Radio Royalties to Increase

Later this afternoon a congressional hearing regarding the new decision by the Copyright Royalty Board, part of the Library of Congress, to raise the "performance" rates for songs listened to over the Internet. I admit straight out that I know little of the full spectrum of the situation, but this bit from Broadcast Law Blog is more than a might bit chilling for anyone thinking about setting up any form of online radio station:

In a 100 page decision, the Board essentially adopted the royalty rate advanced by SoundExchange (the collective that receives the royalties and distributes the money to copyright holders and performers) in the litigation. It denied all proposals for a percentage of revenue royalty (including a proposal that SoundExchange itself advanced)emphasis mine

A bit later in the same article, it's noted that there's a minimum $500 fee per channel, but that the exact definition of a channel is not provided. With that (lack of) information, I can see why Pandora founder Tim Westergren sent out an email to Pandora users asking them to call their respective congressperson to "save internet radio." Say, for instance, that every person is allocated one "channel" on Pandora (it could be worse, each station a person has, I have five, could be listed as a channel), therefore, each person who has a Pandora account is costing Pandora $500 per year, even if only one song is listened to.

This isn't just a problem for Pandora, Last.fm and the like, it's a problem for any person with an idea for how to make more music more accessible to more people. It raises the barrier of entry for anyone who would like to try sharing, legally, and for short times broadcasting music with anyone who might enjoy it. Even though I don't agree with the idea that a "Free Market" is the ideal way to handle every interaction of society, culture, and business, a move to impede the entry of new ideas into the market certainly is not in the best interests of those who the market, and the government (whose job it is to make sure that the market is indeed free, like speech, not beer, serve.

Business ultimately serve us. Our Government serves us. Remind them.

There's a reason to live in Texas, even for an avowed Cowboys-hater such as I, and that reason is Austin. Even more specifically, SXSW (South-by-Southwest), a nine day event of movies and music. Just trying to read through the list of bands made my eyes glaze over, and had my (non-existent) tail wagging.

I'd love to go one year. Hell, I'd live in Austin year-round just so that I'd not have to make a special trip to Texas to go to this. Happily, they've just released a bit of promo material. 3.05 gigs worth. 739 songs. Seriously. This is just the first bit of promo material. It looks like the next bit will be movie snippets, which is of far less interest to me. But seriously, 739 songs. For free, most likely unladen with DRM.

The torrent file is here

Bliss. Well, delayed bliss. Stupid Ameritech.

Latest CD Round-up

There's nothing like getting a tax return to spur me onto purchase more CD's. Here's the latest batch.

From Disc Replay, Bloomingdale location:

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Honey's Dead
The Be Good Tanyas - Chinatown (I've had another album of theirs on my eMusic Save For Later, come March I'll pick it up)
Hem - Funnel Cloud (another eMusic Save For Later)
Evanescence - The Open Door (Yes, I'm a trifle embarrassed to own both albums, but "Call Me When You're Sober was on q101 as I was headed to the store, and I said "Self, if that album's there for less than $7, buy it." It was $4.99. Also, well, Amy Lee.)

Downers Grove:

Cat Stevens - Matthew & Son
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (Dude, I'm so cool now. Wait. Damnit, I'm not in eight grade anymore.)
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
ABBA - Gold Greatest Hits (Who doesn't need more uptempo Swedes in there life?)

From Reckless Records in Wicker Park:

Charcoal - Flowers in the Cement (Bands like Radiohead and Interpol were referenced on the Reckless sleeve. Names like that are catnip.)
Old 97's - Fight Songs
Robbie Fulks - Country Love Songs (Along with the Old 97's [for whom I have a deep and abiding love] in the "Insurgent Country" section and marked as "funny." Funny is why I listen to Alt Insurgent Country, so insta-buy.
Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun (I almost bought this at Downers Grove on Friday, but didn't want to pay seven bucks for it. Three dollars was paid instead, tonight. Awesome.

I'm

Stolen from Uncertain Principles:

I'm a mess
I'm a Mindless Idiot
I'm a Wheel
I'm Always in Love
I'm Bound for the Promised Land
I'm crying
I'm Finding it Harder to be a Gengleman
I'm Getting Back into Getting back into You
I'm Glad
I'm Going Slightly Mad
I'm Going to Change the World
I'm Goint to Memphis
I'm Gonna See You
I'm Having a Heart Attack
I'm in Love with my Car
I'm John Kerry
I'm Leavin' Now
I'm Lonely (But I ain't that lonely yet)
I'm Looking Through You
I'm Not Angry
I'm Not Bitter
I'm Not Here
I'm Not in Love
I'm Not Sacred of You
I'm Old Fashioned
I'm On Fire
I'm Only Sleeping
I'm Sailin
I'm Set Free
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
I'm So Open
I'm So Tired
I'm Sorry I Love You
I'm Still Your Fag
I'm The Man Who Loves You
I'm Tounge-Tied
I'm Totally Not Down With Rob's Alien
I'm Waiting (Leeanne's Song)
I'm Waiting for the Day
I'm Waiting for the Man
I'm With Her
I'm Your Kind of Guy
I'm Your Man